Folks Of Interest 1957 a day in Norm's life

how smart is that, no blocks or jackstands!

 

It was his T Bucket that I saw on 77 Sunset Strip that give me the bug!

 

You can thank Ralph Crane, the man shown below for the photos.

 

The photo below was one in a series taken at Bob's Drive-in in Toluca Lake, California. Another photo in the series appeared on page 137 in the April 29, 1957 edition of Life Magazine.


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The car was also featured on the magazine covers of:
Oct. '55 Hot Rod and April '57 Car Craft
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Mr. Grabowski,
If you read this, I want to thank you for your many contributions to the hot rod hobby. When I was a little kid, I watched 77 sunset strip just hoping to see your car.
Thanks again,
Mark

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Here's a link to Norm's Internet Movie Database page:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333288/


Feel free to post your Norm stories and/or photos here.

 

Say it isn't so!! LOL

 

no room for the wife and kids

 

Hope that old cloth diaper didn't leak! Love that baby seat setup.

 

Back then....
Norm woulda' just bench pressed the car off himself if the chain-fall failed.

 

Thanks for posting this. Nice car seat for the baby......hehe. Norm is one of the nicest guys that you could meet.

Chris

 

Thanks for posting the links! Great stuff...

 

Incredible pics, thanks for posting them. Norm is the man !

 

cool shots,
'haven't seen those before

 

I KNEW IT!......Trailers are traditional,just gotta have moons amd wide whites & a Caddy

 

I missed this thread the first time. Many have posted that this is the car that got them interested in hot rods. It is for me too. I was 12 or 13 when "77 Sunset Strip" came on. Kookie was my hero and this car was part of his "kool". It was years later that I found out the builder (Norm) and he had sold it by then. He has been one of hot rodding's greatest ambassadors. I have seen him a few times over the last 40 years and he is truly a nice guy.

 

norms T was always my favorite T , my only complaint is that it didnt stay the way norm built it , and it became a well kind of hideous show car , and that its hidden away and no one ever see s it anymore

 

It was first on "Peter Gunn,' a cheesy detective show...Norm played a bit part as a bad guy, 77 Sunset Strip appearances came later....I first saw the roadster at a car show at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium...looked closely and realized that only the front part of the rear spring was chromed, and only the front part of the banjo was painted candy red...guess Norm was trying to save a few bucks...

Still, one of the coolest hot rods ever!!!

 

Great day to look through these pics. Rest in peace Norm.

 

That looks like norm is heading home to the egg farm in Shadow Hills. Sitting at San Fernando Road and Sunland Blvd, waiting for the train to pass by. The greatest hardware store in the universe, Rosco Hardware was to the right and Round's Auto parts was across the tracks, to the left. I grew up in the neighborhood and seeing Norm was a common occurrence, either in the Kookie Kar or the T tub (Porter) and later on, riding one of his Corvair bikes.
I was able to talk to him on two different occasions and he was just a regular guy. He acted like you mattered and that he had known you for his whole life. There wasn't a speck of ego in the man. The likes of Norm Grabowski will never be seen again. He exemplified the term, "unique".

 

God Speed Norm

 

What a stud he was!

 

RIP Wow Wow

 

bttp

 

Well done Lowkat.

 

Little did he know at the time what he started with that car. At least 50 years later, we are still admiring it. And him. R.I.P. Norm

 

Yeah , thanks for bringing back this thread ...didn't know Norm was a bit actor ....used to watch Peter Gunn too .

T