Folks Of Interest Your first visit to a Speed Shop

i recall going there with my buddies a couple years later, and the topic was james bond's "goldfinger": "there's a girl in it called 'pussy galore'!"

 

My Dad and one of his friends opened a speed shop in Fort Worth, TX called Racer's Automotive. It was on Race street, which I think was near the stock yards. I think he ran it about a year in the '66 to '69 era. He's been gone a long time and I don't know any of the stories about why it didn't last or what happened, but he went back to being an electrician for the rest of his working life. If anyone remembers it or knows anything else, please PM me.

 

Gratiot Auto Supply...bought some baby moon hubcaps and a decal.

 

Rocco&Cheaters speed shop. Birmingham Al. I first went there in 54, bought parts there to build a 59ab in 55, and 56. Lots of circle track guys there.

jim

 

Man, I wish I could remember what shop I went to, but I know it was in the DFW area and do remember what I bought. I was 14, building my first "hot rod" small block Chevy and a buddy in his early 20's was helping me. I remember him taking me to the shop and buying a brand new Weiend aluminum intake and Holley 750 vacuum secondary carburetor that day. Pretty exciting for a goofball kid who couldn't even drive the car for another couple years. This engine was for my second project car, the first was mostly done already... I was learning that mowing yards, detailing cars, and painting cars starting at 14 helped fund my own projects.

 

Automotion in the early 1980's in Bangor. My uncle brought me along when he was getting ready to rebuild the 327 in his '69 Z/28. I remember he handed me a Centerline wheel, and I couldn't believe how light it was!

 

Dan, I’ve lived in the Metro East since 1986 and have not heard of them.

 

I'm a "late bloomer". My first hot rod show visit was this shop in 1979. I still stop in there once in a while.

I was 35 years old then. I bought a 1932/1933/1934 Ford 2 door sedan. Channeled about full frame width, random SBC/Powerslide, big/little tires, sun chalked paint. The car was obviously built on a tight budget (good fit, I was on a tight budget when I bought it). It needed lots of refinement. The alternator was attached to the frame (instead of attached to the engine ). The alternator was an internally regulated Delco and wired to an external Delco regulator.

We never did figure out who did the welding - we think that his nickname was: "POPCORN". After about 2 years, the kids got too tall to fit into channeled car. The (now EX) wife was giving me lots of crap about the car, so I sold it. Crap continued, divorce followed 35 years ago.

 

Jim Green’s in Lynnwood, Wa in the late 70’s. He was building his 1934 ford phaeton with the blown 427 SOHC. The body flipped up, like a funny car, with hydraulic rams. It made quite an impression on me. I was 5 or 6 years old at the time. By the time I was driving, I really couldn’t afford anything he sold.

Dave

 

1965.... Charlie Fisher's Speed Shop on Broadway in Lorain, Oh. Bought a set of Cragar SS wheels for my 1965 Comet Cyclone. First time I ever set foot in a Speed Shop, truly amazed what he had on the shop floor and hanging on the walls. I think I polished those wheels everyday, sure looked nice on that car!

 

About 1970 I went with my uncle to pick up some truck parts. We stopped at Stewarts Root Beer stand on Rt.40 in Rosedale Md for some lunch. Next door was Earlbeck welding, the son Tom had a speed shop set up in the side door. When I went in I couldn't get over everything in there, just couldn't take it all in. I had just enough money to buy a couple of stickers. I thought I had gotten the big prize that day!! Gene.

 

In 1968 I was doing my first engine rebuild at the young age of almost 18 yrs. old. I asked around to friends about where to buy a decent cam for the 283 in my '57 Chevy, and was told to go to Radke's in North Portland. I looked up the address, and headed over to see what I could find. I walked in the front door and was speechless! I'd never before ever seen so much cool speed and chrome parts in my life! The guy at the counter asked if he could help me, and I told him I needed a cam, but first I wanted to just look around!
He smiled, and said it must be my first time in Radke's, and I'm sure he'd seen a similar reaction from young guys numerous times! I spent a good 30 minutes in awe before I finally approached the counter and we talked cams, and I ordered the one I wanted.
I still have decals from Radke's as they had stacks of them at the counter, and were glad to have you take them and stick them on everything to help advertise the store.

