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Folks Of Interest Mickey Thompson (December 7, 1928 - March 16, 1988)

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Slim Pickens, Mar 17, 2010.

  1. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    My all time favorite car guy. Slim
     

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  2. God Bless You for remembering.

    R.I.P. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson.
     
  3. Though his life was cut short, he lived one heck of a ride. Where would we be without all the speed parts that bear the M/T logo?
     
  4. fab32
    Joined: May 14, 2002
    Posts: 13,985

    fab32
    Member Emeritus

    A long time coming but at least they finally put the scum that had him killed behind bars. May him and Trudy rest in peace.

    Frank
     

  5. BadgeZ28
    Joined: Oct 28, 2009
    Posts: 1,165

    BadgeZ28
    Member
    from Oregon

    He was a classy guy. I talked with Ray Higley about photos I had taken at a every 60's winternationals. One picture was of his altered being pushed to the staging lanes. He told me they damaged their motor and Mickey lent them a Pontiac motor so they could run.
     
  6. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    Mickey Thompson - Pomona, 1955
    Norm Grudem Photo
     

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  7. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    "Mickey Thompson" - AA/D - Lions, 1959
    Dual Pontiacs
     

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  8. Deuce3wCpe
    Joined: Aug 21, 2004
    Posts: 848

    Deuce3wCpe
    Member
    from New Jersey

    My old pal Stan Betz ( who had lost the lower part of a leg to childhood polio) told me a story about dragging one of his V8-60 cars to the dry lakes in the late 40's or early 50's. He was having trouble getting it to run and Mickey Thompson walked over and just started wrenching on it with him, helping to get it sorted out.
    He said Mickey would do anything for you if he liked you, but if you looked at him crooked he'd fight at the drop of a hat......




    .
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2010
  9. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    Thanks Gerry.

    "Lions, December, 1960. Mickey Thompson gets ready to make a run in his 4-banger Pontiac-powered machine. (Dragmaster chassis)".
    Photo & Commentary by Doyle Hatfield
     

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  10. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    Mickey Thompson in the seat of his Ivo chassised Pontiac powered dragster circa 1963.
     

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  11. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    Here's a shot of Mickey Thompson's Pontiac powered fueler at the 2nd March Meet in 1960. He hole shot and beat Garlits/Malone in round 1. The frame from this car later became the semi-streamlined Assault I record setting car. March 1960.
    photo & commentary by Doug Peterson
     

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  12. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    Mickey...hero of mine all my life...

    He signed my program to his car show in 1962. It was his birthday, he told me. Just by chance, my wife and I were married on December 7th, too...in 1991.

    [​IMG]

    I took this photo at Lions Drag Strip, where he was the track manager, shortly after he gave me his autograph at the car show...and yeah, he remembered me and said "hey, there's the kid with the camera"...pretty cool for a 12 year old:)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    Thanks Doug, Great stuff.
     

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  14. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

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  15. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

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  16. Muttley
    Joined: Nov 30, 2003
    Posts: 18,500

    Muttley
    Member

    RIP Mickey, you are a true hero to many, many people. I was thrilled when that dirtbag finally went to prision for his murder.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. A great guy, v. much missed...
     
  18. GREASEMONKEY72
    Joined: Nov 29, 2007
    Posts: 497

    GREASEMONKEY72
    Member

  19. racer756
    Joined: May 24, 2006
    Posts: 1,558

    racer756
    Member

    America Needs more Mickey Thompson's right now. RIP hero!
     
  20. bubba67
    Joined: Nov 26, 2008
    Posts: 1,842

    bubba67
    Member
    from NJ

    Mickey was truly an inspiration !
     
  21. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    Thanks you guys.

    The Challenger I, the streamliner that Mickey Thompson piloted to 406.60 miles per hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1960.

    Thompson built cars for the Indianapolis 500. This Indy racer was driven by Dan Gurney in 1962.

    The Assault I was built by Thompson in 1959 to compete at Bonneville.
     

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  22. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    The Assault was packed with innovations for a 1959 dragster. Shown at Pomona, the streamlined body and giant parachute were intended for standing-mile attempts at March Air Force Base that netted three average-speed records, with three different Pontiac engines. Estimated top speed at the mile marker was 235 mph!

    I think the last picture is Mickey Thompson’s Pumpkinseed.
     

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  23. Mickey was one tuff son of a bitch...and that's what I liked most about him.
     
  24. 85-percent
    Joined: Apr 5, 2005
    Posts: 328

    85-percent
    Member

    One thing that impresses me about MT is that he DID IT ALL. He ran dragstrips, made speed parts, built differing cars in all different types of motorsports, dragsters, funny cars, driving, owning, off roading, indoor racing stadium racing. He appears to have the gift of doing what ever he set his mind to do, and he also had the drive to go out and do it all.

    He's up there for living the American dream down right heroically! What a tremendous inspiration and truly a one in a billion man!

    -90% jimmy
     
  25. a true master wrench and one hell of driver and builder!
     
  26. Kan Kustom
    Joined: Jul 20, 2009
    Posts: 2,739

    Kan Kustom
    Member

  27. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    NITROFC posted this recently. Thanks Al.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJU3M-T0TXI

    Butch Leal,on the left,was known as "The California Flash" and drove this Super / Stock Ford Mustang Boss 429 for Mickey Thompson in 1969
     

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  28. petes65usa
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 254

    petes65usa
    Member

    Just FN sad he went to soon...............
     
  29. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,913

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Back in the '60's I had a copy of Mickey's autobiography. I think it was titled "Challenger". I got it from a friend of mine whose father worked for the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis It was a freebee book review copy that they were done with. Read it in one sitting and it was a great book. I left it in the bookcase at my mothers house and my brother threw it out when he cleaned out the place after she died. I think anyone who is a fan of Mickey's would do well to see if the local library or Amazon has a copy; I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It's been almost 50 years but his descriptions of early street racing, running at Bonneville and trying to use (I think) implement tires really stick in my mind.

    I just checked the internet and found 12 copies priced anywhere from $109 to $705. Better check the local library while I go choke my brother.:D
     
  30. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    That was co-written by Griff Bprgensen. I lost the dust cover, but not the book. That yellow book followed me for 45 years or more, now.
    Yup, "Challenger"...a great book.
    The new book out a few years ago is good, too.
    Mickey Thompson: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend by Erik Arneson
    A good buy, too at less than $20 new and takes you past his death and the investigation.
    "Challenger" was written in the mid 60's, so alot of Mickey hadn't happened yet.
     

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