Folks Of Interest Washington State Hot Rodding Legends

This is going to surprise a lot of readers because until now Washington has been known as, "that state where it rains everyday."

The State of Washington has produced a surprising number of Builders, Racers, Manufacturers and Patrons who have created, believed in and lived their art to a degree notoriety.
The purpose of this thread is to create and give honor to our heroes who have inspired us. Of course there will the big names that everyone knows and of course they deserve their credit. I'm also looking for the guys who didn't make it to the "Big Time". Maybe the old guy down the street who raced way back in the day or really knew how to "sling some lead". Let's also not forget our current artisans who are struggling to keep their shop going or expressing their art in their own way. I could start this list but that would be biased and limited to my experiences.
So let's make a list of who is, or was, the "man" who influenced, amazed or taught us
"The Way". You may even want to mention those who wrote the big check to have a craftsman build a "Dream Machine", just for the art of it.
Let's put Washington Gearheads on the map!
PICTURES PLEASE, IF YA GOT 'EM.

 

Jerry Ruth would be a good start. Mike Lavalle of Killer Paint in Monroe. Jim Greene.

 

Rick of Walrus Machine in Ballard.......Also Hill machine(now closed) Don't know the old timers first name....but he was a pretty big name back in the day from what I understand.

 

Dick Page, old time hot rodder and builder. One time LA Roadster associate member and excellent paint guy. He also had a car TV show in Washington called I think Cruisin Northwest. Also wrote articles for many hot rod magazines. Was/ maybe still is a member of the Old Timers Northwest out of Tacoma. Pat.

 

2nd the Jim "engines by Cricket" Green nomination. I'd also like to propose Roy Delaney (RIP) as a mentor to many hotrodders and customizers in E Wa in the mid 50s to late 60s. You folks in car clubs can probably go on for pages....still some great builders (rods AND sleds) in WA on both sides of the Cascades.

dj

 

I'll throw Marshal's name into the pot, it's been a long time since I was in the NW but he was doing it the right way for a long time.

 

Doesn't surprise me at all. There are so many nice cars in Washington, and twice as many super cool car guys. I can think of a few more local legend types too. Good guys, all of them.

 

I think that Gary Beck was originally from Washington before moving to Canada, would nominate him...and Dick Kalivoda, Doug Rice, Norton Brothers, Bob Haines (was originally from Washington, I think, ran the Haines & Cross fueler, one of the original "n-lift" guys)...lots of others, lots of great hot rodders from Washington...

 

Me!!! Though I'm not that famous yet

 

Bill Ross-customs. Don Lowe-customs. Bob Tindel orange Crate-Ben Jewet in Longview was the best Chev wrench I ever knew and Tony Schape was a Mopar master.

 

How about Art Morrison? He has built a couple chassis around here I think...

 

The late Bob Hill out of Yakima who was a top custom painter, mural painter, pinstriper and one fine aircraft artist. He also taught graphic arts at Perry Trade in later years. PNW old timers will remember his T bucket Nudity or the candy apple red 32 coupe he built that still runs the same candy paint job over 20 years later.

Paul Harper who has built and or restored/rebuilt several notable NW customs. He also has punched a lot of louvers for NW rodders and custom car folks.
His first custom that I know of was a chopped mid 40's Mopar sedan that was shown in Seattle and other indoor shows in the early 60's. I still have the show program with that one in it. Other cars he built or redid are:

Red Rage sectioned 56 Buick that he pulled out of a shops lot in the Seattle/Tacoma area and rebuilt including welding a new top on to replace the one that had been cut off in the 60's in an attempt to install a bubble top on the car. Shown here with another NW car legend Bob Jasper of Jasper's Bitchin Stitchin in Tacoma who was contemplating the interior he was going to stitch up for the car. The car now has a different owner and is some shade of Champagne pink and shows up regularly at PNW car events.


MS Merc a chopped 51 Merc running a full flathead.

His 41 Ford that came out the Tacoma area and is an old NW custom

The 51 Cad that is his latest (that I know of effort.
I don't think that he has built a car expressly for someone else but there is always someone waiting for him to tire of one of the cars he has.

 

X2 for Dick Page and his 32 with the "Stealth Bomber" paint.

Also Dave Mathison, Mark Cain, Lundy Adkins and Mike Mullins all build nice stuff. There are too many others to name. Anyone that has ever gone on a garage tour of Kitsap county and the Tacoma area would be suprised to know how much history is hidden in all the garages from original 50's cover cars, full customs and FED's.

 

Hey Craig,
add these if ya like,.
Striper Donn Trethewey, Port Townsend
Maxwell's metal Works - Marysville
D & L Restoration- Everett,

-41-

 

MacDonald, Sorte, Bowers, Whitworth, Jensen, Weiskind, Grossman, Stieber, Samuelson, Gustafson, Lazore, Washington, Grant, Walrath, Perry, Kalivoda, Green, Fish, Duffy, Rice,
Dennett, Hatcher, Walsh, Liesmaki, Watson, Budschat, Kirkwood, Sterett, Zornes, Williams, Mooring,
and several I left out because they were known cheaters.

 

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
Can you expound, please?
Who did what and all.
Anyone got pictures?

 

Gee thanks, that's some real fine last names, but Who, Where, When and Why?
Not everyone is as "in the know" as you.
Let's give them their due respect.

 

Jim Van Cleve Sr and Jr.

 

John Barbero from Pyramid Street Rods in Bellingham.

 

There is not enough space on the internet to cover what these people did and I don't have time to write a book about it...The true history buff and statistician will be able to ferret out most of the info but I think it would be a full time job.
There were national record holders in the list along with very well known Indy and sprint car drivers....All fond memories.

 

Don Hall from around Isaquah ran some mean straight eight Buicks, from down Wapato way Kenny Wofford and crew,they did it all. Circle tracks at Yakima in Lincolns, built rods and sleepers in the shop North of wapato. Wayne Gaffnee's machine shop in Yakima turned out some nice stuff.

 

and a third for Jim Green, Capt Cammer.

 

Oh yea, spend many a Sunday watching Jr tear um up. Lets not forget Dave Wren & Ivan Stuart.

 

The "DUKES" always came up with nice rods at the "Car-D-Lane".
Spent a lot of time watching Jerry Ruth, Kenny Goodell, and the Rain For Rent cars at SIR Spokane, Boise and Pocatello over the years. Between Washington and Portland there were a LOT of good drag cars.

 

The Kost Family, Pete, Bill, and Dino. Factory Oldsmobile racers since the late 60's.

 

not directly in washington but just over the border and having done a ton of washington cars. Mitch Kim a fantastic pinstriper.

 

I didn't notice mention of some of our oval track racers like Greg Biffle ,Kasey Kahne Jerry Grant , Tom Sneva and Derrik Cope to name a few

 

I think Jerry Grant and Tom Sneva are the only 2 in your list that would qualify for
"olde tymers"...I went to high school with Jerry and was the one that got him interested in circle racing..He never let it go to his head..he is still a neat guy...

 

Dick Flynn

 

I remember staring at Bob Davidson's shoebox custom when I was nine years old. It hooked me in, bad.

Now I'm thirty-eight, and I just saw the same car, looking almost exactly the same, a few weeks ago at Puyallup.

Hell of a pinstriper, to say the least.

And let's not forget Al Book, from my 'hood in Burien. Metal shaping and welding you could hang on a wall in a museum. Plus a super humble and genuine guy.