Folks Of Interest Thanks From the Ganahl Family

I received my latest issue of Rodders Journal Today, How ironic... The rebirth of RJ and the last new article I will probably read from Pat .

 

It will definitely be a sought after collectors item. Such will be Pat's legacy.

 

God rest your,soul,Pat.
You will be missed.

 

My sincere condolences to the Ganahl family. Your loss can't be put into words. Pat will be missed by many many, people. Something few of the rest of us can say. R.I.P.

 

In '07, I was asked to put my Merc in the Suede Palace. After waiting for HOURS, we finally started to pull in, and this guy in this primer grey 32 Roadster cut me off, and ended up in front of me in the building. I was so pissed, I was gonna start some major shit. I walked up to the car, and Pat got out, hahaha. I went oh shit...Pat Ganahl!! He looked at me, knew I was pissed, then I stuck my hand out and and full on Fanboy'd him. We talked for about an hour. After that he would say HI when he saw me. Couldn't have been nicer and more friendly. Saw him again at the first Long Beach Motorama, just after he had the Sharpee pen explosion, that messed up his interior. He was cracking me up, explaining how it happened. Last time I saw him was at Barona, last year, running his orange dragster. Gonna miss his stories...and he had so many! RIP Too Tall....

 

Nice to see you and your mother at Goodguys Pleasanton last weekend. I announced a prepared speech, and asked for a moment of silence before playing the National Anthem. Rest in Peace, Pat.

 

I, like many on here, was heavily influenced by Pat's work - his unquestionably innate skill at writing insightful, instructive books and articles was, however, in my mind, heavily outweighed by his uncanny ability to bring the reader along for the ride. Every story came alive and you shared the journey wholly through his words. I live in an area of the world far removed from the mecca of hot rodding yet was able to experience much of it thanks to Pat.
For this I will always be grateful.

I met Pat in 2009 at LARS - stalked him actually - I recognized him as he was rapidly maneuvering through the crowds of the show, towering over most. I finally caught up with him as he neared his fabled F100 in the parking lot and called out an already-known "Are you Pat?". He responded with what I have learned was maybe a stock response of his, "Do I owe you money?" - I laughed and rolled immediately into the common fan-speak many of us have eluded to here. I recall that I had asked where his roadster was and had voiced my disappointment when he replied that its generator had given up the ghost and he couldn't bring it - he was preparing to R and R it the following day. He then proceeded to ask if I would care to come by the house and give him a hand with it! I was floored that he would be so open in his offer to someone who was virtually a complete stranger, yet have come to find that Pat was exactly that kind of person. Unfortunately, I was leaving Southern California the following day and couldn't accept but I never forgot his kindness...

When Marty was building Pat's Spalding Bros roadster, I read a post where they were trying to mock up the Pat Warren QC and were missing side plates. I told Marty I had a pair of Halibrands that should work until they could find the right ones and sent them off to Oregon. He asked what I wanted for them and I said Pat had already paid me, with a lifetime of bringing me along for the ride...

At this year's LARS swap, I had a booth to sell for the first time with an assortment of stuff. At one point Pat walked up looking extremely focused, like he was on a serious mission, quickly perused my wares and asked about a pair of magnesium 5 spokes I had for sale. I said hi and threw him out a number - he smiled and said he would be back if he couldn't find a better deal. I hadn't asked but have wondered since what he was building or planning that those wheels would have been for...

Bill - to you, your Mom and Sabina, please accept my sincere, heartfelt condolences for your loss. While we all lost him too, you are those whom he loved the most and with that comes the deepest pain.

Take care,
Steve Phillips

 

A photo of my first tub at the 2nd Throttlers Picnic, taken by Pat Ganahl, he told me "you better keep this one". God Bless Pat and all his family.

 

If I wanted to ingulf myself in So Cal hot rodding Pat was the go to figure head for me and many many others.. Thank goodness for his wanting to write a mix it up with all of us car nuts. My car history library would be half baked without his literature. God bless his family and their interests in our hobby - looks like it will remain strong.

 

First met Pat at "4 Ever 4" meet, 1976? He was racing his Grandpa's old '47 Chevy, and doing well.
Kong Jackson introed me to Pat, as "A young man going places in the hot rod world", I was simply pleased to meet him, very humble yet knowledgeable.
Over the years, I'd meet up with him again and again...
Pomona probably 8 years ago, Pat recognized me, my son Rich was with me. Pat was Rich's idol. He couldn't believe he was talking to him...
Pat walked us over to the '32 roadster his son Bill had just completed at Roy's shop. He took Rich over the whole car, Rich was so overwhelmed... It was "just Pat"!

Heart sank for both of us. Godspeed, my friend. Bless you, Anna and Bill.

 

Prayers for peace and comfort.

Never met Mr. Ganahl, but judging from others comments, I sure wish I had had the chance.

Godspeed, Sir!

 

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I've had to write this so many times to people who DM this account, and now I wish I had to write it every day... but here goes one last time:

This is Bill, Pat's son. I operate his IG account because he doesn't have a cell phone, let alone a "smart" one.

I convinced my dad to share his photos and knowledge both on Instagram and on his blog. He's complained his whole life about editors and managers saying no to his ideas and changing his words, and getting paid next to nothing to do it. So, after he "retired" I encouraged him to share his huge collection of photos and knowledge through social media. If he wasn't making any money anyways, he might as well do it on his own terms, right? So we got uncensored, unadulterated Pat Ganahl for the last few years. Some of his best work IMHO.

Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Here's one last post:

This is one of my son Bill’s favorite hot rods. Super-talented Robert Kittila built it, and also filmed my one-time Hot Rod Video, featuring very young Bill driving this car at high speed across El Mirage to searing Danny Gatton guitar music. You probably know the scene. But this permanently black primer Deuce hiboy was beyond period perfect, from the rare Edmonds valve covers and baloney-slice stacks on the six half-chromed 97s to the dash-full of curved-glass winged S-W gauges. He even pulled a good 4-speed out to install a leaky, gear-crunching ’37 Cad LaSalle trans. All I can say is I wish it was still like this.

RIP Dad.
#patganahl #patganahlsrodandcustom
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I started writing a message about how Pat became one of my hot rod heroes. How we met. About our common interest in a range of cars. I still find it difficult to write about all of it. So, I’ll keep it short and simple with a few pictures. Are there any pictures showing Pat without a smile? I don’t think so.

First picture shot at the L.A. Roadsters Show. Pat always had good taste in cars.


Second picture shot during Catch the Wave (a small charity event I organized, which mixed hot rods/customs, VWs and Porsches). The great Steve Stanford next to Pat. I was thrilled when Pat accepted the invite.


Third picture shot during Bug-In 40 in 2015. Pat and his Oval Window Bug.


Condolences to you Bill, along with Anna and Sabina of course.
-Stephan Szantai-

 

I'm so glad you talked your dad into starting his blog - I've been a fan of his since the 1960's - my two favorite magazines were Rod & Custom and Road & Track. Its so sad that we've lost so many of the giants of the hot rod movement of the fifties in recent years and your dad was definitely among them. I didn't get to meet him in person but did email him a few times and he was always gracious and enthusiastic about sharing his experiences and insights. His books on Lost Hot Rods have a place of honor on my bookshelves and his photographs are an incredible treasure. I'm so sorry for the loss of Pat and want to express my sincere condolences.
Jack Walter - previous owner of the Dean Jeffries Kustom Karrera