Folks Of Interest Pat Ganahl R.I.P.

I don't quite know what to say about Pat that hasn't already been said, other than to say although I never met him, I felt I knew him from his writings, blog, books, etc. He had that ability to make you think he was talking to YOU. I emailed him twice to tell him how much I liked his truly great blog, and amazingly, he emailed me back thanking me for reading it. His loss to the hotrodding world and his family just can't be put into a few simple words. This one really hurts. He was one of us. Only more so. A teacher, an historian, a writer, a photographer, a mentor to some, an example to follow, a doer. He didn't just put words on paper, he walked the walk. As has been said before, our loss is insignificant compared to the loss of a husband, father, father-in-law, friend. Sincere condolences to his family and friends. Prayers are with you.

 

RIP

 

We never know if the last time that we saw someone will be the last time ever. I've been thinking back to a brief conversation with Pat this past January at the GNRS. It wasn't really of any consequence, we talked about our trips home from the Gathering at the 'Roc in Oklahoma. I thanked him again for his blog and his replies to my emails. As others have said, he didn't know me from Adam. But he was gracious as always. Then we both moved along.
Who knew?
Condolences to his family. So sorry for your loss.

 

Amazing way to go out.
Realized I’ve been reading his stuff since I can remember,
street rodder magazine in the 70’s with the awesome line drawn pics everywhere,
also read he had a part in Sunset magazine a california staple,
my parents subscribed to both.
My dad was so stoked when R&C came out in the 80’s too.
Met him a few times and didn’t truly realize how much he had done for our addiction.
Thank you Pat!!
TP

 

Such a loss

 

Some people are just here. Some make a difference. Mr. Ganahl left a mark in the auto world. Most of us will miss his writings. Whether you agreed or disagreed, he was there, he had perspective and he had a view that many wished they had. . My sympathies to his family and friends. I find it sad that he is gone but he has had a good, long life by most standards. R.I.P.

 

We had just rolled into Riverdale raceway Friday probably 10 minutes after this happened..3 ambulances and life flight. Some of the officials told us there had been a wreck, driver went off end of track. Then later found out who it was, sounded like it may have been a medical emergency as the car made not attempt to stop. Very sobering..
The Estranged car club handled it very well and we had a car show on the track that night and saturday night in his honor. Rip Mr. Ganahl

 

Not only sad but tragic. I'm totally at a loss.

 

Well this hurts. I emailed Pat some photos of model cars I had built, and he replied. In fact we had a few email exchanges. No, we didn't know each other, but I kind of felt a connection. I guess that's what most of us felt. Again, it hurts.

 

I first read his articles in Street Rodder in the early '70s when I was in high school. He would write about his '47 Chevy four door, which I could relate to since I had a '40 Ford four door. I spoke to him briefly at the Nationals in Columbus after Rod & Custom had been revived. On my trips to GNRS in the past 10 years, I would always see Pat taking pictures and talking with everyone. He was easy to spot due to his height, as seen in this picture. Such a loss!

 

I'm another that never got to meet Pat, but have read his writings since my youth in various magazines, and lately his blog. I will miss finding that blog notification in my email, and reading his stories. Prayers for the family, I truely would've loved to meet him.

 

Others have shared their Pat Ganahl stories in this thread so, knowing that it's just one small anecdote in the remembrance of a huge life story, I'll add mine.
In 1977 one of my long-time friends (who was a new friend at the time) was returning from the Canadian Street Rod Nationals when his '33 Ford sedan was involved in a very serious collision. His wife did not survive. He and two passengers were severely injured and all spent weeks in recovery. In the January '78 issue of Street Rodder Magazine, Pat's "Street Corner" editorial recapped what had happened. But more than the accident and his related thoughts on highway safety, he also spotlighted the fact that there would be an upcoming benefit rod run event. And he published the mailing address of the local bank that was handling a benefit account to help with expenses and the raising of the couple's two young daughters. That set the stage for more donations from across the country, in addition to what was raised locally. A couple of months later, his editorial column covered the benefit run and some of the results that it generated. In doing what he did, Pat Ganahl provided a major boost in the lives of a young family he did not know, thousands of miles away. The power of his printed words and influence made a difference.
I never had the chance to meet him personally and I really regret that. We did, however, trade a couple of emails since he began his online column and he came across as being just as genuine and down-to-earth as everyone who knew him has said. I do recall a closing thought he related in another "Street Corner" editorial years ago that has stuck with me and I've echoed often: If you think cars are the most important thing in life, think again.
Pat Ganahl really lived it.

