Folks Of Interest Rest in peace Jim Stanley

He will be DEEPLY missed. I loved discussing interiors and kustom history with Jim.

It will be one of my biggest regrets not getting up there to visit his shop and see the wall of photos.
He could tell you the car, owner, year and location of the show for every photo on the wall!

I dug his car as well. Owned since he was 16! And he put the hydraulics on it himself not long after that.
One of the most recent additions was the Riviera trim with the inlay of interior fabric.
Lord only knows how many miles that car has on it.

 

I really have no words to explain the gut punch it was to get this news earlier. Jim was the real deal.

This year at CCR I grabbed him and made him take this picture with me. He never seemed to understand why anyone would want to take a picture with him.

 

My condolences to all his friends and family.
We’ve lost so so many within the last ten years.

 

Wow….terrible to read this today…sad day for the HAMB

 

Dang
He’s gonna be missed around here

 

What, no way !! We we're just talking the other day. Prayers to his friends & family.
Rest easy brother, you will be missed !
Damn....

 

Still at a loss for words. Jim knew everyone, talked to everyone and encouraged us all to find the older guys that were there, did it and started this thing we love before they are gone and their stories with them.....not at all ready for guys our age to be the ones to get their stories before they are gone. There was no greater supporter of the KKOA, CCR and custom events than Jim. I'm glad Mark posted a pic of his car....he drove it everywhere...even if it didn't qualify to be in the show itself. I'll add one to demonstrate the point. Here it is where it was every year....parked outside the Custom Car Revival.



Like Sancho, I sure wish I had gotten to Iowa to see the famed wall of pics. I can't remember breakfast and Jim knew every car, every show, every owner and where it was parked in what venue. We are all less today with his passing.

 

My condolences to his family, can't believe he is gone .

 

Jim always amazed me with his Kustom knowledge and being able to recall where and when he saw a kustom. Remember how excited we were when he got a cell phone so he would be able to post more pics on the HAMB. He got good at it quickly.... Loved his Chevy and when he put the Riviera side trim with the flower print upholstery, wow it took it to a whole new level..... I'm going to miss him and applaud his dedication to Kustoms and the Kustom Kemps of America. Jim will be deeply missed.. Please be Praying for his family and many friends.

 

So sorry to read this. He was and is one of the HAMBs treasures, and a great ambassador for customs in general. Will miss his posts a lot. RIP

 

GodSpeed Jim

 

Sad to hear, always read his posts.

 

Wow, this is a bad surprise. He was a healthy young guy just like the rest of us. I’ve had a bunch of interactions with him over the years, usually about parts, magazines, comments about idiots, and just general Iowa stuff. I last saw him making a steal of a purchase at the this year’s Greenfield swap, snagging a nice grille for $20. I’ll miss seeing him at our local shows and swaps.

 

Sincere sympathy goes out to his friends, fans and especially Family

 

Gone too soon at 53 years old. RIP Jim, the leather never wrinkles or cracks at that heavenly upholstery shop.

 

Damnit. Hate to hear this. Lot of knowledge gone in the blink of an eye.

 

Wow I always read his posts on the custom world his knowledge will be missed.

 

My condolences to his family and friends. RIP.

 

A sad day indeed for the HAMB!

R.I.P. Jim, Prayers for his family during this time. Gone way too soon.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Y'all have no idea what a rough night I had. When I got the news I was absolutely shocked. If I slept 10 minutes last night I'd be surprised. Jim was always a HUGE help to me when I was doing the What Ever Happened To..........? thread. He was a wealth of information--names, car owners names, car names, years the cars were at certain shows and on and on. He always dug the weird stuff (like late models) like me, maybe that's why we got along so well.
We made a deal a few years ago. Jim was an upholstery guy and did fine work. I approached him about doing a spare tire cover for my off topic Merc. He eagerly jumped in to do it, the only payment being a Lincoln Land Kustoms plaque. I sent my L.L.K plaque to the guy that does our plaques and the deal was done. We met up at the Leadsled that year and Jim brought the spare tire cover and even installed it for me right there in the park. I gave him the plaque, unpolished, unpainted and needing some detailing (as he requested) and you would have thought I gave him a gold bar. The guy was the real deal when it came to customs. I'm sure Jim traveled more in that Caprice over the years than just about anybody, with maybe the exception of the Jetter Brothers (@40StudeDude), and like many have mentioned, he would go whether he could enter his car or not. It was all about just being there and supporting the custom movement. We could all be more like Jim.
In a private message discussion that a small group of us crazy custom guys had right after the Leadsled I mentioned how this year as I was leaving the show I had a great feeling of sadness come over me. I'll copy and paste my comment.

