Folks Of Interest Your first visit to a Speed Shop

My first speed shop was Ulster Automotive in Kingston, NY, around 1961. The owner was Joey Cornelski who I became friends with. Bought parts there for my first hot rod, a '47 Ford tudor with a 283 Chevy. Later when I went to auto trade school in Morrisville, NY ('62-'64), having swapped my 283 into a '34 pickup, I would go to Auto Finishers in Syracuse, NY. They had racks of used speed equipment on consignment to pick through.

 

Mine too in 61. To get motor mounts, trans. adapter plate and a dropped tie-rod.

 

I was born in Mason City. Our house was on North Federal, right next to Hassies Drive in, and about 6 blocks south was Imperial Kustoms. It was 1963. I would ride my Schwinn down there on Sunday, and look through the garage window in the alley. Though not a speed shop, Delmer Clausen painted many hot rod and race cars I had seen in magazines. One day, peering through the windows, there sat Bill Maverick's "Little Red Wagon", and a couple of other cars in primer. I was already building model cars then, but the sight of that shop is still in my mind.
Later we moved to Denver. I had finished my '32 , and was in Ft. Collins where I met Frank Sewalt. Turns out, He worked for Delmer back when I was riding my bike as a kid! Frank had a busy body shop, and painted many of the nicest street rods around here, just like Delmer back in Mason City.

 

I would say 1965 a trip to Vic Hubbard Speed Shop Hayward Ca. For a set Dougs Headers . Al Hubbard was on the end of building for machine work and. Ashland Grinding was across the street for Crank Shaft work.

 

Van Iderstein speed shop Hanover NJ a little shop next to "Tony Feils" race engines. Sometime around 1961 with a purchase of a "Mor- drop" axle for my 1930 Ford coupe!

 

Went to some when I was a kid with my dad when we lived in SoCal. Too young to remember which ones. When we moved to the Central Valley, I started going out to Speedframe in Farmersville, ran by Al Vanderslice. Was always out there for a while, usually talking to Al and hearing the racing stories. I happened to go out there a couple of months ago, hadn’t been there in a few years. Al was still there, said he was sorting his Hot Rod mags and was up to 1960.

 

My first was in 1960-61, I finally talked my Dad into actually going inside Shell’s in Santa Monica, Ca. On our Saturday/Sunday morning rides we often looked in the windows but didn’t go inside, Dad was funny about that, if we weren’t buying anything he didn’t want to go in. It was a wonderland of stuff.
Fast forward five years, I’m 15 and we were at Shell’s buying a Thickstun 2x2 intake manifold and one rebuildable 97 carb. That would go on my ‘40 Ford coupe. IIRC, the manifold was $12.50 and the carb was something like $1.75. They threw in the link that hooked the two carbs together.
The last time I was in a Speed Shop was PAW (Performance Auto Warehouse) in the smaller facility that they had moved into in SFV. Still the same feeling, it was a wonderland of Hemis, blowers and parts. They had a blown Olds in the showroom along with blown Chrysler’s, a Potvin blown SBC and 4 spd Hydros. I keep telling myself to go up to Tognotti’s before they’re gone but I haven’t gone yet.

 

Someone mentioned "Super Shops", a chain store type speed shop that seemed to be everywhere. I went in with a friend to get something to wake up his 350 Nova, the counter guys advise was "Edelbrock intake, Sig Erson cam, Holley 600". Went back later with someone else that had a 440 Mopar.... "Edelbrock intake, Sig Erson cam, Holley 600". My 289 Mustang, "Edelbrock intake, Sig Erson cam, Holley 600" . I think if I went in looking for parts for a Briggs and Stratton it would have been the same. I did buy a lot of parts from PAW auto parts in the San Fernando valley, big on engine kits.

 

Yup, my first visit to Radkes was around the same time for pretty much the same reason, a steering arm and some cast aluminum Trans Dapt headlight stands for my T project.

 

Hedden's Performance. About 1986 or so for me.

