Custom Builder Doug Thompson, who knows where he is? (PICS)

Here's another old photo I found...It's Doug with the Merc and his high school sweetheart/present wife, Nita.

 

those headlights is really cool and the rest of car to

 

I was randomly flicking thru the pages of a copy of DuPont Registry in the grocery store yesterday.... {new Benz gullwing on the cover...}

When lo & behold there was the Thompson built Packard for sale!

 

I think Noel and Tom pretty much cleared things up. I did stop and visit with Doug in Butler on way the HAMB Drags two years ago. He looked good but has trouble doing things with one hand, said he doesn't have much strength in it any more. Like the rest of us time is taking it's toll on us.
Don

 

I like that picture ......Doug is my neighbor real nice guy

 

I have doug thompsons 50 merc the scorpion and am interested in selling my name is Bob Metcalf and my number is 937-546-1500

 

Rik:

The last time I saw Doug was at Darryl Starbird's HOF Induction Ceremonies/Weekends in 2001 & 2003. Spent some great quality time with him & his wife, had breakfast with him a number of times also. He was healthier, but still having a few problems. (I believe the bulk of his health problems had come from working with paint fumes, lead fumes, grinding spaltter, etc. I believe it was his liver, or other major organ that was affected. AND, he was very ill for a long time; claimed that his wife was the one that "brought him back from the dead".)

Jack Walker & I talked about Doug a few years later, and he said that Doug really wasn't doing anything in the R&C biz...had phased that part of his life out. Which is sad, because he was a fantastic builder.

Before the festivities were over on June 2, 2003, Doug asked his wife to take a pic of him & myself before we left. I thought that was very classy of him, and it turned out cool. I'm posting it here for you.

Sadly, I didn't have my recording equipment with me at the time...I truly would love to archive his History for my HOF Legends Series.

Doug Thompson was truly a Master Crafstman !

Jonnie King www.legends.thewwbc.net

 

Hey Jonnie,

You're one lucky human to have met and spent some time with the man himself!
Mr Thompson has been a major force in the kustom world for a long time.


" Spending a nation into generational debt is not an act of compassion "

 

Doug is doing well. I talked to him couple of months ago. While he isn't doing any cars, he and Nita are very active in their small community, historical society, Chamber of Commerce, etc. They retain the same passion and enthusiasm as they have always had for the 50 years I have known them.

 

I mean really, does it get any better than that? Where is this car now? Just beautiful

 

Tom,

Thanks for the info. I really like Doug, his work was "classic". Richard Ratty's Purple Packard is one of my favorites. I told Doug that the Phantom Corsair was one of my longtime faves, and he said that was partially in his mind when he put together the Packard...that super-classic look that is timeless.

He said that when looking for the taillights for that car he spotted one that he wanted at a swap meet. The vendor was only showing ONE unit. Doug asked him if he had the mate to it, then the vendor searched through somemore of his boxes and items, AND magically produced the other one ! Mission Accomplished !!

Jonnie

 

Glassguy,

That Doug Thompson built Chevy belongs to my friend Jack Walker. Jack's got all of his cars in a "museum" of his own at his home in MO. They include that Chevy, the Hirohata Clone, the Blue Danube Clone, and many others.

Jack had the Chevy at Starbird's a number of year's ago, and also had it at the KKOA Lead Sled in Salina.

Jonnie

 

I agree 100%.......I grew up hearing The Name "Doug Thompson" At just about every car show My dad and I went to. I have a real good friend of mine who worked for Thompson and Hall customs......He told me just the other day that as far as he is concerned "Doug Thompson" Is the Best Custom Car builder there is....I have a pic in my archives of My Friend and a custom made Roman style chariot being pulled by 2 old harleys that was one of thompsons early customs.......I would post it if I could figure out how....LOL.....Or if anyone is interested in seeing it I can email it to them and they can post it

 

Here is the photo

 

Doug and Nita Thompson are both doing well and living just south of Kansas City. They both attended my father, William "Billy the Bull" Schulz's funeral in June of this year. Many of the aforementioned hot rods were actually built in my father's barn behind our home in Lee's Summit, Missouri at 1212 Prairie Lane. My father did much of the wiring on these cars, as well as helping Doug with other finishing touches. I have many fond memories of growing up watching these two amazing men create such awesome cars. Along with traveling to many car shows and Rod Runs throughout the country. I am currently the owner of my father's last vehicle owned before his passing, a 1960 Ford Thunderbird Convertible. I will cherish this car for the rest of my life!

 

Kerrie, please accept my condolences for your loss. I knew Bill and admired the '58 Impala they built.

Doug was instrumental in reviving customs in the early 80's with the Hirohata Merc clone he did for Jack Walker. But equally striking for that time period was the mild custom '58 Impala that Doug and Bill built. No one was doing anything with '58 Impalas at that time, hard as that is to imagine now! They built the definitive example. Photo courtesy of Rik Hoving's Custom Car Archive.

 

Tom,

Thanks so much for posting this picture of the car that my dad loved so dearly. It was such a compliment when the car was taken over to tour Europe. Bill drove all the way to South Carolina to buy this 1960 Ford Thunderbird Convertible that I now have the pleasure to inherit from him. My love of cars comes from my dad. I cherish many good memories of sitting by his side while he built this Impala with Doug. I miss him more than anyone can imagine every single day. But I know he is happy to be reunited with the love of his life, my mom Jeanne, finally.