Does anybody remember Dave Skinner from Cleveland, Ohio?

I grew up in Brooklyn Ohio in the 50's and 60's. There was a custom 59 Chevy in metal flake silver running around. I believe it was a 2 door hardtop, but my 60 year old memory says it was a convertible. It was customized and driven by Dave Skinner. I remember seeing the car at the Cleveland Autorama in 60 or 61. I'm curious if anybody on the board knows what became of him. And also does anybody remember the Nolan Brothers. They did custom body and paint work. It seems to me they were located either on W140th or Berea Rd. Thanks for any help.

 

Aaron, Plenty of NE Ohio guys here on the board. Hopefully someone remembers them. Go to the Medina swap today? I didn't make up.

Later, Bill

 

Remember the name, not the car.

Nolan Brothers (Bob) did have a shop on Berea Road for several years, then moved out to Berea on Depot Street (I think that was the name ). He did some custom murals and graphics on my 65 Chevelle back in the 70's. Have no idea what happened to him after that.
Wish I still had that Chevelle.

Ken

 

Novatatto: Yes my son and I went to Medina swap meet today. Lot of people. Picked up a few small items for our 90 Mustang. Rally 1, wish I still had my 65 Comet Wagon too. Thanks for info on Nolan Bros.

 

Sorry but I don't remember Dave or the 59 Chevy, there was so much going on back then, I'll have to think about it for awhile...

I do remember the Nolan Brothers quite well. They had a shop in the Westpark neighborhood in the early 70s. The shop was on Chatfield, around West 156th. I lived off of W 157th at the time and visited the shop quite often. Custom painted vans were in their heyday and The Nolan Brothers were genuine artists with van murals and graphics. Their shop was THE place to get the best custom work done. (Romans Chariot was on Berea rd around W 105th)
The Chatfield shop eventually burned to the ground, destroying a number of cars and vans along with it. Yes, the shop moved out to Berea OH for awhile, I was thinking it was on 1st avenue but it could easily have been Depot st.
I was fortunate to have known Bob from the Chatfield shop and later worked with Bob Nolan in a body shop in the late 70s. Bob was a great guy, quiet, unassuming and generous. Bob often took time to help me (and others) with paint and finish solutions. The other brother, Chuck maybe ? I can no longer recall his name, was going through some legal issues (out of respect, I won't mention details) which apparently broke up the custom paint business.
The West side of Cleveland had a ton of talent back then. ( think Hart Automotive)

Haven't seen or heard of the Nolan Brothers for years but I do remember how talented and influential they were.
Dale
Cleveland OH

 

Checkerwagon, I do remember the Nolan Bros being on Chatfield now. And Roman Chariot Shop on Berea Rd. I worked at Wyatt Mercury in mid 60's. Hart Automotive did some head work for me. Also Myles and Gilner were in the area. Advance Auto Trim I believe was on Detroit. Ray was a master on interiors. I went on active duty in 1969 and lost track of the area. Boy you are right, lot of talent in the area. Throw in Bellino Bros, Mr. Gasket, Midwest Auto Parts and don't forget Diney's! Thanks for the memories!

 

Good memory Aaron, for some odd reason, I have been trying to remember the name of that performance part store on Lorain, you got it, Midwest Auto Parts. Thanks for the reminder, my brain cells don't work like they used to.

"Myles and Gilner"
"lot of talent in the area. Throw in Bellino Bros, Mr. Gasket, Midwest Auto Parts and don't forget Diney's! "

Yep, Gilner, Myles, Joey Hrudka and his Mr. Gasket are all great memories. A connection between Hrudka, my family and Hart:
1. Dad worked with Joe before he started the Gasket business, I think it was a uniform shop. The shop was on Pearl rd. Dad said Joe started making automotive gaskets simply because he couldn't afford to buy new ones.
2. Dad's cousin, Willy, now in his 70s, worked at Hart for many many years. Willy is a mechanical genius, having built a plastic V-8 back in the 50s, winning a prize from Ford Motor co. Willy allowed me to hang around at Hart, sweeping floors, damaging my ear drums and weighing connecting rods and pistons on a triple beam scale. He taught me how and why to "gas port" pistons and chamfering piston rings. He also taught me how to swap rotors on blowers.
3. Willy's Dad, Uncle Bud, a veteran of Pearl Harbor and an example of a Fine Man, worked at Mr. Gasket. When Mr. Gasket was developing a couple of their 4 speed shifters, my daily driver 65 442 was a willing test bed.

