I'm Impressed....Gene Winfield

I jsut came back form the Huntington, WV World of Wheels car show. Gene Winfield was there signing autographs and he is a hell of a nice guy. It was kinda late in the day and there was noone esle at his booth and I stood there and talked to him for quite a while. He is a hell of a nice guy. Also when I shook his hand I noticed that his hands where callouses and stained like mine. He just impressed me a lot and seemed like a great guy. He said he is coming back out in the fall to do one of his workshops which I will definetally attend.
EvilKazeevil

 

Yeah man, you aint lyin. Seems like a cool guy, and loves Mercs. Whats not to like?

 

Was there all day yesterday. He said he painted a '57 Ford 2 days before and hadn't been to sleep yet. Hence the green paint stains. The '57 is going to be the Jade Idol 2. Sad thing was Friday night some rube was trying to haggle him on the price of some fuzzy dice. I was thinking dude, do you even know who this is? Only in WV! hehehe

 

I've spent some time with him at his shop for a week. He will and always does out work everyone. He never stops. He has to be told to stop. That's what probably keeps him young.
I hope to be as energetic as he is at his age.


Great person!!

BloodyKnuckles

 

Yeah Brad, That is the sad part....probalby 19 out of every 20 people walking through there have no idea who he is. He is a cool guy.
EvilKazeevil

 

I ran into Gene at the GNRS a couple years ago while checking out a chopped 59 Chevy. I don't know if he chopped that particular car or not, but he spent a few minutes telling us where to make all the cuts, how he has the glass made, etc.

He's definitely a cool, down to earth guy.

 

He wasn't lie'n.. He was in the booth until the weeeee hours of the morning.. Seems like he just put down the gun and was off to the airport.. The Jade idol 2 will be at detroit.. pretty cool car..

 

That is it. He was finishing it up when i saw him last week. it was purrty.

 

The jade idol is one of my favorite customs.

 

i've had the pleasure of meeting mr. winfield a few times at car shows. top notch guy. never in a hurry to get rid of you. and he still works in the shop doing what he does. cool.

 

yeah - got a chance at SEMA last year to walk to an event they were having with him, Bo Huff and George Barris. Now THAT was a moment I wont forget. What a bunch- VERY cool guys - and Bo's girlfriend brough killer cupcakes!

Ive sat with Gene a few times and chatted- he is still very true to his roots and hasnt forgotten where he came from. Nice dude.

 

Growing up in So. Cal. and attending a ton of West Coast shows and runs I think we kind of took for granite that Gene, Bill, George, Larry ETC: were always there.
Now that I live in Ohio I do see Gene at shows over in Lima or Columbus and make it a point to stop by and say Hi to him or any of them.
In Lima my wife and I were walking around and as I was preoccupied with looking at cars and my wife stopped by to talk to Gene, you know he loves the the ladies, and he remembered her from Paso. He's Good Guy!

 

Go to the workshop at any cost.

I went to one last year and it was one of the best times I have had with a hot rod. On top of learning a lot, I got ot hang out with Gene in the shop.

 

I will definetally be there, cost will not be an option. He said that they are negotiation a couple of different options on cars to chop during the classes.
EvilKazeevil

 

About 5 years ago, I was talking to Gene at the LA Roadster show. He had his "booth" setup in the swap meet section. We talked for about 30 minutes and I walked away to my car in the parking lot, got in my car and, holy shit, I didn't have my camera bag, which had all my Nikon stuff, wallet, phone, etc., etc.
I just about crapped. I talked my way back into the swap meet area ( I didn't have my hand stamped) and went to about four vendors spots where I had just visited. I couldn't imagine that I had left it at Gene's booth, so I went there last.
He saw me coming and shouted out, "Hey, you lookin for something?".
Right then I realized that he had my bag. Gene had safely tucked it the bag behind his chair with a note on it, saying that it had been left behind by a guy, "about 6' tall, grey and brown hair, wearing a LIONS Drag Strip t-shirt".
That be me...
After thanking him, I said "good-bye Mr. Winfield", and he shouted back, "My name is Gene", with a big smile on his face.
Ever since then, I always stop and buy a t-shirt from him, wherever I see his display. And to thank him, again.

 

Thats why he's Builder of the Year at the Detroit Autorama this year!

Going to have a bunch of his old cars, and Bob's Jade Idol 2, as stated above.

There will be posters as well, so everyone stop by and buy one. There has got to be an open spot on your shop wall!

 

Where is Bob? Is he on here? I met him while at genes.

 

He knows who he is,that's why he has time to talk to us. He's not too busy being an "icon"!

 

He's a hellofa nice guy. Here's a shot from SEMA with his Bonneville car

 

Met himast year when he visited the UK, RULER.

 

Right on. But this really sux...I'm leaving for FL in a few hrs and will miss 'rama. I had the honor of watching him chop a 50 Ford PU at Washtenaw Comm Coll last year shortly after the show. Genuine classic hot rod inspired energy. Down to earth doesn't begin to describe the guy. If asked I'd say "he's one of us...".

 

I also had the privelage to meet him this weekend. Very nice guy. It was great to meet such a legend in our hobby and him to be such a great and personable guy.

 

I was at the World Of Wheels all weekend set up close enough to Gene's booth that I could see him clearly. He was always smiling and on his feet. If more people had his ethic about taking care of people, things would run smoother for everyone. When I was a state director for Kustoms Of America I got to hang out with Gene quite a bit. He is always good for a a nice conversation or a good bit of advise. The man can tear up a go-cart track as well, just ask the people of Pigeon Forge,TN.

Over the weekend one of the guys from our club was wanting to meet Gene but was too bashful to just walk up to him. I finally forced him to go up to Gene's booth. Gene talked to him like he was an old friend, now thats class.

 

I'm going to print this thread and give it to Gene...

 

Cool. When I visited him he was damn busy as hell, running all over the shop to get the Jade Idol 2 finished. At one point I asked "So you still love it all Gene?" and had a laugh and said "oh yeah." Gotten me thinking, does anyone know when his next chopping class will be in CA?

 

I'll post it on this thread tomorrow..

 

Best time I've ever had was attending one of his classes.Learned more than my pea brain could hold and Gene is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.

Here is a little pic from our class. He welded this aluminum and knocked a blister in it so fast that if you would have went to the bathroom you would have missd it.

Flt blk is the lucky winner of this little piece.

 

Met the man at the Yokahama Hot Rod show in 06, he was a blast,
Telling me and a couple of mates of mine, all sorts of stories, some
even about cars,,,
He`s a top bloke, and just a real nice, genuine sort of a guy.
I was very proud to meet him,

 

I remember when I saw his "Strip Star" for the first time.
I was 14 years old and was transfixed on that car. I still am.
Gene Winfield is an American Hot Rod icon!

 

Got a chance to talk to him a bit in Bloomington, IL the past two years. Super nice guy. Very humble and laid back.