SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS
NEWSLETTER 157 - April 2, 2010
Editor: Richard Parks [email protected]
President's Corner: By Jim Miller (1-818-846-5139)
 

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Some Names To Look For In This Newsletter:
 President's Corner, Editorials, Here is the latest report on Stirling Moss, I was doing some reading on the Web and came across a page you authored that mentioned Chuck Potvin, Ron Main sent in the following website, Aussie Invader Land Speed Record April Newsletter, Custom Auto Loveland Colorado Projects, Listed below are the car club plaques that have been added this month, There has been a venue change for our meeting, To Jim Miller; Thanks so much for spending the time with me on the phone and for all your help, Two links showing historic film of the first two 36hp land speed racers at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Please take this notification back to your clubs so everyone is aware of the implications of this action, A Message from Assemblyman Curt Hagman, A Last Minute Reminder Sunday Car Show Valencia, Just a quick note to make sure you get a copy of the latest (May 2010) issue, I'm sure glad there were real movie-makers chronicling those early days, Some great footage of Barris Roth and others and some famous and historic cars, John Hlavka former member of the Crawford Activities Committee and fired volunteer that has been mentioned and leading the petition drive is an attorney which is a big advantage, It is a sad day at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, Gone Racin'…The Fast Lane; the History of NHRA Drag Racing by Tehabi Books, Gone Racin'…'32 Ford Deuce by Tony Thacker, I have an early Champion Spark Plug Dealer's sign and the art is much more involved, We will have “Bangshift” Filming Poleet & Main’s “Hellfire Engine today at Duttweiler Performance, Red Lang's "Dead End Kids Dragster" owned by Dave Crouse, We were fortunate to be involved in completing the restoration of the “Sorrell Manning Special” SR-100 owned by Dr Mark Brinker, Congratulations to Gary and Diane Cerveny for the RM Auctions Trophy For the Best Open Car at the Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance, Ed Blais’ 1996 Factory prepped Porsche 993 was in the shop for some minor body work and a fresh coat of paint and is now ready for some track time, I saw this item on eBay and thought you might be interested, Watch & read about and our new Forged Billet Compressor Wheels.

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President's Corner:  
   Jim Miller is on assignment.

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Editorial:   
   Today's editorial has to do with a topic that few racers want to admit to; a bad relationship. We've talked about this before because social relationships are a pivotal and important part of racing. Just look at how many teams there are in racing and how few men and women go racing without sponsorship or with partners. Not only do racers have to develop good social relationships with partners and sponsors, but they also have to stay in good standing with spouses, friends and the law. Many a racing career was cut short when the sponsors left, sometimes because the working relationship with the racer was toxic. Other careers were aborted when the partners argued and split up. Racers need help, whether it is crewmen, partners, sponsors, mechanics or friends. I would argue and argue well that your biggest sponsor, partner and supporter is none other than your wife (or spouse). It is just that person that keeps the home organized and allows you the time and money to go racing. Sometimes it is the wife who has that second job that buys those needed parts for the race car. But just as often it is one's spouse who objects to racing and becomes an obstacle to your continued racing. Many divorces and ugly settlements have resulted from a husband and wife arguing over the merits of racing and whether it is beneficial to the family or not. Certainly I am an expert in this field, as racing tore apart my parent's marriage and divorce exerts a tremendous burden on a family's well-being. Here is a response to an email that I received recently. The names have been removed as well as the incidents; you can only tell what happened by my response. This isn't a gossip newsletter. The only purpose in even bringing this subject up is to try and show how important it is for all of us to develop good and positive social skills if we want to be successful in racing. The following is a response to a person writing to me about another racer.
   "I'm aware that in many social relationships involving racers and people of speed, conditions are not always the best. In some cases they are horrible. Unfortunately, this situation that you are in is outside of the scope of my authority as an editor of a straight-line racing newsletter. I don't take sides. The biography or story was based on the history provided by the person you have complaints with. The book review is based on the book. A biography, as we do them at the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians (SLSRH), is basically self-written by the individual. We provide an outline to follow and edit grammar and punctuation. We do ask questions. We ask for more information sometimes, but when the writer is done with his bio we print it. We are volunteer amateur historians, concerned with recording what we can, before it is too late and the sources are gone. We understand that sometimes the writer of one's own history presents a flawed story. Since our project is to record bios as fast as we can, realizing that if we had hundreds of volunteers, we would still fail in our quest. 
   Nor do we allow anyone other than the author to go in and re-edit a bio once it has been done. There is a way to present another view of history and that is for others to write their bios and see if they can publish them, perhaps to a newspaper, blog or newsletter. The SLSRH Newsletter will print your bio, if it relates to racing and as long as there is no slander or libel. There is a way to present the facts, but devoid of outright angry outbursts, and that is the course we take with all bios that are submitted to us. I have seen even worse conditions than the one you mentioned. Racers and hot rodders come with all sorts and kinds of social behaviors. Some are the nicest men and women you could meet and others, well I need not tell you how impossible they are. I will definitely add my response to you in the newsletter, because social issues are part of the larger historical ones that we record. We do not live in a vacuum of racing only, but also in the real world. I am informing Jim Miller, our President of our Society, as well. I have to tell you though, that we have tried to implement programs to warn our members of dysfunctional behavior and have found that racers just aren't interested in policing their own when it comes to social and family matters, or even illegal and illicit ones. They pretty much concentrate on racing and ignore these other social issues."