 

1959... S&S Parts Company in Falls Church, Virginia. The first speed shop where I really bought something. Believe it or not, the speed shop was in the basement of Chuck Stolze's house and I bought many parts from him there. About a year later he moved it all to a small storefront on S. Washington Street. It was actually half of a building that was shared with Falls Church Auto Top.

A few years later the building was repainted and a new sign was installed, but the top shop was still next door. Also, a second S&S Store was opened in Winchester, Virginia.

Next came an expansion in around 1965 when the Top Shop space was taken over. Look closely, sitting next to the building are the A/GS Willys coupes of Stone-Woods-Cook and K.S. Pittman's S&S sponsored racer. Cool old photo!

 

YOU GOTTA LOVE THE PHONE NUMBERS!!!

 

love it! seems cheap, doesn't it? i had a buddy in the '70s who put a corvette f.i. on his late-model nova; if you had the part number, you could get parts for it at the chevy dealer!

 

Nick Nickolson's "Twin City Automotive in Tujunga Ca. around 1955. He had a 27 T with a chrome banjo rearend in it. One of the Choppers car club members wound up with the car and I wound up with the chrome banjo axle housings.

 

Memphis Speed Shop, 1978. I didn't get my first car until I was in the Navy. I was in Millington outside of Memphis and of course the first thing I did to my car, was change something. Rims, intake with a 4bl to replace the 2bl on a 318, headers and Doug Thorley glass packs bolted right to the collectors...then a shift kit that I screwed up and didn't get all the screws torqued. A local Chief helped me fix that mess. Last thing for that car was B&M shifter.

 

Could this have been Wayne’s Speed Shop? Wayne Beasley was the owner and a big Ford guy. SS/C 66 Fairlane if memory serves me correctly. Wayne was a customer of mine and a great guy. Unfortunately he recently passed.

 

You know what.....I think you may be right. Its been 50 years and I was only stationed there for less than two years. Wayne does sound right. Oh yeah, my name is Don....I forgot....

 

Jim was a great guy and his shop was first class. Dave Paten the machinist was and still is top-notch, he still has his own shop and does a lot of work, including mine.

 

Adrian's in Wheaton, Il. was my 1st experience going into a speed shop... it was like walking into Santa's workshop! With all the chrome and aluminum goodies, wheels, manifolds, real drag slicks and stuff that I didn't yet know what it was... and the smell of Gunk Hydro-seal. I've never been the same since...

 

My first visit was to Seward's Speed Shop in Reading , Pa. in 1954 .

 

Brockmans in Dayton Ohio had my distributor set up in the early 70's on my 1st trip. Later bought a shifter for my 4speed and carburetor parts.

 

Mid 60's I think it was called Mid Town in Springfield Illinois .

 

Probably the local Super Shop in La Mesa, CA in 1975 to purchase a Crane cam, lifters and a dual plane Edelbrock manifold for my '67 RS Camaro. I also spent a lot at our local parts house that was owned by former TAD 1987 record holder Chess Bushey. He had the renowned Gene Adams (Adams & Enriquez; Adams, Wayre & Mulligan) machining blocks, cranks and heads when I was spending weekends at Carlsbad Raceway flogging that little 331 small-block. $5 to race all night. Usually had to run down to the Standard Oil station for some White 101 between 4th or 5th run. Good times...

 

used to listen to their ad's on the radio....

 

I grew up running around with Steve Parr, of Parr Automotive. I honestly don’t remember the first time….it just always was there. I am guessing mid 70’s.

The thing that does come to mind is standing there ogling all of the t-shirts for sale. They had all of the biggies. Thrush, Mr Gasket, Isky, Crower, Hilborn etc. That was my wardrobe for most of my Jr. High and High school career….wait, ……..that’s still my wardrobe.

They had all kinds of chrome hanging on the walls. Headers, dropped axles, hairpins. I am guessing that spawned my love for chrome.

 

My first visit was maybe 1960. I went with a buddy to get parts for his 47 Ford at Davis and Turley Hardware. It was a combination hardware store, speed shop and bar. They were in business a long, long time in Springfield, Il.

 

Lewie Shells in Culver City Ca. in 1960. Bought a Sharp rocker arm cover for the 216” in my 49 Chevrolet pickup. Put a 270 GMC in it a year later..

 

what the heck is a speed shop??? i been doing buicks since the 60's. there no such thing as 'buick speed parts'.