Dean, Thank you so much for taking the time to share these memories with everyone. Now I'm going to have to go scan through the Potpourri videos that I bought from Don Tuttle years ago. I look forward to seeing more from your scapbook!
hey, I worked an entire summer to come up with the money to pay Dean Moon the tab on the magnesium Torque Thrusts!! I fell in love with that wheel when I saw one of the very first sets on the back of Swamp Rat 1-B. The Halibrands were "borrowed" from Dad's 53 Stude. He always hated the Americans, wondered why I wanted "cultivator wheels" on my hot rod!! Another summer and I got my own halibrands, and polished them. Looking back on it now, he might have been right......................................
Was in worn primer when I got in in 59. Had an orange "Veltex" logo on both doors what was half worn off from it's year as an LA area gas station gofer truck. Man, how the current patina boys would have loved it. When dad and I sprayed it's first paint job, it was 61 Corvette Roman Red lacquer. Still got a full quart of it here somewhere. The first time we saw Maz's Corvette after Junior painted it, we were blown away. Within a week the roadster was down at Junior's House Of Color. Junior wouldn't do it exactly the same as Maz's car. He liked to do every car a bit different. The Vette was candy red over pearl white. Junior did the roadster the same color over a golden pearl base. It had a slightly orange hint, and Junior named it "Candy Persimmon" Want to be sick? Including a bit of clean up body work, we paid Junior an even grand for the job!! Now his price starts at a hundred grand. How times have changed!!
Awesome... thanks for sharing this bit of history with us! What I wouldn't give to be ripping it up in that truck in the 60's!
Got some great memories of cruising down 39 to Balboa during spring break rolling around in this old brain! Bob's Big Boy in Pasadena on Friday night wasn't bad either. Lately, I've come to realize the 60's were the best time of my life. Those of us that lived and survived the 60's are truly blessed. To quote George Carlin (RIP) "man, the 60's were good to me"!!! You said it George!!
I take credit for this request, now everybodys jumping on the bandwagon! I would be 11 in 63', awsome truck!
This is the "Rod Test" from April 62 R&C. The performance"tests" were done at Lions in the middle of the week. Mike Lamb had the gate key, and not one official on site. That was a fun day!
This was the article from the first issue of Popular Hot Rodding which appeared around June of 62. The pics were shot at two different SCTA 1/2 mile meets at Riverside in 61. As with most early PHR articles it was done by a free lance writer, and I had no notice that my car was in the magazine. A friend at school showed up with a copy that was a surprise to me. The front 3/4 shot with the unpolished Halibrands is one of my favorites.
In TRJ #39 there is some great coverage of the '66 Oakland Roadster show. There is a really cool 2 page over-view shot. In that shot their is a super bad-ass 28 or 9 (don't remember) blue RPU that is owned by Tommy Outlaw(what?!), nailhead, headers into the fenders, Halibrands, etc.... Any relation between these two trucks?
Where else but the HAMB do you find history like this right from the guys who created it!! Thanks for this cool thread!
Hey Dean. You mentioned the Schifano interior. I worked for Greg Schifano from '61 to 63. I remember your truck quite well. Wayno
No shit!! Small world, huh? Greg was a master. My dad bought the Larry Banker 32 Fordoor in 1961. The Schifano emblem was on the door panels. We had been looking for a shop to do the roadster, and that quality told us all we needed to know. My Dad made the top bows, and you guys did the rest. That top and interior was in the car when it went to England, and looked as good as the day it left Greg's shop. I hope the new owner uses that upolstery. He won't find any better.
The state of affairs in my garage for the last 13 years. 355"sbc, Mooneyham 6-71 with the last short snout 2" drive Gene built. 350 trans because the lump of calcium in my lower back just won't tolerate 3 pedals anymore. Fully boxed A frame that wouldn't make a pimple on the red car's Kurtis frame, but it gets the job done. I built the top frame from 3/4" square tube. it's fully padded, and lifts off like a Carson. Built and owned a lot of cars in the last 46 years, but always had a soft spot for 29 RPU's. You never forget your first love!
In 1960 a tube frame was in the jig when we learned that NHRA street roadster class rules specified stock for the year frame rails. So the original A rails were substituted for the side tubes. Frank hated that, but we had to go by the rules. All crossmembers were tube. Sorr, no frame pics. That frame was under the car when it went to England. If the current owner has any sense, he'll use it. If he dosen't, I'll find a way to get it back!!
Another shot from pomona 63. it was the early days of chutes, and those old ring slots were huge if it was an under 150 mph car. Note no tarps on the fence! Tracffic sometimes got pretty heavy on D street Sunday afternoons.
This shot is from Riverside SCTA half mile drags. Shot from the Champion bridge by Don Cummins in 64. Greg Sharp gave me the pic a few years ago. I never knew it exsisted. 140 mph - Whoweeeeee what a ride!!
You could call this one "A hard day at the races". Winternationals 63. First run Saturday morning the Halibrand shot pieces all over the starting line. As we were towing back to the pits, a guy runs up and says hes got a chomplete center section at his place in San Berdoo, and he'll take $150 for it! I jambed out to get it, and by the time I got back my dad, and crew had the old one out and were waiting. The real work came in when we realized his Halibrand was set up for a torque tube. We rounded up the track welder, heated both centersections, and put our main shaft in the new piece. Got back in line just as B/SR was called the second time. Had to make 3 runs for the trophy, and was scared shitless the new center section would puke. But it held together, and we got our third straight class win, and both ends of the national record. We looked pretty schroungy in the winners circle, but we did what it took for the trophy!
Great pictures and story Dean. I was at that Winternationals as a young spectator. I sent you a PM. Wayno
Just wanted to thank you for sharing a great story with us, Dean. That truck looks like an Early Times ride, were you a member? Oh yeah.. it is double-throwdown-badass too, especially with the blower. Running 140 through the clocks is incredible! I also dig the photo with unpolished wheels, but it doesn't have a bad angle.
You think you feel like a dumb shit. Geisler is my race partner, and has been along with Banks for 25 years. He offered the roadster P.U. to me for free if I'd just restore it. I passed, too many projects and I was in the middle of the restoration of the 219 Bonneville car. Ya I know, I should have my ass kicked.......
How 'bout this: We'll meet in a mutually convienient location, and kick each other in the ass! Since it was originally my car, you can have first swing.
Livin' large at 19 years old. No wife, no kids, no mortgage. Just going to the drags every weekend with my buddies. Where did I go wrong?
Hey Dean,did you mention in another post something about changing from a v-8 quickchange to a champ size?
After the Halibrand fiasco at the 63 Winternats, we "borrowed" the Champ QC from the Bonneville car. No more rearend problems. Then it was a new clutch about every 2 or 3 races. Only part of the driveline that car never ate was the T-10.
The Jalopy Journal
