History P G Kustoms fire 40 years ago

One of my buddies brought me some pictures today of the cars destroyed in the club garage fire in 1973ish. I'll post them as soon as I get them. My 39 Wilyls sedan with a 396 4pd and an Olds rear, Kawasaki 650 MC, 2 Honda mini-trails and a 10 drawer Craftsman tool box filled with all my tools. Also along with my **** was a chopped Deuce 4dr that was off the street for a rebuild. (I just boxed the frame for him) A stock running 32 Plymouth sedan and a 57 Chevy 2dr. I never knew that the pics existed.

 

That will be cool to look back at those pics. I feel bad that people including you lost vintage tin and other belongings in the fire. Glad to see you back on the HAMB Tommy!

 

I'm sure you will look at those photos with mixed emotions. Interesting to see the pictures that you didn't know existed, but still painful after all of these years.

 

I am stunned that there are people out there who still have interest in the Prince George's Kustoms. The fire was a real tragedy. If I remember correctly six or seven cars, maybe more, were destroyed. Lots of parts and tools also. I have many fond memories of the Kustoms and the many young men that were members or visitors over the years. I have a club s****book if anyone is interested.

 

......Please try to post up some of the stuff in your s****book. We would love to see anything you might have. If you haven't had a chance to look at them, check out the threads on here about Aquasco and the Mighty Mo. I'm sure you would enjoy them.........Don.

 

This was my pristine 39 Willys 2 dr sedan original black paint with the apple green pinstripe still visible...before the fire. It had a 396 4 spd and an Olds rear. (before 9" Fords became popular ;-)) It was a cherry body. The roof caved in crushing the top. The 4 spd tail shaft housing melted exposing the shaft with the steel seal body still on it. It was up on jack stands at the cowl so I could detail the axle. The frame bent from the weight of the BBC.

The body on the pile behind is Billy Armstrong's chopped 32 Ford 4 dr. body. A California chop. I had just boxed the frame earlier for him.


This was an original running driving 32 Plymouth sedan.

I don't remember this 57 Chevy.

Dave Reed pushed his 57 Corvette outside saving it but lost the hood before he could get it.

Needless to say that it was a traumatic occurrence for me. I was there maybe an hour before this, went home to shower and the firetrucks were there when I returned.

 

Vince, you should get any pictures scanned and posted here for the young guys to see what the P.G. county hot rod scene was really like 40 years ago. They will be able to be copied by any interested party and yes I am an extremely interested party.

I would personally like to thank you for your sponsorship of us young guys. I never got to or never took the time to thank Tubby. There were no losers in the club. All turned out to be good people thanks to your efforts. We got a sweetheart deal from the county thanks to you. With your sponsorship we got the old airplane hanger for a dollar a year.

At least I now know how to spell your last name

 

Sad pictures, Tommy.

 

I am interested in info on the PG Kustoms and it's history. I'm trying to find info on a member "Sonny" John Willett and his 34 Chevy Sedan. Sonny was my uncle. He p***ed away 2 years ago. His car was just pulled out of a barn where it has sat for 40 years.

 

I don't have any info on your uncle Sonny, but we'd all like to see some pictures of his barn car.

 

..............Donald, first of all, thanks for bringing this thread back to the top. There is another thread, maybe the Aquasco or Mighty Mo thread on here where Tommy had posted some pictures of your Uncle's car and some back history about him. Tommy knew him well. Sadly, Tommy has p***ed as well. Where are you located? Post up some pics if you have any from back in the day. Use the search function, the little magnifying gl*** up top, to check out those other two threads........Don.

 

Donald Insley,

Did you see this tread?

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1934-chevy-hot-rod-time-capsule.1084475/page-3

 

Good eye 40LUV

 

Don,
It’s funny that we’re chasing down the same lead at the same time ;-)
Pat

 

Pat, with 2 threads at the top we are sure to get some great history and contacts

 

Keepat now has the car. Hope to help him find history of the club and the car

 

My father-in-law was a member of the PGK and told me that the club was started by a PG County police officer trying to keep the kids out of trouble.
Pat

 

......................I believe that was Vincent duCellier who posted above in 2014.

 

I will check with my father-in-law he said he was a charter member went to the very first meeting sometime in the mid 50s
Thanks
Pat