DSR Forum's notes on Forsgrini

Stabilimenti Forsgrini - left to right:
HM Monte Carlo, GM Monaco, HM Martini, and FM Veloce.1
(showing on left a light car, then #148, then #144, then #146)

Introduction
"Northwest sportswriter John Andrews once wrote, 'What looks like a bug,
growls like a lion, runs like a gazelle and stands three feet tall?' The
answer was an H-Mod. Forsgrini. The event that prompted the question was
a race at Canada's Westwood circuit where Lyle Forsgrini's Forsgrini had
been the equal of a C Modified Cooper Monaco.

Lyle Forsgren and younger brother Dale got interested in sports cars
from Lyle's shop instructor, who took any available student to the races
to help lay out communication wires. After a brief stint with an MG TD
while in college, Lyle began building, racing and selling go-karts in
1958 after graduation, while working for Boeing. In 1959, Lyle bought a Fiat-Abarth Zagato that he literally had to beat back into shape. It
came from an insurance company, after having been the meat in a big-car sandwich. Dale raced the karts while Lyle ran the Fiat Abarth in both H Production and H Modified classes."1

Mk I
"In 1960 the brothers built the Forsgrini Mk I. It was a Renault 4CV
based car with a Crosley engine mounted midship. The body was purchased
from Almquist, and the tube frame was derived from 'SS tubing' (which
was their affectionate moniker fro swing-set tubing) that they bought
from a Salvation Army store. Dale put this car deep in the woods in
1961, fortunately without injury to himself."1


Monte Carlo
US_VintageGP_WatkinsGlen_20030906_byAdrianoManocchia.jpg (117398 bytes)
Joseph Riolo's 1965 DSR
September 6, 2003
US Vintage Grand Prix
Watkins Glenn. photo by
Adriano Manocchia

RoeblingRoad_OntheTrack4.jpg (38424 bytes)
The same 1965 DSR as
above when previously
owned by Paul Bova.
Pictured here at
Roebling Road

LimRock_OntheGrid.jpg (51091 bytes)

LimeRocak_OntheTrack5.jpg (47880 bytes)

LimeRock_OntheTrack3.jpg (46622 bytes)
The three photos above
are from Lime Rock Park

"When the Fiat Abarth became uncompetitive in H Mod about 1960, the
brothers built their second car, which they called the Monte Carlo. Like
all Stabilimenti Forsgrini car, it carried a very Mille Miglia-ish
three-digit race number. The Monte Carlo was FIat-based, with
mid-engined 750cc Fiat built to Abarth specs. The body was constructed
by Dale. Lyle was almost undefeated with the Monte Carlo in the 1961-62 seasons, winning36 of 49 races entered. He finished second in H Modified
with an updated version of the car at the 1966 SCCA Runoffs."1
Martini
"Next came the Martini, less Fiat-based and with a Renault Dauphine
engine, again in H Modified. Dale raced it in 1962 while a forth car,
called the Monaco, was built."1

Monaco
mote_carlo_fiat_abarth.jpg (56857 bytes)
Monte Carlo in front
of the Fiat Abarth1

monte_carlo_trophies.jpg (142351 bytes)
Monte Carlo with
trophies in front1

"It had an 1100cc Ford 105E engine mated to a Fiat 600 transaxle, and
was designed to compete in the G Modified class. All the chassis and
suspension parts for this car were fabricated by the Team."1


monaco.jpg (183550 bytes)
Monaco1

Veloce
"While Lyle was cleaning up in H Mod with the Monte Carlo and Dale was
getting accustomed to the G Mod Martini, a fifth car was being built. It
was called the Veloce, and carried a 1500cc Alfa engine built by Al
Oppie, a friend who proved to be a very good designer and builder of
racing engines. With the Veloce, Lyle had an F Mod car of the team's own creation that could run with the best factory cars widely available
then, like the Lotus 23. In the 1963 Northern Pacific Grand Prix, Lyle
finished second in the under-2.0-liter class."1

The Team
During 1964, a new H Modified car was being built that incorporated all
the things they had learned. The two earlier H Mod cars were turned over
to the Forsgrens' cousin Darrell Halgrimson and friend Bob Martin. So
the team had four cars running in three classes. Well, sometimes it was
four cars in two classes. For fun, occasionally they would hook up a
small electric fan in Dale's car and point it at the Webers. Thus 'supercharged,' Dale ran in G Modified with Lyle.

One of the outstanding features of the Forsgrini cars was the number of
special parts the team fabricated. Dale was the 'artist,' and made the
bodies and all of the molds for their metal castings. Lyle machined
parts in their basement machine shop: Brake discs and calipers, steering
racks and pinions, suspension uprights and spindles, plus rods, pistons,
and crackshafts. Such was their ability that the team once made, for a
friend, a DOHC 2.0-liter four-cylinder [engine] from a Jaguar 3.8-liter six-cylinder."1


And Beyond
"Lyle left Boeing in 1968 to build Forsgrinis full-time. There was a
series of [Formula B], Formula C, Formula Fords and F5000 cars, plus the ongoing development of what became D Sports Racers.

In 1971, Lyle moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to work for the snowmobile
racing division of Mercury Marine. He still lives there [as of
September, 1993], designing and building home-built aircraft in his
spare time. Brother Dale passed away unexpectedly this past April
[1993], and it is in his memory that Lyle provided all the information
for this article. Several of the Forsgren brothers' creations remain
active in vintage racing today, a fitting tribute to their talent and creativity."1
Race Results: 1968 ARRC
1968.jpg (111513 bytes)
A 1968 Forsgrini
Formula B car

lyle_forsgren_formula5000.jpg (114546 bytes)
Lyle Forsgren in a
Forgrini Formula 5000

Dale Forsgren of Kirkland, Washington, placed second in DSR at the 1968 American Road Race of Champions (the SCCA's national championship at the
time) in a Forsgrini. Dale finished the race 0.2 seconds behind the DSR
leader.
The November 19-24 race was held at Riverside Raceway, CA. The 18 lap
race covered 46.8 miles in 32 minutes, 0.9 seconds for an average speed
of 88.0 MPH.

Where They Are Now
The Forsgrini DSR, previously owned by Paul Bova, has been sold to Joe
Riolo of Riolo Racing.

07/20/2004 "I sold 2 Forsgrini Sports Racers that I picked up in the
Seattle area in the early 80s. One car is being currently raced by Paul
Bova of Stamford CT." Paul Lane

03/04/2004 "My step-father is a cousin of Dale And Lyle Forsgren, who
built your car. Would you like to see pictures and race results?" Steve

08/26/2002 "I am currently racing a 1965 Forsgrini DSR. The car competes
in SVRA group 5. If you would like more information, go to my website bovaracing.com. You will find some history on the car, current and
vintage pictures and information on the frame up restoration which i
just completed." Paul Bova

VIR_OntheTrack6.jpg (29677 bytes)
1965 DSR when owned
by Paul Bova.
Pictured above at Virginia
International Raceway

VIR_OntheTrack7.jpg (47755 bytes)
Virginia
International Raceway

waterfordhills.jpg (52849 bytes)
Chasing another car at
Waterford Hills

1James Rice, Vintage Motorsport (September/October 1993), Forsgrinis p26.

Revised: March 04, 2005.

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