Folks Of Interest Hamb Member Emeritus

Read on the Ford Barn that @jseery has passed. Another internet friend who will be missed. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=322273

 

Paul @8dearborns Gommi passed away on January 17th ... see Paul Gommi RIP

 

Paul A. Gommi
December 3, 1941 - January 17, 2023

RIP @8dearborns

 

RIP Paul.

 

Just learned today, with sadness, that Tony aka Truckedup passed the morning of the 19th, after a battle with cancer. Deepest condolences to his family...Ride on my Brother....Mitch

 

Tony "Truckedup" Pascarelli

 

I just found out that HAMB member Cory Vaughn (A.K.A. Custom Cory) passed away last Friday (3-24-23) after a battle with cancer.
Cory was an inspiration to me when I was fiddling with VWs. His fabrication skills, art work and everything he did was incredible. He hasn't been on the HAMB in forever, but I thought of him often.













I know Veedubs are taboo around here, but if you want to see a good sample size of Cory's outstanding work, click the link to see his Volksrod build. He had more talent in his pinky finger than I have or will ever have in my whole body.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=553388&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

My deepest condolences go out to Cory's brother, Andy, and to all of their family and friends. I will miss him forever. Vaya con Dios Amigo..........E

 

Sorry to hear about his passing. Never met him, but I always empathize with the family. Losing a loved one always leaves a hole.

 

Reading Black Panther’s thread on the Chevy he bought, I tried to find Wolfie to connect the two only to find he passed 12 years ago. RIP Steve Doll…..

 

Man that sucks. I just read about the 38 and when he said that he hadn't been active in 12 years, this is the first thing that crossed my mind

 

Always a sad time when we get these updates..

 

Prayers definitely going out to his family in this time of need

 

Mike Szczepanski passed a couple weeks ago from cancer. Talented guy gone way too young. @Mikeszcz

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tokyo-rose-tribute.961005/

 

Man I followed along with that build and all his JR Stocker stuff he will be missed. RIP

 

Sorry to hear that. Thanks for posting the link to the thread, his delivery has always been a favorite of mine.
Here's a photo I shot at the 2021 Fall Out. Didn't know he was a HAMB'er. I think he was a person it would have been great to know. RIP Mike Szczepanski.

 

WOW, a lot of names I remember, a lot of good people gone, sadly. I just ran thru this entire thread this morning, it's one of the best threads on the HAMB and thank you to whomever started it and keeps it going, and everybody that has contributed. I'm still alive, kicking and building cars altho I don't contribute much these days. I'm turning 80 in less than a month and continue to thank my God that keeps me going...

R-

 

Mark, I don't see Al as "Member Emeritus". @Moriarity
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/rip-hamtown-al.1302520/

 

Gotcha, thanks.

 

I PM'd Ryan on Hamtown Al and Ragtop a couple hours ago...RIP to them both...

 

Jack Osborne traderjack passed away in May aged 100. He was a San Diego roadster club member in the 40s & WW2 Navy Vet. I was friends with him on FB & saw the news of his passing.

 

my son Josh, Nov 19th 2007 he was just 22. I wish I could remember his HAMB name, he never posted on only on mine as we only had a dest top PC back then and it would always be signed into the HAMB. so many friends on this list, may they all Rest In Piece .

 

@Ryan
Don't forget @Atwater Mike

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vale-atwater-mike.1306839/

 

I see @Jim verden has passed. He posted a few years back in some supercharger threads. Was just curious and looked him up. Sounds like he had an interesting life.



https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/james-verden

Here are some posts he made on another site about the old Half Day Speedway in Half Day, Illinois:

Date: January 09, 2016 04:00PM

Here's the scoop on Halfday Speedway - the brainchild of the late automotive promoter Andy Granatelli ( Grancor ). It ran for 2 years only - 1952 and 53. The strip was a Govt. touch-landing strip used by Glenview Naval Air Station located in the woods of the former town of Halfday, it is now Vernon Hills. Later on it was turned into a Nike site. Now part of it is used as an athletic field for the local high school.

