Where is Kong Jackson's nickname from?

Always wondered. Frank Payne

 

i was just reading a tex smith book , it has interviews w/him. he wasn't overly large and the intro and title say his name as kong jackson...talks about being kong when young , so maybe its his real name...interesting guy

 

Kong was a nickname. Charles Jackson was his real name.

 

What?? wow never knew that

 

And how about the coincidence that the remake of King Kong was directed by...


wait for it....


Pete Jackson

 

looked better on the product and sounded more proffesional than "donkey dick"

 

custom ignitions and timming , quite the family...

 

Wonder what happened to the Jackson '40 DeLuxe coupe ... built at the California World's Fair with leather interior - and remained a stocker.

 

Kong jackson got the nickname "KONG" when he woke up in the morning his uncombed thick black hair looked like king kong

 

Did Kong Jackson end up with Ed Winfield's '40 Ford Coupe?

 

Rumor has it yes. Popular Hot Rodding article in the 70's on Ed Winfield indicated that it was Ed's wife's car and Kong got it. Especially in the 70's some writers stuck a little "tongue in cheek" stuff in. A later interview with Kong makes no mention of it. Here's one..what ever happend to Earl Bruce's 40 with the filled quarter windows?

 

If you start your own line of SheepDip intake manifolds put me down for one .

 

And did Earl really drink motor oil??

Brian

 

Now you got the picture. There's a lot of good 'ol stuff that only 2 people know what happend to it, the guy that sold it (if he's still alive) and the guy that bought it. The "pester factor" is a big reason.

 

Can anyone provide the Popular Hot Rodding issue date (or an actual copy) that covered Ed Winfield and his 1940 Ford Coupe? Sounds like an interesting article. Thanks!

 

All I recall is that it was in the early 70's. Seem to think it was written by the Ardun White Paper guy, Tom Senter when he worked at Pop.Hot Rodding. The article was on Winfield and the 40 story was an add on.

 

It was in a short-lived sister publication to Popular Hot Rodding, 1001 Custom and Rod Ideas. I have it but would have trouble finding it.

 

You're right! Seems I can only remember something 1/2 right anymore. Problem is which half is right??

 

The article is in 1001 Custom and Rod Ideas, October 1977. Would it be okay to post the scans of the articles? If not I could send them to whoever is interested.

 

I think folks would be interested.

 

Here are the stories, of Ed Winfield and the other on his wife's 40 Ford Coupe.

 

Now, if true..where did it go when Kong passed away? And why no follow on stories all these years?

 

I met him in the early 80's. Gave me a tour of his place and showed me some very cool trinkets including a lot of Winfield parts and a 427 63 1/2 Galaxie he bought new. At the time I had no clue who I was with. He did give me some Kong Jackson decals though. Very nice guy.

 

Kong was a great guy! He was my grandpa. I remember going to his place when I was young and "helping" him work on cars. To me he was a huge guy! But he was just a big teddy bear. If any of you have any stories about him I would love to hear them. I was his 1st grandchild, and only one for 8 years. We were really close until my parents moved us to Washington. I miss him.. Its hard to find very much information out there about him

 

The Galaxie is here in Colorado, still has the California license plates on it that say KONG. It's very cool, 427 side oiler, radio and heater delete, a straight up runner !

Johnnie.

 

I met Kong Jackson at El Mirage a few months before he passed. I was wearing a Road Runner T shirt when i was approached by an elderly man wearing sunglasses. I had no idea who he was but he walked up to me and asked me if I was a Road Runner. I said I was and his reply was "I knew all them sons of bitches in the 30s!". He then introduced himself as Kong Jackson. I asked Kong Jackson as in Kong ignition. "Ignition, gears, cams and I drive th Pope around on the weekends!" We had a short chat about lakes racing and then he had to go. To me it was a great honor to meet a genuine hot rod legend. I was sorry to read that he had passed. I'm sure there was a lot great hot rod stories lost.

 

Johnnie, Where is the Galaxie??
Eric

 

Kong and Frank Klos ran a Jocko bodied streamliner at El Mirage a couple of times in the 90's. I absolutely love that car.

 

An aquaintance knew Kong and bought the V8-60 head patterns off him years ago. Nothing but good out of his mouth about Kong

 

Does it still have the square headlights in it??

Kong was a good friend and one sharp guy. I was blessed with the privilge to hang out with him when I was in my teens. He and Wes Cooper had a shop off of Flower street in Burbank. I have no idea why he put up with my smart ass.. My first trip to El Mirage was with kong. One of my most cherished possessions is Kongs old Craftsman timing light.