Miller FWD Special

1932 Miller FWD Special
	The 1932 Miller Four Wheel Drive Special No. 36 during the Millers at Milwaukee 2026
Category	Indianapolis 500 / AAA Championship Car
Constructor	Harry A. Miller Manufacturing Company
Designers	Harry Miller, Leo Goossen
Technical specifications
Chassis	Pressed-steel channel ladder frame
Suspension (front)	Independent De Dion axle, quarter-elliptic leaf springs, friction dampers
Suspension (rear)	Independent De Dion axle, quarter-elliptic leaf springs, friction dampers
Engine	Miller 308 cu in (5.0 L) DOHC V8 (1932–1933); Miller 255 cu in (4.2 L) DOHC Straight-4 (1934–present), Front-engined, Four-wheel drive (4WD / AWD)
Transmission	Miller 3-speed manual with central transfer case
Power	V8: Approx. 300 bhp (224 kW); Straight-4: Approx. 220 bhp (164 kW)
Weight	Approx. 2,500 lb (1,134 kg)
Fuel	Gasoline / Alcohol racing blend ; Winfield carburetors
Brakes	4-wheel mechanical cable-operated drum brakes
Competition history
Notable entrants	Four Wheel Drive Auto Company (1932–1933); Frank Brisko (1934–1936)
Notable drivers	Bob McDonough (1932); Gus Schrader (1932); Frank Brisko (1933–1934); Doc MacKenzie (1935); Mauri Rose (1936); Bob Swanson (1937)
Debut	1932 Indianapolis 500
Races
	6 (Indianapolis 500 events)

The 1932 Miller FWD Special (also known as Miller 4WD or Miller 308, where "FWD" stands historically for Four-Wheel Drive, rather than front-wheel drive) is a highly historic open-wheel racing car designed by legendary American automotive engineer Harry Miller and his chief draftsman, Leo Goossen. Built in collaboration with the Four Wheel Drive Auto Company of Clintonville, Wisconsin, the vehicle represents one of the earliest and most sophisticated applications of all-wheel traction and four-wheel independent suspension in global Grand Prix and circle-track racing history. Only two examples were built. Chassis 02, the sole surviving vehicle, became a six-time entrant in the Indianapolis 500, achieving a notable 4th-place finish in 1936 with future Hall of Fame driver Mauri Rose. It stands alongside the contemporary Bugatti Type 53 as a premier pioneer of pre-war four-wheel-drive motorsport technology.

Background and Inception

During the Great Depression, the American Automobile Association (AAA) enforced the "Junk Formula" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, banning high-strung, small-displacement supercharged engines in favor of heavy, large-displacement naturally aspirated powerplants. The resulting cars were physically larger and significantly heavier, straining tire technology and tractive limits on the slick, oil-soaked brick surface of the speedway. Harry Miller, facing financial distress, saw an opportunity to conquer these traction limits by applying all-wheel-drive principles typically reserved for heavy commercial trucks. He partnered with Walter A. Olen, president of the Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, who financed the construction of two groundbreaking race cars to act as high-speed promotional tools for his firm.

Design and Technical Specifications

Engine

The cars were initially powered by a clean-sheet, specialized 308-cubic-inch (5.0 L) dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) V8 engine designed by Leo Goossen.

Architecture: Diverging from Miller’s typical barrel-shaped crankcases, the 308 V8 marked the first time Miller designed a split-type crankcase layout. It utilized innovative downdraft porting developed initially for Miller's 1931 V16 engine.
Interchangeability: The physical ladder-frame chassis was engineered with ahead-of-its-time versatility to easily accept either the massive 308 V8 or Miller’s forthcoming 255-cubic-inch 4-cylinder engine.

Drivetrain and Chassis

The layout of the FWD Special was dense, compact, and highly complex.

All-Wheel Drive: Output from the V8 flowed through a custom Miller 3-speed gearbox to a central differential, which uniformly divided torque to the front and rear axles via custom-machined transfer cases.
Suspension: The vehicle featured true four-wheel independent suspension, utilizing De Dion axles at both the front and rear, suspended symmetrically by quarter-elliptic leaf springs.
Brakes: Stopping power was managed by four-wheel cable-operated mechanical drum brakes.