 

In Our Thoughts...Pat, the Family, & Friends...

Too Tall...RIP Hotrodder

You did cool stuff...

Thank you @41 GMC K-18 for the use of your image of Pat's Show N' Go Historic Dragster...and @HEMI32 for sharing the time Pat was with us in your always moving Memorial Posts...

Credit to All That Inspired This
​

 

I feel sick... I met Pat a couple times... never knew him personally, but he was a great guy... I've been a fan of his for decades. Race in peace Pat!

 

Wow. I just saw this, and I don't want to believe it.
Some people seem larger than life and you never think about them going away. My sincere condolences to his family.
RIP Pat...

 

Hearing this tragic news was a real gut punch . Pat had seemingly been writing about hot rods forever and I always enjoyed his articles . My deepest sympathies to his family .

 

Pat and I hatched a plan nearly a year ago to race our cars at this event, he would run the Dragster and I would run my 29 RPU. Being a laid back affair, we would be able to help each other, and have a fun weekend. Since I couldn't complete my car in time, the focus would be on the running of his. When I arrived Friday morning it was great to see him and his wonderful wife Anna. He had gotten help from Cedric Meeks to push start the Dragster and warm the engine, and had run the valves and was ready to make a pass. We got him strapped in and I pushed started him, and followed him to the line and down the track.
Our friendship of 36 years started at the Nostalgia Nationals at Fremont in 1986, when he was with Hot Rod, and along with Bob McKray were running the Low Buck Special and I was running one of 4 cars in the Top Fuel Class. We were both involved in the Nostalgia Drags for the next few years and I would see him from time to time. When he brought back R&C we corresponded from time to time, over the next many years, along with seeing him at big events. He convinced Steve to shoot my Track Roadster and he wrote the article for TRJ. He was always bigger than life to me, and I would have to pinch myself to believe he was interested in what I did. Many years later I mailed him some pictures of my Brother Jerry's Bonneville car under construction, and when I returned home from Speedweek, I had a letter from him. He had spotted a 10' press brake in Jerry's shop, and wondered if he could bend up a set of channels for the frame rails of a Spalding Bros Track Roadster copy that I would possibly build for him. So we were off and running on that project, that took time and collecting all of the necessary parts, but I was able to deliver it to him at the GNRS in 2019. Friday night I picked up Pat's son Bill, at the Portland Airport, to take him to be with Anna, and I had only talked to him on the phone once before. We had an hour to visit on the way, and it made me realize beyond Pat's legacy, in my opinion, the most renown Journalist in the cars we love, he was a proud family man, with a wife like Anna, and a remarkable son Bill, with talents we would dream of, and a humble persona to go with it. He could have ridden Pat's coat tails, but with a keen interest, has become one of the premier builders and highly trusted restorer of iconic cars. The bandwidth would not handle all of the stories Pat and I shared through the years, about cars and people in the hobby. This is the first day I could have written this, without wiping tears off the keyboard. So long trusted friend, I will miss you, R.I.P.

 

Lot of broken hearts.

 

@Marty Strode Please accept my condolences on the loss of a great friend in this giant of a man. I wanted to pass this on via email, but as your here, please accept them via this public forum.

