1931 Stevens-Miller 'Bowes Seal Fast Special'

Ninety-five years ago, Louis Schneider piloted this very car across the finish line at the Brickyard, securing its place in history at America’s definitive race: the Indianapolis 500. Today, thanks to the diligent research of its owners and care in restoration, the 1931 “Bowes Seal Fast Special” survives and in beautifully presented condition, faithfully preserved in the exact guise in which it achieved that legendary victory.

Schneider was Indianapolis born and bred and holds a storied place in history as one of only two locals ever to win the race. For anyone born in that city, winning the 500 must be an inbuilt aspiration, and Schneider’s fascination with speed began early. While serving as a police motorcyclist in the mid-1920s, he spent his spare time building and working on race cars. He made his debut at Indy in 1927, and a year later he made his first run in a car of his own – an older Miller fitted with an engine reduced to comply with the 91 cid formula. Schneider qualified an impressive 7th and finished in 11th place on race day.

Schneider sat out the 1929 race but returned in 1930 with funding from Indianapolis-based Bowes Seal Fast, which was keen to promote its tire-repair products and would become a consistent presence at Indy from 1930s onwards.

For the 1930 race, Schneider turned to none other than Myron Stevens to build his car. Born the same year as Schneider, in 1901, Stevens’ place in the Motorsport Hall of Fame is well earned. From the 1920s through WWII and beyond, he was an underlying force in American racing.

Stevens first learned his trade under Harry Miller and was the head of Miller’s chassis and bodywork department. Possessing an intuitive understanding of shape and form, Stevens built frames for Miller unlike those of most of his contemporaries, each carefully and exceptionally aerodynamically refined. His defining skill in this area is clearly evident in his sculpted, wind-cheating bodywork.

Stevens eventually left Miller to establish his own shop, having been engaged by Frank Lockhart to help construct the streamlined Stutz Black Hawk Special for a land speed-record assault. Although the project ended tragically with Lockhart’s fatal crash at Daytona Beach in 1928, the project showcased Stevens’ considerable talents, and his shop soon became a favored destination for Indianapolis competitors seeking the finest West Coast engineering expertise.

Stevens’ expertise was particularly sought after as American racing formulas continued to evolve, bringing changes to both engine-displacement limits and chassis configurations. Existing cars were frequently adapted to meet changing regulations, and it was not uncommon for earlier Miller single-seaters to be widened for use in two-man competition. Stevens was often entrusted with such conversions, his growing reputation making him a natural choice for competitors seeking to keep pace with the sport’s shifting requirements.

Schneider’s decision to entrust Stevens with the construction of his Indianapolis mount was quickly vindicated. At the 1930 Indianapolis 500, Schneider qualified 7th and finished 3rd – an impressive result. In 1931, Schneider returned to the 500 partnered by riding mechanic “Jigger” Johnson. Historians agree that the Bowes Seal Fast Special was new for 1931, fitted with a 151 cid Miller eight, though aesthetically it looked much the same as its predecessor. In qualifying, Schneider found an extra 1 mph, recording 107 mph – only enough to secure 13th on the grid.

The race, however, would prove an altogether different story. After a two-hour rain delay, the 1930 winner, Billy Arnold – who had led all but two laps the previous year – looked set to repeat his success. Despite qualifying 18th for the 1931 race, Arnold quickly carved his way through the pack, and by lap seven he had taken the lead from Indianapolis native Bill Cummings.

Cummings’ race was an adventure in itself. After his Cooper-Miller failed on lap 70, he took over Deacon Litz’s entry, a Duesenberg owned by Henry Maley, and continued in the contest driving the Duesenberg.

Arnold maintained a commanding lead for the next 155 laps, until the rear axle of his Summers-Miller failed, forcing his retirement from the race.

For the last 39 laps, the race developed into a battle between the hometown heroes: Schneider, in his Bowes Seal Fast Special, and Cummings, now driving the Duesenberg. Running a tight race through the closing stages, Schneider managed to hold on, never surrendering the lead. When Cummings crashed Maley’s Duesenberg, Schneider brought the Bowes Seal Fast Special home, crossing the finish line 43 seconds ahead of Fred Flame’s Duesenberg, making it a true banner day for both Schneider and Bowes Seal Fast at Indy.

In 1932, Schneider returned to the 500 with Bowes sponsorship but did not enjoy a repeat performance of the previous year’s triumph, as the Special placed 30th in qualifying and 23rd overall. The following year, Schneider raced the Special in a new guise, with the car sporting Edelweiss Beer sponsorship and entered by W.R. Blackburn. However, Schneider suffered the ignominy of stalling on lap one, giving him an official last place.

After a two-year hiatus, the Special was revived and, in 1936, returned to the track as the MidWest Red Lion, owned by the MidWest Racing Team. Now sporting power from a 255 cid Offenhauser four, the Special was driven by Fred Winnai and Ray Yaeger, who qualified 12th and finished a much more respectable 11th. In 1937, Cliff Bergere and Louis Mille garnered an even better result, delivering a 5th place finish for the Special and its entrant, George Lyons. A sixth Indy run followed in 1938, with Billy Devore at the wheel, and finishing in 8th. The Special’s last entry at Indy prior to WWII came in 1939, when Emil Andres finished low down the board in 30th place.

After WWII, the Special appears to have been entered in the 1947 edition of the Indy 500 as an ASPAR late entry, only limited detail of which survives. The Special’s final attempt at a run came in 1948, when Schneider’s original Bowes was fitted with a Duesenberg eight-cylinder and raced in single-seater form by Bob Droeger for E. Baldwin and E. Hoovener. Wearing race no. 44, the Special made a valiant effort in the field, but by that time it was outdated and ultimately outclassed by the newer cars in the field, with the result that it failed to qualify on its final outing.

By 1954, the Special – then outfitted as a Miller-Duesenberg – had been acquired by Thomas B. Porter. Period photographs from that time show the Special still labeled for Droeger and sporting a well-worn but complete form, including Stevens’ distinctive tapered frame. Porter retained the car for the rest of his life, and, in 1976, the Special was acquired from his estate by race car collector Bob McConnell of Ohio.

Subsequent custodians Steve Forristal, Texas oil magnate John Mecom, and Robert Rubin each undertook efforts to return the Special to its former specification, including acquiring the majority of a Miller 122 to support the restoration. Ultimately, however, the work was never fully completed.

It was not until 1990, when passionate collector David Uihlein purchased the car, that a true restoration began. Uihlein was keen to return the car to its Indy-winning 1931 form. Under his care, the Droeger single-seat body was removed and stored, while an exacting copy of the original two-man body was constructed. With the assistance of ace engineer Chris Leydon, the car’s mechanical aspect was attended to. Uihlein would retain the 1931 Indy winner for the rest of his life. Following his passing in 2011, the Special was sold publicly and purchased by the Price Museum of Speed, joining a notable collection of important American racers.

Thanks to decades of knowledgeable enthusiast stewardship, the Special’s history is well charted, and the 1931 Indianapolis winner stands today as a truly significant automobile. In this 250th anniversary year of the US, it serves as a fitting reminder of the spirit, ingenuity, passion, and design unique to American racing, encapsulating many of the legendary figures associated with the sport such as Myron Stevens, Harry Miller, and Louis Schneider, one of only two drivers born in Indianapolis to win the race. An Indianapolis 500 winner is a standout in any collection, making the sale of this Stevens-Miller Special a generational opportunity not to be missed.

Notes Please note that this vehicle is sold on a Bill of Sale.