Chet Le Baron started a small machine shop after World War II, specializing in hot rods and dirt racing. Chet designed an early quick change gear box that bolted onto the front of an Early Ford banjo rear end. This rear was used in both dirt track racing and in time trials around the globe. While racing was always Chet's passion, he transitioned the machine shop from gears for his rear end, to gears for printing presses. The business boomed and the love for racing and cars took a back burner to life and a successful business. Today we sat down with Lloyd, Chet's son, to talk about his father and the 1900's foundry his father ran the business out of.
Here are some photos from the LeBaron family archives, and old advertising flyers for some the parts Chet produced.
I am wondering who had the patents on all of that stuff because I know of another company that made the exact same parts in the same era.
Very cool! I really like seeing old machine shop photos, especially those making hot rod parts. I was a machinist for thirty years and I cringe when I see those guys running machinery with long sleeves, also pretty common back in the day to not use safety glasses. How about posting this here too. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/quick-change-quickchange.951136/
Man - what a place - so cool it still survives and the son's keen to keeping his dad's spirt alive - along with all that cool machinery ! Enjoyed the video as well - man what a place and time to be growing up around this stuff !
How cool - I grew up about 15 minutes from Waldwick, and probably can't count how many times I passed the old shop on Franklin Turnpike.
This has no relation to this story but our local car club is called the LeBarons. Named after a local show car named the LeBaron built by Glen Richardson.
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