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(Here is the) latest report on Stirling Moss. Needless to say, it is remarkable that Stirling is recovering in a hospital instead of us attending his funeral. To fall 40 feet down an elevator shaft at the age of 80 and be able to tell me what his biggest complaint is amazing. His feet are broken up, both ankles now held together with pins, shoulder immobile and chipped vertebrae but beside the pain, with the weight of both legs in plaster and having to lift the bad arm with the good one, his annoyance is the "Bloody bed pan!" To put it nicely for copy, "who can properly go to the toilet while flat on your back?" He will have a long period of recuperation and will, of course, miss many of the functions planned for him. To name a couple, Grand Marshal at the Amelia Island Concourse (Carroll Shelby went in his stead) plus he and Susie's' wedding anniversary cruise from Singapore. We all wish him well with Gods speed. Herb Jones
   Herb: Thank you for the report on Stirling Moss. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

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I was doing some reading on the Web and came across a page you authored that mentioned Chuck Potvin. Do you have any idea what year/where he died? Do you know if he has any family living in the Orange County area? Brandon Ferguson, [email protected]
Brandon: We receive a number of requests concerning cars or people involved in hot rodding and dry lakes racing. Here are some suggestions that we give to everyone who asks. The first thing is that we want to tell you that we appreciate the emails and letters that we receive from our readers and the public, because this lets us know what people are interested in and also to increase our knowledge of the sport. Now I need you to tell me what you know about Charles "Chuck" Potvin. There's a reason why I'm asking you for this information. Many of us are older and we have memory lapses and when a reader gives us very little information we tend not to remember. But in all of us there is one area in our brain where we store those memories and when you ask questions, ask lots of them, because something that you will say will trigger those memories. Tell us how you know Potvin; are you a relative or looking for a part or particular car? Many old racers also want to know why you are looking. The next thing is to read the issues of our newsletter and the current ones that come out every Wednesday. The newsletter is free and the more you write in the more I will publish your questions and other people's replies. The more that our members talk about a subject the more they tend to remember and share in the newsletter. The next step is for you to start a phone tree and I will give you some phone numbers and names. After you have got all the information that you can from the person you are calling, ask them if they will give you five more phone numbers and names to call. This does two things; one you get the feeling that your progress is in your hands and at your pace and two, the word gets out fast among the hot rodders that you are looking for information on Chuck. There are some hot rod books that have chapters or captioned photographs with a lot of information on the person you are looking for. I suggest that you go to www.hotrodhotline.com, book reviews and read some of the reviews to see which books might be an interesting addition to your search or to your library. If you are looking for cars or parts, or simply interested in Potvin and his racing products, join our free website and post comments and seek responses. Calling people by phone, however, is by far the most effective way to get information.

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Ron Main sent in the following website; http://www.sfifoundation.com/. There is a wealth of information and links on this site having to do with all kinds of racing organizations.

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Aussie Invader Land Speed Record April Newsletter is at www.aussieinvader.com/newsletters/aussieinvader_apr10.pdf. Rosco McGlashan

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Custom Auto Loveland Colorado Projects. The Custom Auto crew has gotten 2010 off to a great start. Red Lang's "Dead End Kids Dragster," owned by Dave Crouse, underwent some preservation work. This car along with preservation-in-progress the "King and Hansen Belly Tank," owned by David Duthu, were both able to attend the Grand National Roadster Show. We were fortunate to be involved in completing the restoration of the "Sorrell Manning Special" SR-100 owned by Dr Mark Brinker. Dave transported the car out to the Petersen Museum for their Fantasy in Fiberglass exhibit. Congratulations to Gary and Diane Cerveny for the RM Auctions Trophy for the Best Open Car at the Amelia Island Concours D'Elegance. The "Norman Timbs Special" underwent a long journey from its initial build in 1947 to the completed restoration in 2010. It is great to know that a piece of our automotive history has been restored. Ed Blais' 1996 Factory prepped Porsche 993 was in the shop for some minor body work and a fresh coat of paint and is now ready for some track time. Early in March we hosted a Ron Covell metal shaping work shop at Custom Auto. Eric Lammes' 1951 Custom Chevy is well on its way to completion. The restoration of Chet Herbert's "Beast III," owned by Dr. Mark Brinker, will be making huge strides in progress in the upcoming months to ensure we do not miss our current deadline. The 1932 five-window that Ray Rodman has owned since he was sixteen is now nearing the paint shop. I have attached a few pictures of some of the recent cars that we have finished this year. To view any of our past or current projects please check them out at www.realhotrods.com. Rex Rogers, 1067 Des Moines Avenue, Loveland, Colorado 80537, 970-669-6691.

