History Driving the Kookie Kar back to 1958

I think given Von Franco's nuts on clones of the 1st and 2nd versions of the car, it would have been great for it to get restored to the "Watson/Street" version. I was amazed that it sold for as much as it did given the 2 Von Franco clones among others that are out there.

 

Thanks for all the great Norm pictures and stories. I'd love to hear what was going on between him and the chef!

 

The Chef is just asking how fast it goes once you get the Kookie Cooking...

 

thanks really enjoyed the reads !!!

 

I wonder who this little gaffer is? ..Nephew, niece?


That kid's in for a wild ride I bet!!

Dave

 

That's his niece, Mary. See keeps his Facebook page up to date and probably many other things pertaining to her Uncle Norm.

 

@catdad49 is correct...
Below quoted from Hotrod article...



A family photo of Norm with his father Tony, his niece Mary, and the already-well-known car. Note the tailpipe and shifter knob, which differ from the variations on the Car Craft cover.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/norm-grabowski-the-entertainer/

​

 

Neat bunch of photos..kind of reassuring not everyone had aFrank Kurtis building their cars.

Sent from my SM-G930P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Wow!! Does Normy-poo look like his dad!

Dave

 

DNA is amazing...sometimes we are near clones...Those two shots actually look a year or two apart based on Norm and the child...I hope my connection to the Niece is correct...

 

Hey uncle Norm your eyes aren’t watering from running rich, it’s the load in my drawers.


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

 

Norm was crazy about his niece -
more updates on the rebuild please

 

Although I've known Roy (& the entire Brizio family) since 1968, I have no "special access pass" ... other than I "follow" Roy on Facebook & on Instagram via my iPhone.

FYI ... The "deskgram" webpage (pics & video) that @Blue One found are actually the desktop computer version of Roy's Instagram feed.

NOTE: Since November 18th, there has been zero (Facebook / Instagram) updates on the Kookie Kar restoration ... Roy's shop is very busy getting multiple cars finished for the GNRS in January.

 

I appreciate your updates as they come along public or not. The fact you have a fairly close friendship with the family even better. The Kookie Car is like no other first priorities and sequencing are what they are. Thanks for your continued reporting as they happen.

 

Mark - D'oh! ... I just realized I never posted these pics:

images by Roy Brizio (from his November 14th Facebook feed)
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^^ That's great, was it mentioned, was that with the car the whole time, or did they have to go and find it? Looks like it's in amazing shape even, considering.

 

Any up dates, As they say patently waiting.

 

today is Norms birthday he would have been 86 today.
I have really enjoyed this post, and getting to see how the kookie T was constructed. I have not spotted a speck of blue paint on it so far. I hope the updates continue!

 

Here's the first update of 2019 from ROY BRIZIO STREET RODS shop in South San Francisco, CA ...

... Andrik Albor giving the vintage tin a little massage:

image by Roy Brizio (from his February 12th Facebook feed)​

... and Dan Aguirre giving the T chassis some much needed repairs:

images by Roy Brizio (from his February 13th Facebook feed)​

 

I was in my early 'teens when 77 Sunset Strip aired, and I was swept away by it, particularly Norm's car. I visited Norm at his home here in Arkansas a few years before he passed. I asked him what had happened to the Kookie car (I didn't know), and he looked at the floor and shook his head. He was visibly upset about what had been done to it. He was a gracious host to me, gave me a full tour of his wood-carving area in the basement and his house and shop and vehicles, and I really appreciated that. What a great guy! At that time, I had started working on the car in my avatar but put it out back of my shop while I worked on some other project which seemed more important at the time. I told him about it, and he encouraged me to get back on it. I asked him to autograph one of the copies of the Life magazine cover (he had a stack of them). He wrote, "Mike -- Finish that car! -- Norm Grabowski." That cover is framed and holds a special place of honor in my shop. I'm sorry I didn't get the car finished in time to take him for a ride. I am SO glad that his car is being restored.

 

Wow! some of that original welding is scary... But I suppose thats the way it was in the day. Super happy to see it coming together

 

The frame seems to be bent ??

 

After seeing the videos of him driving the crap out of it I am not surprised.

 

Making some progress at ROY BRIZIO STREET RODS shop in South San Francisco, CA:

R&D on the Kookie project and final mock-up ... image from the March 1st roybriziostreetrods Instagram feed


Jack @jakespeed55 Stratton hard at work





images by Roy Brizio (from his March 7th Facebook feed)​

 

Hey thanks

 

Great to see these progress reports from the shop that was previously known Andy’s Instant T.
It is only fitting to see Roy’s Shop making this iconic 4 bar wishboned icon return to the Hot Rodding Publics Eye. This T as well as Ivo’s made so many young guys want to do a dupe of these two Hot Rods that both actually hit the strip.
It created the whole Fad T Movement and Cal Automotive In North Hollywood made a bunch of bucks aiding these young enthusiasts in fulfilling their dreams!!!! Andy’s Instant T’s went on to win “”The Oakland Roadster Show” and Gene Scott’s “Boss T’s” hit the streets and Roadster shows of So-Cal and beyond.
Kent Fuller added a rear engine German engineered boxer designed power plant and he, Tom Medley and others cleaned many unsuspecting victims clocks, by having this power to weight advantage.
Many enthusiasts have Norm to thank as well as all of the guys that helped make this Life Magazine featured Hot Rod a stunner.
These days, if one appreciates the “Watson Street Version”, secure the cast off parts from its current care taker and perhaps “The Dayton Driver” could once again represent Jimmy “Street” Skonsakis’ version and feature it next to the freshly restored GSII in “Chi Town” .

 

Gosh,, you just couldn't be LESS INFORMED !!!! Andy's Instant T fame was when Roy was about 12 years old.

Roy came out of the ANDY" S collection of children, But Roy established his own business and way of doing things,
I am sure Andy would agree, Roy and his staff , have become one of the premiere builders of fine street rods and customs. Let's not be to hasty to give ANDY kudos for Roy's body of work.

Al-tho Andy provided the seed, well planted in a young Roy,
Roy has become the beacon for Super Cars and derivable Hot Rods. IMO

 

Been following the build on Roy's website and every so often wake up in the middle of the night to watch 77 Sunset Strip on ME TV in hopes of seeing the Kookie car. Watched it as a kid and still enjoy it.