The last few months have been busy at the shop. The main projects I’m working on are Tom Lieb’s ’29 AV8 Roadster and my dad’s ’34 3-window coupe in the off hours.

Tom’s ’29 has undergone extensive modifications from the chassis, to body, to top. Yeah, I don’t think there’s one square inch that hasn’t been carefully planned out then massaged.

June 2nd. We are taking the roadster to the Street Rodder Magazine Studio for a photo shoot of an upcoming article in the magazine. Eric Geisert will be doing the photos and layout, so it’s going to look real good. Keep an eye peeled for it on the newsstands.

The other project that I mentioned is the ’34 coupe that my dad bought back in 1959. He of course sold it in ’64 and we found it some 40 years later. The old man and I have been working on its resurrection diligently for a few years now. The blown 324 Olds with 4 97’s on top is built and Dyno’ed at 422HP, backed up by a B&M Hydro to an Olds rear-end. I’ve almost completed the chassis and have been doing body mounts, floors, sub-rails, and firewall and trans tunnel. Next comes some front sheet metal. Both cars will be on display along with countless other SO-CAL creations at our Friday, June 19th Open House. Don’t forget, it’s Fathers Day weekend and, later, the L.A. Roadsters Show at the Pomona Fair Grounds. Take Pops out for a day looking at Hot Rods and Old Ford parts in the swap meet.

I think I should’ve mentioned something sooner about the TV show on the Discovery Channel. You might have seen it already because they’ve aired the 3 one-hour episodes already. The show is called ‘Weaponizers’ and it may not necessarily be the kind of show you would associate with me. When the Discovery Channel first contacted me I told them that it didn’t sound like anything I would have the knowledge or ability for. Then I thought about it; they said guns, bombs, remote control cars and drive them from an underground bunker, then some more guns and explosions? Sign me up! So off I went to spend 6 weeks living in the Nevada desert while filming the show. I’ll tell you this that was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done. I hope it gets picked up for a series… We’ll see.

Now then, you can see that it’s been really busy and I haven’t even mentioned my trip to North Carolina to race with Wayne Jessel (Jessel Valve Train Innovations). I was invited by Wayne to take the trip to an old Air Force base that was in service back during WWII. Joe Timmey and Keith Turk have helped form the E.C.T.A., which is, of course, a land speed racing foundation much like our S.C.T.A.

Upon arrival at the Maxton racetrack we entered Wayne’s ’32 Ford Roadster in the C/Fuel Roadster Class. There was an existing record of 193.9 MPH, so we knew what to do. Then came the rains accompanied by thunder, lightning and flooding. I thought it was going to wash out but sure enough we were able to make a first shake down pass at 168 through the lights. It felt good and solid. Ready for another pass but wait… more rain, bitchin! The track did dry up again and late in the afternoon we made a final run for the day. It too felt real good and I thought it should be somewhere in the mid 195 mph range, good enough for a record. I was then pulled over on the return road waiting for Wayne to come tow me back to the pits and hopefully with a time slip with a good number.

Wayne rolled up and told me that we missed a perfect 200 mph run by just 1.5 mph. that’s when he said “Yeah missed a perfect 200 because you did a 201.199!” I was stoked! That’s a record as well as qualifying for the E.C.T.A. 200 mph Club. Check out the attached photos.

Thanks to Wayne Jessel, Don Sutherland, Jimmy Barton, Dale Cherry and Bob Hustler.

If anyone is in the neighborhood on Friday, June 19th, stop by the SO-CAL Open House.

Later, Jimmy