 

Really didn't want to mention it in my previous post but it's truth he really wasn't a drag racer and he let me know this with conviction he told me Customs were dear to him he really admired them for what they are .
See when we met at a book signing I was on recup from my accident and had a cane and a Drag Race Car Museum pamphlet about a collection in Nevada . I had no money to get his book at the time and sheepishly asked if he could sign this pamphlet it's all I have for now and apologized to him and he looked at me and asked me to sit down and like a great writer does he asked me who I was and what I do and what do I read . I told him technical stuff mainly and he quickly told me he doesn't write technical and I told him I read his stuff too I like it then reminded him of the yellow engine book he wrote he shrugged that off picked up the drag race collector pamphlet and looked right into me and said , " I really like Customs that's my favorite thing and I'm going to sign this for you , you have told me alot about you and I like it but do know I'm not into drag races . " We spoke about 10 minutes and he congratulated me for walking again and hoped to see me around he has to work now . A fantastic guy it has always been an honor to have spent 12-15 minutes with Pat . Once again Godspeed Pat and our families condolences to yours

 

I remember buying the September 1974 issue of Street Rodder when I was 15 years old and I followed Pat's articles closely ever since then. He was by far my favorite writer and a hero type of figure. I also remember that he wrote that he had other interests in his life as well which I found hard to believe but I know it was true. I like others felt like I knew him through his writing and also knew Anna and Bill who he always talked about. RIP Pat, and prayers for his family and friends. Please accept my condolences also @Marty Strode. Good friends are not easy to come by and you were there for him and his family in the greatest time of need.
Karl Knecht

 

Godspeed PGAN……You like Gray “Yer Ol Dad” Baskerville touched a lot of lives through your line of work-let’s just say passion as that’s what came thru the pages of any publication that you shared with all of us as a “Rodding Family”!!!!
My condolences to anyones life he touched.
CK

 

Thank you @Marty Strode for your heartfelt tribute. It caused me to share your tears. Like so many others I only briefly met Pat at shows where he was hawking his wares and then only to say Hi. I have always been a fan of his writing and photos and an even bigger fan since he retired with his emails. If we could choose the way to go, what would you do?

 

Thoughts your way Marty...and to those as close to Pat, you all keep in touch to share and remember the good times to help get through this...you have your extended Team Hamb sharing this most difficult time of loss and remembrance with you...

Regards,
Stogy

 

It is Monday evening here in New Zealand and it’s the first time since I heard this tragic news that I feel comfortable enough to convey my thoughts. On my recent trip to the US I saw Pat at most of the events that I attended with my car and it meant a lot for me that he took the time out to check out my pick up which I built in New Zealand to which he showed great interest and we had great conversation. I grew up reading about hot rod and custom cars and the history associated with it and Pat’s work was informative to me but also inspiring. His hands on the seat of the pants writing style is what inspired me as a hot rodder but also as a writer. I only just talked with Pat at the LA Roadster show and never thought that would be the last time so the news really rocked me as it has with the others throughout the world. Although I was not at the Drag meet which took his life, the past few nights have been sleepless visualising what happened and then I start to think of Bill and Anna and how this has changed their lives dramatically. I had the good fortune to work at Bill shop for a few days on that recent trip and together with meeting Pat at the events it only reinforced how closeknit this family is. Every conversation I had with Pat whether it was in person or on email you could tell exactly how heartfelt and proud Pat was of Bill not only as a son but as a major player in the hot rod and custom car world. Bill lost his dad and Anna lost her husband and we all lost the best hot rod and custom car historian and writer ever. My heart goes out to the family and friends and everyone who’s life was touched by Pat, may he rest in peace.

 

Godspeed..........

 

RIP Pat God speed

 

I never met Pat, but I think I've read most of what he wrote over many years. The eloquent tributes written by many others here match my impressions of the man. He was obviously passionate about old school hot rods and customs, and apparently a virtuoso human being. My condolences to everyone that knew and loved him.