I spent a lot of time daydreaming at the counter in this place, watching Paul wind himself up in a phone cord taking orders or talking parts. Jesse was the first person in my life to extend me a line of credit. The store closed about a year ago so Paul could enjoy retirement, but still stands today in Springfield, MO.

 

The “Go Shop” in Lansing, Michigan. About 1983. I bought a set of small block Chevy headers, chrome valve covers, dip stick, and timing cover for my first Hot Rod. It was a (slightly) OT Nova.

 

First "Speed Shop" I remember was "Hank's Speed Shop"(long gone) in Berwyn, PA where I bought my first parts(a set of Isky valve springs). It was the place to go to for "D&A Speedsport Racing Oil" when we were in HS. Later got introduced to K&G Speedshop(bought my first Vertex there in '65 when they were in the old store). Went off to school & found "Rundles Speed Shop" in Tempe, AZ(Home of "Rundle's Grocery Getter" dragcar) in '68. Then in the early '70s got out to CA (Bay Area) & found "Rigsby Crankshaft", then later Norm Rapp's & Ashland Crankshaft & Bailey Brother's,(& of course on line "Speedway"), & "Tognotti's" & of course "Rex Hutchison's".

 

Norm always answered the phone, "Zoom,Zoom, Norm Rapp Racing Equipment". What a great guy, and pretty good wheel in a race car, as well.

 

Probably Vic Hubbard's Speed and Marine in Hayward, CA in 66 or 67. Before that I mostly just bought from them by mail order, along with getting stuff from JC Whitney and Ford Parts Obsolete.

 

B&H Speed Shop in the early 70's. Stopped in late on a Saturday looking for a push rod and rocker arm for my 100,000 mile 389 GTO. George went in back and returned with my parts and handed them across the counter. I asked him what I owed him he said "nothing, get out of here and go fix it". Great guy and a great place to spend my hot rod dollar.

 

My first visit to a speed shop was going with a friend and his brother to Joe Jacono`s in Chester ,Pa. His brother was buying a shifter for the 56 chevy that we went there in. Joe and another guy were working on his dragster in the shop. We were there for over two hours watching them work and listening to Joe`s stories. I left there thinking that if drag racing was that much fun I wanted to be involved in it.

 

Mine was Honest Charley’s with my dad. Probably late 70’s. I remember it was very busy

 

Hello,

It was 1957 and my brother had just bought his first 1951 Oldsmobile two door sedan. His friend already had a 1934 Ford coupe with an Oldsmobile motor and ran it at Lion’s Dragstrip. So, my brother’s goal was to have a car that could compete against or with his friend’s 34 5 window coupe.

So, in his quest to get some speed stuff, he took me to Reath Automotive on 10th and Cherry. It was a small corner space with an “L” shaped building. One side was the work area and the other was the parts area. We were amazed at what was usually going on there. Most of the top racers in Long Beach got their stuff there. The machine shop was usually busy doing modifications as well as producing custom parts.

Of course, "BIG" Joe Reath was front and center. He usually met and talked to anyone that would listen to his words of wisdom. At first, we were just a couple of young kids looking for some speed parts. Once my brother bought something, then we were going to be long time customers, so the friendliness was part of the “aura” of the speed shop.

From that early exposure, Reath Automotive was our home speed shop. If they did not have what was on the purchase list, they could make it or order it. As we continued to go there over the years, we always got a lesson on drag racing history, build discussions and talked/listened to the wisdom of Joe Reath. It did not matter that we were teenagers, he knew the feeling of being in our shoes, with the anxious ideas and mystery that surrounded drag racing aficionados.

His business sense could see that future builds and purchases needed some attraction. His knowledge of hot rod builds and drag racing history was stupendous. It was always a learning experience when we drove over to Reath Automotive. His wife, Dellie, ran the store and the workers were racers, in themselves. We never had a bad day or had been given anything except for assurances on the products and services from everyone associated with Reath Automotive.


Jnaki

By 1959 late and all through our 1940 Willys builds, Joe Reath supported our trek. With his suggestions and machine shop, we were able to get our little 283 up to 292, full blower spec parts and modified our 671 supercharger so we could put them all together. He saw the running 283 with Strombergs and knew we were on the way to a great build experience. So, he had plenty of suggestions on the new 292 build parts and accessories.

