Gene Winfield at Back to the Fifties...

Alright, so did anyone else know that this master craftsman was going to be there, or did I just miss something? My dad and I had just gotten out of the House of Kolor booth, and I heard the unmistakable sound of a hammer and dolly going at it. So, following the sound, I find a couple of guys in a carport, going at the top of a chevy fastback sedan (about a '47, i think). And then I see the simple sign on the door of the car saying who it was... Wow. I was totally caught off guard for that one.

So we watched him do a bit of hammer welding, and when he got to my side of the booth, my dad snapped a couple of photos and I got to take a picture with him. That was probably one of the coolest moments since I met Ed Roth, just shortly before he passed away.

But what I want to know is, did anybody else know that he was gonna be there?? I was totally surprised; I did a search and no one on here seems to have known ahead of time. Just thought I'd get on the computer here at the hotel and give everyone a heads up.

 

He's a hot rod commando....he sneaks in before anyone arrives and works long after they have all left, only stopping to ogle pretty girls and and touch up the 'do....Winfield is a hero.

True

 

I know how you feel . I met him at Autorama in Detroit, flogging t shirts
Nobody seemed to recognize him and he was just hanging out in a lawn chair.
Super nice guy!

Flatman

 

I've met Gene Winfield several times including last week at the LA Roadster Show......he just sets up in the swap meet with his trailer and vends stuff like any other guy......no *star* treatment.....a regular guy who is always cordial and will talk with you very easily......I have my conversation with him this year on video......he did tell me that he would be at BTTF Weekend......

He'll be at some *Out East* events later this summer too.......

Brucie

 

I called MarkX yesterday and him and Tuck were taking Gene to dinner.
How cool is that.

 

I've seen him at a couple shows as well. He seems to get around quite a bit...

 

what about out on the west coast
mainly in arizona and then a heads up before he is to show up. i met ed roth at the world of wheels when i was a lot younger before i really started liking cars as much as now, and did not know who he was. got his autograph anyways. good thing i think.

 

i didn't know he was gonna be at the 50's , but i did get a chance to get an autographed poster and had a little conversation with him. he was a very nice guy

 

OK,

Here's a heads up - he'll be in Worcester Mass this coming weekend for the New England Summer Nationals (like he has been for the last half dozen years.) If you're standing talking to him at his booth and a short skirt walks by, you're likely to be handed his roll and be running the booth before you know what happened

I only hope I have half his vitality and stamina at his age!

BTW, the TV commercial for the NESN finishes with a "Live and in person from Monster Garage.........."

Dennis

 

Saw Him In The Swap Justafter The Rain Quit..
He Asked A Guy How Much His T Cowl Was As He Unloaded It..then Said He Couldn't Take It On The Plane With Him...the Swapper Was Unaware Of Who He Was..
YEARS AGO BOUGHT A OLD NUDE MARYLYN MONROE CALANDER FROM HIM HE AUTOGRAPHED.. TWO ICONS AT ONCE..
I Watched Them Work Too Fri And Sat..the Smell Of Grinding Metal Is Matched With His Image ..
Did Not Have A Clue As To Why They Didn't Announce His Presence ...
There Were 100's Lined Up To See Foose Tho??
Paperdog

 

I got to walk aroud his shopwith him when I was going home from the rodster show. it was rilly cool, hes got some sweet cars, sume weard cars but a lot of cool ones

 

He does not nearly get as much credit as he deserves.

 

Gene is Awesome, BillieJo and I invited him to Dinner and then Invited Tuck and Jolene. He told us some stories, I asked Him about Paint Guns and he lit-up!. He gave us some advice and offered to help with a project i have!.......... It was Awesome!

 

You should have taken that guys parts away and sent him home...

 

I hate you guys

 

It RULED. Thats all I gotta say... and Thanks to Mark and Billie damn it.

I love that guy.

Tuck

 

You know I heard they paid Chip Foose 50K for his appearance at Back to the Fifties... But then a true icon like Winfield shows up and nobody really even knew about it! What is the problem here!?

 

I had the same experience at the Autorama. I was super stoked to see him led alone talk to him as hundreds of "car nuts" filed by without a second glance. I mean Chip Foose is great and all but Winfield is a legend!

 

I didn't know either, like everyone else just happened upon him.

 

I'd wait in line to talk to Gene ,but not Chip,I like some of Chips stuff don't get me wrong , but he's addicted to those big ass wheels + graphics ,when he gets to Gene's age and still active i'll wait in line

 

He was at the Leadsled Spectacular in Salina, KS, last July...I sat next to him in the bar (after dinner and with some pals of mine) and watched him work two waitresses, two other "attached" blondes (with boyfriends, I assume, cuz no one wanted to take him out and beat him silly) and a tall brunette...he's a charmer...never missed a beat...and I went to my room long before he did...

R-

 

Gene was there to help promote a Tech school in Minnesota. There were a couple of teachers and students there to help and he was workin circles around them all.
and Hes a ladies man!... he was flirtin with all the waitresses that came by

 

I too was very surprised to see him. I stood and watched in awe with my camera right in my hand and never took any pics DOH!
Why there was a line for Fool I mean Foose is beyond me. I've told my family if they ever give one of my cars to overhaulin and have that guy bolt on a set of billet wheels and ugly graphics, I would beat them senseless. But if they want to give one of my cars to Winfield, well that's a different story.

P.S. if anyone has some pics of Gene in action at BTT50s please post. (or any pics of Gene at BTT50s)

 

I had no clue about him bein there either! I had to work our booth all weekend, so I spent my time on the corner of cooper and wright. How far away was he from there?

 

Did any of you get a chance to look at the car close-up after the booth had shut down for the night?

 

Foose = Gold Chainers, Billit, and lots of money spent in vendors booths.

Winfeild = craftsman and doing it your selfers.
I look at the vendors booths for traditional rod front end peices, other than Pete & Jakes there was virtualy nothing. Had to look around lot of Billit stuff though.

 

I met Gene when I was A kid,at a car show. I told him my favorite car was a chopped Merc. He said never lose your dream. Well I met again last year at the Rockabilly Reunion in Vegas. I told him about meeting him when I was a kid and what he said to me. He said "did you get one?''. I told him I had the money and was looking for one,and he proceded to tell me where 4 were at. He didn't recognize me,of course,but he did remember the show where we met. So I stop to say hi at the Primer Nats,and he says "hey you got that Merc yet?".I was blown away! Saw him again at the LA Roadster show,same thing,"how's the Merc coming?". "Next time bring me some photos,we'll talk about Mercs i've done". Made my day! Cool doesn't get old,cool stays cool!!

 

I knew he was gonna be there.

the only reason i knew he was gonna be there was because i worked on the car they chopped, its a freinds 46 chev sedan, actually Pauly's sedan, whos dad Doug is the body shop teacher at St Paul Tech college. (oh yeah,
Pauly's only 16).

titus

 

I guess us Californians are spoiled. I talk to him every year at paso even if it is just to say howdy, talk with him at famoso and various other cali shows. He past us one year on the way to paso then slowed down and lead our 6 or 7 car caravan into town it was great. I have some pics of him in the ranchero in front of us if I can find them, I'll post them. We lost a couple of boxes and some good photos after moving.

 

Damn, I can't believe I missed him. One of my heros, and I was there all three days.