For some strange reason I didn't do Dineys. Dad did back in the 50s in his 39 and later a 51 Ford. Manners Big Boy in Strongsville and the Pleasant Valley rd ( PV & BV) locations were my hot spots. Of course, I lived at Thompson, 42, Norwalk and often Cloverleaf.

Oh yeah, what a world we lived in !

All the best,
Dale
Cleveland OH

 

Dale: I remember Friday nights at Norwalk as our test night. Then we ran at Thompson on Saturday and 42 on Sunday. I remember stock class eliminator runoffs at 4:00 AM at times. 42 was the great track. I'd show up at Wyatt Mercury Monday morning at 7:30 straight from 42. Oh youth! I ran an M/SA 65 Comet wagon lettered for Wyatt Mercury. After Vietnam I was stationed at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida. I ran a 66 Mustang fastback a JAX Speedway. They had a drag strip and an oval track. My son and I have a 90 Mustang. 347 carburated. Running 11:50's. Still dialing, should be 10:90 car. We've run test and tune at 42 some. It's close to home for both of us. I also hit Thompson for the gasser shows. Maybe we'll run into each other at the track!

 

Not sure about Dave Skinner, but growing up in Olmsted Falls, OH, I remember the Roman Chariot Shop & Nolan Brothers. I believe it was Depot Street, along the south side of the tracks. Also, while we're in the area ... anybody remember "Fast" Eddie Schartman and his salvage yard on Bagley Road in Olmsted Township? Dragway 42, Norwalk, etc. Oh the memories.

 

Hi everyone, I have recently launched a Nolan Bros. tribute page on my site. So far it only contains pics of my old AMX but I am looking for pics of other Nolan Bros. painted cars, vans, or even photos of the shop to add to the page. Can anyone help?

http://www.carnutdirect.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=61

 

I've definitely heard the name, but nothing more. The history/storys told so far sounds interesting..
Someone from the Chopper's has to know something. Or maybe Don Moyrer. He has a lot of knowledge of Cleveland hot roddong history.

 

Yeah, I know Don!

 

Bobby Nolan here, alive and well in nashville , contact me at BOBNSUZANNE@HOT MAIL>COM. I have been in Columbus Mississippi for twenty years and then to Nashville A toy co. contacted me in the 80s and offered me a deal I could not refuse , I have painted huge murals on the coast and now do paintings for art shows . My brother has passed on and I recently have been in touch with John Shapiro of Cruisin Times Magazine. I have been to Christmas Parties in North Ridgeville at Extreme Performance. The owner Steve Ali credits me with inspiring him to pursue the performance buisness since he worked for us when he was around 12 years old. I would love to have pictures of the cars I painted, many pictures were lost over the years and many cars we painted I never got pictures to begin with, they always were brought to be painted and left painted in various stages of dis-assembly. Thank You for all the interest and please contact me I know the real stories of the history of drag racing.

 

I knew Dave Skinner since I was 12 years old and now about your age. He did live in Brooklyn Ohio and Jim Sledz also from Brooklyn built and painted the car in a small body shop in Parma. The car was a convertible and was painted Metalflake with silver and blue flake over a silver base.
One note they used 61 Buick taillights.

 

I attend Steve's open house too. Been there for the last two years. He throws a nice party with John S.
Nice to see you respond on this site.

All the Best to you...

 

How old is this Dave Skinner. I worked with one who would be in his mid 50's by now.

 

Rich: Thank you for the reply! Jim Sledz. Great painter! You definitely know the car. Do you remember if the car was ever repainted? I also seem to remember Dave Skinner having a pink car. Or maybe it was a pink Riviera. I'm 60 and maybe a little younger than Dave and Jim. But That Chevy still lingers in my old mind. Thanks for your reply! Aaron Dupont

 

Wow,never thought i would see a mention of Olmsted Falls here on the HAMB! I grew up there in the 60's,lived on Cranage Rd.My dad and i used to go to Schartman's yard even before he bought it.Remember seeing "The Rattler" Cougar funny car sitting in the shop.I used to hang out with Jan and Paul,whose dad owned Shadey's Garage,across from the park.That was a great place to grow up in!My buddy,(r.i.p.) Kenny and i used to cruise over to the Manner's in Strongsville to race his red 66 G.T.O. ragtop.Man,this thread brings back some memories!

 

Dave would be 65 to 70 or...
I think the car stayed the same color. There was some talk of Peacock Metalflake, blue and green.

