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History Origins: Jon Thorne Racing Enterprises, The Jayhawker 63 plymouth awb car and others.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by dearjose, Dec 21, 2015.

  1. Be careful what you post. Cars past the HAMB year limit will probably get you shut down by the Mods.
     
  2. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

  3. Reman
    Joined: Jul 8, 2010
    Posts: 352

    Reman
    Member
    from Florida

    Interesting thread. I know just a little bit about Jon Thorne. I was told by an old timer who was there. I hope I can remember it ok, but don,t make any heavy bets on it. He was in Valdosta where his parents owned a Ford dealership. As I understand it, his parents were accidently killed when he was a young adult. He inherited everything, and started the racing program. I had never heard of him until a 63 Galaxie, 427, 4 spd showed up at an Old Drag Racers Reunion. The car is one of the Jon Thorne herd, and currently owned by Jerry Kelley of Nashville Ga. I believe Jerry owns a Ford dealership there. I believe I remember something about Jon traveling to Puerto Rico, maybe to do with some racing there. I was also told how his death came about but just do not remember. You could get some info from the Texas Outsiders because Mark Artis of that group was one of Thornes drivers. Also you could find a phone # for the Ford dealer in Nashville Ga, you could likely get all the answers you are looking for. Also, Sol Stewart of Jackson Al. or Bill Dismuke of Donaldsonville, Ga could answer all your questions. I believe that Bill currently owns the Humpin Clyde car. Hope this helps a bit...............
     
  4. elgringo71
    Joined: Oct 2, 2010
    Posts: 3,823

    elgringo71
    Member

    Pictures from the Internet

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
     
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  5. first photo looks like columbus. the second looks like the staging lanes at indy. i was there for both.
     
  6. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Reman thanks for sharing. Does anyone have any pics of the humpin clyde. I haven't been able to find any.
     
  7. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    I haven't been able to find any pics of the 63 z-11 campaigned by Jon Thorne but I've been led to believe it was this car, bought from Bob Tucker. His names on the car. Not sure if he was a driver or owner.
    somebody\'s z-11 with a chute unreal.jpg

    6888_1043148209071473_3872959484973095744_n.jpg

    According to a post i read ages ago by @texoutsider Mark Artis they pitched the crank out the 1st time they ran it so I'm not sure if or for how long they ran this car. As usual looking for more info to keep this post going.
     
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  8. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    New Years bump
     
  9. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,267

    verde742
    Member

    this is a terrible " long shot" I know nothing, but a guy did some body work for me: and has a car that looks "sorta like that" his e-mail is : [email protected]

    Really nice guy and LOVES MOPAR, name is Gil Worel.

    Maybe Just Maybe you will learn from him.
     
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  10. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Sorta like which car? Jayhawker? Z-11?
     
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  11. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

  12. Pat
    Joined: Jan 6, 2002
    Posts: 186

    Pat
    Member
    from Felton Ca.

    Just now learning about Jon Thorne. His dad was Joel Thorne, aire to the Chase Bank fortune. He campaigned Indy cars all through the 30's and 40's. He won in 46. In 1955 he crashed his plane into a Burbank apartment building killing himself and four others. I know Jon's mother left Joel and moved to Georgia. I think Jon was 13 when his dad died.
     
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  13. frank spittle
    Joined: Jan 29, 2009
    Posts: 1,672

    frank spittle
    Member

    Joel Thorne inherited over $30 million depression dollars in 1934 at the age of 10 when his father died. Of course he was not able to spend much of it until reaching adulthood but he lived life in the fast lane for the next 20 years. His wealth allowed him to do anything he wanted and speed on land, water and air in cars and on motorcycles was his passion. He was lucky to live to age 41.
    His son Jon also inherited his fortune at a young age and obviously also inherited his father's "need for speed". I also would like to know more about both.
     
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  14. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Funny i was going to update this thread with some early family history today but you guys pretty much covered joel. His mom had left and moved back to Georgia in the 40' s long b4 the plane crash. Jon was born in 1943 so when u think about it he was nuts deep in all sorts of racing by the time he was 20 years old. He invested some of his $$ in a car dealership in valdosta but ive never been able to find out what makes he sold. He also, like his father, blew a ton of money going fast. I personally have never seen such a diverse team of racecars. My understanding is that he was drafted into the national guard or service in 67 or 68 and never went back to racing. He died in 1989(as we were trying everything to track him down) the owner of a honda dealership. He was 46 years old. Still looking for early photos or info. Thanks to everyone who has participated.
     
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  15. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Another thing thats fuct up is ive looked thru every racing thread around and i cant even find a pic with any of these cars, even in the backround. We're talking hundreds of pages and 2 or 3 pics. Obsess much??? From drag cars in motion, thunderbolt, awb thread, nascar drags, george class, even chevy pages, u name it. Someone has to have some pics somewhere.
     
