Hot Rods Omaha Nebraska Hot Rod History

I from a town 50 miles away but found it has a lot of history. Here is an article from Hot Rod Magazine from April 1955. Written by Tom Medley and photos by Wally Parks. Imagine a do-it yourself hobby shop in todays Air Force base. I know, SAC is located in Bellevue which is a suburb of Omaha. I`lll get to the connection later in this thread. There is a lot more to come so check in often. What do you have.

 

cool....my dad was a Air Force lifer....used the hobby shop at the base - first enclosed shop I used....

 

When I was in the Army in Germany in the sixties I was unaware if there was a hobby shop available, I guess Privates didn't need to know a lot Later on, when living in New Mexico, going to school and working aerospace I met a retired Army guy. He had a 56 Chevy (this was about 1969) that had a leaky powerglide that he was going to go out to the base near Las Cruces to work on. I tagged along, took a pair of 289 Ford heads and used their tools to grind the seats. I knew jack about grinding valves but, somehow I stuffed new valves in the heads and the engine ran fine, something about God looking out for fools and drunks I guess. I too would like to know what today's service member has to work with. Nice topic Stan!!!

 

I drive the shuttle for the local {Bellevue} Chrysler dealer and I regularly drive airmen out to the base. I was told the repair shop is still used. Don't have any info regarding tools or equipt there. I haven't met any airmen rodders yet.
Check out the snow in the photos! Once or twice a year we get hammered with big snowfalls.

 

This is a program from 1953. Not very much hot rod history, but my next post will lead into why I started this thread. I promise, the locals will learn something.

 

Nebraska native impatiently waiting

 

I was at Camp Darby, Italy in the 60s and there was a pretty good auto shop there. There was a minimum rank requirement for private vehicle ownership and didn't meet it till about 6 months before discharge. There was a salvage yard there too with some very desirable cars needing minor mechanical work.
Greg


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I am currently working at Stratcom on Offutt AFB, I will go check out the shop this week and provide an update to this thread.

 

Ok, I take it back...I guess I DO know a rodder with connections to the base shop....Hi, Tim

 

^^^^^^
X2!

 

I looked for two days for an article I was going to post but can`t find it. I thought it was from 1954 Hot Rod. It talks about the guys at Offut building a car similar to the one`s that raced at Indy. The reason was to test tires at high speeds for a major tire manufacturer. It was two pages long and very educational. It showed the car with about 6 or 7 people standing in front of it. One of those guys was ---- Barbour. Can`t remember his first name. Have you heard of him. He had a speed shop in Omaha. Either that article or in another one I read said he did experimental work for Offut on there airplanes. He had an adds in Rod and Custom in late 54 and early 55. Barbour pronounced Bar-Boo-R was also in a wheel chair. The next post will be the one I first learned about him in a magazine which dates back to 1949.

 

Some pics that came up on Facebook relating to Barbour.

 

WOW ! My last name is on his car !

 

There was a "hobby" shop at Ft Sill, OK when I was there in 1969
Just got a peek inside as I didn't have an auto to work on then.
Looked to be well-equipped.

 

My dad raced these cars there and all over the Midwest from Minnesota to Lincoln and Sioux City

 

1953

 

That`s in better shape than mine.

 

Interesting! I have a 58 Austin healey that came from Offutt bass.


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I remember stopping in at “ Joe Tess “ restaurant “ in the 70 s for a Blue Ribbon and fish


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Joe Tess Place !! They found a way to make river carp palatable. Endless supply, LOL
And the small bones seemed to disappear.
Great eating.

 

I was stationed at China Lake California in the 60s and we had a nice hobby shop to work on cars. I was in it constantly

 

https://simanaitissays.com/tag/offutt-afb-races-rt-october-1953/

 

It made the cover for that month. Look in the pper right hand corner.

 

Speed M echanic`s magazine 1955.

 

From Hot Rod. Rummer has it, that it`s locked up in a building in Omaha.

 

My Dad was stationed at Keesler AFB in Biloxi MS during the early to mid ‘60s. He passed away in 2014. He frequently talked about him and a few of his air force buddies having a slingshot dragster as a group. They ran it at Biloxi Dragstrip. His C/O let them use a small corner of a hanger to house and work on it.

 

Feeling older today, as an 8 year old attended the fore mentioned SAC airbase races in 1953, that Bud Holcomb 32 was a regular at midwest car shows, recall it advertised in the Hot Rod classifieds .

 

In 1971 and 72 Fort Riley Kansas had a really nice Hobby Shop. I worked on my 1964 Cyclone there.

 

It looks like a Morris Minor panel truck on the left side of the building.