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Listed below are the car club plaques that have been added this month to www.relicsandrods.com/carclubplaques.htm. This month I received a note from Dan Danchuk about the Hiway Haunts plaque that was on the No City Shown page. Dan said he belonged to this club that was started in 1956 and it was based in Gardena, CA so the plaque was moved to the Gardena page. And a big thanks goes out to Mel Eggleston. At a recent Idaho car show, he was loaned a collection of Idaho car club plaques to display by John Treharne from Boise. Mel took the time to photograph and send each one so they could be documented on our site. Bill Junge, Relics & Rods Webmaster
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No City Shown; Drivin Deuces (Thanks to William Wiss), Headers (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien), Headers (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien), Headers (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Not Sure - Need Help; Romin Rods (Thanks to Nadine Asato)
Military Clubs; Blue Dragons - Duluth AFB (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien), Shaundos - Lincoln AFB (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Aberdeen; Dusters (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Aberdeen Valley; Flying Rods (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Boise; Barons (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Bootleggers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Cruzers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Disciples (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Gear Jammers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Li'l Angels (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Rattlers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Road Runners (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Shifters (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Sidewinders (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Vintage Gems (Thanks to Mel Eggleston),
Bonners Ferry; Quads (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Buhl; Road Runners (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Caldwell; Dragdads (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Mystery Shifters (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Clearlake; Clearlake Car Club (Thanks to Gary DeFer)
Cockrell - Hill; Pipers (Thanks to "StillRunners")
Coeur D'Alene; Czars (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Dallas; Ramblers (Thanks to "StillRunners")
Eagle; Strokers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
East Bay; Mid-Knighters (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
El Dorado; El Dorodders (Thanks to Randall McIntosh)
Emmett; Coachmen (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Valve Grinders (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Fairbanks; Mid-Knighters (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Garden City; Rattlers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Villagers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Grand Prairie; The Kings Men (Thanks to "StillRunners")
Harlan; Shaundos (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Hawthorne; Midknighters (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Homedale; Etruscans (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Idaho Falls; Essex Car Club (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Las Vegas; Headermen (Thanks to Lyle Doolittle)
Lincoln; Shaundos (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Long Beach; Lords (Thanks to Paul Coulter)
Los Angeles (West); Fender Benders (Thanks to Nathan Cliff)
Monterey; Slow Pokes Inc (Taken at Rally at Rotary Park in Lake Havasu City)
Moscow; Spinners (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Mountain Home; Challengers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston); Desert Rats (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Nampa; Dragons (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Karb Kings (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Newport; Impaladins (Thanks to Tom Nevin)
Oakland; Bent Eights (Thanks to Dean Court)
Odem; Pacers (Thanks to Bill Hanstrom)
Pocatello; Coupes, Inc (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Pacers (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Spartans (Thanks to Mel Eggleston), Vikings (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Rio Vista; Levee Lopers (Thanks to Jim Bauer)
Sacramento; The Drifters (Thanks to Joe Blatta)
Sanderson; Rod Benders (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Snake River Valley; Street Rods (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Tucson; Eastside Strokers (Thanks to Fred Thomas)
Ukiah; Saints (Thanks to Dean Court)
Victoria; Rod Benders (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien), Rod Benders (Thanks to Dennis O'Brien)
Weiser Valley; Rod & Custom Club (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Westchester; Hot Heads (Thanks to Fred Thomas)
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California, Southern; Old Cruisers (Thanks to Ernie Wood), Stormin Stockers (Thanks to Larry Ruben)
Idaho & Oregon; Rods (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
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Boise Timing Assn; Boise Timing Assn (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)
Central Idaho Timing Assn; Poor Boys (Thanks to Mel Eggleston)

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There has been a venue change for our meeting. Friday April 9, 2010 at 7pm, Grand Ballroom, University of Antelope Valley, 44055 N. Sierra Hwy, Lancaster, CA 93534. 661-726-1911. (Formerly the Antelope Valley Inn) Once again, The purpose of the mixer is to garner support for AV MotorPlex, in an effort to bring Drag Racing back to Antelope Valley by building a national state-of-the-art green facility in the Lancaster area. "Our mission is to attract supporters in 3 different categories; ie.. Fundraising, Racer Support and Volunteer Services." We need as many of you as possible to show up, to include, racing clubs, organizations along with the L.A.C.R. staff and crew! We will be discussing the New Track to include a Legal Street Race that is also in the planning stages! There is also a New Web site under Construction along with a Social Network that allows members to stay in touch and get all of the breaking news as it happens! http://www.avmotorplex.com.
We will also be hosting my "Picknik In A Park" on Saturday April 10th 2010 From 10:00am - 5:00pm at Stephen Sorensen Park, 16801 East Avenue P, Lake Los Angeles, California 93591. We will also be talking about the new track at that event. Bring your Hot Rods and Race Cars and show your support only $15 to register. Spectators always free! Bring your Own Eats! For more information on that event please visit; http://www.moldyshows.com/moldyshows_2010/04_10_10_sorensen.html. Well that is it for now, if anyone has any questions please let me know. Tha Moldy one (661) 944-2299, http://www.avmotorplex.com and http://www.savelacr.org.

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To Jim Miller; Thanks so much for spending the time with me on the phone and for all your help. I was able to talk to Verlin Marshall's wife, Carol, so the phone number you gave me is still in operation. Carol and Verlin met in 1962 and she has no knowledge of the the 1942 Ford I sold to Verlin in 1957. So Verlin must have sold the car before that time. At this point I think I will have to give up on finding the '42 Ford but it was worth the effort as I have talked to a lot of nice people about Verlin. In the meantime, I visited the www.AHRF.com website. It is awesome and brings back great memories. I plan to join as a member. Hope to meet you one of these days.

