Where is Kong Jackson's nickname from?

paging @Atwater Mike you have a question to answer

 

I had met Kong in the 70’s when I started going to Bonneville and El Mirage. Not to long before he past I was with Jack Underwood who knew him well and we were talking to him a gather for another’s passing. Out of the blue he looked at me and asked if I was any relation to a J. I. Tone who lived in Glendale in the 30’s and worked at Western Auto. I was absolutely shocked that he knew my father and remembered the 29 Ford roadster he drove with the Chrysler grille and Crager overhead so long ago. He asked what ever happened to him and I told him. He laughed when he found out I was running GMC’s, said my dad would have never understood that...

 

As long as we remember them, they will live forever. My grandsons have heard me talk about the guys I considered hero's enough that they remember who they were and what they did.

 

Great advice, oral history only lasts until someone writes down, so much of it is lost forever. Bob

 

https://www.hotrodhotline.com/earle-bruce-and-his-40-ford#.YNhHiUxlCM8

 

I have 2 Kong distributors 1 has a clear lexan cap & was supposedly his test distributor. I Also used to own a set of amazing Kong heads regretfully I sold them. They went back to California & are on a radical 36 pickup that was featured in Rodders Journal a few years ago.

 

Hi, Gamma...
White w/red interior... Bought it from orig. owner, had it for 30 years, never ran it on a track. (built a 406 for it, never installed it...Galaxie was always stored.
My '54 Ford coupe got the 406. Galaxie's getting a fresh 390/World class 5 speed.
My grandson is watching the Galaxie closely... LOL

 

Here is the last KONG ignition ever made. KONG gifted this to my father, if you read about the MEDLEY COUPE on here it gives an over view of my dad hanging around KONGS and WES COOPERS shop as a shop sweeper.

 

As I have mentioned before, as a school boy going to KONGS and COOPERS shop in the 60s and 70s I remember those old men staying busy, KONG on his Bridgeport and WES assembling some race motors for different customers. Little did I know that I was in the company of the Kings of Speed and Hot Rodding Royalty. Fond memories of men, that instilled on a young boy the joy of building a fast car! Back then it was big to get over 100HP shortly after..... getting over 500 HP was big news with over head valve engines. Development continues for even more power on the tuff old Dinosaur engines from the 60s.

 

I knew Kong. My Dad was big into speed stuff. When I was 10 years old we went on an epic journey from Indiana to the LA roadster show. The full purpose was to locate Kong and wow him with knowledge . My Father and him became friends. I went to his personal home and shop. My Dad passed in 2021. I then became protector of Kong heads (still with dyecam on them), distributor, ignition system, Arias piston rings, Arias domed pistons. I have decals from Kongs shop and hand written correspondence to my Dad signed by KONG. Did I mention they're in the original box from his shop to my Dad . I've also got some blueprints and hand written installation procedure of the domed pistons.