*Finally* - A 38 Coupe with some Soul- Dirty Style

Dirty31-You are now in contact with four of the previous owners. Jim Ross and I owned this car in the early 60's. I will look for pics but doubt that I find any, we were kids then and didn't think much about the future. I was not a salesman for the Pontiac dealer then, my uncle was. I think I was doing alignments for Bear Frame and Axle. Jim and I raced this car for several years and then sold it to buy a 65 Dodge Hemi Super Stock. Shortly after that I became part of Uncle Sam's war club, then got married, then kids, so I was out of racing for a long time. I no longer race at all but I'm still active in the car show and cruise-in scene. Once the bug bites you are stuck for life. Thanks for the pics and old memories...............Don Keller

 

Too COOL .. I just called Rusty (Dirty31) He is soo excited.

 

OH !!!! Don, Welcome to the H.A.M.B .
Danny

 

I've got tears in my eyes, Way to go Dirty. I can totally relate I'm building a '54 Chevy from West Texas for my family cruiser (no-where as cool as that though)



Viva la Tejas!

Terpu

 

Man waht power of the Hamb
I have got so many questions I have for you. Them ore I look at the car the more history unravels. So glad you are on board now. Hope the car brings back some cool memories for you. Thanks for adding to the story, Is there any way I can contact you? Rusty

 

Man this is awesome.

 

Dude, I recieved one only pic. of the 38 from my pal Ron Reames in Grand Island. Its a pic of the just painted coupe with Ron posing by it.I would make a copy and mail it to you, not computer literate enough to post it. Send me an addy, and i'll mail it to you. Not computer literate enough to post it for you. Selling my 57 on e-bay this week and retiring from the sport, financial blues, but i;ve had a great run. Best to ya! Sololobo-Larry

 

Larry thanks so much for everything you have done. You have helped make this story come alive. I hope you decide to stick around the Hamb even though your selling your 57. Please keep in touch. I need to update this since I have come into contact with the previous racers/owners. Thanks again for all the help,

Rusty

 

Hang in there Larry. I am not done hanging out with ya. I cant wait to see the picture you are talking about.

jeff

 

Good score Rusty. Cool car and even cooler story.
Its already got my vote for best HAMB story of the year.

 

has there been any updates???

 

I need to put together a fresh post to this. Got one pic (thanks Solobo) after it was freshly painted. Pickeg up a 389 Pontiac, Muncie 4 speed, standard bellhousing (thanks Smalltownspeed), a fresh 55-57 Rearend (thanks Dirty2), a good Walker Radiator (thanks Brant) and a unsplit 40 wishbones and a splitting bones kit a origial tri-power set up (Thanks Brandy) and some small stuff too. Just trying to get parts rounded up to get started. Been real busy on customer stuff but as soon as I get done with Dirty2 new frame I am rolling it in to get started. Believe me I cant wait to get started. May be a possible Roundup bound if time is available. Talked to Dick Dieken last Friday and he has a Scattershiled that he is trying to find me that he has in storage. I let him know I wanted him there when we fire it up. He seemed real excited. He mapquest my address and plane on coming by every so often to check on progress.

Rusty

 

you got a new fuel pump also

 

Rusty you got it made , good family great friends and very LUCKY , your living in the historty of that car .

 

Rusty,
I grew up in Grand Island in the 50s and 60s and if you were a "car guy" you spent lots of time at Diekens shop. Dicks 38 was one of the "real" hot rods that you would see around town. He was a died in the wool Pontiac guy. I meet Don Keller in junior high and he was putting a 1/8 over 50 Olds , makes a 324, in a 40 coupe at the time. He was 14. Don had a number of 40s, all coupes. Jim Ross's first car was his dads 55 Buick Roadmasher (Master) 4 door, metalic blue, lowered to the ground and at times he ran a 6 carb log manifold on it. As I remember that old tank would run almost 90 in the qtr. Jim and Don built the coupe when I was off to college so that must have been 62-63. The first engine had Jahns cast pistons that liked crack alot. I think that it also ran an Isky roller cam and duel quads. Don and Jim made their own headers and I think that Dieken beefed the hydro. In 65 they bought one of the 100 factroy Dodge HemiCharger race cars, two door Correnet with no back seat, acid dipped front fenders and hood, Dana 60 rear end with 4.56 gears, and of course 426 Hemi with a TorqueFlite tranny. They ran right at the NHRA Super Stock national record and actually faster than the speed record. Then Viet Nam came along and Don got an expense paid trip to Southeast Asia, Jim got married, and opened a car lot, which he still has and I went to California to build airplanes at the old Douglas Aircraft Co. The last car I remember for Don was a 62, 425 HP, 409, 4 speed Chev convertable. Man was it fast!! Jim had a succession of very nice Vettes my favorite was his white 57 with a 270 HP 283. We all belonged to the "Dragons" car club, Ron Reims, Larry Miller, Dick Dieken, Bob Dent(great pin stripper) Rich Marler, Larry Holloway, are just a few of the guys I remember. Funny how after 40 years most of us as still screwing around with cars!!!

Great to see that your a putting a Pump Jack (Pontiac) back in the 38 as I don't think any thing else would be right! Keep us all posted as to the progress.

Rex

 

This thread and story need more than 5 stars... I love it! Cant wait to see this one 'Dirty'd up!'

 

Man Just when I thought the story could not get any better it does. If the Hamb does not amaze you by now then it should for sure now. All this history just keep unfolding. I called Mr Dieken the other day because he is helping me get and change over the title and I called him Dick when he answered the phone. He sat there as if that was a old name and he had not heard someone call him that in years. it was funny and made him fell young again. He is happy about the Pontiac and is lookig forward to the firing up party. Thanks for posting.