Get yourself a copy of Hot Rod Magazines Speed Directory that names speed shops by state in 1949. I've only seen a couple copies over the years so they might bea little hard to find. Mick
in early 70's i was buying up flathead parts for future projects. took an old 50's HOT ROD mag and made a forn letter of parts i wanted and sent it to many speed shops in the mag. many were gone but CALIFORNIA SPEED SPORT someware in PA., i bought 7 sets of linc. zepher gears $59.00 SET, ALSO HEADERS FOR V8-60, they had a set of unmachined arden heads for a v8-60, should have gotten them
VERY COOL HISTORY. IS THAT THE SAME "REATH" AS "DUNN AND REATH" FUNNY CAR TEAM?. I SAW THE FUNNY CAR IN ARIZONA IN THE 70'S.
SORRY, THE INFORMATION IS A LITTLE OFF TOPIC ...IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PRE 65 INFORMATION AND PHOTOS. Hey E, Yes that is the same old Joe Reath sponsorship. By this time period, they had already moved to the big building on Cherry Ave. near Signal Hill. Reath Automotive sponsored many fast drag racers. Jnaki FROM JIM DUNN: "Guys used to stop by Reath’s shop all the time looking for used parts so they could run their Jeeps and whatnot on nitro at Lions. I asked one of them, ‘Do they have a class there?’ and he said, ‘No, they just pay us appearance money.’ When he told me how much they made, it was like what we [Top Fuel] were getting for being runner-up, and when you ran Top Fuel at ‘the Beach’ you’d better be within a tenth of the record or you didn’t qualify. That’s when I decided to build a Funny Car."
Don't know if anyone in Fond du Lac, WI remembers but there was a Van Zee's speed shop here on the old Hwy 151 west of Fondy.
Montamboult's (sp) in Waterbury, Don's on the Berlin Tpke, Newington CT, Maratta's (CT Dragway) in Hartford, another in Hamden CT but the name escapes me. Paul in CT
Competition parts in Moundsville WV. Owner was Bobby Johns who was a NHRA SS racer in the 60's. Later he went on the open the Steel Valley Dragway initially as a 1/4 Mile strip but changed to a 1/8 mile on the old airport runway in Friendship Park, Smithfield Oh.
Hello, We were first introduced to Reath Automotive at the nearby Lion’s Dragstrip in late 57-early 58. We were impressed with the version (come to find out later there were other versions with different ownership) of the famed White 29 Ford Altered Sedan coming out of Reath Automotive. Dosser-Reath Auto 29 Ford Altered Sedan Then we followed the trials and tribulations of the Ratican, Jackson, Stearns Altered Fiat Coupe. from the beginnings with a “dark” look to the fast racer that won the Nationals trophy. Ratican, Jackson, Stearns + Reath Automotive 112 inch version But, it all came back to the source, Reath Automotive, a little shop on the corner of 10th and Cherry Avenue, close to the ocean. It was not so close to the famed “Cherry Avenue” Drags location in Bixby Knolls. There were all kinds of hot rods in the lot and inside was a treasure trove of cool speed parts, motors and of course, plenty of advice from the old master, big, Joe Reath. We were just little kids (teen and pre teen) but Joe Reath always took the time to show us the latest stuff or give suggestions on a build or part. But, as the years rolled by and we continued to drive to the 10th and Cherry Avenue Shop from our high school a mile or so away, the fame grew and the stories about Reath Automotive multiplied. Traveling drag racers all knew where to go when they got to the Los Angeles metropolitan area near Lion’s Dragstrip and other So Cal dragstrips… Reath Automotive and the small shop in a residential community. For us, we visited it often and when we were there, a bunch of race cars always were on trailers or in the lot. Parts or builds? They were a part of the lore of Reath Automotive… So, we saw the beginning, well not the very first time they (Joe Mailliard and Joe Reath) started the small business. (Joe Mailliard opened up his own shop in the Westside of Long beach near our house.) But the popularity of the small shop and Joe Reath’s knowledge grew. The small shop became a huge shop that was three-four times the size of the original shop. Here is a recollection of the ad that came out in the Drag News prior to moving to the new shop. Deals galore… parts that start the big dream motor builds, similar to our adventures… Besides being in our hometown, it was the stop over