Miller “Burd Piston Ring Special”

On December 9, 1875 an event occurred in Menomonie, Wisconsin, that would directly shape and affect the face of American motorsport for the next 70 years – Harry Arminius Miller was born. Despite having no more than an elementary school education, Miller went on to design and build not only some of the most innovative and successful racing machines of the prewar era, but also a family of racing engines that would virtually dominate the Indianapolis 500 from 1920 to 1978!

By 1895, Miller had moved from Wisconsin to Los Angeles, California and began working in a bicycle factory. By 1905, he was working for Olds as a mechanic, with part of his duties being to help prepare the Olds racecars for the famed Vanderbilt Cup races of that period. However, by 1908, Miller’s creative juices, combined with a longing for independence, had influenced him into opening his own machine shop back in Los Angeles. Miller Machine began its life by manufacturing racing carburetors and by 1915 was offering a range of speed equipment, which also included alloy pistons, mechanical fuel pumps and custom foundry work for the racing trade. Interestingly, Miller’s shop foreman was a machinist/engineer by the name of Fred Offenhauser, who also featured prominently in Indy history.