Folks Of Interest RIP ... Henry "DANA RED" Dana

One of my favorite Junior Stockers. RIP

 

Besides being a famous Junior Stock drag racer in the '60s & '70s and a legendary Street Rod builder in the '70s & '80s; Henry was also heavily involved with :

• Fabricator at NEMCO Motorsports (June 1995 to November 1996)
• Fabricator /Car Builder at Team Penske (1996 to 2006)
  
• Museum Curator at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (March 2006 to October 2017):
  
  

 

Wow, heard the news last night and I have been down in the dumps since. First met Henry in 1978 in Columbus. He was such a joy to be around. I will miss him dearly. RIP my friend.
Joe Troilo

 

last talked with Henry at Goodguys, Columbus 2019. nice guy RIP

 

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for sharing all your stories and photos; it’s really wonderful to see how much the community he loved so much, love him right back. He’s going to be dearly missed.

Stay healthy out there, and please keep sharing stories and photos.

All the best,
Kevin Dana





Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I took this photo of Henry at the Target Shopping Center where we all met to go one one of the All Deuce Runs. HRP

 

Here's the T-Shirt artwork that Ger @Dutch Courage Peters did for Henry:

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I last saw Henry at the 2019 NSRA Nats in Louisville. He was a great guy and I will miss him

Roo


Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.

 

RIP Henry. Met you at the Wisc HRH in 2017 I believe. enjoyed talking to you and running with you the last couple of years. Gods Speed

 

Henry's truck on the 2016 All Deuce Run. Henry was the real deal...

 

People that knew Henry also knew he had a bazaar sense of humor, a week before the All Deuce Run he called me and ask if I would like one of his new T shirts and I said yes.

When we met in the parking lot at the start of the run he called me over to his roadster and he pulled out a T-shirt, Henry handed me a shirt and I said thanks and was walking back to my car he yelled out, "Put it on" so I pulled it out of the bag and he started laughing and said he only ordered small ones, Henry was a giant in the hot rod building game but he was a runt standing next to me at 6'4".

He waved me back and gave me to only 2X t-shirt he had.

I will miss him very much. HRP

 

Shoot, that ruined a good day. His builds always had that just right look.

 

A couple photos from the Dana family photo albums (via Henry's son Andrew Dana):

DANA'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS


Henry Dana (& Sal Marchese) posing with John Parmigiani's El Camino @ the Gatornationals​

 

Henry Dana "back in the day":

image c/o Walter Curro
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I'd give, or do, just about anything to have that 56, Model 150, 2 door sedan; absolutely beautiful car. And that photo of him standing next to the BelAir, 4 door Wagon, Occasional Husband, really shows just how "tall" he was. But, it sounds like he was "tall" in so many other ways!!! A life well lived and respected; it's really all any of us can hope for when we depart this world for the next. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I never knew Henry personally, but I've known of his accomplishments and cars for many years. The '56 Chevy wagon with the great monicker is a favorite. The automotive world has lost one of their best. My sincere condolences to his family and to his friends, of whom there are many. R.I.P.

 

First met Henry and Nancy in the 1970’s at the Orlando Easter rod run and was taken back when I found out Nancy was the painter on their beautiful RED 32 roadster. Seemed our paths would cross many times over the next 45 years. Sad news when I heard the news of his passing. My thoughts and prayers to his family

 

I only got the opportunity to meet Henry a couple of times and it was like we were long time friends. It seems he was that way with everyone. I was so bummed to hear of his passing. What a great friend with a lifetime of motorsports achievements and adventures behind him. RIP Mr. Dana...

 

RIP

 

I ran across this photo today, I'm sure it was taken on one of the many All Deuce Runs Henry was a part off, he is seen here showing off his new T-shirt design. HRP

 

The Dana Red '32 Pickup now resides in Mobile, Al.....my Best Friend and I went to Boomer and picked it up just a few weeks before his passing.....If you couldn't like Henry, you couldn't like anybody.....Godspeed Henry.

 

.........That is one beautiful truck.

 

At72 , 78 doesn't seem good or long !

 

Just a heads up, Kevin is Henry's son. HRP

 

Damn it Man , this has to stop . I’m so sorry to hear this . God Speed Brother , paint it red and drive it like you stole it !

 

I got a PM from Kevin and he now has Henry's roadster. HRP

 

Just a bump ... 'cuz today would have been @DANA RED's 78th Birthday ...

 

Rest in peace my friend! HRP

 

Thanks for the bump @HEMI32 and HRP.

 

Paul Martinez at Rodding USA has a few pages dedicated to my Dad in issue #48. (There’s a lot of great HAMB-friendly cars in this issue as well, so check it out and support print)
Thanks to Greg Southworth for providing Paul with the old magazine features for this piece.