I miss Gray Baskerville...

Thanks for bringing this thread BTTT,Grey was my favorite automotive writer,I met the iconic Gray Baskerville wearing his normal attire, Black horn rimmed gl***es,T-shirt,shorts and his ever present flip flops.

What a interesting guy and like Deuce Roadster said "Gray was a down to earth guy".

We talked hot rods for about 15 minutes..he had a great sense of humor and from my perspective his type of journalism is lacking in today's publications. HRP

 

I thought about you last night as I reread the thread through before I bumped it. I got to Deuce Roadster's comment and saw the "Member Emeritus" Above his name and thought about all the posts and laughs we had all shared over the years. It ****s missing friends, even those that we just know from the computer... I know you guys were tight though...

 

I remember a story told in one of the magazines about Baskerville, probably by Jerry Kugal about him changing oil in his roadster at his shop. I don't want to sound insulting, but from everything I have heard from those that knew him, he was a less that proficient wrench.

Anyway, the story was Gray changing the oil, forgetting to put the drain plug in and pouring 5 quarts of Valvoline back in... In a pristine, clean shop. Unperturbed, Baskerville went on the hunt for clean up materials. The story ended with the shop owner/buddy still trying to get the flip flop oil footprints completely mopped up six months later... And, noted some were in circles!

 

Thanks,I appreciate the comments about Randy.

And I too remember hearing the story of the omitted oil pan plug,it just goes to prove that he was as apt to make stupid mistakes as the rest of us.

Gray showing that he though someone was number 2 on his list. HRP

 

ol'Dad................RIP

 

I admire his talent so much I purchased several old copies of Rod & Custom and Hot ROD annuals just so I could read his articles and view the photos he took.
He had a way with words that's for sure. Baggy shorts, sandals and those black framed gl***es. He was COOL! He was ******ed away from us too soon.

 

His Dec 1974 cover story on Barry Lobeck's flamed, flathead-powered '40 Ford coupe is what turned me on to hot rodding.
I had no idea what it was, but it sounded soooo *****in'...

I finally met him at Pleasanton in the early '90's. I was a total nobody, but he took the time to chat and was truly interested in my '55 Chevy.

 

I sure miss "Yer Ol' Dad" too! I only talked with him a few days a year on Hot Rod Power Tour. He wrote a neat little paragraph about my car and Tour experience way back in '98, to try to encourage more guys that don't have perfect or fast cars to get involved - I was so honored!!! This pic was taken at a gas station before his info gathering ride-along after jumping out of that insane '57 Chev street/dirt tracker:


He's the one responsible for my handle too referring to me as Fordy on the ride-along and in the short story - he also called me a "Fordophile" and "Ford Freak" in the story, but Fordy in person. It was a great feeling when he recognized me the next Tour too. He asked if I had a copy of the article, when I said "it's in my car", he said "Go get it!". He signed it" "We did it again!!!" Always made everyone feel on par and not looking down on us little people. ONE OF THE GREATEST GUYS OF ALL TIME!!!

My greatest memory was of him coaching my driving to catch up to that guy or slow down and let that guy p*** or change lanes so I can shoot that car while he was half hangin' out the window clicking away. And another day, he and Magnante were relaxing, laying back on their elbows on a patch of gr*** in Mooresville NC, where we were just BSing about cars in general and of course his tiny write up:


We all know where ever you are you're still "*****en"!

 

old dad was one of a kind
I met him once at the Detroit Autorama in the mid 80's he was walking around with Garlits after the show closed on Saturday night

 

I met Gray decades ago,... And met up with him several times in Detroit when he would come here,... One time in-particular was with the 2nd Power Tour that came to Mi. in time for the Woodward Cruise,... I knew he was going to be there and I went up to meet him, I had a couple things from Frank Mack that Gray was going to take back to Bruce Meyer for me...

I went into a hotel Bar/ Restaurant And there was a very red faced/wind burnt Gray sitting in a booth by himself with his goofy smile and crooked gl***es.... I go over and he says "Hey Dad !,.... You look like S**T !",... followed by a big laugh and a outstretched hand.... We sat and talked Hot Rods, The Tour, Frank Mack stories,.... Never a serious moment. When you were in the presence of Gray,.. You felt like it was a party !

Before I got up to go I pulled out a November 1973 Issue of R&C,... And said you need to put your "John Han****" on this for me,..... He starts laughing,.... Slapping the table with it, And then says,....... "Why this one Dad ?",....

I looked at him and said,... "I think you wrote the entire thing",.... He gets a sly grin on his face and says,.... "Dad,...... You read too much !" and then he laughed again,.... And did a well "*****led" inscription in it dealing with Hot Rods, and female anatomy.... It was quite elegant in a very perverse way..... I still have it (if I can find it) ,... But I don't think the content is appropriate for the HAMB,...... Or any forum....

"Yer Ol' Dad",... He was one of a kind.

 

I think that just about every magazine I ever picked up after his arrival on the printed page I automatically turned to the "contents" to see Gray had any contributions. If his name was there I didn't look at anything else until I devoured every one of his twisted words. Met him at an early Street Rod Nationals and for one of the rare times in my life I was at a loss for words. I managed a quick "thank you" for the years of entertainment just as one of the staff whisked him off for some appearance. MADE MY DAY!!!

