This will be of no interest to most of you as you never knew him. Alton Jackson from Hastings NE. lost his battle with cancer this weekend. Alton was a founding member of Tri City Street Rods which thru the years had a number of large rod runs in North Platte. He was one of the men behind the Tri City car show which had a 50 year run. He was well known for his red deuce 5 window which he drove several 100,000 miles thru the years all over the country. He was also a community leader, business owner and family man. His death is a tragic loss to the community of Hastings and the rodding community. RIP
You are correct, I never knew him but you are completely wrong that his p***ing is of no interest. It sounds as if he was a great guy on many fronts. Whenever we loose someone from the Hot Rodding community it ****s for all of us. Thank you for taking the time to post about your friend and all is accomplishments. Condolences to his family. RIP
I met Alton at the first Model 40 Meet that Rick Eccli and Bill Brutsman put on in Ft. Collins, CO in 1976. He kept us in s***ches in the banquet room of the Pizza Hut telling jokes and stories. He had his 32 there with a 33 grille hanging on the headlight bar, said it was an early 33. The stories that Brutsman told about Alton were pretty wild too.
Gary, I am sorry your club lost a founding member and I am sure he was more than that to you , he was also a friend, as we grow older that friend list gets shorter, condolences to his family and all his friends. HRP
I knew Alton, he lives just across the lake from me. He was a first rate car guy and really good man. Always had time and a smile. His car dealership is a cool walk thru time. He will be greatly missed here in Hastings, NE.
Sorry for your loss guys. Alton sounds like he was a great guy and someone I wish I could have gotten to know. Praying for family and friends.
I had just heard at the Lincoln swap meet that Alton was ill, I first came to know him in the mid to late 70's as he hosted the Midland Nomad car club at his dealership in Hastings, last saw his unchopped 32 5w at the Speedway Motors Deuce meeting two years or so ago, some clarification is required since the term unchopped was in reference to his chopped 5w going back to full height, never knew the reason, if it was chopped too radically, a bad chop, or he simply favored the innocence of a 32 body as built. Will keep him in our prayers
I’m one of the younger guys in the hobby and have known Alton my whole life. He’s always had the coolest cars and was a wonderful person. He will be missed.
Dirt Car. You mention that Alton unchopped his coupe. I bought the chopped remains and with Gary Gerberding's help we put it back together and turned it into my yellow chopped 5 window that was featured on the cover of Street Rodder and in the center of Hot Rod in the late 70's. Alton told me often he regretted selling me the leftovers but he'd have never finished it. Not his style.
krylon32. on a similar note we lost Lee Tepoel of Humphrey Ne four years ago, also an avid street rodder & long time 32 owner, I bought the remainder of his chopped collision damaged 5w some odd 20 years ago, you might recall as it was hard to overlook the candy orange metal flake paint... Lee also another name we will forever miss.
A photo of his car with that grill on it made it into a magazine artcle on the event. That is where I knew his name from too. If you introduced me to someone at a rod trot I wouldn't remember the name for an hour but If I read it 40 years ago I'll usually know that I saw the name before.
Krylon, there nothing small loss in our car community as our common interest links us All. Alton seems to have had the gift of making his life mean something and having fun doing it, not many can say that. Farewell, Hot Rodder!
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