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Below find two links showing historic film of the first two 36hp land speed racers at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Mel's slide show offers a reminiscent look at his trip to the salt in 1962 that resulted in a DSS record of 94.40 miles per hour. Dicks film shows him making his then and still current KA36 record run of 101.296 miles per hour. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=404987. Mel Ellis 62 slide show and Dick Beith 61 video. http://www.vdubber.com/video/gallery/Dick-Beith-1961-36hp-Record. Dick Beith 61 video Australia. Enjoy both shows courtesy of John Moxon and Kevin Wiggins via the Sambas Vintage Speed links and Mick Percy's effort via the 36hp Challenge segment of his Vdubber site in Australia. Classic film, both, and since 2010 is the fiftieth anniversary of Dicks first DSS record in 1960, he has announced his return to the Challenge at this Septembers USFRA World of Speed event (www.saltflats.com) with a new supercharged 1450cc 36hp VW sedan highly modified competition coupe where he will attempt to set a new unlimited 36hp speed record. Even if you cannot join us with a race car, put the WOS on your calendar and come to the salt and spectate and meet this icon of the 36hp Challenge and VW racing history. May the Speed be with you. Burly Burlile

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Please take this notification back to your clubs so everyone is aware of the implications of this action. Ron Main
   Ron: Thank you for the notice. Impact Racing was decertified by SFI and that has serious complications for racers and for the company. We hope that the company will recall the parts and go through a new process with the SFI in order to resolve this issue

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A Message from Assemblyman Curt Hagman. "Facing High Unemployment and More State Job Losses, It's Time to Delay Implementation of AB 32." This message was re-sent to us by Jim Snyder.
This week, we learned that another 20,400 jobs were lost in California in the month of February. Our state's unemployment figures remained at an unacceptably high 12.5 percent. Unfortunately, California continues to shoot itself in the foot. State bureaucrats are pressing forward with plans to implement Assembly Bill 32, unproven global warming legislation that will impose costly regulations and high taxes and fees on job-creating businesses. California's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst recently issued a report on AB 32, concluding that it would result in job losses, and increased gas, electricity and energy costs. It is because of laws like AB 32 that California has lost 607,000 manufacturing jobs since 2001. Our economy will continue to sputter and budget deficits will persist if state government continues to chase businesses and jobs away with laws like AB 32. It's time to stop the madness. This week, my Assembly Republican colleagues and I put forward 17 common-sense measures to make our state more competitive and encourage job creation. You can learn more at our California Jobs First website - www.CAJobsFirst.com.
More importantly, this week I joined with 38 of my Republican colleagues in signing a letter to the Governor to urge him to delay the implementation of AB 32 and work with us to help retain and create jobs in California. Under state law, the Governor has the authority to delay the implementation of AB 32 if it will have a harmful impact on jobs and the economy. With 2.274 million Californians out of a job today, delaying implementation of this legislation until the economy recovers is a no-brainer. Job Creation needs to be a top priority for our Legislature.
Democrats and Republicans should be focusing on ways to lower costs and suspend irrational regulations, not pushing through harmful legislation such as AB 32. It's time to work together to put California jobs first again. Curt Hagman

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A Last Minute Reminder Sunday Car Show Valencia. "Sunday Picknik In A Park" Northbridge Park 27400 N. Grandview Dr. Valencia, (Santa Clarita) CA 91354 Sunday March 28th 2010 10:00am - 5:00pm. All British Car & Motorcycles, All Years All Makes, All Models! All American Pre 1973 Kustoms, Classics, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Vans, VW's, Motorcycles, Trikes & what ever else you may have! No Year Restrictions on Kustom Motorcycles & Trikes! Anything Goes! Registration $20 Per Vehicle. Spectators Free! Picknik! Bring Yer Own Eats!
For More Information and a Map go to: http://www.moldyshows.com. Big Thanx, tha Moldy one!
Moldy: We run on a Wednesday to Wednesday schedule, so we need at least ten days notice in order to get your message delivered in time.

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Just a quick note to make sure you get a copy of the latest (May 2010) issue of Hot VW's Magazine. This issue includes a story on the 2009 VW land speed racing efforts of racers from around the globe including many photos of the racers and 36hp Challengers. Enjoy friends and thank you all for making a story on Volkswagens racing in land speed possible. I would also like to thank all of the folks who donated photos for the story, including those not listed in the story credits. Burly Burlile

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I'm sure glad there were real movie-makers chronicling those early days. Wide World of Sports - Part 2; beginnings of Drag Racing. Google; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68nAjqGz3FY. Ron Main
Ron: There is also a Part I as well. You Tube has some swell racing videos.

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Some great footage of Barris, Roth and others, and some famous and historic cars. This is 1950's movie film shot at a car show at Excelsior High School in Norwalk, California, put on by the Coachmen Car Club of Norwalk. Excelsior and Norwalk High Schools were rivals of Artesia High School in Artesia, California. Google; http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=1836. Evelyn Roth
Evelyn: We have mentioned this video before. It is indeed a great video.

