This is old news, but as I was visiting my lonely Maytag Repairman here in Royal Oak, MI the topic of other local business owners and the name Booth-Arons came up. Back in the late '60's and the '70's Wally and Dick were BBC Chevy engine masters. They ran a shop in Berkley, MI for many years. The business was sold off a while ago and Dick Arons retired to Southfield, MI. One of the guys at the Maytag store was a close friend of Dick's and he told me that Mr. Arons passed away a few months back. I checked to be sure and the obit was dated Aug. 15th. I was a customer of his shop several times but mostly for the base SBC crate engines that Dick put together. Maybe some other HAMB members remember Dick and/or Wally Booth?
Last week I drove by the old Booth-Arons shop on 12 Mile. No idea what it is now. But it made me smile to remember. The shop where the Ramchargers ran their Funny Cars and Top Fuel cars out of is a mile or so from my house. I think it is a dental place or something or other now.
A shame to hear about Dick Arons. Of course, when talking Super Stock / Pro Stock the Grump, Ronnie Sox, Gapp & Roush and Glidden are going to come up but I always added Arons, Booth, Roy Hill, Richie Zul and others to the list. While looking for a particular photo I ran across this one of Wally Booth's Camaro. HAMB friendly? No, but it is drag racing history friendly.
Wally Booth was the driver of the Camaro, but it was a Booth-Arons entry. Dick Arons was the wrench and partner.
Was it not Booth Arons who made AMC competitive in Pro Stock by sandwich slicing two heads and brazing them together into a high port hipo head?
The HORNET X I believe was that car. We had a Sunoco station on Coolidge and 12 mile in Berkley back then I was in high school and stopped in there a couple times for some stickers.
R.I.P. Dick I did not know the man, but being someone who dabbles in AMC's I definitely knew his name! God Bless Bill https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
Frenchtown is correct about the cylinder heads. They started with a Gremlin, then switched to the more aero Hornet. Pro Stock was pretty crazy then. And a lot more "stock" than today's P/S cars.
I remember the Booth-Arons shop well. I had them build me a small block chev for my '75 Chev Monza. Never failed me despite many attempts. End of an era.
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