After posting about Isky's 99th birthday this morning i got too thinking about some of our other hot rod pioneers and wondering the age of some of them who are still with us. I'm guessing Alex Xydias would be next but how many original pioneers of the hobby are still with us from back in the day?
Tommy Ivo is 84 this year, and Gene Adams is around 80. Tom Prufer is also in his 80's, all made their mark in the sport/hobby so popular here.
Don Prudome, Jim Dunn, also there's a guy who tunes old FED's that wears square glasses. Don't know his name, but he's pretty cool.
Connie Kalitta, the "Bounty Hunter". Raced 427 SOHC's in top fuel and had a fair amount of success with them.
Well, those might be famous hot rod heros, but my hot rod hero is my friend George Hopfer who is now a bit over 80. Why is he my hero you might ask? He's the fellow who had hot rods, motorcycles and a circle track '40 Ford when I was growing up in my very small town. He, more than anyone else, is probably responsible for me having a lifetime love affair with cars and motorcycles....and airplanes too! Now you can get back to the famous guys....... Lynn
Got a guy that maybe some know or some don’t who was around when all of this was going down in the 40’s I’m thinking he was born in 1928????? His name is George Wilson, lives in Hot Rod Historic Temple City, but grew up in El Sereno just over the hill from the very famous Legion Ascot Raceway, went to Wilson High and perhaps Alhambra as he milled heads for M/T in machine shop. I can tell you this, only one of those names above has had his Hot Rod longer than George and that’s Isky. George bought his in 48, but had it in his possession as a partner since he was 18. It’s street raced, drag raced and land speed raced in the early days how many guys can say that today? He’s owned the makings of the Super Bell Coupe and Jimmy Shine’s dads high school hot rod 34. To this day he’s got a chopped 40 P/U that’s Hemi Powered, he!s got. Hot Rod 57 T-Bird that he bought brand new and went right to modifying it which is still a project. A cool 33 Delivery project and countless other things. 92 years young and still going at it.
Hello, Isn't it trying to be contemporary with grace in the last years? (or is it icons not heroes) The sad thing is all of the abuse in the first 79 years is taking its toll on the old skeleton and body. You play rough in your teens and 20-30 somethings and pay for it in the 60s-70s and just slow down/kick back in the 80s. Jnaki It is a generation that is history in the making. Those that grew up in the 40s to the 60s as kids and teens are now close to that 80 mark. Whoa is me... whew! I can already feel the creaky bones and joints laughing all the way to taking a nice nap. "Wake me when its over..."
The Jalopy Journal
