591 replies to this topic

[firstgencrx]

Parting Shot For The Day: 2/11/2010

A couple of them with a little story.....

In the early 60's, while the Brits where kicking French ass in Monte Carlo with their little ity-bity micro cars (the French where pissed!):



A rough and talented group of young Yanks where duking it out at the local drag strips in what they called the "Gasser Wars." One of those guys was a man by the name of James Kirby. He pounded his competitors to death each weekend, swapping the local title between them for several seasons. Jim built and drove his own car. It was a chopped 40 Willys, powered by a blown, first generation Chrysler Hemi:



Why do I give a shit? The man, or "Master Craftsman" in the photo above, is the man who first exposed me to the milling machine, the lathe, the art of fabrication, and how to properly pump a Tig pedal to lay down dimes.

I was only four years old when that picture of Jim was taken.

[kakabox]

^
Awesome pics...those are right in my young kid 'wheel-house' too.

As a kid I loved mini's (still do) and I built several AMT & Revell 1/24 scale models of the 60's Willy 'Gassers' (in my eyes, at the time, they were soooo cool).

Nice.

[firstgencrx]

Here are some more shots of Jim and his car in the early 60's.

An early shot at the staging line:




This is the car again probably in the mid to late 60's judging by the cars around it:




It's amazing how you can find stuff on the internet.

[RETROCRX]

It's amazing how you can find stuff on the internet.

Like I said......why keep a collection of pics when there's an internet FULL of them!



Rob

[firstgencrx]

Parting Shot For The Day: 2/12/2010

Long Beach California 1948

[Vicious]

my has the world changed

[jsgprod]

Parting Shot For The Day: 2/12/2010

Long Beach California 1948

WOW! Kind funny looking when you think about where it actually is.

[firstgencrx]

Parting Shot Of The Day: 2/13/2010

They where building these robotic car stacker's even back in the 30's!

[firstgencrx]

Parting Shot Of The Day: 2/14/2010

The male IQ surely falls to zero at the sight of a woman who flatters a pair of pants or top, or both!

[Buford]

David,
Boy does the 40 Willys AG/S bring back memories. It was the first race car that I ever worked on. I was 16 I think. The car was K.S. Pittman's. He also built a 33 Willys. I was on the crew in the mid 60's when he won the Winternationals. The K.S.Pittman 40/41 Willys is now in the Gartlis museum. Don told me anytime I got down to FLa. to call him and he would provide access to the car for me to inspect and have pics made.

As for the mini, I had one when I lived in Germany from 1967 to 1972. Bought it, Cooper S, new for $ 2034.36 !!!!

Have to scan all my old pics and start posting.

Just found out that K.S passed away. Don Gartlis told me he was in bad shape with Alzheimer's.

[Buford]

David, Those pictures of the oil wells I think are the ones on Signal Hill. Great racing site. They use to have hill climbs there back in the Model T days. They still migh be doing it for old vintage cars.

[firstgencrx]

Parting Shot For The Day: 2/15/2010

"Never underestimate the shear joy that can come from creating something completely and utterly useless!"

[Buford]

So that's the next low cost Indy Car

[RETROCRX]

So that's the next low cost Indy Car

Are you kidding, that looks MUCH better than the IndyCar proposals! Except maybe the Lola.

Edited by RETROCRX, 16 February 2010 - 11:39 AM.

[jsgprod]

Bucky Fullers Dymaxion