Vintage shots from days gone by!

Paula Murphy

 

Hooked on cars for life!!!
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MERCY!

Ben

 

Elvis is at the wheel in the movie "Loving You", but it's John Athan's roadster. One of the country's first hot rods, built in 1939, he owned the car until his passing in 2016. He spoke many times of selling the car to the Smithsonian, but never reached an agreement. But, with the money he made from the movie, he paid cash for his first and only house.

John was a close friend of Ed Iskenderian for almost 90 years! He and Isky actually went to elementary school together and remained life-long friends. I had the privilege, on numerous occasions, of having lunch with John, Isky, Howard Johansen, Nick Arias, Don Weaver, and bunch of other regulars at Fabulous Burger in Gardena, CA. Nick Arias, Howard Johansen, Don Weaver and John Athan are gone now, but Isky and a few others still go there. Some of the earliest and greatest automotive speed innovators.

 

Moreover, I'd bet that car (if he built it and if that is his garage) didn't have bubblegum welds, or dodgy "design" or hap-hazard construction

 

Brookings, OR


And the other end of the Oregon Coast:

 

I remember reading somewhere that Iskys' roadster was initially built by John Athan with Isky making various changes to it, but I don't recall seeing photos of it prior to Isky acquiring it.
Now that I think about it; the article had a photo of John and Isky with the roadster in front of
?Mercury? Tool and Die, possibly Johns' business.
Funny story.
Some years back while I was in my space at the Portland Swap Meet I caught a glimpse of who I thought was Isky slowly walking down the aisle, stopping at various tables and looking at misc. stuff, as he got closer I realized I was right, he was looking at some extremely old wrenches and was carrying a few already.
I wanted to stop and shake his hand but just couldn't bring myself to interfere with his quiet time.

 

I always figured that set up was for guys that didn't actually do much work. Imagine reaching for something with greasy hands ....

 

Jarvis Earl's Buick V8 dragster, 1956, photo by Norm Grudem.

 

I bet she loves those bumps in the road