I was there every Sunday it ran and held the 1952 season record speed (125 mph ) driving an old track roadster ( 93" W.B. ) powered by a 373 cu. in. flathead Cadillac V.8 with a chain driven WW II landing craft 671 GMC supercharger running on straight methanol. I ran it in 2 classes - roadster ( M ) and rail ( N ). Top speed was recorded with the body on ( M ) - only 4 bolts had to be attached. Andy had me go on TV and Radio to promote the strip. In recent years I have acquired many Halfday photos, some of which are now in Don Garlitz Museum in Fla. Visited with Don last Oct. - a fantastic person. Got a couple years on him. I probably have more photos and info on Halfday and the Granatelli's (Joe, Andy & Vince) than anyone alive. Just went on line for the first time 2 days ago and not too sharp at it yet.

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You are 100% correct regarding Palmer Lazurus and his "50 Olds coupe. I street dragged with him with my "41 Caddy coupe back 1950-51. We ran wit different clicks, he hung out with the Chapman brothers (Bob & Jim) who had a peanut stand near my old haunt, Snow White drive-in in Lincolnwood. I was a regular there during the late 40"s and 50"s.In the spring of 47 I was there one evening riding my hot 61+ cu.in. Harley knucklehead when Andy Granatelli got up on a milk crate behind the building to announce that he had just cut a deal to race roadsters (no coupes) on Sunday evenings at Soldier Field - Hurricane Racing Assoc.

In '48 I went to4 wheels before I killed myself on cycles.Became the holder of the top speed recorded in 1952 at Half Day. You can view some rough home movie footage of me, my pit crew, and my blown Caddy powered rail taken at the strip in '52 - didn't know this existed.

Gave up drag racing after the '55 World Series at Lawrenceville, Il.Sold my sprint car in '59 and went "cold Turkey" - haven't been to any kind of race since. Not too many of us early gearheads around in good health, so I decided to come out and stir the pot.

Palmer Lazurus passed away about a year ago. I had no personal contact with him since the early '50s, but a friend (recently deceased) knew him well, relayed to me that he was active and very successful in drag races at local tracks until the time of his death.

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My street racing days ended when Half Day opened in '52, where I ran with Bob & Jim.
They were deeply involved in the automotive and racing bit, while I dropped out in 59' I bummed some nitro from them at Half Day to try in my Caddy 6-71 blown dragster - it didn't pan out. By the end of '53 my aging 6-71 was getting tired and at Snow White's one evening Bob offered me a new 6-71 for $100. It wound up being front mounted on my Olds powered dragster for Lawrenceville in '55. I did run into Bob once after that in an elevator at 2500 Lakeview, Chgo. in the late 70's where he had just purchased a condo. Those were "the good old days".

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Speaking of the Barris brothers. I visited their original shop in Burbank, Ca.when
I was out there in 1951 vacationing. Have a couple of great shots of one of their
early chopped and modified '50 Merc leadsleds in their lot with me standing in the shop doorway. George and Sam were having lunch across the street a short time after the photos, when the shop caught fire and burned to the ground. They almost were on
the verge of going out of business at that time. I also have a photo a friend took
of me talking with George a few years ago at the Rolling Meadows car show with the windshield and cowl of the Batmobile showing.

I visited Harmon-Collins Cams on business and other spots while there. Ran my 1941
Cadillac sedanette at Santa Anna drag strip that had just opened that year. This
was the world's first official sanctioned drag strip. With my dual Stromberg carb manifold and overbore engine I finished 2nd in my class in normal street trim. Those two weeks in the L.A. area back then, were some of the best times ever.


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I just got word from his stepson that Tony Miller aka 50FRAUD has passed away. He suffered a stroke while in the hospital. This really hurts. Tony was a good friend.

 

I’m sorry to hear that Don. Condolences to his family.