The experience we got from the time in/at his Reath Automotive Speed Shop was for us, very eye opening and gave us a good attitude about doing the right thing in our build procedures plus parts. By the end of the summer of 1960, we were in talks with a sponsorship for our Willys build. Joe Reath knew we were going to finish the Willys in time for the U.S. Nationals in Detroit. All of the additional speed parts had been ordered and we had suggestions of where the lettering was going to be placed.

Thanks, Joe and Dellie…

Legend of Lions

 

As I recall, one of the smart guys there, his name was Dave. This was late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
I remember they built engines, but don’t recall if they had a machine shop in back.
Did you ever go to Nobles? Guy was kind of a hard ass. I think it might be the Nobles that has the place that caters to off-road stuff now, but in a different place on McHenry.
There was another shop around Sisk I’ve been trying to recall since this thread was started, but escapes me.
I’d suppose you also knew about Reddig Brothers? Not a speed shop but could build some good engines. My dad went to HighSxhool with Dave.

 

After suffering through two training vehicles comes a Camaro with 350 4 speed. My first visit to a speed shop was for headers, air shocks for the rear and a cam and lifters. And off I went. Never minded spending money on performance parts. I drove that car hard. Realizing later that things like another set of rear tires, replacement clutch, brakes and tickets was costing good money, I learned to slow down a bit. Now, I can't even remember the last time I did a smokey burn out.

 

For me it was also Super Shops in Des Moines IA mid 80's. I went there every day to view all those wonderful parts hanging from the pegboard walls. The first part I bought was a set of gold Moroso valve covers for my 351c in my mustang and of course a T shirt, I wore that yellow shirt for years. The building is still there, it's now a muffler shop, but every time I drive by I'm taken back to 1984. I love the convenience of online shopping but I miss hanging out with others who share my passion for cars.

 

In the fifties, there were three manufacturers located on or around 30th and Adam’s Ave. in San Diego: Shiefer Flywheels, Ed “Axle” Stewart and Autopower. We would ride our bikes from South Park and hang out until Paul or Ed would run us off. Lots of interesting cars around the shops.

 

Jim Greens Speed Center, early '70's, Lynnwood WA. If you were lucky enough to get past the counter boy's there were things to see in the fabrication & machine shop area......................

 

Johnson's Speed Shop in Lansing, MI was my first one, around 1986 or so. It's called Johnson's Speed Warehouse now, I haven't been in there in years. Seems like there used to be a '66 or'67 Nova sitting in the back room there that I always wondered about...

 

More recent but a must see was Bucky Austin's play house, "We Did It For Love"
Bucky's Play House (wediditforlove.com)

 

Douglas Auto Parts in Kalamazoo MI. Had a part of building dedicated to Speed Equipment. I worked there while in College at Western MI University. I was building the motor for my 1959 Corvette and their contacts were a real help to me. They sold everything to me at cost. The owner rebuilt my Muncie and it proved bulletproof.

 

My dad knew Dave, my brother work for him. The Only Nobles I remember was the Napa on 10th and H. There is the off road place but I don't know the relationship if any. Bell and Gaines does have a machine shop in the rear, I was talked with Bobby Gaines recently, he was building a hot 261 Chevy for a customer. Dads name is George Dunger, maybe you knew each other?

 

I bought my 1st car, a '35 5W, in '58 when I was 13. My buddy Vic and I would ride our bikes to Ford Obsolete, that was located on Hollywood Blvd, and look at all the flathead speed parts. I bought a pair of Evans high compression finned aluminum heads and we each carried one on our bikes to my grandmothers home where I kept my coupe. So that was the 1st speed shop I visited and just one of many local shops to supply parts for my hot rods. There were many great speed shops to visit including Bell Auto Parts, Newhouse Auto, Blairs, Glendale Speed Center and others.

 

my first "serious" purchase, 1976. four-barrel intake and isky 400 jr. for my flathead.

 

i remember couch's. used to get their newsletter!