The Times originally published this post in August 2008. It has been updated with new information.
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Several years ago, a loyal Times' reader e-mail us with the following: "A recent visitor at the Saline County Museum, seeking information on memories of childhood visits with his Dorchester relatives, asked about the famous Dorchester race car from the 1930s."
The car, as he remembered it, was built and raced by Henry "Heinie" Sehnert, Dorchester's longtime Ford dealer, garage owner, and mechanic. We're told the retired car "hung from the rafters of Sehnert's Garage at 8th and Washington for many years."
This particular Times reader, "History Buff," as well as the visitor at the Saline County Museum wanted to know the rest of the story.
Where was the car raced? Was it a winner? Does anyone have a photo? What became of the car?
Pictured in this story is Heinie Sehnert and his race car. Today, in 2022, the car is showcased in the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, sponsored by Speedway Motors.
Sehnert's S7 Race Car was built in 1927 in Sehnert's South Side Garage -- which today is known as the yellow building on main street just north of the car wash. The S-7 had Ford Model T frame rails with a Frontenac overhead valve conversion on a Ford Model T engine, all re-engineered and built by Heinie.
Pictured above is Heinie at his South Side Garage, which operated from 1925 until late 1930, when Sehnert purchased the building at the corner of 8th and Washington Avenue to expand his Ford dealership. (The South Side Garage building would later house Floyd Beck's John Deere dealership, a roller skate rink, and Wanek's furniture warehouse.) Sehnert's dealership and garage were in operation until 1974, when Sehnert retired, according to the Dorchester Centennial history book.
The car itself was actually raced by a young man named Chris Petersen. Petersen would eventually go on to make a sizable fortune at his father's Petersen Manufacturing facility in Dewitt, where the Vise-Grip was produced and patented. Petersen drove the S7 car in a successful racing career at several area tracks.
Both the engine and the body of the car are reunited at the museum of American Speed. This was a true barn find, according to the museum's social media accounts.
The curators of the Speed Museum decided to not restore the S7, but to leave it in its natural state.
For the record, the Saline County Museum visitor who inquired about the car was Wayne Panter of Lubbock, Texas. His Dorchester relatives were John Panter (Dorchester's first real estate agent in 1884-1885); Dr. S. G. Panter (Dorchester's medical doctor from 1909-1933); and Dr. R.G. Panter (Dorchester's pharmacist from 1888-1911).
Both the engine and the body of the car are reunited at the museum of American Speed. This was a true barn find, according to the museum's social media accounts.
The curators of the Speed Museum decided to not restore the S7, but to leave it in its natural state.
For the record, the Saline County Museum visitor who inquired about the car was Wayne Panter of Lubbock, Texas. His Dorchester relatives were John Panter (Dorchester's first real estate agent in 1884-1885); Dr. S. G. Panter (Dorchester's medical doctor from 1909-1933); and Dr. R.G. Panter (Dorchester's pharmacist from 1888-1911).
It was a real blow to Dorchester when two major businesses closed! Sehnert's Garage, and Znamenacek's Massey/Ferguson dealership!
ReplyDeleteSome of that blow was helped by Tyser Repair coming to town.....thanks to my Uncle, and Cousin Greg. But not having those major dealerships started a decline that will be hard to reverse!
JR Wolfe
York
I know this isn't the focus of the story, but just want to point out that Dr. Panter delivered me in 1935, removed my tonsils around 1940, so he was in practice a few years past 1933 as the article stated. He removed my tonsils in his office, no hospitalization, I was put to sleep with ether, don't know who administered it, but he probably did it himself.
ReplyDeleteAlan Slepicka ended up with the old race car. I think he sold it , after he bought the building, Mr.
ReplyDeleteSehnert used to come over & tell us stories when we were working on our car next door. I know he used to race it at Belville Kansas . He was very interesting to talk to . I think parts of it were Model A, most was hand built from parts he had, from his garage.
Along that line, my sister, who was born in 1937, had her tonsils removed by Dr Panter in his upstairs office, probably 1940?
ReplyDeleteMy parents bought a new 1968 Ford Galaxy from Sehnert's. They traded a 1966 Mustang Pony for it. The race car sat in the dealership until they closed. Wow, this is an old thread!
ReplyDeleteI own a '66 Ford pickup that was purchased new from Sehnert's Garage. It currently has 47k miles and is still all-original. I would love to find a Shanert's license plate frame for it. Did such things ever exist? I can be reached at toddd at neb dot rr dot com.
ReplyDeleteI want to join he tonsil group. I had my tonsils out in Doc Panter's office too. That was in 1939. I can still smell that darn ether. Seems to me his nurse was Myrtle Bricker but I am not sure of that..
ReplyDeleteWould it be possible to get Wayne Panter's phone number I would like to visit with him.
ReplyDeleteThe display at the museum is very well done.
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