The unsung heros of hot rodding- do you know one?

You know who I’m talking about. The guy on the other side of town that makes things happen. The unique character that you like to go visit and see what he's working on.

We can all name guys that “made it.” But what about that strange guy up in the holler that is a little hard to talk to, but is a wealth of knowledge when he opens up- when you earn his trust.

Stories, pics……??

I’ll go first..

I’ve met a few of these so called “characters” while searching for projects. But there is one that especially intrigues me. He’s kind of a mysterious stranger, in literary terms, to me. I kept getting leads to “this guy.” All roads in this area lead to him but no one seemed to have a # or know exactly where he lived.

So, I searched the internet and made numerous phone calls when finally got his #! I called and a gruff sounding fella answered the phone. I told him what I was doing and what I was looking for and about the only thing he said was, “Come up.”

To make a long story short, grandpa and I headed that way one cold snowy day. As we were coming up on the place, we knew we were at the right house. You know, the one that has all the project cars sitting around and the smoke coming out from the chimney of the garage. Well, we pulled in. I always roll down the window and toot the horn. I don’t want to get shot at or have dogs attack me when I’m walking to knock on the door. Before I could beep the horn, a short little guy came walking out of the house. About that time I yelled, “Is this Bob’s house?” The guy never missed a beat and said, “Yep!” as he kept on walking and went into his garage. Grandpa and I looked at each other and thought, “Was that him? Do we get out? Is coming right back out? Was he going to get his gun?” We waited a few minutes and then went into his garage. I really don’t like walking in another person’s house unless he’s with me or standing at the door.

When we walked in, there were 80% finished rods everywhere. The all had a story. “This one my son didn’t finish before he died.” The old wood stove kept him warm and it felt good in there compared to the chilly temps and wind blowing outside. He wasn’t very talkative just told me to go out and look around. So, I did. Wow! Many, many parts; complete cars, body parts, 100’s of headlights, etc. etc. But what was cool, was the cars that were done but tucked away under shelves and in weird spots.

We left, honestly not knowing what to think of the guy. After a few months of calling to see what he was working on, I later stopped by again. Each time he gets more helpful and friendly. Sadly, though, the last time I stopped, he had wrecked his little banger hot rod. But, he’ll fix it.

Now that I have a digital video camera, I’m going to record him and share it here with you guys……quite a guy!

 

My uncle. 'cept he has mostly mopar muscle, a few International trucks, plymouths, desotos, lotta hemi's. I am not allowed to have the hemi's, they are for a project.

old circle track racer.

 

My dad told me stories of going to Pappy Huff's shop in north jersey back in the day. A guy who looked twice his age, didn't have much to say except profanities, but knew his **** on cars. He built sprint, dragster, and hot rod ch***is. He split the bones on my dad's A.

We found out just recently, 50 years later, that his name was rosco and he was one of the first nascar drivers, but thrown out for dirty driving. How cool is that!

 

Thrown out of Nascar for dirty driving? That's like being thrown out of a bar for ordering a beer. Thrown out for exessive cheating, maybe...They do tend to get upset when they discover your roll cage holds 5 gallons of gas.

 

Jim Callaway, hot rod to the core, bleeds 10W/30. Knows more about early Ford, Chrysler and Chevy then most historians. Has been building genuine home enginered go fast hot rods that are also solid dependable cars. Great story teller and the bonus, I call him pop.

 

My grandfather, Tom Carter. Moved to Long Beach from Indiana in the early 60's to build dragsters. He's never at a loss as to a solution to just about any problem i may have with my car; be it a temporary get-me-home-quick fix, to a permanent repair. And hes full of stories about so-cal racers, cars and raceways in the 60's and 70's

 

Bud Schmit Built The Monster dual engine harley by hand. Made sprockets out of flat plate steel, bubble-gum brazed angle iron to connect the two frames. How would you like to stradle that thing?

Then promptly took it to Bonneville in 1955 and ran 157.20mph one-way beating the record. Unfortunately burnt a piston on the return.

I went with him this past year for his 50th anniversary of the salt run. This time he was on a 180hp hotrodded V-Rod. Salt was too rough though. Oh well he said, next year. He will be 79 then.
Ol Blue
PS He and another friend did over 60 engine swaps in the late 50's. I'm still hoping to get them to do one on a 51 Merc.

 

butch lash, kendallville indiana, builder and painter of many awesome street rods!