for all traveling drag racers and hot rod guys when touring all of the West coast drag strips. It did not matter where the racers were coming from, they were made to feel at home, stopping in the Reath Automotive lot at 10th and Cherry Ave. If we were lucky, the lot usually had a ton of hot rods and trucks with trailers/race cars in tow. It was a virtual candy store for hot rod builds and speed parts for drag racers. Cherry Avenue and 10th St. Jnaki But, the move was a “big one.” The new shop was the largest shop we knew of in the West coast. It had tons of machining garages to keep the crankshaft/cams and engine building stuff going like gang busters. The huge corner store on Cherry Ave and 33rd had everything, a large showroom, multiple machine shops/ working garages, tons of ready to buy motors, parts, and the displays were like a museum, all laid out in an orderly fashion for every hot rod/drag racer. There was so much parking space curbside and along the parking area and the vast block long work area. A real "super shop." They had hit the big time and outgrew that original small store on the corner of 10th and Cherry Ave. (the small original 10th and Cherry Avenue Shop could fit in the showroom and area to the small door on the side… ) Plus, now, across Carson Street, was the famed Cherry Avenue Drags location... Ha! After moving to the huge corner store on Cherry Ave and 33rd and staying for several years. The business was booming. As the drag races were slowing down and eliminating the average guy, by getting rid of the small classes, the core of the everyday business also slowed down. Sure there were tons of Hemi motor drag racers and they stopped every chance they got when visiting Lion’s Dragstrip. But, Reath Automotive finally moved to a small industrial building on 28th St. in the Signal Hill area of Long Beach. Then it happened…it closed. A sad day in drag racing history, for sure. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/reath-automotive-closes.95179/
S&K speed shop is alive and well in Lindenhurst L.I. So is Square Speed on Hempstead turnpike. There was S&P on Liberty Ave in Queens near the VanWyck Expressway. He ran a fast gas dragster. S&S was on Atlantic Ave in Richmond Hill, Queens. The owner, John Sr. ran a Willys Gasser and was a great guy to talk to. Joe Jill had Speedwin on Long Island. Jack Merkel was also in Queens. Nunzi's Automotive was in Brooklyn and specialized in Pontiacs. Not really a speed shop but Rockville Center Dodge sold High Performance Mopar parts and sold modified Dodges. There were quite a few more but I can't remember their names.
Before I had the rights to browse, No Scratch, I used to haunt the shops in the Philly area. Just looking to drool. We had Frank Bash, Germantown ( in an unlikely area of large old houses + tree lined streets ). Later he opened up others. Hank's, mentioned earlier, in Berwyn on Rte US30. I had an old issue, HRM from trash pickin, it had his mailing label on it. (treasure lost in flood. Ben Pilla was in South Philly. Later, he opened up other locations. When my pockets had green in 'em I became a regular at K&G's, in Havertown, later Rte 3, home of "The Eliminator" T shirts depicting a masked, hooded ghoul with an axe. I regularly got equipment for a converted '57 210, and the future A coupe, that was in the works. I do recall Langhorne Speed Shop, mentioned years back, but not engaged there.
Never got into most of these, just remember them. Shislers, Souderton, PA Watash, Lansdale, PA Milford Speed Shop, near Quakertown, PA Bud Friend, Emmaus, PA Tin Tunnel, Sinking Spring, PA Paplosky’s, Sinking Spring, PA
McBetts is also still around in Holbrook. They mostly build engines for oval track cars but do drag motors too.
J& F was my speed shop of choice, the owner was Joe Biss a hell of good guy!! on RT 46 within 1 mile of each other there was J&F, down the road was Mother's,in Lodi, and Thompson Speed in East Paterson and there was enough business for all of them to stay open!!
On the search for a relic from Hanks Speed shop in PA 1932 Ford Woody Station Wagon Details on my profile Hanks speed shop Berwyn PA by 32FordWoody posted Oct 6, 2022 at 12:32 AM Rod restyling cover by 32FordWoody posted Oct 1, 2022 at 12:08 AM Rod restyling center fold by 32FordWoody posted Oct 1, 2022 at 12:08 AM
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