Just curious (Phx. hist.)

I stopped by Lopers shop when he got this Maverick brand new car and took it apart to build this Maverick gasser. John

 

That looks like Little Hoss Two with the Halibrands and the tube bumper. I think it might have had a big block Chevy also.

 

Talk about history at Beeline Dragway! Here is a picture i took at Blackie's Autorama 2009 of my friend Ron Whiteside and Gary Scelzi. They are holding a picture of Ron's 1934 Ford in the 1960's and 1970's gasser they (with his brothers Steve and Randy) raced at Beeline and Mel Larsons(now Speedworld). Well! The Bronze coupe in the background is that exact same car. The 2003 Riddler Award winning Chip Foose Mercury Stallion. Ron has owned this car since 1963. Way to go Ron!!!!! John

 

You might contact a gentleman (and I use the term loosley), by the name of Jim Rodgers, an Arizona native, whowas involved in building the Phoenix drag strip, around 1967. He also, was involved in building the Kansas City Speedway. He won the Nationals, in 1967, in an Impala, not sure what division. I don't have his phone number, but he now lives north of Troon or in Skull Valley, on his ranch.

 

I knew Jim Rodgers very well back in the 60's. His S/SA Plymouth was the first race car got to start up as a kid! I thanked him back in the 80's for opening Beeline Dragway and it kept me out of trouble. In fact he lived around the corner from me. Sure would like to find a picture of his 1959 Chevrolet he had advertising Beeline Dragway. He had a Weatern wear shop in Scottsdale in the 80's. I think it was called "Yellow Rose". Jim you out there?
John

 

In the '40's there was a dirt track just north of Thomas road at about 60th street. It had been a horse track, then a race track before becoming a subdivision in the early '50's Some of the old buildings are still there- they built around them.

As far speed shops, Rundles was exactly where the 101 crosses Apache now.

If you want a real-live-genuine-old-school-speed shop, Wilky's is still on Main street in Mesa. Get it while you can.

 

South Central Garage, 901 S Central, Phoenix

Now Central Paints.

 

Arizona Hard Chrome, 2609 W Cypress, Phoenix

Still is.

 

Royal Auto Parts, 1158 E Van Buren, Phoenix. Now GG&D Motor Vehicle Services.

 

Dick's Drive-In/Wright's Restaurant, 1438 E McDowell Rd., Phoenix.
Now the Gourmet House of Hong Kong.

 

Blakely Station No. 30, 5650 N 7 St., Phoenix.
Now Mad Hatter Muffler.

 

Corral Drive-In, 6245 S Central, Phoenix
Now a cleaning business, but the building doesn't appear to have changed much.

 

This is Goodyear Auxiliary Army Airfield No.6, a.k.a. Luke Air Force Auxiliary Airfield no.6, a.k.a. Perryville Drag Strip, near Goodyear Arizona. It is also where the first N.H.R.A. National Championship Drags were concluded after being rained out in Great Bend Kansas in 1955.

 

This building at 2001 E Roosevelt, Phoenix was the original General Motors testing laboratory in Arizona, built in 1937.
Now Imperial School Photography.



http://www.roadsidepeek.com/roadusa/southwest/arizona/azarchit/index.htm

 

Is that a current "google" image? It's still there?! Awesome, and it's complete with a creepy perfect triangle (WTH)!

 

I had some trouble getting it to cooperate the first time. This should be a pretty current view and the link will help explain the configuration.

Map.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=33.444155,-112.510943&spn=0.019839,0.027595&t=h&z=15

Info.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070403092344AADM6Ue

 

Cool stuff.

 

Man this is too cool. Answers alot of questions I have had for years, but could never remember to ask when I'm hanging out with the Ehhmm "older generation". (Man, I'll get some crap for that statement!) We need to get John Evans in on this one, I've never met any one who has more knowledge of where stuff was in this town. Oh, Landseaair, the Blakely station at 7th ave. and Thomas was on the southwest corner and came down about 1991 or 2. I can't believe that I've walked into Schrieners so many times and it never dawned on me what it was!

 

If you are talking about the Mad Hatter location, it's still there, though there was a Blakely station at 7th ave an Thomas at one time, which was station no. 5. As far as Bruce Crowers shop, I'm still looking for confirmation on that. I Emailed Crower Cams about it, but got no reply. Also, anyone feel free to add to this thread, especially if you have hard proof or original pictures of automotive or racing related sights in the Phoenix area.

 

Ahwatukee used to have a dirt track around Chandler or a little further south. You can still see the oil patch where they used to dump oil in Aerial photographs...

 

Does anyone know anything about this oval track's background? It appears to be asphalt, 3/8 mile? and is located just on the other side of the canal from the old Phoenix trotting park horse track.

 

What does the Ala Kart have to do with Phoenix? Well back in 1961 AMT Corp. bought the truck to promote the model kit they made of it. Then in 1966 it was sold to Jack Shira, a Goodyear tire dealer in phoenix who displayed it in front of his store with his logo on the doors.

Another point of interest that I'm surprised Jeem hasn't brought up yet is that in 1966 AMT decided to build real cars to promote their kits along with some TV and movie cars. The shop was located in Phoenix and ran by Gene Winfield.

Some vehicles to come out of this shop were the AMT Piranha Dragster, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. car, the Sunbeam from Get Smart and the Galileo Shuttlecraft from Star Trek.


AMT Speed & Custom Shop, 1401 E Washington, Phoenix 1966-1970.
Now American Medical Services & Supply.

 

The AMT shop did side work too. Here's a local T they painted in the late 60's.

 

Goosic Brothers used to run a gas-burning roadster with an injected small block, think it was yellow, I remember watching it run at Henderson, NV in '59...got beat by Fred Dobney, running a similar roadster, Stude powered...

 

Some AMT projects.

 

Wow, if this guy wants to build a strip, send him to Connecticut...we've got NOTHING here...

This thread is great...I've got one or two of Miles's Rundle's stickers so it's nice to see the car.

 

I used to walk by Haynes Performance every day going to school at sunnyslope high. He moved the shop over off of cave creek south of peoria. A few years ago he told me he was switching to a restoration shop. I never see the gates open anymore. Hope he is still doing ok.

Anyone ever remember a guy named Gebhart? I do not know his first name. I went to school with his granddaughter and my friends dad talks about the customs that he built and the stuff he seen at Mr. Gebharts house from back in the day. I was told that Gebhart was as good as all the big name customizers from back in the day. Once I seen a glimpse of a studebaker truck he put fins on. It was real strange looking, in a good way. I would like to meet him someday just to look at some pictures and hear some history he has. He lives over by 12th st and northern.

 

Watch the whole thing. It's worth it.

 

His first name is Jim.

 

That You Tube is price less. How many of you old timers recognise someone on there? I'm much to old to have shared in such a program but I sure could have enjoyed it. I've only been a resident for 5 years so I don't know anyone but it's still right on!
Mike