 

Cole Foster
Bob Bleed
Tuck
Littleman
Troy Hollywood hot Rods
Jimmy White

unsung.

in no special order.

 

others??

 

Doris Lutes

One of the first Ladies to run on the flats.

What a Babe, What a *****'in Babe

 

I would say the BFD guys are on my list, but these days you can't open an issues of HotRod without some write up about how cool they are.

 

FRANK PALMER!

 

There's a guy i met a few years back now that grew up with a friends father. They were friends from thier youth, so when i was introduced to him, it was "this is my dads friend "Oz"..
It was shortly after that that i was introduced to the other side of this guy, the dirt track/ hot rod side..
He's in the sprint car hall of fame, and has a very colorfull history in racing.
He's also probably the best car builder i have met bar none.

He's helped out many guy's, some on the HAMB, and never looks for anything in return..
I can't say enough about him abviously..but it's hard not to feel that way when he's done all this for me as well.
He's single handedly responsible for me having my 33 pick up, and the 32 5 window project..he found both, and when i didn't have the cash for the truck, he made adjustments so that the deal would work anyway..
And the 32 was another deal that would have never happened if it werent for him..

He's probably responsible for many, many hot rods that are roaming the roads on the upper east coast.....

One of the thing's thats so impressive is with all his accomplishments, he's very modest. NEVER acts like he's better than anyone else, in fact he's a quiet guy and dosn't seem to like the attention anyway..

Yeah, no doubt an 'unsung hero'.
At least to me anyway..

 

I think you mean Pappy Hough

 

Lee Osborne?

 

Yes..that would be the man..
He had a shop in Indy back a few years ago before he moved back here..I met him within a year of him coming back to NY.

 

Randy Bianchi

 

Joe Smith in Bellmead (Waco), Texas. Not to be confused with the Joe Smith that advertises in the street rod magazines.

Joe was/is a big influence on me...he's one of the reasons I ended up focusing my attention on traditional hot rods. He's also the foremost flathead expert in north central Texas. If you disagree with that statement, then you surely don't know Joe.

 

I cant say enough about Lee myself...The 1st time i met him was at a show in Indy several years ago....It was funny cause growing up i heard his name through some of my family/friends who ran dirt track and he was spoken about like 'legend' status...Alot of the older guys i know looked up to him in many ways....so when i was introduced to him in Indy...I was a lil beside myself cause he was one of the most humble guys i've met and prob one of the easiest to talk too....It was kool to know he moved up around us cause it gave me the chance to pick his brain about stuff cause he is one of the most knowledgable & talented guys that exist,,,bare none!....I've have the pleasure to get to know him better through the same friend Tony mentioned...Outside of doing his own projects he takes the time out to get in his truck rain or snow to make an hour drive to oversea & help with our projects...Truly an outstanding guy....

 

I am in LOVE do you have her Number

 

........."hotrodladycrusr"..........

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..........hands down! This lady carries the torch forward with style, cl*** (?) and enthusiasm that could possibly be matched, but never be out done. I know that this thread is about "legends," but she is a legend in the making! (no, I'm not ****ing up looking for free cookies, I REALLY mean it!) ​

 

id have to agree, osborne is the most talented guy ive ever had the chance to meet, and by far one of the nicest. he deserves far more credit than i feel he has recieved for his achievements. but thats the way he seems to like it. very humble.

 

Charlie is cool. Quiet , un***uming, had an english wheel in the shop before most people knew what they were or had even heard of one. He restored Allards for a customer of his, who paid for him to go to England to learn things from the original craftsmen who built them in the beginning. He's still out there in the hills of Elliot county, doing his thing.

 

Squirrel!!!!!!!!

 

Jimmy White....

 

Mike Hight.............Hight Fabrication, Lake Forest

a cool guy, always willing to help ,talented, and has some very cool cars himself

 

hot rod pro.....here on the HAMB has some amazing fabrication abilities. I click on all his threads. $.02

 

i think fiddy, louver_dude, Billy moon basically the guys that do there best to keep my head on straight on trying to build my car.

And every person's posts i have read on the HAMB.......... and thats a ****load.

 

I thought this was for unsung legends. Somehow don't think Denise qualifies on the grounds that everything she does gets more self generated publicity than a presidential tour.
To me Ryan is one of the truely great unsung heroes. He never seems to chase any publicity or talk about himself and just gets on with creating and running this great playground of ours. He really is a great example to us all.