Author and motor journalist John Thawley died last month of complications from pneumonia. He was 71. How to Hot Rod Small Block Chevys, How to Hot Rod Big Block Chevys, the Off Road Handbook and the cult classic How to Modify Datsun 510/610/240Z Engines & Chassis were all written under Thawley?s pen-name, Bob Waar. Those and the books that followed under his own name totaled some twenty titles over his career. John raced in Baja and Bonneville. He worked at Indy, Irwindale, Daytona, Pikes Peak and Riverside. He served time on the payrolls of Buick, Chevrolet, Nissan, Toyota and numerous performance industry manufacturers. Thawley began his career as a reporter and evening news anchor at KTBC-TV in Austin Texas. He later won a CBS fellowship to Columbia University school of journalism. Following his return to Austin, John covered the University of Texas tower shooting and was honored for rescuing several wounded from the line of fire. In 1966 he joined the staff of HOT ROD Magazine and began a lifetime in automotive journalism. The Bob Waar moniker on his early books was used to sidestep the issue of writing for other publishers while still under the employment of Petersen Publishing. Friend and colleague Tex Smith once ribbed him about his Texas drawl and strange hobby of collecting barbed wire... Bob Waar was the result. Enthusiasm for technical nuance combined with Thawley?s plain-spoken Texas voice demystified complexities of engine & car building to a generation of hot rodders. John was one of the good guys and he will be missed. He is survived by his brother, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. A memorial service will be held at the NHRA Motorsports Museum, Thursday August 27th at 2pm. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you buy a car magazine or something trick for your car. NHRA Motorsports Muesum www.museum.nhra.com 1101 W Mckinley Ave Pomona, CA 91768 (909) 622-2133 Family contact: E. John Thawley III john at thawleyphoto dot com 714 542-3888
John Thawley's work had as much to do with my enjoyment of this hobby as any one thing could. Sorry he's gone, and all I can do is reflect and honor the memory. A fine writer and (obviously) an enthusiast, he'll be missed.
How to Hot Rod Small Block Chevys I have a copy of that. R.I.P. John Thawley I'll think of Him the next time i'm out in the garage and I look something up in the book.
RIP John! The Texas Tower stuff was new to me too. I've got a number of his books and have long respected his writing.
John had a great sense of humor and he and I shared more than a few adult beverages over the years. He also had a great imagination and an inquiring mind. I'll miss him.
I believe that station was owned ( at that time ) by the not yet President of the United States ... Lyndon Baines Johnson. Never met him but read a LOT of the stuff he wrote.
RIP I still have and use both the small block and big block books that he wrote. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
Condolences to his family. Had the BBC book for years and just finished building my big block with that book close at hand. Really cool to see the pix of factory performance pieces that are absolute hen's teeth now. That was before there were aftermarket aluminum heads! Still a LOT of relevant info. A must read! R.I.P.
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