Hot Rods Lets see your neat vintage jackets

My good friend Gene Altizer and Ed Iskenderian with Gene's 1963 NHRA NATIONALS ISKY Cl*** Champion Jacket.
Gene won A/Gas with his Anglia and was runner-up to George Montgomery in Middle Eliminator. These photos are from a few years ago....Ed said "Gene, I bet you can't fit in it anymore" !

 

Walking the Pomona swap meet several years ago, I found a vender wearing this jacket and I bought it from her.

 

A few more from my collection

 

This jacket was awarded to Chuck Arnold when he made the Champion 100 mile an hour club at the Indy 500 in 1959. That was quite an accomplishment at that time, because you had to average 100 miles an hour or more for the entire race and finish on the lead lap. He was a rookie that year and one of only a few to make that exclusive club.

 

Who... is.... that.... handsome young fella....

 

Flathead. Does the jacket with the name **** Robbins happen to have a tag that says Indy Racing Apparel?

 

I think it does.

 

I won this jacket in High School at Milan Dragway with my 64 GTO. I was having a blast that day and I had just done a huge burn out in the pits. Then I heard the guys next to us say here comes the owner. He walked right up to me, looked at my car, put his hand on my shoulder and said "son we are glad you are here racing today and having fun but you are going to have to abide by our rules. Now take your hub caps off!!!!" I apologized and went on to win my cl***. Looking back at pictures I was racing with not even a helmet! Hub caps were a no no but helmets not required. Man that was fun times!!!

 

Hey LM,

We won our cl*** many times, but never got one of those red jackets from Lions. Trophies, yes, but never a cool jacket.

I think there was a conspiracy in handing those out to the cl*** winners. At any rate, we certainly would have kept them. Unless, of course they were made of wool, then by now, they would have holes in them.

Jnaki
Nice Photo Flatheadtommy.
These Wynn’s Friction Proofing jackets were the only jackets we wore at the drags when we were racing. Otherwise, it was the standard blue nylon jacket, white t’s, levis and desert boots. They were very comfortable and warm. But, the nylon chest and arm construction did little to protect the driver from fire or explosions. It actually melts fast near a flame or raging fire.

Later on, I wore mine at all of the desert motorcycles race events that we entered. If I got lost in the 100 mile desert races, it was a great flag or eye catching design. Plus, if someone was taking photographs, that Wynn’s red/yellow jacket stood out quite well.
Thanks for the memories, FT.

 

This is the official Indy photo of Chuck Arnold the year he intered the 100 mile an hour club

 

WOW amazing jackets and history that goes with them . Thank you all for sharing. Only vintage jacket I have is my Dads FFA jacket from 56

 

it's old so maybe it will count

 

Hello,

After walking around the Lions Dragstrip museum, I found several cool looking jackets. The biggest collection of jackets was in the Jack Chrisman corner with various, Howard Cam, and many different Lions Dragstrip, cl*** champion jackets all along the wall.

The display was impressive for the jackets alone, but the rest of the display is drag racing history. Cook and Bedwell, Jack Chrisman, there was a lot of early history going on in that portion of the Lions museum.

Jnaki

Outside in the Cacklefest grounds, there were plenty of jackets and T Shirts. The Bivens and Fisher AA/FD had the neatest, large crew and family with their versions of drag racing history jackets and T shirts.

 

What a great thread!

 

Newly found Wynn's Friction Proofing Jacket photo in 1964, on left side...

Hello,

When we were finished with drag racing scene, my brother wanted to get started in desert motorcycle racing. His recovery from the 3rd degree burns was going well and now he was starting to go outside and had enrolled in some college cl***es. Then, he began to go surfing, too, so, of course, I tagged along.

At first, it was just going out 100 miles to the Mojave Desert and ride around. Then as we were out riding, a bunch of guys/girls came whizzing by us with a cloud of dust in their trails. So, we decided to follow them and see what it was. Although the desert area was huge, some areas are wide enough to have 100s of folks gathering to racer their desert racing motorcycles against each other and the terrain.

We found out it was a two 45 mile, random courses, tied into two laps of a desert “Hare & Hound” motorcycle race. When we got to the pits area, it was covered with hundreds of desert motorcycle racers and families. After talking to several racers with similar bikes, we found out how to get started and jumped into the new found adventure.

We also did some early closed course European Scrambles events and races. It was fun since we did not have to go 100 miles out to the desert areas to race. It was just 40 miles to the Irvine Lake Motorcycle Park and 70 miles to the Lake Elsinore Race Park.

Jnaki

But, for most of the days, it was hot and hotter. So, the bright color Wynn’s Friction Proofing Jackets were just the perfect hot day jackets. Also, in the thick of the desert dust, if I was stuck, the colorful jackets allowed other racers to stay away from my stopped motorcycle or stop and help me get started. YRMV

So, from the 1959 Lion’s Dragstrip racing for us to the 1960 671 SBC in our Willys Coupe, the Wynn's jackets helped. Although, my brother’s jacket was gone in a flash.

 

It Took Me 60 Years To Find 4...