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History Ken Atkinson - A Texas Hero

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ryan, May 23, 2016.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Ryan submitted a new blog post:

    Ken Atkinson - A Texas Hero

    [​IMG]

    Continue reading the Original Blog Post
     
  2. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
    Member

    That's a very nicely built roadster, but I don't know the fella.
     
    volvobrynk likes this.
  3. SicSpeed
    Joined: Apr 23, 2014
    Posts: 656

    SicSpeed
    Member
    from Idaho

    That is one Bad Ass A roadster.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  4. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,399

    catdad49
    Member

    Great looking and performing roadster! What taillights are those?
     

  5. Wow. That roadster is despicably wicked.

    Sure you found the same stuff ... 1963 obituary with his 34 year old brother Don in a boat accident (Corpus Christi Caller Times), and a 1957 Rockport Drag Race article with the Aransas County Airport hosting the Corpus Christi Timing Association president Don Atkinson, and 200 cars .... 75 from Corpus Christi.

    A "Melvin Bevly is bringing his Bonneville record setting roadster ... 153.910 on a 2 way average ... holding strip records in Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Laredo, Edinburg, Houston and New Braunfels"(The Victoria Advocate - June 20th, 1957 -- races for July 4th). Gotta' be the same car, ya' think ?

    Same article notes Ken's '52 Ford powered by a '57 supercharged Cadillac engine. Notes Willy Schumacher, the Poor Boys Club, the Alamo Timing Association, the Greater Houston Timing Association, the Laredo Road Runners, the Rio Grande Valley Timing Association, the Robstown Rebels, a number of cars from Victoria, and Austin too.

    I'll try to attach the article, when I figure out how to. Thanks for the post.

    EDIT: all I can do is add a clicky/Ryan you're probably better with these crazy archive news tabs maybe ? I can't grab it. >>
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=I1YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2721,5683384&hl=en

    Also, a June 30, 1957 article from Corpus Christi Caller Times that I can't post legibly able to read, discussing to same races.

    The roadster was built by Ken Atkinson, but then sold to Wesley Bevly in 1957 after the 1956 Speed Trial run .... Melvin/Wesley misprint (?) ... in any event there is a racing team with a Wes Bevly and a Wes Bevly IV out of Corpus Christi for the Facebook'ers >>>

    https://www.facebook.com/BevlyWilsonRacing/

    Six degrees of separation theory and all .... Ryan, you probably know these guys .... racing and small world and such. ( Where's the roadster, and what happened to Ken, please ?? )

    Last edit/note - February 1957 Hot Rod magazine, pages 22, and 23 ... "Texan With A Title"

    KenAtk.jpg KenAtk2.jpg KenAtk3.jpg

    If you haven't already figured it out, I love posts like this. Look how sanitary that thing is, while still a beast of lightning. Thanks again !!
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2016
  6. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Fast and pretty, nice combination. Something tells me it was blue. Any color pictures exist?
     
    volvobrynk likes this.
  7. treb11
    Joined: Jan 21, 2006
    Posts: 3,948

    treb11
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    gorgeous car.
     
  8. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    There was at least 1 other Texas car featured from around that time - Garland Stewart's roadster. It's still in the family.

    june-1958-hot-rod-magazine.jpg Stewart Deuce (3).jpg
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2016
    catdad49 and kidcampbell71 like this.
  9. Raiman1959
    Joined: May 2, 2014
    Posts: 1,427

    Raiman1959

    I love that look and stance with his car!!!....simply a beautiful car indeed!;)
     
  10. Sorry I can't add anything more on Ken. The roadster though was previously owned by Bill Stovall but at that time (1955) the roadster ran a 303 Olds.

    bill-stovall 1.jpeg bill-stovall 2.jpg bill-stovall.jpeg
     
  11. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks Kid just makin it easier to read...Nice car indeed. Man the speeds these things went. Long slinky one...
    RightsideUp1.jpg RightsideUp2.jpg RightsideUp3.jpg
     
