Who influenced me? How did I get into historic race cars and customs? In other words, who showed me the light? Well I’ll tell you. He was Carrol Shelbys safety inspector, an avid racer of many different racecars and the biggest Hudson Dealer in California. Bill Albright. He taught me term, Race on Sunday! He taught me how to prepare a race car for the strip, how to launch and not red light, good sportsmanship and how to fix your own racecar with bailing wire and hose clamps. I was deep into keeping an old Hudson Drag coupe going and looking forward to antique Nationals every year. Jack Clifford was also a great mentor and friend. He won many drag events and developed tons of speed equipment. The people and friends I’ve met along the way were into the same thing and we were all doing it together. Inspiring each other and building cars together. Never claim you wrote the book unless you grew up in the 50s. This stuff has already been done long ago. We are all picking up the pieces of the gods of speed.
Do you still have that Hudson in the picture you're standing next to, I do remember seeing it years ago
My older brother influenced me, for sure. He let me work on his old motorcycles as young as 4. He would say, "find this, take the old one off and put the new one on". I worked on his Indians, Harleys, and later , his dirt bikes. He took me to Lions Drags, Ascot Raceway all the time. All I ever wanted to to was work on cars when I grew up. I had a neighbor who ran a Fuel Altered, Fiat Topolino, who would let me sit in the car when he was getting it ready for races. Kinda like my own Cackle Fest. But probably the biggest influence was Ed Roth, who was my Godfather. He would walk me around car shows at Anaheim Conv Center and Great Western Exibit Hall, and tell me about every car. My parents would drop me off with Aunt Sally(Roth) and I would hang out in the Roth booth. So I had a pretty cool childhood. I miss all the drag strips and race tracks that were here in So Cal...Riverside, Ontario, Irwindale, Lions, Ascot, Trojan Raceway, OCIR, and many that were gone before I was born. My mom said , my first noises were car sounds.
We all got "here" somehow. I was raised by a late model stocks racer from the 50s n 60s that ran the asphalt and dirt short tracks in MI and OH. I also had my fair share of shop days with dear ol Dad in the summer. Dick Mitchell was one of the drivers in the Comet durability run. He also was the go-to guy for fun with that crowd. Jim White of DST and Wm Clay Ford had coffee with Mom at our dining room table while Mitch took Dad out in a 427 Mustang project those 3 were out carousing in. I wanted to drag race. At 14yrs old Dad said "Get in, you drive" and it was a 1934 Packard 1101 Club Sedan. Still sticks with me. I'm not karma, spiritual, luck, it's all bullshit to me. However, the delivery date of that car was July 8, 1934. My delivery date is also July 8, but 23 years later. Today I'm still a Packard guy, but my drag race lust remains, even did it for a while and built sportsman class chassis and bars. Hot rods are essentially drag race inspired so the fit, or the fix, is always in. Would I rather feel the throb of a big cubic inch high compression lumpy cam waiting on a trans brake? Fkn eh, tomorrow. Still like hot rods, heavy American iron, pretty happy with my skillset and, I'm not too sure I'd trade very much of my past for something different. I mean, I shoulda refi'ed my house and bought that Ferrari to flip but we all have 1 or 10 of those stories. I like it "here".
I was interested in hot rods and customs before I moved to California at age 15, in 1956. I was fortunate while living on Green street in San Francisco, my neighbor across the street was Joe Carlomagno, a member of the San Francisco Ramblers car club. Joe had a mild custom 1949-1950 Mercury two door. He also had a chopped 1932 ford 3 window coupe with a hot flathead, and striping by "Tommy The Greek". Joe took me under his wing, taking me to club meetings at Mel's drive-in, drag racing at Half Moon Bay, and to several different rod and custom shows in the bay area. Through Joe, I got to meet George Barris at a show in San Jose. I didn't realize at the time what Joe had done for me. I became hooked, and at 82 years old, I am still hooked. Whenever I get a chance to speak with much younger people I encourage them to carry on our sport. I tell them, we had our turn, now it is their turn.
Thanks Nick, I still remember the first time I meet you (@ 1967)and the parts we traded. Ever think of how much of Hershey you could cover with all the parts you have had over the years?
Neat stories! The interaction is what we need! We need the encouragement and drive from the old guard. We appreciate you. We are trying
There's a couple kids in my neighborhood ask me for a ride around the block, a few times. Cool to see the looks on their face when they hear it from the inside, hahaha. I've been trying to spark their interest.
a bit off topic but is that a shay model a or a real one in the background? the proportions just look... off.
I am here because of my father Willard Palmer and he is here because of his uncles Uncle Don Wyle crew man not the driver Uncle Leslie Kellerhouse Chief Steward Fonda speedway (Right) and Lou Lazzaro My vintage stock car project-
"asked a guy who knows model as, its a 31 cabriolet. rare car too!" quote. My first hot rod was a '31 Cabriolet, found it in a field behind Lantz Lumber Co. Owner used the running gear for a dune buggy. Sold me the complete cherry body for $3! He did this to encourage 'young blood'! I was 13... The older guys showed me the way... Drags, Hardtop racers, but I was too young for the Track Roadsters that ran indoors at Oakland. Missed that!
The tech inspector for the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds (My vintage club) owns The Jokers 44 a historic stock car from western New York he often paces the field at Fonda speedway. Our last race at Fonda he added a second seat a seat belt and there was a free raffle open to all kids to ride with Wayde during the pace laps before each of our three class features. The last young man got the best show Mike Gray pulled up in the Bill Koller K-71 a real Fonda car, Mike revved the engine and ended up shooting a giant ball of fire out of the exhaust. Wayde said all the kids were over the moon, but the last kid was hooked! Those kids are likely to be race fans and cars guys for life!
If you carry the torch keep an eye out for those to pass it on to. A little or a lot, it all counts. Hah! Didn't think I had it in me did ya...
In my young life, I got absolutely no guidance and zero encouragement concerning my interests. And THAT'S how I got to where I am today!
Boy, do we need them!!! Not just in racing but in all parts of the automotive lifestyle!!!! It's shrinking everyday I work in a large fab shop, 8o people in the shop only 4 people have ever been to the races, and only about seven of us have old cars or motorcycles!
My first memory is of my dad adjusting the valves on the 390 in his 72 F-100 Ranger. I was a toddler; he was sitting on the inner fender, and I wanted to see what he was doing. I stood on the milk crate he had used to climb under the hood, I still couldn't see so I climbed on the bumper grabbed the radiator support stood still couldn't see so I started to use the grill as a ladder, when he saw what I was doing he picked me up put me on his lap and went back to work. Looking back, I don't know how he was able to run the valves with me on his lap. When he came to the hospital to pick my mom and me up, he had three gifts for me, a teddy bear, a Matchbox car, and 3/8 through 9/16 Snap-On wrenches. I still have the bear, the Matchbox and the wrenches.
Robert, having met your father, I think that he brought you up the right way. You are as into old cars / race cars as he was.
The Jalopy Journal
