"Jocko" Johnson passed away in November of 2008. More than likely, you remember him for his streamline-bodied top-fuel dragster or maybe his porting work from the 1950's and 1960's. I remember him for being an absolute lunatic... The good kind. He th... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
A true example of Hotrodders Ingenuity in action. It's sad to see the innovators pass on, but good to know that someone has documented their stuff for the future generations. We can learn much from history.
HOLY CRAP! Who the hell is Cole Coonce? That is bad ass. I particularly enjoyed "drag racing is much more punk rock that any slacker gen X shithead with an out of tune guitar." Truer words may have never been spoken.
wow. I've never read anything that captured the emotion of the mindset of hot rodding. It reeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllly reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson, if fact, it could have been titled fear and loathing at twenty nine palms
A fantastic atricle..the kind of information that keeps me on the HAMB for hours and hours. His technology needs to be picked up by someone with the spirit and financial ability to bring it to fruition.
The more I am enlightened by the mindset and disposition of those with mechanical expression, the less out of place I feel.
Amazing mind and vision. I remember the waves and turbulance Jocko/Garlits collaboration caused in the 70's. I followed Hot Rod magizine pretty closely back then. Ideas like his sure ignite a persons creative engine. Good read.
Love Coonce's articles ... and Jocko was a visionary! I posted the following in Ryan's The Beauty Of Speed Blog/thread:
I know some folks that bag on Coonce a bit for ripping off Thompson. Obviously, Coonce is inspired by the great doctor's literary theories, but he flashes his own talent while doing so. Frankly, I think he's great...
I wouldn't bag on him for ripping off Thompson........I wish more writers would follow suit........and you're right, he has his own style that conjures up Thompson, and flatters the original, rather than a blatant attempt at reproducing it. I can't wait to read more by Coonce.
Hasn't the streamliner drag car come to fruition as the modern funny car? Aren't the testing them in the tunnel to achieve the very same effects that Jocko was touting? Now what has become of the power ring 3 cycle engine? I'm afraid our lost love for fossil fuels may have snatched away any development interest as we chase new technology in batteries and electric motors.
Always enjoyed Cole Coonce, as well as Joe Scalzo's work. Was lucky enough to trade some artwork with Jocko before he died. Have a mineature of his dragster, (hand carved from billet). We all have a few little cars, that's my best one by far.
Cole and Jocko - two of my heroes. Cole's a HAMBer, but I don't know if Jocko ever was... For more of Cole, get his book: Top Fuel Wormhole. It's jam packed with these stories... I got mine on Amazon. Scotty
great read . Ive been on the Integratron site for a hour now http://integratron.com/Welcome.html I would love to see that motor design
I always thought it was kool that I share the same 1st name as that guy. Asked him about it and he told me it was Barris. I got mine from dad, his nick hung on him due to atheletic abilities beyond his friends'. Something like "...look at Jack jump that tree like Jocko the Monkey..." a comic strip from the 30s. Always admired Jocko Johnson and his out-of-the-box work. Thanks dude. Great read. And yeah Mr. Coonce is quite the wordsmith.
Apparently the links to Hunter S. Thompson are erroneous. Cole says to tell you guys, "I used to write like Tom Wolfe; now I write like Raymond Carver..." He also asked me to give you this link to a recent audio interview (which I loved): http://topfuelwormhole.com/2009/06/17/is-top-fuel-wormhole-an-alternative-nhra-history/ Scotty
I'm going to be lazy and just ask instead of doing my own search--anything more out there on the PowerRRing 3-cycle? I'm having a hard time picturing it. Coonce can write. Anybody who can namedrop Wolfe and Carver get my respect. Joe
Anyone have pix of the PoweRRing3??? I know there were a couple shots of it in the story when Hot Rod ran it. My favorite part is that Jocko let the rights go to Public Domain, like a true Folk Hero...
haha. That's awesome. I still think he writes like Cole Coonce, regardless what Cole Coonce says. Ask Cole how relevant "Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers" is to our current political landscape....
http://outside.away.com/outside/magazine/0899/9908jocko.html There is a picture of it(poweRRing 3) here. Great read!