Hey Everyone. (Me, FNG)

My name is Chris Mackay. I grew up in So. L.A. and Torrance. My dad was close with Lou Baney and knew many of the local hotrod guys and manufacturers.
My dad's name was Henry Mackay, but everyone knew him as "Smitty".

I believe dad and Lou when to Manuel Arts High School. I know they both worked at Skateland in L.A. (Famous skateing rink back then)
My dad and Lou both lived at Lou's shop at 52nd and St Andrews for a while back when. My dad drove me by there years later to see it when I was a kid. (Not a good neighborhood anymore)
My dad told me about their building roadsters for rich people and celebrities. One celebrity was Harvey Mills I believe. Of the "Mills Brothers".
They spent most of their time building cars and going to El Mirage and the drag strips. (I have some of my dad's old newspaper clippings about his and Lou's racing the old roadsters)
My dad told me "He and Lou cast the first waffle head pistons" that Ford used back then. He told me he thought the first one they made was in the Smithsonian. He said they scratched their initial’s on the inside of the first waffle piston they made
My dad and Lou used to talk about their friend Ray Slagel getting killed at El Mirage. He lost control an his car flipped over on him. My dad told me that his last words were "Get off of me you dago son of a *****". (He Seems he was in shock and thought Lou was sitting on him)

My dad and Lou used to talk about how they would get into fights with kids from their rival school, Venice High. I guess they were bad ***es back then and used to get in a few fights from time to time.

After my dad married my mom he became a building contractor and drifted away from the racing scene. But we would still see Lou from time to time at the local drag races. Lions drag strip was just a few miles east of our house. (We lived off Carson and 215th back then). I remember meeting McEwen and Prudhomme at Lions. I saw the ****oose and Snake cars before they were painted.

I was talking with George Barris a few years back, I mentioned that I was aquainted with Lou and he really perked up. George said he knew Lou well and told me a story about how "He and Lou were the founding father's of SEMA". George went on to tell me that the first Sema show in Anaheim when the convention center was a very small building. He said "There were only about 4 tables" That was the first SEMA show. I don't remember what year he said that was. (But I guess I could google it)

The last time I saw Lou was at the Winternationals in Pomona.
It was around 86' I believe. I was volunteering with the local JC's. We were working directing traffic and parking cars at the race. I saw Lou and we got to visit for a while. He told me he was dying. He gave me his "Coors/****oose" business card, (Which I still have) I gave him a hug and he told me to say hello to my dad for him. (My dad has since p***ed)
If you're familiar with anything I've mentioned here, please feel free to email me at Camarilloview@gmail.com.
Thanks.
Chris Mackay