History Famous Hot Rods & Customs from the PNW

I’m trying to learn a bit more about Famous Hot Rods & Customs that were originally built/showed/campaigned in the Pacific Northwest.

My definition of “famous” is any car that was featured in multiple Petersen Publishing magazines; Hot Rod, Hot Rod Annual, Rod & Custom, Car Craft, Custom Cars, etc. from 1958-1965…aka the golden era.

The only one’s that come to mind are the Orange Crate 32 Sedan and the Dick Flynn 37 Coupe.

I’m sure there were others. Just can’t think of any. Please educated me…

Thanks much!

 

The 'Seaburst' '57 Ford...

 

Bob Tormey had a ‘41 Merc that was worked over by Barris Kustoms in the day. He also had a number of other cars including a T bucket he called “The Surfin T” he put out on the show circuit during the mid 60’s. He built a C cab for Pepsi that was on the show circuit around the same time. Neat guy, I rode around with him in his El Camino in the summer of ‘66 and ‘67 putting in residential underground sprinkler systems for a summer job while in High School. That was in Yakima Washington. Do a search Bob Tormey Customs.

 

Jim McGowan's Apache.

"Built in 53 in Vancouver. Hot Rod magazine in 54. Awards in Seattle, Tacoma, the 1958 Pacific International Motorama show and Victoria. Best in class, best roadster, best competition street rod and best engineering were some of the awards. Shown four times at the famous L.A. Roadster show. Feature car in number of magazines, including Hot Rod Magazine Annual and Rod and Custom.
McGowan and his wife drove the roadster to shows all over the Pacific Northwest. It became one of the best known hot rods of all time.
Caught fire in the 60's. Started rebuild in the 80's and car was back up and running/touring in the 90's.
In 2007, the Apache was displayed at the historical Northwest Deuce Days celebration held in Victoria to mark the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford — the most copied car in history and the basis for hot rod culture. There were more than 800 special interest cars in attendance, half of them 1932 Fords. The Apache was given the award for being the most historic hot rod."

 

Bob Tindles' Orange Crate.
From Portland.

 

Lonnie Gilbertson.
Two time winner AMBR.
From Portland.

 

Ron Courtney.
From McMinnville.

 

Dang - 1958 ? Where were you in 1952 or earlier.......?

 

Al Rogers.
From Portland.

 

Pacific Northwest 1960s Photo Archive

https://www.roddersjournal.com/portfolio-item/pacific-northwest-1960s-photo-archive/

 

Russ Meeks, builder.
From Milwaukie Oregon.
1972 AMBR winner.


Russ on the right with owner John Corno of Portland on the left.

 

John Corno.
From Portland.
1980 AMBR winner built by John Buttera.

 

Remember this when the Magazine came out....along with the V-Rod they were both a different approach - both well thought out and built.

 

Several Well known in the 50's or 60's PNW customs that may be better known nationally now may have never made the magazines back in time they were first show.
The 57 Buick that Paul Harper restored after he found it was first shown as a mild custom in the early 60's and then sectioned and had the quads and Packard tail lights installed. Car is now painted lavender and is/was in a collection in the Portland area.,
I saw the car with the top missing just after he bought it.
My Blue Heaven Was built in Portland, did make a few magazines and I met the guy who restored it at one of the Unfinished Nationals events at Graham Wa. Car at last count was on the east coast.

 

Al Rogers was from Portland, I worked with him at the truck plant.

 

Our 56 Chevy "Miss Taboo" originally owned by Ron Luchs. Originally built in 1957-1962, showed all around the PNW almost all of its life. Was on the cover of Rod & Custom in May of 1960 with "My Blue Heaven"

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/miss-taboo-56-chevy-custom.1108431/

 

How many of you remember this one. It was a Top Ten Custom in the '60's and was Pontiac Lime Green. Now owned and restored by Sandy Lankaar of Bellingham, WA.
Party Doll

 

Bill Peterson '32 roadster: Won Portland Roadster Show in '56, was in HRM Sept '57, Sept '60, and Car Craft June '58. I love the interior on this car.

 

There was also Ron Hing's 1956 Chevy convertible, was in a few mags bag in the day. Car is still around somewhere. It was emerald green back in the 60s

 

Von Hunter, Portland customizer.
https://www.google.com/search?q=von...%2Ce1qUYG1awOZDhM%2C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kS7HiUPM

 

This car is less than 2 miles from my house, I restored the engine!

 

Dig this Tim.
Bub Johnson Portland.

 

Love the rake of the windshield.

 

this car is currently for sale again as well in Washington

 

Marty, are you talking about the Freightliner plant in North Portland? I worked there [off line] in '70 or '71.

 

Rocky, I worked there from '67 to '76, should have stayed. You probably worked there in '71, we were on strike in '70. Great place to work, some fun guys, and I learned a lot.

 

Lore Sharp’s 56 Buick

 

Jerry Ruth's gasser at SIR, before he went into dragsters.


Orange Crate before it was orange. I think that Albert Drake ran it once. Looks like a flathead here, though it also ran an Ardun before the blown Olds. Mrmodelt photo posted on the HAMB.

Tom Delon roadster, powered by a really big-inch Packard. Famous? Famous enough to make the pages of Hot Rod. Marty Strode photo.


Jerry Ruth, photo by Terry Cooper.

There are many others. The Pacific Northwest had a smaller population than did California, but for its size, it had many famous hot rodders and custom builders.