A Few Tucson Hot Rods From The 50's

I think you are talking about Duane Smith, who if I remember corectly had one arm that was shrunken and a bit of a limp. Really nice guy, may have helped out on the Lords dragster ( Speedsport). No clue where he is today.

 

Glad you enjoyed them.

 

Tell Sandy "heelo" foe me.. Wow.. i would love to see Sandy. Tell him to email me @ zellerware@aol.com.. i still have the Mustang...

I have been working on our 5 win coupe that has been in the family since 1961 and the roadster and my 60 starliner..

 

Would the Townsend Typhoon be a Tucson hot rod? Just read an article in Hemmings and never knew Frank was into road racing.

 

Yes, it is...

 

Definitely not trying to hijack this thread. So if anyone's got details, pics, etc a new thread would be appreciated.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=205286&highlight=Townsend+Typhoon

 

Bill, Great stuff! I had my first birthday here in '49, but don't remember much I moved back in '75, and have made friends with dozens of long-time rodders and racers, but much of this is still new to me!

Since I arrived later, my weak connections to early Tucson rodding and racing are that....I bought Pete Neuhouse's old shop....owned a Speed Sport Roadster body for a while....and I will post a historic sign I bought years ago. You will probably know the history it represents. There is also a reproduction of another interesting sign that it was painted over. Enjoy.

 

I grew up in Tucson. Left in 1966 and only have been back to visit a few times and HS reunions. (Catalina '62) Had a 23 T bucket in those days. Also a 51 Chev with a big GMC, wayne 12 port head, McGurk cam 3 1 barrels, headers. Wish I had it back.
Spent a lot of time around most of the shops in town and out at the dirt track. Met my first wife there. She was one of the trophy girls. Hadn't thought about some of the guys in years. Some of the ones I knew were R C Whitwell, Dick Moeller, Hank Arnold. I will have to think a while to come up with some other names. Thanks for jogging the memory.

 

Hot Rod Paint..Great signs..Lyle Fisher was a story all by himself. The Tucson Timing Assoc. @ DMAFB held some great drags. When you drive down Golf Links Road you're pretty much where the old strip was. dgc15..You might remember the names of Joe Harris and Carolyn Breck/Goebel, I think they were close to your class at Catalina. Your "trophy wife" probably gave out trophies at the old TAGRA track on I-10 and Sunset. Glad you guys enjoyed the post.

 

http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/TownsendSpecial2.htm
Look here for quite a bit of detail and an incredible amount of vintage racing info/pictures etc..

Hours and hours of excellent stuff..

 

A couple more. Recognize the guy with the track / drag car?

 

A couple more.. The 34 was originally built by Monte Trone if I recall correctly. Bought and painted yellow by "mouse" Martin.

 

Found a few more. The '50 Olds was a victim of a drag race after a beer bust, we called 'em "boondockers". I was shotgun..only injury was cuts from broken Coors quart beer bottle. Cut a telephone pole in half 15' up. Guess I'm a lucky passenger, 2 roll-overs and 1 head-on! The 34 coupe belonged to a modified/sprint car driver named Hank Arnold. Most were from my old car club the Low Rollers,(not low riders). Happy Holidays guys and gals.