The 1950s are often celebrated as the golden era of the Indianapolis 500, a time when sleek, innovative roadsters captivated fans and defined American racing. Innovations from wartime aircraft development-lighter materials, advanced engineering techniques, and a network of skilled fabricators and builders-fueled its fast-paced evolution. Frank Kurtis' revolutionary 1946 Indy Roadster set the template, and after that, nearly all the "big" Championship cars were powered by fuel-injected Offenhausers with Halibrand providing transmission, steering, and driveline components.

Prior to the 1951 race season, Milwaukee-based Fred Tomshe hired noted Indianapolis fabricator Joe Silnes to assist in the construction of a new Offy-powered Roadster for that year's Indianapolis 500. Silnes was a Norwegian-born artisan who built bodies for midget racers and Indy Roadsters into the mid-1950s. National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Famer and Indy rookie Ray Knepper was brought on board to qualify the car which has been called both the "Tomshe Special" and "Bardahl Special." Knepper was a standout midget driver-often with Bardahl sponsorship-in the Midwest prior to and after World War II, yet the new car as start number 78 had issues during qualifying and was unable to make the grid. After Indy, Knepper and number 78 ran additional AAA-sanctioned Champ Car races at the Milwaukee Mile, a 100-lap race at Langhorne Speedway finishing fifth, and an Independence Day event at Darlington Raceway.

Today, Tomshe's Bardahl Special continues to feature the same special components that allowed Knepper to make his qualifying attempts for Indy back in 1951. Power comes from a 270 cu-in methanol-injected Offenhauser with a two-speed high/low transmission and a quick-change Halibrand rear end. The magnesium disc wheels are also from Halibrand, with knock-off hubs. The bodywork is finished in very much the same livery as run by Knepper in Indy qualifying. Research indicates that the car was looked after by the famous Phil Reilly & Company, and with appearances at numerous Monterey Historic Races and the "Millers at Milwaukee Vintage Indy Car Event" at the at the famous Milwaukee Mile a very bright future is in store for the Roadster and its next pilot.