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John Hlavka, former member of the Crawford Activities Committee and fired volunteer, that has been mentioned and leading the petition drive is an attorney which is a big advantage. It is hard to keep the moral high ground when the powers that be do their best to undermine that high ground. In the late '50's The Crawford collection was known as the Thompson Auto Album and located in a building that was the first Cadillac Dealership in Cleveland, Ohio. My dad was a substitute mailman then and occasionally he would deliver mail there. I remember him telling me about the cars and airplanes he would see when delivering the mail. I kept asking him if he would take me there to see the cars and planes. Since he was a mailman and money was tight the best he could do is drive by in the evening and stop the car and I would try to see as much as I could through the windows. We did this on several occasions. These are some of the earliest memories I have of my dad and myself together. My dad passed away in 1999.
   When I became a Crawford volunteer a few years later all of those memories returned. I am saddened that my dad was not alive to see me as a volunteer. I know he would have been proud. I would like to think that the two of us peering through the widows some 50 years before sparked a passion for automobiles and their history that continues to this day. I know that the other "fired volunteers" have similar stories like mine. It is very hard to witness the dismantling of something that has been apart of your life for 50 years or more by a group of individuals foreign to my feelings and the automobile and aircraft enthusiast community at large. At 56 I am at the younger end of the volunteer age spectrum with the oldest in his 80's. I can only imagine what your feelings with respect with your dad and the Wally Parks museum. Michael Kacsala
   Michael: Sometimes being very close to an event or a group has its disadvantages. It's hard to see other viewpoints when we have a close relationship, which makes it hard to solve problems. When I help my friends move it is very easy for me to throw stuff in boxes and move quickly, but I see how difficult it is for those who have memories in that old place. The shoe is on the other foot when I have to move or clean up my possessions and get rid of "stuff" or "treasures." Then it isn't easy at all as I sit in a daze and can't make a decision as the flood of memories overwhelms me. This is true with The Crawford; they have a job to do but they are not close to the collection and therefore they are more brutal in how they dispose and sell things off. That's why it is so important that your group use calm language and stay away from inflammatory rhetoric. That's so hard to do, but you have to discipline your membership to keep this protest as civil as possible.

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It is a sad day at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum. The director's position has been eliminated. I believe the "restructuring" spells the end to the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum only two months after Kay Crawford, the widow of Fred Crawford passed away. I have enclosed a Carcrazy episode from fall of 2004. Allan Unrein explains the now defunct "volunteer program." The 1969 McLaren that Al speaks of is one of the projects I had been a team member of and I also accompanied it to the 2005 Amelia Island Concours. Please watch the episode through the end as there is a very interesting story by Jeff Moyer and his project at the Crawford. A sad demise to what is one of the most prestigious automobile museums and collections in the world. Google; http://www.carcrazycentral.com/TV-Show-Watch-Episodes.aspx?VideoID=203.
Western Reserve Historical Society. Mike Kacsala
Mike: I prefer to avoid using the press release by the President and CEO of the museum. That person was brought in by the Board of Directors to do a job, and a distasteful one at that. So if it truly is the dismantling of the car collection amassed by the Crawford's, it is really the Board of Directors who have the power to change directions. Too many complaints directed against the CEO will only steel that person's resolve and focus the attention in the wrong place. It was obvious from the beginning where this was going, but we simply did not see it clearly. We have all worked for and with individuals whose focus does not allow for change or flexibility. There was a systemic failure in the Western Reserve Historical Society and foundations from the beginning. They are not the only group that fell into this disastrous situation. A lot of us, both individuals and corporations believed that the wild upswing in the stock and housing markets heralded a new age whereby the old accounting rules no longer applied and debt could be forever rolled over and in so doing, make huge profits. The mistakes have been acknowledged by the Society and some people have been removed. In this situation, old promises gave way to new and harsh realities.
The Western Reserve Historical Society has many goals and projects and it appears that those powers that be in the Cleveland area have decided that the car and aircraft collection has a lower priority. While volunteers have been promised that the selling of cars would stop and the museum would someday try and rebuild the Crawford collection, we all have to look at this as wishful hope. Documents and artifacts have limited value and saleability, whereas the car collection has immediate and high value. If the museum Board needs to raise operating revenue, pay back loans and find money to keep the other programs functioning, they are going to do what all corporations are doing; selling off those assets that people are willing to buy in a recession. Many American companies sold their most profitable units in this recession, not because they wanted to, but because there were no takers for their less profitable units. The Society could sell a lot of flintlock rifles, journals, powder horns and other Midwestern artifacts and it wouldn't come up to nearly the money that they could acquire by selling one rare automobile or aircraft.
Yes, they were a bit disingenuous to give out hope when there isn't much hope in this case. But legally, they broke no laws and they can defend themselves by saying that, "Their intentions were to stop selling" the cars in the Crawford collection. Perhaps they really believed that they could stop and that the recession would stop battering the Great Lakes economies. This region has been hard hit by job losses for decades and the future does not look bright for another decade or two to come. It comes down to downsizing. They can do away with just one collection or they could cut deeply into all of their valuable collections. Historians, genealogists, researchers and other groups depend on the Society to continue to keep this valuable archive available to the public, whereas the car guys are never going to be as numerous or as politically strong. In effect, the sharks ate the minnows and I can say that from experience, having watched hundreds of racetracks die around the country for lack of support. Will they sell the entire collection of 143 cars and planes? We don't know that, but we can extrapolate from what they have done; the desperate need for revenue that they face on the Board of Directors and the fact that selling a car at auction is such an easy thing to do. It is also very remunerative.
A telling clue was the removal of the volunteers. To save money the institution needs to lay off paid employees and that logically leads to the assumption that volunteers would be more welcome, not less welcome. The handwriting, as they say, was on the wall for us all to read, but unfortunately we could not read what that message was telling us. Here is how I would look at this situation. Keep the group together, the volunteers that is, and prepare for the outcome; either they will keep some of the collection or they won't. In either case the volunteers will be needed at the museum or at other museums and car events. History is never told as it unfolds, for we are too close to the events of the time. History is best told a decade after the event when all the facts become known and we can more easily understand what happened. Don't assume that what has happened will continue to happen or that someday the Crawford collection can be restored. The future may surprise us all. Continue to work to make the situation transparent to the community. Write letters to the newspapers, blogs and all interested parties. Go and make an appointment to see people. If rejected, note exactly what happened and don't elaborate, then report it to every news source that you can. Don't make this personal or stoop to slander or libel, no matter how abysmally your group may have been treated. Don't use inflammatory language and always keep to the high, moral ground. If you do lose the collection, you want the public to know that your ethics were above reproach and the people will be able to compare and contrast those involved. Facts are acceptable, but avoid bombast and anger.

