Smitty'sSon

I grew up in So. L.A. and Torrance. My dad was close with Lou Baney and all the local hotrod guys and manufacturers.
My dad's name was Henry Mac Kay, but everyone knew him as "Smitty".

I believe dad and Lou when to Manuel Arts High School. I know they both worked at Skateland in L.A. (Famous skateing rink back then)

My dad and Lou both lived at Lou's shop at 52nd and St Andrews for a while back when. My dad drove me by there to see it when I was a kid. (Not a good neighborhood anymore)

My dad told me about their building roadsters for rich people and celebrities. One celebrity was Harvey Mills I believe. Of the "Mills Brothers".

They spent all of their time building cars and going to El Mirage and the drag strips. (I have some of my dad's old newspaper clippings about his and Lou's racing the old roadsters)
My dad told me "He and Lou cast the first waffle head pistons" that Ford used back then. He told me he thought the first one they made was in the Smithsonian in DC. He said they scratched their initial’s on the inside of the first piston.

My dad and Lou used to talk about their friend Ray Slagel getting killed at El Mirage. He lost control an his car flipped over on him. My dad told me that his last words were "Get off of me you dago son of a bitch". (He Seems he was in shock and thought Lou was sitting on him)

My dad and Lou used to talk about "The Venice riots". I guess they were bad asses back then and used to get in a few fights from time to time.

My dad got married and became a building contractor, but he kept in touch with Lou. We would go see Lou at Lions drag strip. It was just a couple of miles east of our house. (We lived off Carson and 215th back then).

I remember meeting McEwen and Prudhomme at Lions. I saw the Mongoose and Snake before they were ever painted.

The last time I saw Lou was at the Winternationals in Pomona.
It was in the mid 80s I believe. I had moved to Ventura and was volunteering with the local JC's. We were directing traffic and parking cars at the race. I saw Lou and we got to visit for a while. He told me he was dying. He gave me his "Coors / Mongoose" business card, (Which I still have) I gave him a hug and he told me to say hello to my dad for him. (My dad has since passed)

If you're familiar with anything I've mentioned here, please feel free to email me at "Camarilloview@gmail.com".
Thanks.
Chris