Folks Of Interest Gene Winfield Is My Boss...Here's Some Fun Factoids...

Well Hi All...I'm Gene's secretary and when I find something on the HAMB that I think he would like to read I show him. He has been reading some of the posts by all his wonderful fans and greatly enjoys them...it really puts a smile on his face

So, he wanted me to post some little facts about him....Here goes

* Gene was born in 1927...which makes him 82.
* Gene's work day starts early, about 9:00 a.m. and he works into the evening...
* He likes fruit....but not cantaloupe, he's allergic.
* He knows magic tricks
* He has a favorite joke that he tells at his workshops but, I can't tell it to you because this is a family oriented forum, right?
* He is a wonderful water-skiier! I was told this by Terry Foose, Chips mother.
* He eats very healthy and always 3 meals a day
* Never smoked, Never Drank and Never had a cup of coffee...seriously! He doesn't even eat candy when I bring it to the office.

Hope you all enjoyed some of these little bits of interest about Gene. He's an awesome guy to work for, there's never a dull moment at Rod & Customs

~~Julie, Secretary @ Rod & Customs~~

 

right on Gene. 82 years young and going strong.

 

No Coffee!!!

 

I've had the pleasure of meeting Gene a couple of times. It was an honor.

 

With a spray gun!

 

Gene is the best. Too many stories on HAMB of everyone who meets him. There is no other like Gene and there never will be.

Brian

 

This thread will be huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B

 

So all that energy and talent is attributed to clean living and healthy food. Sorry to hear that. Makes it hard for us mere mortals. He is one in a million, a living legend someone can look up to. Here's to many more years. Pat.

 

# 4 (* He knows magic tricks) now there is an under statement !!
The Wizzard

 

Nope! And I've asked him many times...he swears no coffee

 

I meet Gene when I was 18, I worked at pick-your-part in Sun Valley and Gene was buying the dash out of a 49 merc. Gene was surprised that a kid my age recognized him and he gave me a tee shirt , I still have it.

 

Class Act all the way.

 

Even on this side of the planet, Gene is a true legend.

Great thread...

 

I never smoked, gave up coffee 20 years ago & beer 10 years ago. But candy??!! A guy has to have some kind of vices besides the HAMB. But at 60 I barely look as good as Gene.

 

But as I recall from one of his workshops in TX, he does drink milk. A remarkable fine human being. We need more like him.

 

talked to gene on the phone and got to meet him here in portland signed a big picture of russ meeks nomad, a true gentlemen, would love to have him put the color on the old wagon, his paint is the coolest. cheers to "82" gene

 

His secret for clean living is pretty funny also...helluva guy!

 

I wear my Winfield Customs t-shirt that I bought from Gene at the Detroit Autorama all the time. My little way of giving back a little to a Legend

 

hi gene, from mark at custom shop in canoga park. gene used to stop by once in a while when his shop was around the corner in canoga park

skull

 

I met Gene many years ago at his shop. His first words to me were "How's she run?" as I exited my 87 Buick Turbo. I replied "It's hard to say, the speedo starts flashing at 85 mph and at somepoint past that the front end gets light". He had the biggest grin on his face and said "Come on in, we don't get many ladies here". I had no idea who he was or the cars he had built until I started looking through his albumns. I kept thinking, I remember that car. I called my Dad (bodyman - same age as Gene) as soon as I got home and ask him if he knew Gene. He said he knew Gene's work, and he was one of the best! Coming from my Father, that was a real compliment!

 

I really wanna hear Gene's joke.

 

I bought Gere's book this year and have followed his work since the late '50's. About 10 years ago I started buying all of Don Montgomerys books and was surprised to see Gene listed in them at the dry lakes meets in the '40's.
I started thinking"How the heck OLD is this guy anyway??"
Then the car magazines started featuring his latest builds and I saw him at a few east coast shows this year and I found out how old he is !!!.

Gene, you are an amazing individual. Keep on keeping on !!!! Heck, I'm 62 and I don't look as good as you do !!!! I probably never did !

Glenn

 

Mr Winfield's my HERO!!
Glad I got to meet him/get a t shirt/get a pic at Autorama couple of years ago.
Just wish he'd have a seminar on how to be smooth with the ladies......I bet I could learn something from him

 

im about to turn 30..have been a lifelong fan>>i finally got ot meet him in Pomona a few years ago...Said "Hey Mr. Winfield"....to which he smiled and said his name was Gene.....To this day I still cant call him that...each time i see him..haha

 

Any of you young guys need someone to use as a role model, well, here he is.
Last May at El Mirage...at 82...kicking butt with grace and style

 

I too have had the pleasure of meeting Gene, Toronto, Detroit and Moncton this summer...pleeeeeeessse do another workshop in Halifax/Dartmouth !! I know of 4 other guys within 10 mins of where I live who would love to attend! (shameless groveling here)

 

I have met Gene a couple of times as well. Got his autograph and my picture taken with him. He is a super nice guy and is an insporation to many. I dont realy know him but when I had my picture taken with him in detroit he embraced me like I was an old friend. I know he wont realy remember me but meating him is something I will always treasure.

No coffee, does not suprise me! I am a tea drinker myself. No drinking? Thats a little tough! I need to average a beer a day so I dont choke the life out of some dumb kid.

Keep building cars Gene! I hope I am still going strong in my 80s just like you!

 

Heres my favorite Gene Winfield story.

I used to go to Paso every year and we always stopped by Gene's shop on the way to say hi and see what he was working on. So when Blackie invited me to the Fresno Autorama, my partner Jeff and I stopped in to say hi. He was getting ready to go himself and asked me to tell Blackie he might be a few hours late as a friend of his had just passed away. He then looked at me and remembered that I have a small custom accessories business and sold many of the same items that he vends. He asked me if I would run his booth for him on Friday while he went to the funeral. My partner and I looked at each other and said of course!!!! Gene Winfield for a day, yahoo! We got to Fresno and got our car placed on thursday morning and between my buddies Jeff and Jerry and myself we busted our butts and got the Caddy ready to show. As we were headed back to the hotel we saw Gene pull up to the dock with his truck all loaded. We asked him if he needed help unloading. He hopped up on the roof of his truck and started handing down tables and racks to us. Then he got in his camper shell and started unloading boxes outta the back while we hauled tables accross the hall. He soon caught up to us and starting out working the three of us. All of this at 79-80 years old - amazing. That night after we had all his stuff set up and covered he handed me a wad of cash to use for change the next day. He didnt even count it or anything. Just totally trusted us. When he got back from the funeral he autographed one of his T shirts for the each of us. Thats my "Gene Winfield for a day" story!

AS for his healthy lifestyle I can atest for that as well. About a year before, he was the honered guest at the Goodguys event by my house in Colorado. A few of the guys in our club and I got to talking with him and he mentioned that he didnt have a ride back to his hotel. So we volunteered and asked him if would could take him to dinner. I remember he orderd his steak plain with nothing on it and the vegatables had to be steamed. We all fiqured (correctly) thats what keeps him in such good shape.

Gene Winfield-Truely a Legend and a Great Guy!

Big Rich
Lonely Knights

 

No beer???

 

My gal Sherri and I met Gene at Syracuse and cant say enough about how sweet a guy he is. A total American icon. Slim