  12. TexasHardcore
    Joined: May 30, 2003
    Posts: 5,030

    TexasHardcore
    Member
    from Austin-ish

    I spoke with Wes Bevly's grandson last week, but he doesn't know much about the history. He said he would ask his family if they have any info/photos, but I haven't heard back from him. Might try Gizzlehopper owner Travis Perrenot ("Beep" on here), like me, he's a native of Corpus Christi and I think he bought Melvin Bevly's dragster, but I haven't confirmed that. I'll put the feelers out to Bob Veselka and LeRoy Mackey, and my other drag racer contacts in CC for more info as well...
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  13. KKrod
    Joined: Jun 20, 2010
    Posts: 1,454

    KKrod
    Member

    Nice car.
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2016
  14. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,092

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Reminds me of @Malcolm 's roadster at a glance. Very cool
     
    Malcolm likes this.
  15. dad-bud
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 3,884

    dad-bud
    Member

    Ryan, thanks for starting another somewhat random but extremely thought-provoking thread that displays huge respect for the people who helped start hot rodding.
    Rodding magazines have died out since the internet took their oxygen away from them. We are just so lucky that you have set such a high standard and have provided us with their modern quality replacement.
    It's a shame we don't have politicians, business and other society leaders who have your moral ethic and respect.
    Oh yeah, and the roadster looks great.
    Cheers
    DB
     
  16. Gabe Fernando
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 309

    Gabe Fernando
    Member

    The tail lights look like '50 Pontiac. They could be '50 Pontiac with 'altered' bezels. If not, I don't have a clue. Anyone?
     
    Bam.inc likes this.
  17. .....another interesting picture for a thread bump. Earlier in life, some differences .... but lots of similarities.... same car ?? No cowl vent, no door handles, peaked '32 grille, nice channel .... different hood top/sides, and exhaust .... hmmmmm.
    [​IMG]
     
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  18. No, not the same car, that is a '32 belonging to Charles O'Connor of the Outriders, pic is from 1947.
     
  19. Dang it !! So much for my next picture share. Thanks Jimmy B. I thought I may have found the car in Wichita Falls Texas. Now I need to dive back in and re-evaluate. Cross eyed Texan out.
     
  20. Dammit! Now you got me curious, please post the pic I would like to see it.
     
  21. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    The car in Wichita Falls is probably Garland Stewart's car in post 8. That's were it is.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  22. ha. Yep, confirmation of rookie mistake. Garland's car is bad ass !!!! Delete me, as I bow out .... and merely stay a fan from here on out. Buy parts, and keep reading. Happy Saturday !!!
     
  23. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    This thread rules.
     
  24. Terry Stewart
    Joined: Aug 24, 2016
    Posts: 1

    Terry Stewart

    The purple roadster was built by Garland Sanders Stewart. It was purchased in 1955. Is was in Hot Rod in June 1958 with red paint and a flat head. In 1959 it was fitted with a small block with corvette fuel injection and the purple paint job. His son Garland Lee Stewart drag raced the car with a 302 Chevy in 1964 and 1965. The car is still in the family and owned by Garland's other son Paul Stewart. It was featured in HotRod 2013 again in their history of hot rodding series. All of the chrome work is still from a plating shop in Omaha that was plated in 1959.

    I am a 3rd generation Stewart and I have a 1930 Ford Victoria built by Garland and Paul in 1983.
    Terry Stewart

    http://www.hotrod.com/articles/history-of-hot-rodding-1940s-1950s/
     
    catdad49, cactus1, elgringo71 and 3 others like this.
  25. Ken Atkinson is my grandfather. Ryan, I sent an email through the contact us link. My grandmother came across this article and sent it to me. This is awesome to see all these old pictures. Please contact me and I can try to give you more info.
     
    AndersF, catdad49, KKrod and 6 others like this.
  26. Very cool! That roadster was a very nice build, especially for back then!
     
  27. James Crawford
    Joined: Jun 22, 2018
    Posts: 1

    James Crawford

    I think I knew your grandfather from Corpus Christ. Did he move toward Utah with his son? (Possibly your dad?). One of his last cars was a silver Mustang Mach 1?
     
    AndersF likes this.
  28. Abeal
    Joined: Nov 30, 2018
    Posts: 1

    Abeal

    WESLEY
    My father is Wesley Melvin Bevly. He went by Melvin after his son with the same name was born in 1957. So not a misprint. Wes Bevly (my brother) is an owner of Bevly Wilson Racing. Melvin Bevly died in 1981 of cancer. He bought the car from Ken Atkinson. I believe he sold the roadster in 59.
     
    AndersF and kidcampbell71 like this.

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