USA · est. 1963
Rolla Vollstedt’s Portland-built Indy cars.
Forthcoming lots
1 forthcoming lot · Monterey 2026
The house
Rolla Vollstedt fielded Len Sutton in late-season National Championship dirt events in 1955 and 1956. In summer 1963, he brought a rear-engined, normally aspirated Offenhauser to Indianapolis for tyre tests; Sutton qualified eighth for the 1964 Indianapolis 500, ran fourth and retired after 140 laps.
The 1965 Vollstedt reused the 1963–64 chassis jig and was designed for Ford’s quad-cam engine. For 1966, Vollstedt drew two aluminium monocoques, had their panels made by California Metal Shaping and sold the pair to the Jim Robbins Company after the season.
Two wider Ford-powered cars followed for 1967. Jim Clark qualified one second for the Rex Mays 300 at Riverside, took the lead for one lap and retired after a valve failure; it was his last Indy car race. Larry Dickson finished ninth in a Vollstedt-Ford at the 1969 Indianapolis 500, completing 180 laps.
The 1972 No. 12 followed McLaren M16 lines, while the second monocoque was built up differently in 1973; both were modified through 1975 and 1976. Janet Guthrie became the first woman named to drive an Indianapolis 500 entry in 1976, but mechanical problems prevented a qualifying attempt. Vollstedt died in Portland on 22 October 2017.
Selected milestones
1963
Rear-engined Offenhauser at Indianapolis
Vollstedt brought a rear-engined, normally aspirated Offenhauser to summer tyre tests. Sutton qualified it eighth for the 1964 Indianapolis 500 and retired after 140 laps.
1966
Two monocoques sold to Jim Robbins
Vollstedt designed two aluminium monocoques using panels formed by California Metal Shaping. Both went to the Jim Robbins Company after the season.
1967
Clark leads at Riverside
Jim Clark qualified the No. 21 Vollstedt second for the Rex Mays 300, led for one lap and retired after damaging a valve. It was his last Indy car race.
1969
Ninth at Indianapolis
Larry Dickson finished ninth in a Vollstedt-Ford for Vollstedt Enterprises, classified running after 180 laps.
1976
Guthrie entered at Indianapolis
Janet Guthrie was the first woman named to drive a 500 entry. Mechanical issues forced Vollstedt’s team to withdraw before she made a qualifying attempt.
What defines Vollstedt
The 1963 Indianapolis car placed a normally aspirated Offenhauser behind the driver; the 1965 car was designed around Ford’s quad-cam engine.
After the 1966 season, Vollstedt sold both monocoques to the Jim Robbins Company and built new cars for 1967.
The 1967 cars remained in Vollstedt’s programme through 1971. The 1972 and 1973 monocoques were revised in 1975 and 1976, with one later used as a backup as late as 1981.