Folks Of Interest Paul Gommi RIP

Paul drove a front engine dragster that he and Russell Grady called the Beast from the East in the 60's and I was wondering if anyone had some old photo's of the dragster.

This would have been right around the time he moved to California and went to work for Keith Black if my old memory is correct.

I think I saw photo's years ago in the old "Eastern Drag News" magazine that were sold at the different drag strips.

Jimbo

 

R I P

 

Paul had lent the setup to Mark Williams in Denver (Mile high) and immediately killed the track record is when the ban on that set-up happened, Not so much the record but the racers extra cost to keep up with it. BUT was Paul ahead of his time when you look at the blowers the racers use today, They are bigger as a single then 2 of those combined

 

I remember when Paul traded Ike's old Dragster to Pat Ganahl, for the Woody car Pat had been running with Adams and Enriquez, at the nostalgia races. I think Paul got badly injured in the the car that followed that one. RIP Mr. Gommi.

 

TRUE, and that was one of the ailments Paul had suffered from throughout the years with a back issues. His back was junk, Called me up to come over to his house to torq the head bolts on his engine

 

I remember him when I was a kid. We lived in San Pedro area and he was always kind. He was a great one. God Speed.

 

First met Paul in 2005, he was a regular at all the swaps, even the small ones. Really cool guy with all the good parts. He even bought from me a few times at LARS. RIP Paul.

 

R.I.P.

 

Sad news. First met Paul at the Hershey swap meet in the seventies. We both were guests at Posies. Among all his accomplishments he was the guy who purchased the Stone, Woods and Cook Swindler II Willys from Tex Collins at Cal Automotive. This is the same car I later owned and restored. Condolences to the family.

RIP

 

I was in diapers at the dragstrip with my dad when I first met Paul.

What a treat to get to spend so much time with him over these years. Grateful to have so many memories to carry on now that he is gone, which seems hard to believe.

Gommi was a masterclass and could tell a story like no other. As we all know, a phenomenal collector, builder, racer, and human. My fondest memories will always be helping him mix fuel for the dragster in Bako (where he waved me off of putting more than a whiff of alcohol in with the fuel jug, lol) and of being the occasional lucky passenger in one of his many masterpieces for a lap or two around the Goodguys West Coast Nats.

Then of course having the immense honor of watching my dad restore the Iacono Roadster after Paul's time with it. Watching Frank and Dale beam that it has been cared for all those years and then masterfully restored. I know, lucky lucky kid.

I was there in the push truck when he had the violent crash in Bakersfield and honestly still not sure to this day how he survived. How lucky we all were to get so many years after that. RIP, Gommi.

 

R.I.P. here's great article posted earlier by @57snrf that's worth reading.

A Look Inside the Amazing Hot Rod Collection of Racer-Turned-Rodder Paul Gommi (motortrend.com)

 

I first met Paul through Tom Taros and friend John Goar who were also from Pedro. We would all go to the Long Beach Swap meet together. Paul found a rare M/T breather one day and decided to build a Nostalgia Fuel Hemi Motor starting with that one breather! He used to collect '34 Fords, then '32's. Some of the nicest and rarest I've ever seen! Remember that book "The Cobra in the Barn?" Paul had a chapter in that book about one of his "barn finds" Just before his passing I went to his house to buy a very special flathead camshaft, a Potvin 3/8's Super, one of the last ground by Bill Jenks! Paul gave me advice on what heads to buy, and how to set-up my intake and carbs. I was shocked to hear of his passing. He will be deeply missed. My sympathies to his family.

 

R.I.P. Paul,

Another one of the legends of our hobby gone. He was always ahead of his time!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Sad to hear. Life well lived. Prayers for his family.

BBC

 

Good article about Paul and his deuce panel delivery.
Here:
https://www.motortrend.com/features/1932-ford-panel-truck-paul-gommi/