Technical Specifications – 1932 Miller FWD Special
Parameter	Miller 308 V8 Configuration (1932)	Miller 255 Straight-4 Configuration (1934)
Engine Type	90° V8, front-mounted, longitudinal	Inline-4, front-mounted, longitudinal
Displacement	308 cubic inches (5.05 Liters)	255 cubic inches (4.18 Liters)
Valvetrain	DOHC, 2 valves per cylinder (16 total)	DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder (16 total)
Aspiration	Naturally aspirated (Atmospheric)	Naturally aspirated (Atmospheric)
Fuel System	Custom Miller downdraft carburetors	Dual Winfield side-draft carburetors
Power Output	Approx. 300 bhp (224 kW) @ 4,000 rpm	Approx. 220 bhp (164 kW) @ 4,200 rpm
Transmission	3-speed manual with central transfer case	3-speed manual with central transfer case
Drivetrain	Permanent Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)	Permanent Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)
Front Suspension	Independent De Dion axle, quarter-elliptic springs	Independent De Dion axle, quarter-elliptic springs
Rear Suspension	Independent De Dion axle, quarter-elliptic springs	Independent De Dion axle, quarter-elliptic springs
Braking System	4-wheel mechanical cable-actuated drums	4-wheel mechanical cable-actuated drums
Wheelbase	100 inches (2,540 mm)	100 inches (2,540 mm)
Total Weight	Approx. 2,500 lb (1,134 kg)	Approx. 2,350 lb (1,066 kg)

Racing History

1932 Indianapolis 500 Debut

Two cars were completed just days before the 1932 Indianapolis 500. Chassis 01 was kept by Harry Miller for dirt-track master Gus Schrader, while Chassis 02 was painted in FWD's corporate "light chrome yellow" and assigned to board-track star Bob McDonough. During practice, the advantages of all-wheel traction were immediately obvious; both cars proved immensely fast and highly stable through the corners. However, the cars suffered severe teething issues. The intricate transfer cases generated tremendous heat, notoriously burning driver Frank Brisko's leg during a stint. Both cars suffered catastrophic oil-system failures early in the race, resulting in a dual retirement within the opening laps.

Re-Engineering and Mauri Rose (1933–1936)

Following the 1932 disappointment, FWD engineer H.B. Dodge reworked Chassis 02 with Miller’s direct input. Driven by Frank Brisko in 1933, the car qualified an astonishing second fastest on the grid but retired early with a broken main bearing.

Indianapolis 500 Record (Chassis 02)
Year	Driver	Start	Finish	Status
1932	Bob McDonough	13th	26th	Oil Leak
1933	Frank Brisko	2nd	36th	Main Bearing
1934	Frank Brisko	4th	9th	Completed
1935	Doc MacKenzie	15th	13th	Oil Line
1936	Mauri Rose	3rd	4th	Completed
1937	Bob Swanson	21st	31st	Carburetor

To resolve the reliability issues of the V8, Brisko fabricated and installed a highly durable, 255-cubic-inch Miller four-cylinder engine in the FWD shop. This modification completely unlocked the car's potential. In 1934, Brisko drove the four-cylinder FWD Special to a 9th-place finish. The peak of the car's racing career came at the 1936 Indianapolis 500. Driven by future three-time Indy winner Mauri Rose, Chassis 02 qualified on the front row in 3rd place and ran flawlessly, securing a historic 4th-place overall finish. This remains one of the highest finishing positions ever achieved by an all-wheel-drive car in the history of the event. The car made its final Indy 500 appearance in 1937 with Bob Swanson, retiring with carburetor problems. It continued to compete in regional hill climbs and dirt track events through the late 1940s and early 1950s under drivers like Bill Milliken.

Legacy and Provenance

While the innovative but exceedingly expensive four-wheel-drive project ultimately hastened Harry Miller’s bankruptcy in 1933, it proved the ultimate performance capabilities of the platform. Chassis 01 disappeared to history, but Chassis 02 was preserved directly by the Four Wheel Drive Auto Company in their corporate collection for over 50 years. In 1984, historic car expert "Buck" Boudeman convinced the company to sell the vehicle into private enthusiast hands. It underwent a sympathetic preservation, maintaining its authentic post-1933 racing configuration (including the 255-ci four-cylinder engine, Winfield carburetors, and a custom billet-aluminum transfer case to replace the original cracked cast component). As the only remaining four-wheel-drive Miller race car in existence, it became a highly sought-after centerpiece of pre-war racing history. After spending time in prominent collections including those of Bob Rubin and Dean Butler, the car was acquired by The Brumos Collection in Jacksonville, Florida. At the Gooding & Company Amelia Island Auction in March 2026, the 1932 Miller FWD Special crossed the block for a record-breaking $3,305,000, solidifying its status as an elite artifact of American motorsport engineering.

Notes

References

[1] ttps://www.museumofamericanspeed.org/1932miller308.html

[2] ttps://www.oldracingcars.com/indy/miller/1932-3/

[3] ttps://classicmotorsports.com/cars-for-sale/miller-fwd-special-six-time-indy-500-entrant-with-four-wheel-drive-1932-fwd-special/

[4] ttps://www.conceptcarz.com/s22681/miller-fwd-special.aspx

[5] ttps://www.museumofamericanspeed.org/1932miller308.html

[6] ttps://www.goodingco.com/lot/1932-miller-fwd-special

[7] ttps://www.sportscarmarket.com/profile/1932-miller-fwd-special

[8] ttps://www.thebrumoscollection.com/news/introducing-our-newest-car-the-1932-miller-fwd-special

[9] ttps://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/miller/fwd-special/1932/1096017