The last time these cars were next to each other, it was Memorial Day weekend 1966. It was the Olympics of Drag Racing at Great Lakes Dragaway. It was the first time Jerry Adams ever ran the Fiat down the track. He was trying to work out the bugs and get the timing right. So it is test and tune and who lines up next to him? The Stone, Woods, & Cook 1941 Willys coupe. Jerry lost badly to the Willys. This is the original Swindler II. It was restored by Mike Wales. We ran into it at the Hunnert Car Heads Up in Decatur Illinois this past weekend. We could not pass up the photo op.
I remember these photos from the Larry Davis "Gasser Wars" book. One thing I absolutely love about this particular pic is the trash can... I can only imagine it reads: "Chevy Parts"
Those photos are also in Don Mongomerys book about Gassers They are at Wayne Artegas garage on the road in Indianna match racing.The Artega/Helmoth? Coupe was running A/G back then and Wayne lettem use his shop for some repairs...Don Montgomery is Rockerhead on the Hamb.I have spoke to him personally and he is a hellava nice guy! He ran a Willys coupe as well! R~R
The Black car is the one I idolized as a kid! Swore I would build one as close as possible...My avatar is best I could do.... It's a 42 Stude D/G raced at the 68 World series. Built by Kenny Aiken R.I.P. Morrison Il. Home of "The Flyin Farmer"...
I WENT TO THE 10th GASSER REUNION AT BEAVER SPRINGS DRAGWAY AND WAS HONORED TO SEE THE LITE BLUE CAR # II BUT WAS SUPERED HONORED TO BE ON THE COVER OF THR GASSER REUNION VIDEO WITH THE REAL STONE WOODS N COOK CAR VERY COOL . CHECK IT OUT!http://www.flickr.com/photos/treeservgasser/6172728830/in/photostream
that little blue car is all i thought about when i was a kid.i have loved that car for 40yrs at least.i have never been able to see it in person but ive got plenty of pics of it taken from mags and the computer.someday ill see it.when i think of drag racing thats what i think of that willys.it is drag racing in its purest form.and i dont care if the owners were green id still love that damn car.i got a glass 41 willys but it wont ever be as cool as that car. never.but if i ever get it done ill sure as hell pretend its what im driving.lol
The 2006 Jalopyrama was the premier showing of the freshly restored SWC Swindler II. We've debut'd many original/re-furbished/restored significant hot rods over the past 8 years of the Jalopyrama.<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5; COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --> Here's the Swindler II at Jalopyrama III in 2006. <!-- / message --><!-- attachments --><FIELDSET class=fieldset><LEGEND>Attached Thumbnails</LEGEND> </FIELDSET> <!-- / attachments --><!-- sig -->__________________ Jalopyrama - A Traditional Hot Rod Show
Picture taken in the spring of 68 at Mt View Dragway outside of Denver. This picture was taken at NEITA (Cedar Falls Raceway) in Iowa. The SWC car was running with the Coca Cola Calvicade of Funny Cars Tour in 69
Lenny Woods, Chino Hills Ford Owner, Found Dead in Dealership Wednesday, 22 September 2010 20:30 Cheryl Brown Timothy Lenny Woods was in business and a very proud owner of Chino Hills Ford for 30 years. Woods was found dead at his dealership on Tuesday morning. Woods was born in Riverside, 64 years ago, into a family of builders and racecar enthusiasts. His father Timothy Leonard Woods, had the first Black owned construction company and built neighborhoods on the eastside of the city. The family was also the first Black drag car racers and raced a 41 Willys car named Stone, Woods, and Cook. They were always race favorites and have many trophies to show for it. In Riverside, he attended Longfellow Elementary School before the family relocated to Los Angeles. He later graduated from the University of Notre Dame. Fast forward, Woods knew the car business and was prepared when Ford instituted the Minority Dealership Program. He was one of a few Black owned dealerships in the nation to be developed by automakers in the country. He was highly successful and had developed a market niche. In 2003, the market began changing, housing was exorbitant, gasoline was on an upward climb, and the ap petite for American cars changed drastically. In April of 2010, due to a failing economy, he became one of the casualties and was forced to close his dealership and return or sell his inventory. He was unsuccessful in getting a loan from the banks after their bailout, a loan from the city, that had recently received stimulus money, and when that failed he had no where else to turn. Known as a hard-nosed businessman with a soft side, he helped little league teams, car racers, and community organizations of all kinds especially in Chino but he could not overcome the economy. Wife Cynthia, daughter Dana, son Timothy III, and two grandchildren, sister Sandra Woods-Wellington and a host of relatives and friends survive him. Memorial arrangements are not announced at this time.
Wayne Ortega was a photographer out of St Louis.Lots of his work appears in prominent places in and around St Louis.
Just to add a footnote to this excellent thread, Thursday we lost Mike Wales who was the current owner of the restored SWC Swindler II couple. Please say a prayer for his wife Peggy in her time of mourning who now owns the coupe. R.I.P Mike.
Thanks Ryan. Love the history. I am sometimes a little surprised when I'm liking a thread then realizing how old it is. Never to late. Cool car. Interesting and disturbing parallels. Condolences to those that have passed and their families...You have definitely left your mark...Thank You
Ah shit.... Mike was a customer of ours and bought many parts from us when restoring that car.... He was first class.
He sure was. Quiet and unassuming but a real can do guy who got things done. Recently Mike was the Director of Operations for part of Feld Entertainment (look them up you'll be surprised) and had responsibility for all of the Monster Jam trucks (like 45 or so) including Grave Digger, etc. You'd never know it from a casual encounter with Mike
Larry, you are correct. The T sticker does mean your car made it to the last run in your class. Both cars in the class finals got a T sticker after their semi final win. When the two cars from a certain class showed up in the lanes, the people in charge put the two cars in the "trophy lane" together for their final. As this photo from the '62 Winternationals shows, I had already won class, and drew the C/gas class winner for a round of street eliminator. I beat the Impala, but, as there was no Tree in '62, the races in the eliminator brackets were heads up, no handicap, and I drew the SWC Swindler B for the second round. The B/GS was running over a second quicker, so I needed Cookie to jump the flag and get a DQ. Didn't happen, and I was done.
Thanks Ryan. I just found this thread last night. Maybe I can give some input on some of the earlier posts. I am pretty sure the guy on right is Lenny Woods, THE Leonard Woods Jr., whose name went overlooked for so many years on the side of those famous cars. I was told that the Jr. was added to absolve Leonard Sr, and his business, from any liability. View attachment 3121809
I am looking for more pics of Lenny w/the cars. Here is one of a skinny Lenny. I'm having Hell getting pics on this post.
The first pictures on this blog are at Wayne Arteagas garage in St. Louis Mo. Sitting on the trailer fender is Wayne Arteaga and the other pictures in the garage in the white tee shirt is John Helmuth of the locally famous Helmuth and Arteaga race team. Whenever the big boys came to St. Louis they ended up at Waynes garage. I used to ride my bike over there to watch. Neat old picture, right at the left corner of the pic with 2 cars is where I would always park my bike. Had to be late 50 s.
The Jalopy Journal