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Gone Racin'…The Fast Lane; the History of NHRA Drag Racing, by Tehabi Books. Book review by Richard Parks, photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz

There have been few books so reviled and maligned as The Fast Lane; the History of NHRA Drag Racing, by Tehabi Books. Well, maybe the Bible is reviled by more atheists and communists and Mein Kampf is hardly loved at all by those of the Jewish faith, but The Fast Lane is undoubtedly the pariah of drag racers. I looked at this book to see just what it was that inspires so much hatred and anger and found that it was political and not artistic among the drag racers themselves. In a nutshell, the reason is that it ignores the exploits and career of one of drag racing's most illustrious pioneer. But I'm a reviewer and my job is to grapple with the book and its construction and see what it tells me and not the book reading public, which holds all reviewers to be stuffy know-it-alls. First, let's look at the book itself and then we will consider the heated opinions of the public at large. The Fast Lane is a well crafted book by Tehabi Books, but no author is listed. We don't really know whom to praise or blame as it seems a group effort. Are they racers or simply publishers looking for a niche market in the auto racing world. The Fast Lane is a hard-bound book, measuring 10 � by 12 � inches with 204 high quality waxed pages and outstanding photography. Definitely it ranks as one of the best coffee table books by appearances only. It's meant to last as it has a high quality cloth binding and the dust cover jacket is excellent with its red and black dragster theme. Save the dust cover jacket at all costs and it really enhances the look of the book. There isn't any table of contents and so one has to go through the book to locate the chapters, which are divided into short subjects. There is a fine 6 page introduction by NHRA founder Wally Parks. There is also an adequate, but not necessarily great index and a one page acknowledgment. The ISBN# is 0-06-039-405-6 and is copyrighted by the NHRA, which indicates that this book was supposed to fill a marketing niche on the 50th anniversary of the NHRA. Perhaps that is the start of the problem. The price is $45, but you may have problems finding a copy of this book as it was recalled from general sales. The photographs are excellent. They are simply outstanding and warrant a closer look at this book. The Fast Lane contains 2 sepia photos, 63 black and white photographs, 167 color prints, 4 drawings, 5 artwork or posters and 2 charts.
There really are no chapters, but there are divisions and within the divisions there are subjects. The subjects tell us who the writers and group authors favored or thought were of importance. It's a long group of featured men, women, car classes and subjects, but it's necessary to go through them for the answer to our quest lies in whom wasn't included, not who was. The Fast Lane subchapters start out with hot rodding, the NHRA Museum, Bonneville, Wally Parks, early division directors, Art Chrisman, Twin engine cars, slingshots, Bean Bandits and the Safety Safari. Good, the beginnings of the sport have their own sections and full page photo layouts. Then comes subchapters on top fuel dragsters, Don Prudhomme, Mickey Thompson, the Gasser Wars, Angelle Seeling, Terry Vance, Matt Hines, pro stock bikes, exhibitionists and the science of drag racing. A bit of a jumble, and no, there are no nude ladies in the subchapter on exhibitionists. After this comes sub-groupings on Tony Schumacher, record charts, burnouts, Bill 'Grumpy' Jenkins, pro stockers, Lee Shepherd, Richie Stevens, Don Nicholson, Bob Glidden, Kenny Bernstein and Sox and Martin. Following this is a group consisting of pro stock truck, John Lingenfelter, suits and chutes, Linda Vaughn, John Force, Dick and Kim La Haie, the aerodynamics of drag racing, Joe Amato and funny cars. Each section has some text and a great photo layout, suggesting that The Fast Lane was meant to be a coffee table book and not an in-depth history of the sport of drag racing. Another group consists of the following subtopics; Connie, Scott and Doug Kalitta, Shirley Muldowney, racing families, Warren, Arlene and Kurt Johnson, Jr Drag racing, Jim Yates and his family and the 'strip.' No, the 'strip' is not a burlesque, but the course that racers race on. The last group of subjects discusses the shutdown, Scelzi/Johnson Racing, Big Jim Dunn, car classes, Darrell Gwynn, bracket racing, sportsmen, Super Gas, Super Comp, Super Street and Pat Austin. The book concludes with an index and acknowledgments. What do we have in The Fast Lane? We have a well crafted, reasonably inexpensive, coffee table book with outstanding photographs and just enough text to just barely move it into the 'historical' category. The flaws that are apparent are that it looks more like a PR Media handout of the stars racing in 2001, with a few past heroes thrown in. From this viewpoint, it is a very good book, just not a great one, but worthy of adding to your library.
Upon further research and discussion with many drag racers and fans, it isn't what's in the book than what was left out. What was lacking was a section devoted to one of the greatest, if not the greatest drag racers of all time, Don Garlits. Was the oversight intentional or unintentional? There are a lot of great drag racers who were not mentioned, so is this meant as a snub or as an error? Don Garlits is mentioned in the index on 8 occasions. I checked each and every reference and there was no photograph to go with the quote or the reference to him. It would be a silly brouhaha if the full title of the book was simply called The Fast Lane. But the editors/writers add to that; The History of NHRA Drag Racing. This has divided the drag racing community into the pro-Don Garlits faction versus the Anti-Don Garlits faction and kept this book from reaching the public as the NHRA simply removed the book from circulation. The pro-Don Garlits faction or the pro-NHRA lobby are not that petty to let a feud over photographs destroy an otherwise fine book. Not a great book, mind you, but a very good book, one that fills a need in the racing community. The middle ground would have been to print up an insert and add it to the unsold books and have those inserts available to those that already purchased a copy. Don Garlits has every right to question why a special sub-chapter with his photograph and that of his famous Wynn's sponsored cars were not prominently displayed. The publishing group has every right to publish a book in however format they choose to do so. It is the public that will eventually say whether the one flaw in this book is fatal to the success of The Fast Lane. But to spite all the other excellent stories of the men and women of drag racing seems to this reviewer to be overkill. Perhaps it all comes down to the title of the book. The Fast Lane; The History of NHRA Drag Racing really isn't 'the' history of drag racing, but 'a' pictorial of NHRA drag racing. I am rating the book 6 spark plugs out of a possible total score of 8 spark plugs and suggest that this book is a companion to, but not the exclusive story of NHRA drag racing. Gone Racin' is at [email protected].

