Briggs Weaver: From Newport to Le Mans
Weaver pictured on the far left in his Maserati V8R1 at Thompson Speedway
As we continue to plan for future exhibitions at the Audrain Auto Museum, we find ourselves always in awe of Newport's storied automotive history, whether it be in coach building, racing, and much more. Today, we highlight a Newporter who turned his interest in automobiles into an imprint on the industry.
George Briggs Weaver, known as Briggs, was born in Newport in 1884, a smart young man who quickly became interested in expensive sports cars that were seen around town at the turn of the 20th century. Briggs's father ran a hardware store on Broadway, where young Briggs connected with both locals and wealthy summer denizens. Briggs graduated from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, and was hired as a jewelry designer for Gotham in New York City. Following his father’s death, Briggs returned to Newport, and would unknowingly shift his life path.
Anecdotal biographical articles about Briggs state that he built automobiles in Newport under the name Weaver. The Weaver was manufactured in Newport for a brief time, before a fire destroyed the business. With an innate talent for crafting fine automobiles and sketching designs, Briggs joined the Waterhouse coachbuilding company in nearby Massachusetts, where his career blossomed. Waterhouse constructed bodies mainly for Dupont, occasionally designing bodies for Packard as well. Waterhouse founder S. Robert Dunham spoke about the company’s first commission with Packard:
Weaver's patent for the 1941 Indian shaft drive
“Briggs Weaver gave us everything he had in designing a similar body, with lines and proportions as attractive as possible. He designed a trunk with round lines-a trunk made just like the body, with aluminum applied over a wood frame…A six-foot man would be limited to wearing a cap in the car! The molding treatment was Weaver's work, not a part of the original design in the snapshot. The windshield pillars were of manganese bronze with a wide base which became part of the cowl construction. With this construction, it was possible to have the aluminum body surface applied continuously on the cowl and right up the pillar without a break. This feature became characteristic of practically all Waterhouse bodies."
DuPont had taken over the Indian Motorcycle manufacturing plant in 1930, moving the engineering department into their new plant. Like hundreds of other automobile manufacturers during the Great Depression, production of DuPont automobiles ceased by 1931, and Briggs was immediately appointed chief designer at Indian. George remained at Indian until his retirement, penning the futuristic designs seen on 1940s Indians, but his story did not end there.
With a strong interest in competitive racing and as the owner of a fine Maserati V8R1, the thought of a prominent track in New England excited Briggs. After helping to found the SCCA following WWII, in the late 1940s, Briggs and his wife Barbara took a drive through northwestern Connecticut in search of his next adventure.
Thompson Speedway had already been established in 1940 as a simple oval track on the Hoenig family property. At 5/8-mile in length, the track was perfect for midget racers and stock cars, but Briggs saw much more potential in the property. He contacted some close friends, and from there, Thompson Speedway began to evolve. From 2007 Hemmings article Sportsman's Paradise:
"Weaver figured there was a fan base of one million people that could reach Thompson, which was already known as 'The Indianapolis of the East' due to its size and speed and the fact that it was paved. He got Briggs Cunningham to help with the financing of a road course at Thompson. He bought 120 acres south of the track and laid out a 1½-mile road course with two hairpins."
George Briggs Weaver Jr. poses in the families Maserati
Yes, Briggs Weaver was friendly with Briggs Cunningham. After all, Briggs Weaver had been retired for several years by this point, enjoying time with his family and with his cars. As the renovations at Thompson began, Briggs came out of retirement to serve as the Supervisor of Engineering for Cunningham's sports car manufacturing company. From 1950 to 1955, Briggs oversaw the production of Cunningham Sports Cars, which competed at Le Mans. When Cunningham chose to switch to a Jaguar E-Type a few years later, Briggs designed an all new independent rear suspension for the car.
Briggs's journey through the history of automobiles is truly amazing. His early automotive interest sprang from some of the first cars the world had ever seen - some of which were likely owned by Willie K. Vanderbilt, who of course had such a massive influence on automobile culture both here in Newport and beyond – and evolved into a career path spanning vastly different automotive realms. We look forward one day to telling the story of the next Newporter who makes it to Le Mans.