I wrote:
Thanks Doc! Mitch's car got the new make over this year. I'm still trying to figure out what to do to the Merc as it is getting a little long in the tooth. Part of me thinks it's time to part ways and start on something new, but the darn thing ran so good all weekend I feel guilty even thinking that. We'll see. We really missed seeing you this year. Mitch was majorly disappointed that he didn't get to see your Chevy this year.

Always a pleasure to sit and spend time with you Bill. Enjoyed sharing the shade from the little corner tree, as well as bugs, heat, sun, painful biting ants and on and on. It was great talking sleds with everyone and learning a thing or two as well as rumor updates and all. Hard to believe it's all over for another year. The time goes so fast in late July in Salina. Glad you made it home ok. I was a little worried as it was still plenty warm going home, but nothing like our roll into town on Wednesday afternoon. Unbelievable the heat in the middle of Kansas in July. I thought I'd get to talk sleds with you some more on Sunday morning, but Mitch decided to get home as he was concerned about his aging folks. I don't feel like I got to say a proper goodbye. Thanks for your humor, hospitality and kustom knowledge. We definitely need to do this all again next year!

Thanks Mick! Always nice when a dyed in the wool hardcore custom guy gives a compliment. Since we have late models, most people that know customs snicker and laugh at what we do. Your compliment about how we cruised the host hotel is a comment that will stay with me forever. Hopefully next year your Merc will be feeling better and you can attend in it. The show was great, but not seeing that awesome flat black silhouette prowling the park made the weekend seem like it was just missing a "little something".

Our little group of friends make the trip worth it. I don't care if it's 115 degrees or it's cold rain and 50 degrees, THE PEOPLE are what make the Leadsled what it is. The customs are just the icing on the cake.
I had a few sobering moments this weekend that made me shudder as far as the event went. Seeing Mr. Starbird struggling to sign T-shirts was hard as father time has been spending a lot of time with him lately. Great to see Hub, but realizing he is getting up in years as well. Hub let me sit in Cinnamon years ago at Charlie's request was an honor I'll never forget. Another sad moment was visiting with the Titus's and giving them my condolences about Denise's recent passing. Jerry told me she was where he will be soon and they will be together. I told Jerry that I didn't believe it and we need him here more than They do in Heaven as his kustom work isn't done yet. DaVonna thanked us for coming and said our late models looked good. That comment really floored me. It proves that she does pay attention to what is going on, and she does know the show attendees better than I ever thought.
But, the moment that really got to me the most is when we rolled out of the park Saturday afternoon. We were about the last people out of the park (like usual). We sat and visited with Jim Stanley for quite a while watching the cars leave. When we depart, we always make a u-turn and head back towards the Statue of Liberty and the Leadsled Spectacular sign. We turn the corner and make a lap around the park, cruise down through where the vendors are, the KKOA shelter, and back by the swap meet. As we passed the swap and went up the little hill headed for the back entrance/exit gate I had the biggest feeling of sadness come over me. I don't understand why, but I felt like I could cry. What the heck was that? I guess that seeing my aging heroes and hearing that things may change soon in the KKOA and spending time with such great folks for a few days and the fact that the weekend was pretty much over hit me like a wave. Does that sound dumb?
At any rate friends, we have to continue to show up and support this show until the unavoidable happens. Lets hope that is a long, long ways away..........

Boy, I never would have thought that those last discussions and moments spent at the end of the day of the Saturday Leadsled '23 would be the last time I got to see and spend time with ol' Jim. I always say we all need to cherish every moment as we never know how much time we have left.
It bums me out that we'll never get to see Jim's Plymouth roadster custom all finished up. Jim had a vision and he was going to pull it off. I guess the Almighty had other plans. I find comfort today knowing that I'll see Jim again someday and we can sit down and talk more sleds.
My deepest condolences to his lovely bride and family, his rowdy Pop Jerry and his sweet Mom Karon, and all of his custom and car friends everywhere. He will be missed is the understatement of the month. I'll miss him forever.
Vaya con Dios Amigo..........E


Thanks Mark (@Moriarity) for bending the rules allowing us to post a few pictures in honor of Jim. He would be quietly flattered.

Leadsleds 2014









Leadsleds 2023


And the spare tire cover Jim made for me. Sorry about the roll of paper towels in the picture.



And last but not least is a picture of a few of the gang at the Leadsleds in 2018.
Starting on the left is Bill Hartwig (@54delray), next is Mitch (that I often speak of), Jim Stanley and then yours truly (who is another member of the I hate to have my picture taken club).

 

Just terrible news. Rest easy.

 

Well, this is a sucker punch! RIP Always loved his input here.

 

Anybody know what happened? Awfully damn young man

 

RIP and Godspeed Jim

 

Condos to the family, godspeed to you, Jim.

 

Condolences to all his friends and family.