This maybe old news for some but i just read online Al "Mousie" Marcellus died peacefully this morning who ran the famous "Winged Express" T altered with Wild Willie Borsch.(sp)
Spoke with him more than a few times. Very nice guy, easy going and...full of stories. As these pioneers leave us, sad days for all of us into the great old days of drag racing. Mike
Only knew him from talking in the pits, but always felt like he was an old friend. Another legend gone to the big meet in the sky. R.I.P. Mousie hope to see you again some day.
I met Mousie in the staging lanes at the 1968 Indy Nationals, he was holding a glass jar with Willy’s pet tarantula in it while Willy napped, he was narcoleptic. Godspeed Al.
I was lucky enough to hear some of his stories at the Hot Rod Reunion. Didn’t hold back on the expletives, which of course made the stories even funnier. He will be missed. Man, that was nine years ago! I’m getting old too I guess.
I was afraid of this. I haven't seen him at the track or heard much about him for a while, thought maybe old age and health might have caught up with him. As someone said, he was a treat to talk to at the drags, always interesting stories told in a colorful style. Condolences to his family and friends, we're gonna miss him. R.I.P.
I was BSing with him in the pits at Tucson about 15 years ago, and a big wind blew up and knocked over that trophy or whatever it was that allegedly had Willie’s ashes in it. I tried to catch it, but couldn’t, and some of the ashes spilled out because the lid wasn’t even sealed. Mousie just swept the ashes and whatever dirt was there back into the cup and kinda blew the rest away. He looked at me kinda funny and we both just cracked up laughing. RIP, Mousie.
A tip of the hat and condolences to family and friends. And yes another gone that changed the sport. What a ride and what a story for ever etched in history. Right with pure hell. 2 of the best. Ever
Condolences to the Marcellus family and friends on the passing of Alvin...Go fast was this mans passion and he certainly had done the walk from an early age...may he rest in peace. Thanks for sharing this loss to the Community @Speed Gems...additional thanks to the others sharing Alvin's Legacy in go fast... Regards, Stogy
Hello, Condolences to the families. @HEMI32, Nice photos and history of the Winged Express roadster. All of us having seen the roadster in action, would wonder what a close up feel would be to sit in that roadster or at least see what would have been every time it rolled up to the starting line. In 2017, I was able to see the quietly resting "Winged Express" in its "no wing format" in a hot rod/drag race prep area of the Price Transfer Automobilia Museum and Complex. It was as close as anyone could be without actually sitting inside of the roadster. For me, that cockpit would have taken me several minutes of wrangling and bending at all different angles to get into that famous seat. So, the next best thing was a photo shoot of the experience. The famous “Winged Express” WITHOUT the wing and a sight line in front from the seat. Thanks, Rob... Jnaki The odd thing was, in the prep area, I was told that the missing drive shaft was standard operating procedures for drag racing displays. No drive shaft, no threat for accidental starting and any kind of power movement. As nice as that moment was concerned, the photos remind me of the weekly finagling to get into that single seat and get strapped in for that famous powerful, wild ride. Haven’t we all wondered what is it like under that famous “Winged Express” giant aluminum airfoil? Get a ”Borsch-eye” view of the surroundings… The center of the main floor. The Price Transfer Lions Dragstrip Museum main floor, 2017. "Ahh...center stage again... stick that driveshaft back in, I am ready..."