  16. I stumbled across a few from the super stock nats in virginia. Im driving the jakes speed equipment car. 20160131_140116.jpg 20160131_140106.jpg
     
  17. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Thanks for the pics racer x.
     
  18. I found some more. I truelly have thousands of photos to go through. The first group is from the ss nats richmond. The next pair is columbus for the super car show down. The final pic is also ss nats but from norwalk. The guy with the camera is from espn. We all did a interview on altered wheeldase cars. It apeared on espn speed vision. I have a copy here some where. They showed some great action of all our cars. the white car in the last pics was dan fullers car from eleria ohio. dan was the guy that restored the bud faubel car. 20160202_193402.jpg 20160202_193629.jpg 20160202_193646.jpg 20160202_193653.jpg 20160202_193703.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2016
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  19. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Bump. I finally went to dads and got him to dig out some pics. Will b scanning soon. As always if anyone wants to add feel free.
     
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  20. Race Artist
    Joined: Feb 9, 2008
    Posts: 954

    Race Artist
    Member

    That B&W magazine photo of the Jayhawker is from one of the early issues of Super Stock & Drag Illustrated magazine. The event was the 1965 NASCAR Winter Speedweeks S/S-F/X Bonanza at the Deland, FL/Spruce Creek meet. The car was black. At the time, and pictured in the same issue, was a Chevelle that Thorne owned ... as I recall it also ran a blower. I've never seen another photo of the Chevelle, a '64 as I recall. Last I heard a fellow out in Idaho who has a plating business owns the Jayhawker and has/had it in his showroom. He also restores old stoves. Terry is his first name, last name escapes me at the moment. Great guy, he had, when I was there in 2010 a few Mopars and a modern style '33 Willys "gasser".
    About Bob Tucker's Z-11 Chevy ... the story I heard was that Bill Connell from GA (who had another Z-11 in '63) also owned the car. Whether that was before or after Thorne I don't know.
    Attached are two pictures from the 1990's ... one in the pits at the 1995 S/S Reunion at VA Motorsports Park, the wheelstand one at the 1998 S/S Reunion, Norwalk, OH. Jayhawker_0001.jpg Jayhawker_0002.jpg
     
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  21. Race Artist
    Joined: Feb 9, 2008
    Posts: 954

    Race Artist
    Member

    Bob Tucker was the original owner-driver of the "THUNDER" Z-11 Chevy, 1963 and at least in to 1964.
    Joel

     
  22. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Raceartist thank you for posting. Any info youd be willing to share would be greatly appreciated. I've been trying to find a pic of the chevelle. Ill have to seek out that magazine. Thanks.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2019
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  23. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Had to steal this from the drag cars in motion thread. 95q_zpsd5mvorza.jpg
    Credit to hazguy for posting.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2016
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  24. Kan Kustom
    Joined: Jul 20, 2009
    Posts: 2,739

    Kan Kustom
    Member

    Don Baxter in Lawrence, Kansas has been Racing cars called the Jayhawker since way back. That name drew me to this thread. K. U. (Kansas University Jahawks) was his inspiration for the names of his cars. I didn't think anyone else other than someone from Lawrence, Kansas or that went to K. U. Would have a reason to name their cars Jayhawker. Interesting thread.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2016
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  25. Donald Morgan
    Joined: Mar 13, 2018
    Posts: 5

    Donald Morgan

     
  26. Donald Morgan
    Joined: Mar 13, 2018
    Posts: 5

    Donald Morgan

    This might help. Jon raced as "Joe Simon" for insurance purposes. He is still a legend around Valdosta and South Georgia. Stories such as running his NASCAR racer down the road just for the heck of it. His last racing projects were early 80's Honda Civic. Thing would scream!!
     
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  27. Donald Morgan
    Joined: Mar 13, 2018
    Posts: 5

    Donald Morgan

     
  28. Donald Morgan
    Joined: Mar 13, 2018
    Posts: 5

    Donald Morgan

    Jon owned one of the first Honda dealerships in the southeast. Also owned BMW,Isuzu dealerships. He died in a car wreck when he accidentally dropped a wheel off the asphalt, a 5-6" dropoff. His daughter sued the Georgia DOT over that!
     
  29. Fordors
    Joined: Sep 22, 2016
    Posts: 5,372

    Fordors
    Member

    Great thread, and the most surprising thing was learning that Jon was the son of Joel Thorne.​
     
  30. dearjose
    Joined: Nov 17, 2013
    Posts: 1,013

    dearjose
    Member

    Finally found a couple pics from 86/ 87 20211024_151537.jpg 20211024_151547.jpg 20211024_151620.jpg 20211024_151632.jpg 20211024_151604.jpg
     

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