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Gone Racin'…'32 Ford Deuce, by Tony Thacker. Book review by Richard Parks, photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz

Tony Thacker is the Director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California and a historian and writer in his own right. Surrounded by an archive of material and the living legends of hot rodding, Thacker has written a masterpiece dedicated to the 1932 Ford Deuce. Titled '32 Ford Deuce, the book is simply huge. '32 Ford Deuce measures 10 � inches in width and 12 � inches in height and is a rich 1 3/8 inches in thickness. The book weighed 5 pounds according to the bathroom scales. Yet it isn't the heft or the size of the book that is impressive, but the quality of the book itself and the research that went into the subject. One of the first things that the reader sees is the quality of the binding along the spine of the book. '32 Ford Deuce is built to last for a long time. It is more than a coffee table book, because the writing and photography have reached a higher plateau. You will want to display it as a coffee table book. I took the book around to all the shelves in the house, and yes, it didn't fit anywhere, but on the coffee table. Take especially good care of the dust cover jacket as it truly is well done and enhances the look of the book. Without the dust cover jacket the book is simply black with white lettering, but with the jacket it leaps out with charm and beauty. The paper is high quality heavy bond with a waxy sheen. '32 Ford Deuce has 326 pages, a Foreword, Preface, Introduction, ten chapters, Appendix, Acknowledgments and an Index. The index is worthy of a scholarly text and is comprehensive. There is nothing cheap about this book, except the price, which is only $50. I talk to a lot of writers, publishers and printers. They tell me that to break even in the book business that prices have had to escalate. Even paperback books are priced in the $29.95 and higher range. '32 Ford Deuce is a hardcover, high quality book with a very reasonable price.
'32 Ford Deuce is published by MBI Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Motorbooks, in St Paul, Minnesota. Since Thacker is the Director at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum (909-622-2133), you can easily purchase your copies there, or at Autobooks/Aerobooks (818-845-0707) in Burbank, California. Motorbooks is the mover and shaker in automotive and racing books. Not only are they a huge publishing concern, but their distribution network insures that the book will be found all across the nation. The book contains 310 black and white photographs, 273 color photographs, 10 pages of appendix covering all facets of the '32 Ford Deuce, 26 art drawings, 10 diagrams and cut-aways, 15 newspapers stories and ads, 6 manuals, 8 charts and 46 miscellaneous magazine displays. Edsel B. Ford II wrote the brief Foreword and is understandably proud of this Ford masterpiece of engineering. Thacker wrote the Preface and Introduction to the book. The first nine chapters gives a history of the 1932 Ford 8-cylinder Deuce, how it was manufactured, the troubles during the Great Depression and other interesting sidelights. It is, however, an often-overlooked part of automotive marketing that is the greatest concern here. Just how did the car appeal to the youthful public and Thacker's zeal begins to show here. It was the versatility, power, design, low cost and durability of the '32 Ford Deuce that attracted the young mechanics and racers of the 1930's and '40's that is crucial to the story. The tenth and last chapter is about the people who owned some of the very special '32 Ford Deuces that were chosen by an expert panel as the most beautiful of all the Deuces ever built and customized.
What these men did was to alter and customize a car that for all practical purposes was a working man's car of the depression. They cut away metal just as the sculptor chisels away rock from his masterpiece. They changed the car from a plebeian appearance to something that was light and ethereal. Seventy-five of these cars have come to represent the essence of the '32 Ford Deuce. Thacker gives each car and their creators two pages or more to detail how the car came alive and how it affected others. Some of the men who owned and customized the Deuce are well known, such as Jerry Kugel and Boyd Coddington. Others have been forgotten over the passage of time. Men such as Dave Marquez who built the 880, so far ahead of its time that even today it seems