Just curious (Phx. hist.)

Love seeing Allan Knutsen. He was a one of my heroes back then. I actually had his 40 Ford coupe that he raced. Johnny Loper was his number one rival and motivated him to build the little Willies. ( as I remember it).

 

Been a little while, but here's a few more tidbits of history.

Bill Moxley racing tires.

Car Craft, Sept. 1960.

1960 Phoenix Directory listing.

 

This image is from a good article on Gene Winfield in the latest Hot Rod Deluxe.



The shop today, looking pretty much the same. Even the little apartment houses that are visible in the HRD version are still there.



And a couple shots of a really neat brochure that was in the classifieds last year. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=713606

 

Not really car related history but at the Zia records on Central their having a release party this weekend I think for a new Comedy album from Mike Candella with some music from the old Wallace and Ladmo show. Anyone remember Hubcap & The Wheels??

 

In case you didn't hear it, Wilky's speed shop on the eastern edge of downtown Mesa is no more ... that old partial-adobe, semi-historic building was recently bulldozed to make way for a light rail facility. And the business entity won't be reprised, either. A real shame. Now if East Valley rodders really need something that won't be in stock you'll have to take your chances with Loper's.

 

The loss of Wilky's sickens me! That was such a cool old shop. Any time I was out that far and I needed something I would at least try to buy it from them. It always felt like walking into my dad's Snelling location (St. Paul, MN.) did when I was a little kid. Neat old building too... Just wait, much, much, more of our valley's history is going to be swallowed up by that worthless commie choo-choo!

 

I got one last quick look of the place, just after they auctioned their remaining inventory. Definitely was a blast from the past. They sure didn't waste any time.

Video: http://www.azcentral.com/community/...down-for-light-rail-video.html?nclick_check=1

 

This pic has popped up on here a few times today after showing up on Shorpy and it sparked my interest. See link for details.


http://www.shorpy.com/node/15527#comments

I think it might be an earlier version of this car, owned by Bob Sefton.



Can't really nail down the location since the couple of businesses I could make out were on Westward Blvd? I'm leaning toward Buckeye Rd (Hwy 80), somewhere between 23rd and 24th Ave.

Only found one Sefton in the book at the time, Robert, Owned/operated? Sefton Hotel, Lucky Cleaners and house. All on the northeast corner of 13th st and Van Buren. House seems to be gone.

 

Saw this on craigslist a few months ago.



Supposed to be an old Goosic Brothers car and possibly the very one in this pic from Hot Rod, Feb. 1961, pg. 29.



Word is it is being restored somewhere in California.

 

Here's the tower at Perryville from 1955.


http://www.dragracingonline.com/columns/baker/xv_1-2.html

 

More reading.

Roaring Roadsters from Hot Rod, Sept. 1954.

 

Carl Grimes Wild Wagon, Hot Rod, April 1955.

 

The Heat Was On, Arizona State Championships, Hot Rod, Feb. 1956.

 

National Drag Finals conclusion at Perryville, Hot Rod, Feb. 1956.

 

Ron Olmstead has shared several stories of Carl Grimes with me over the years. he basically gave the kids in his club a bay at his shop to help with their racing efforts and the benefit of his expertise. His shop was at Fairmount one door east of 7th street and is still standing, although these days it's a trans repair shop, I believe. I have also seen another picture of a building here in town signed as Carl Grimes Garage, and the address on the building puts it at about 32nd and Van Buren. I asked Ronnie about that once and he wasn't aware of that location, so I'm guessing that was earlier.

According to everything that I have read, Carl's fiat was the first drag car to utilize a narrowed rear axle...

 

Quarter Midgets Go National, Blakely Stadium, Hot Rod, March 1958.

 

Money Olds, Hot Rod, March '58.

 

Someone told me once where Blakely stadium was once, but I forgot. Any chance you know Matt?

 

I looked for about a second online and found this about Blakeley

http://blogs.hotrod.com/archive-pic-of-the-day-junior-midget-racers-16831.html

 

Howard Cam Shifter Dragster, Hot Rod, July 1965.

 

Steinegger and Eshenbaugh dropping clutch parts at Deer Valley?


Came from an article about scattershields in Hot Rod, Oct. '61.

 

Make Offer, July '70 Hot Rod.

 

Loper, Rodder and Super/Stock, Nov. '67.

 

Yup! That looks like Larry hanging on to the roll bar! I'll have to ask Albert about that one.

 

Wanna say they may have had the location listed on the Arizona Racing History site. It seems to be no longer though.

 

That address is about six blocks away... Wonder if it's still available?


Hey, since we're just talking back and forth, hop in the Nova and meet me at MacDonald's...

 

I'll be there but the Nova is on the other side of town and I'm a little short on gas money.

 

Blakley Stadium was and still is the 1/4 Midget race track at South Mountain park. Check out some of the Quarter Midget threads on this site. I think i posted a picture of it,

 

South Mountain Park Quarter Midget track

 

I think it was more likely Roosevelt Field at 18 Ave. and Roosevelt. The grandstands look more like it at least.


South Mountain track.


Both aerials from 1958.