Folks Of Interest Washington State Hot Rodding Legends

Most of you guys must be too young ! How about Jerry Verhual (sp) Al Swindahl, Rolla Volstedt, Bert Cammak, the Austin family, a load of hydroplane boat guys and how about all those CAMRA modified racers from the 60's and early 70's?

 

Hot Rod Legend from the Past:
Richard "Speedy Gunsaulis



Present Day Hot Rod Legends, who I look up:
Russ Freund (DoubleTubTrouble)




John Gunsaulis (Jade Idol)




Racing Legends

Jim Tipke - Sprint Car builder, machinist, owner of Tipke Manufacturing, Jim built the "Tipke Speedster" which Tom Sneva drove in his rookie test at the Indy 500 back in '72.

Kirk Rogers - Late Model Stock Car racer, machinist, and owner of Valley Machine Shop. If you need a one off part for your race car or show car, and you want it fit like a glove the first time you put it on the car, you go see Kirk.

The Eagle Electric Top Fuel Team - In 1965 they were members of the Cragar 200 mph club, set multiple top speeds and track record throughout the Northwest. Once set a track record at Woodburn, OR going backwards through the lights!
Driver: Frank Rupert, Crew: Ken Brinkman, Rod Gosgril, Jack Forney, Pete Galina, Alvin Haugen, Russ Livengood, John Meade, Dick Morphy, Bill Payne, Ed Vacura, Bill VanDouris

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Yeah... No pics but I have been to Ricks "Walrus Machine" many times, and used some of his stuff to fix some of my things, always a great guy!

And Bob Davidson, great pinstriper, he is striping "Coach Works" right now, I run in to him here and there.

Amocat speed shop, Steve and Josh got it going on, hope it opens up again soon!!!

Centerline Machine in Puyallup, great guys and support the roundy round guys.

I know probably about 45 local yokels who have customs and rods.

Then there is the Motorcycles......Roach.

 

x3 for Bob Davidson and x2 for the Austins.

 

Ill go with Walrus, met Him in 1968 He was workin at Bills auto parts in the machine shop back behind the store. Had a 57 Ford custom 300 with a 406 3x2 4 spd.
He was one of if not the first Guy to start doing front clips in the Seattle and surrounding areas. There are vey few people who can machine-fabricate-weld-design
from start to finish without outside help,Rick is one. FEDER

 

I would have to give a nod to some lesser known folks, The whole Wirkkala clan out of Illwaco/Long beach area. Drag racers and hot rodders all!

 

Heres some more For sure Jim Green- Kenny Riggs - Marshall - Gary Southerland
Mike White.

 

This could be a very long list. How about the Slo Poks out of Vancouver? The Austin's, Walt, Bucky, Pat.

 

Boots Olsen, legendary striper, I think was out of Seattle, lives in White Rock, a BC border town. Had a radical customized Corvette among other cars. Corvette was called Poco Loco. Pat.

 

I met a guy in seatle a few years ago ,that moved over the hill and but was a HUGE 62 mopar guy and a hoot but he was my hero but I,ll be dammed if I can think of his name ...............gettin old is hell but knew his mopars owned many and was planing to build mopar town when he retired to Spokane my washington hotrod hero

 

Boots is a local legend, but I always thought he was canadian, rather than Wash. State?? Could be wrong...

 

Charlie Gettman, in his 70s, AKA Charlie horse Henry J, Wenatchee , Still drives the Henry J he built in the 60s, also just finished a 800 HP straight axle 55 chevy,if you ride in one of his cars he will scare the shit out of you !!! Chris

 

I still dig Russ's yellow tub.

first time I saw it, it knocked my socks off.. have not seen it for some time.. wonder if it is still in the NW.

 

Anyone that is into gassers in the area knows Tom Willford. He has more knowledge of gassers than anyone I have ever met and is a great guy.....even if he ignores me unless my wife is with me at the show or swapmeet and even then all he does is stare at her hit on her

 

I didn't realize I was that obvious, you have to admit from where I sit I do have the greatest view. Thanks for the complement. How about the old speed shops such as Day & Night, Dougs Racing Stable , Thunderbird, Pacific National, Kenny Martin's all from the south end.

 

How about Jack Coonrod, raced AA/GS Supercharged 33 Willys coupe, from right here in Vancouver USA. He still owns the Willys as well as both Northwind cars

 

russ still has the yellow tub

 

Earl Wham would be a good candidate for the list. Raced cars and boats, up to unlimited Hydro's, and is also the engine builder for Ed Snevas projects. Been in the Spokane area for ever...

 

I'll second Earl Wham. How about Butch Bowers.

 

Ivan Osmonovich (spl) in Cle Elum, been into early Fords big time for a long time. Of course Jim Green & Jerry "The King" Ruth. Also, Gaines Markley, drag racer in the 60's- '70's.

 

Second the mention of Dick Flynn. If you can find it or have it check out the Sept. '55 Hot Rod. There's a two page feature on Deer Park Drag strip with a number of pics of Dick racing/winning with his Desoto powered 3 window Deuce....105.9 mph! Top Eliminator of the day. And this '32 was his daily driver! Dick is still building engines and doing custom machine work in Spokane.

 

Bob Biehler,

 

My personal idol is my ex's grandpa, fella by the name of Rob Rider. Lives in seatac. Oldest 18 year old iv ever met.

 

Falcongeorge, you are wrong. Jesse Wayne (Boots) Olsen started out in California learning striping at a shop in North Hollywood where Von Dutch was working. He moved to Spokane in 1955 and stayed there until 1965 when he moved to Seattle. In 1970 he moved up to Vancouver, BC. and ended up in White Rock where he retired. You are right though when you said he is a legend in the Vancouver area. Pat

 

Actually Killer Paints is in Snohomish.
I will say Russ Divers as one of the quiet ones that seems to be at the forfront of customs but always sits in the back row. He was a big part of the 2008 Riddler award car and helped with the build of the fifties custom that won many awards on the show circuit.. This car was named Madam Fifi.
He is a master metal finisher and always puts others cars on the map before his own.
A very great person to try and learn something from. He actually is the WA State Hotrod hall of fame winner from last year. Congrats Russ.
Another very talented individual that is also on the sidelines is Trevor Robinson. Trevor is one of the young guns that gives inspiration to me. He's built hotrods, customs, tail draggers etc. and could be a very successful builder with a shop if he wanted to. Instead he works full time and burns the midnight oil building hotrods, customs and tail draggers.!!
There are so many others out there that are great talents but these guys are my top picks.

 

I gotta toss Bob Throndsen and his shop "The Wagon Works" in the hat. (360) 652-0745 The guy got me hooked on all things Hot Rod when we were in kindergarten together. When he was at Lynnwood High School he help start the "Royal Chariots" car club, then later help launch "F-100s Limited". His shop in Arlington has been crankin' out gorgeous chassis' and finished rods for years. He's now a metal fabrication teacher in Mukilteo training the next generation of rod builders.

 

"Mosslanders Rods and Customs" in Monroe has been crankin' out first class Hot Rods for years. Then there's that other Monroe builder, "Divers"? who built the 2008 Ridler winner, a Ferrari powered red Rambler wagon.

 

That would be Tim Divers and family. Russ Divers is Tim's Cousin and does the incredible metal work. All the Divers are killer fabricators!!

 

Is Tim Divers still in Monroe? What's the name of his shop?

 

How about Jim Crone ,Crone ,Parmenter & Rue dragsters. Jim is still building engines just south of Renton. One of the best fabricators I've ever met.

............Jack