modern. Marquez was a track star and named his cars after the distances that he ran. The 880 won the first two National NHRA Championships in the C Roadster class. With fluorescent paint 'borrowed' from Point Mugu Naval Air Station and a detachable body, the 880 was not only a spectacular car to look at but the first 'funny car' as well. Other Deuce's include Vic Edelbrock's stunningly simple black dry lakes roadster. The Karl and Veda Orr Deuce looks boxy in comparison, but it was a roadster that left all opposition in the dust at the local time trials. Or maybe it was Veda who made the Deuce shine. In white overalls, red lipstick and Veronica Lake bangs she was the heartthrob who could set records and turn heads. She was the first woman to be voted in as a member of the SCTA and during WWII she kept the dry lakes racers up to date with the latest news.
Thacker keeps the action going in '32 Ford Deuce. He shows how the Deuce influenced the racetracks, both oval, land speed and drags. The Deuce also was important in the street scene and in local car clubs. Its impact was so strong that for many years only roadsters were allowed to run on the dry lakes and the image of speed and daring clung to the Deuce. Over time the Deuce has evolved and changed and so have the public's perception of it. No longer the rogue car which street racers used to evade the law, the Deuce has grown up and prospered. Still seen in movies like American Graffiti and B classics, the Deuce is now highly sought after and copied. New metal and fiberglass bodies are made for a burgeoning market, which never seems to abate. Men and women now spend hundred of thousands of dollars to build a work of art using Henry Ford's old workhorse. The photographs in the book come from a wide variety of sources and are spectacular. The Acknowledgment gives credit to some very special people, chief among them being the Ford Museum and the American Hot Rod Foundation led by Steve Memishian and Jim Miller. But one of the unsung volunteers of hot rodding is Greg Sharp, curator of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. In most hot rod books you will see Sharp's hand. He is driven to collect and identify the people and cars in old photos. Thacker brings the past alive in '32 Ford Deuce and merges it with the present. His book is a quality addition to your library on hot rodding. It's a cool book, almost like a high school album. Take it around with you in your Deuce and show it off to your friends and have them scribble a few autographs. Gone Racin' is at [email protected]

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Hi, I saw this item on eBay and thought you might be interested.
 Gilmore Oil Trophy-Muroc Race SCTA 32 Ford Hot Rod Tag (Bidding has ended on this item)
Selling an interesting piece of early Southern California Dry Lakes history, a trophy presented by the Gilmore Oil Co to Gil Pearson for winning Class E at the Muroc Races on May 8th 1932. The Muroc Timing Association tag is stamped indicating Pearsons Riley RD, Riley equipped Model A engine in a Model T roadster, was electrically timed at a speed of 101.12 M.P.H. The loving cup has its original silver plate finish with wear on the handles and the foot. The wood base with the timing tag also has its original finish. The height is 17 3/8" at the handles. Included with the trophy are four photographs of Gil's roadster. Three images show the car at the Dry Lakes at an earlier date, one shows the car, now equipped with white walls and lock ring wheels back in Santa Moncia with this trophy in the foreground. Gil Pearson was very active in California racing circles. In addition to racing at the Lakes he was involved in Dirt Track racing in the late 1920's and 30's.  As a car owner his Clyde Adams built Big Car won the Oakland 500 twice. He owned one of the Miller Ford Indy cars and he built two state of the art Front Drive Indianapolis cars with design work by Leo Goossen. The trophy was obtained directly from the Pearson Estate.
� I SHIP WORLD WIDE EXCEPT TO AFRICA AND SINGAPORE.
� See eBay new payment policy for payment options.
� I expect payment within 7 days of close of auction.
� No returns without seller approval.
� Please note: No pick-ups, if this doesn’t work for you please don’t bid.
� I will not falsify customs forms.
� If you don’t receive email please contact me.
� I leave feedback after I receive feedback.
� Please email questions, but if you wait till the last day I may not be able to answer in time, thanks! 

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