Frank

 

I never got to meet ol Dad but recall him every day.
When someone asks " how ya doin"? I reply "*****en,, not complainen, just *****en".
He said he would never have a garage, just a carport. If you have a garage, ya collect too much ****. I'm livin that one for sure.

 

Yep.Ole Dad sure marched to a different drummer.But DAMN he marched WELL.
Miss his prose.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

I never had the pleasure of meeting ol'Dad,, I wonder if, in his mind, he ever turned 19?

 

It's funny, but it's nearly 14 yrs. for the anniversary of Gray's p***ing on to the great Ol San Gabe Drag Strip in the sky, but I'll add a couple of stories of mine. In 1969 Gray's pal Ernie Murashige moved across the street from the house where I grew up in and still have in the family in San Gabriel on Ramona St.

When Ernie moved in a very cool 32 gl*** Bantam Altered roadster "Rolling Rice Bowl II" moved in as well. I was 5 and loved cars.... It's always been a fairly busy street, so I walked over to the x-walk and walked the 3 houses from the corner to really take a great look at this car. There was Ernie who is a Nisei-American and the other guy with a pretty funny chuckle, both were heavily involved in looking the car over, Ernie asked if I had ever seen one of those before, I know that I said no.... Gray said, "well kid, Whadya Think? I think that my reply was "neato!!!!"=not very original.....

Paul Horning was gone by then, Gray had Paul's 32 by then, but I can't remember ever seeing it there, but that doesn't mean that it never came by, I just don't remember seeing it. Ernie was originally willed the 32 that he built with Paul Horning, Gray just loved the car, Paul's son went to school on Gray's dime=That's how good of a guy he was.

One time in 1993 I was over @ P-Wood's during the R&C Americruiser 35 Sedan Delivery build, It was time to grab some grub, so We all loaded up into Thom Taylor's Bell-Tech-Traders Caprice Wagon with the 57 Chevy Interior pattern and met Vaughn over at LeRoy's Monrovia. Just the ride over was a chuckle, the humor-comments were truly Gray's.

Several months later we're at the Ozark County Fairgrounds and its literally a grey day.... It was an adventure getting to Springfield,MO.,but one that I'll never forget and will do again in a (Highboy 34 Whacked 3W. again ,Well that will have to wait till I get to to that build down the line.)
Gray asks Thom what he's eating? I think Thom was doing a veggie thing back then?????
so he had a double dose of beans. Well Gray just being who he is just starts unleashing a round of gas, boy it stunk, but was hilarious and told Thom "Hey, I started w/o you, Ya better catch up!!!)

I remember Eastwood, Jake, Johnny Seits, and I believe Lobeck just sliding down a like a whole set of bleachers, we were sitting in the grandstands and Grays is just laughing up a storm. A helluva one hit the same night, I believe I was at the border of NewMexico when it really got strong there.
Another time we were @ The Brand New PC3g in 95 and Gray coins the term "Re-Pete & Jake's"
He was a very cool Hot Rodder and was an enthusiast who saw through his lens and relayed what he saw through his fingers to the typewriter keys. What a Job!!!!!

When Gray p***ed on and the 27 T race car recreated by Gray's pals became Rolling Rice Bowl III & It became Ernie's again as it was Ernie who wanted to keep Paul off the street and Gray wanted to be a part of the M-V Automotive Race Car in the late 50's. That original "Rolling Rice Bowl became a 1964 NHRA Record Holder, RRB III was a car that Gray loved almost as much as his 32. The car was being set up to run Bonneville/Dry Lakes sometime before his p***ing- It remained as a drag car. All 3 of the RRB's had some of the same parts on them.

Bob Vacca purchased the RRB III from Ernie several years back, he runs it as often as he can.
Ernie and his wife Kay lived on Ramona St until 2015 when their daughter moved Ernie/Kay to an ***isted living retirement home in Torrance. Ernie, Paul and Gray made history. I feel that w/o Gray, Places like Pete & Jake's, California Street Rods, Hot Rods by Boyd and so many others wouldn't be so renowned in the Hot Rod world. I'm glad that I read every one of these previous posts as It brings good memories of a writer who set the world on fire through the pages of Rod & Custom and Hot Rod.

 

I still miss his spirit too.

 

Thanks Kevin, that really put a smile on my face this frozen *** morning in PDX.
Did the Hot Rod Power Tour "CHINGO" in 97, saw Gray many times at grub stops and fuelups, never seemed to be a dull moment when he was around.
Gray wasn't a big guy but his presence was larger than life, maybe it was just because everyone knew who he was and what he stood for. What a life it must have been for him.
Happy trails Gray.

 

I went for tacos once with him in Mexicali. Probably chatted with him for an hour, took a couple of days. he wrote like he talked and I to this day do not think he ever met a stranger.

I cannot say with good conscience that I miss him, didn't know him well enough for that, but we as rodders suffered a great loss when he left. That is a fact.

 

yup, Gray, Pat and Bill Burnam,...all great writers, all very missed.