 

"Fast Eddie" used to pick up parts from Ford at Wyatt Mercury when I worked there. Ray Uhl bought Eddie's 65 Comet A/FX car. Painted it blue metalflake and silver. It was sponsored by Wyatt Mercury. I ran a M/SA 65 Comet wagon at 42, Thompson and Norwalk also sponsored by Wyatt Mercury. I believe Ed Schartman sold his Dodge dealer a year or so ago. He still has a Dodge Dart that he runs from time to time. Northern Ohio was a great place to grow up in the 60's for drag racing, hot rods and cruising! Now I wish I could remember who had the pink Riviera! And does anybody know what became of Dave Skinner's Chevy? Aaron Dupont

 

We lived right around the corner, at the end of River Road.
I remember buying gas at the Shell Gas Station, could fill up the '64 Falcon Futura for $5.00 back then. Dad use to get all his maintenance on the family vehicles done there. Great place to hang out. Also went to Manner's many a time. Had forgotten about those two. Thanks for sharing Jim.

 

Hey Trippleg,thanks for the shout.It's not my intention to hijack the o.p. at all.It's just so cool to hear about other people from the same area/era! My first car was a 64 falcon 2-dr. sedan,baby blue.Yeah you were just down the road.Maybe you saw one or more of my dad's old cars cruising around O.F. or Berea. He had a black 36 ford 5-w coupe,a turquoise 36 ford p.u.,a tan and dk.brown 33 ford cabriolet,and a 63 chevy impala wagon made into an el-camino,just to name a few.Ever cruise through the Metropolitan Park on Sundays to see all the cool cars getting waxed?How about the little library down by the river?I'm going through all of my old pix(hundreds) and am going to put them on a disc.Then i will start some new threads of some of dad's and my cars.Remember Uncle Jack's Auto Parts in North Olmsted?My brother worked there for a while.Thanks!

 

Ok.....WOW!

That 74 Cutlass is alive and (almost) well, in Mentor Ohio. Its my brothers car and still wears most of its original paint. Unfortunatly, it was sde swiped on purpose by some a-hole that went to prison for robbery a week later. My brother had the body work done, all of which was the driver side rear quarter if I recall. It has sat ever since.

I will dig around and see if I can find some older pictures to scan in.



Also, I live in Brooklyn now. Grew up in Eastlake.

 

Was your Chevelle black ? Called 'gold rush"?

 

I talked to my brother. He said he has a picture of that hood being airbrushed. Said he will start scanning pics in.

 

hello checkerwagon, bobby nolan here, alive and well living in Nashville. Check out Nolan Bros. Tribute site on Google!

 

I know this is an old thread but i just came across it. I grew up in West Park and this brings back a ton of memories..Thank You ! My family owned Meister Electric on Lorain at w.157th st. and we knew all of the speed shops in the area as my dad and brother's were seriously into everything "cars". Trans by Bruce also comes to mind.
I was pretty young in the mid 60's but still into them (plenty of Hot Wheels and models). My oldest brother worked at Wyatt L-M after Vietnam as well as Grabski Pontiac and Williams Ford in Berea. Dad talked about Diney's and Bearden's all the time. White's Wheel Aligning, Earl Sheib....wow. I also remember a late 60's brown Beaumont running around named "Beast of Burden" in the 70's & 80's. Again, Thanks for the remembrance and sorry if i got off the OP's original topic.

 

Hey Drinkin Gasoline thanks for your reply. I had totally forgotten about this thread I posted. What was your brothers name. I worked at Wyatt from 1965 thru 1969. Then again in 1974-75. I learned a lot about cars and life there. Mike Wyatt was a family friend. He kept his thumb on me! I am Crew Chief for Marty Stead Jr Stead Speed Shop 41 Willys AA/GS car. We are racing this weekend in Charlotte at the 4 Wide Nats. We are part of ScottRods Outlaw AA/GS Group. We'll be at Quaker City MAY 27-28 and Thompson JUN 2-3. Stop out!

 

My brother is Mike Graley and he would have worked there right around the your second tour at Wyatt. I knew Mike Wyatt from his dealing with my dad. Meister Electric (right down the street, did some electrical work at the dealership) around the same time frame. I just sold the building at 15708 Lorain Ave. last year. From 1977 until a couple of years ago, it was leased to Promotion,Inc. By the sounds of it....Mike Wyatt did good ! And BTW....I live just west of Medina...in York Twp. Just around the corner from Sandman near Marks Rd......Small world.

 

As a side note....do you know or remember Billy Holtz ? He ran an 392 A/GS Altered and later, a BB/FC in the late '70's with the same 392. First with a 727, then later with a Lenco. Might be a long shot.
He moved to Florida since.