Folks Of Interest Dave Lukkari,.... RIP my friend.

Really sorry to hear this. Back in the day of single digit annual rod
runs the Indy Idlers club hosted a July 4th run each year in Indy.
Dave was there for many of them. I remember him well, very talented
and a nice guy. Lost contact when he moved west. Did see him many
times since at west coast functions I attended. Never took the time
to have a really good talk with him. I am removing "catch you next time"
from my vocabulary! God Speed Dave

 

Never met him, however heard great things about him.

May peace be with him now in his eternal rest. .....

 

I believe Dave's fendered Crosley was a true vision of a great man. He will be sorely missed in the hot rod culture. RIP my Friend!

 

As with many of the older guys here on the HAMB, my friendship with Dave went back to the early 70's. Our paths would cross many times and rod runs, swap meets and assorted diners.
After I bought my Mopar powered '30 Rolls Royce Limo from a guy at Hershey, I found a bunch of photos of it when Dave owned it! Talk about a "small world" experience.
His recovery from serious medical issues a few years ago was nothing short of a miracle. We're all better for having known him.
Rest in peace old friend.

 

Just so you all know,... Dave talked about Erick like a son,... Erick and his family are the ones that need to be held up in prayer,.. I am so very thankful Dave had Erick and his family.

Erick,... you and you family will be on my prayer list.

 

I had the honor of knowing Dave, and he was truly a good man. He was in great standing with the Man Upstairs, so I am 100% assured that's in a better place. We used to always see him at a bi-weekly Christian mens hot rod get together called "Back in the Day" at Tom Contino's house. He'd bring the Ardun roadster all the time.

I'm going to miss seeing him cruising the Ardun around Apple Valley. The man was not afraid to drive it anywhere, and I don't know if there's a running Ardun ANYWHERE that has as many miles on it. On one hand, the car deserves to be in a museum, but on the other hand, it needs to be driven just like Dave did.

R.I.P Dave. The hotrod community has lost another legend.

 

I am just heart broken.
Dave was such a great guy; I miss him so much.

Good bye dear friend.... Steve Grimes

 

I never had the pleasure of meeting Dave but his little modified was what got me going and inspired me to build one myself. He certainly had an influence on a lot of people.RIP.

 

I'm sad to hear that I've lost a good friend.

Erick, you and your family are in my prayers. I know Dave was like family to you.

 

I'm proud to say that Dave was a friend that I would see at the Street Rod Nationals every year. Dave was in the elite group of people that Made 'Em All to the Nationals. RIP Dave, you will be missed but not forgotten. -Jerry Johnson

 

Yes Dave was a great guy. Saw him several times this summer here in Michigan.
Here he is with fellow rodder and long time friend Paul Peters here in Farmington Michigan at the weekly car cruise.

 

Aw so sad, another one gone, breaks my heart.

 

Well Dave, and Steve G, Nats Car Games , wow that brings back some great events ,memorys Youg Guns research these two guys serious HOT RODDERS! and they were every where in the early years r.i.p. dave.................... all you guys made the car hobby my life!

 

As I mentioned earlier, Dave took the Crosley everywhere. Here's aqn article he wrote for the club newsletter when he took it to England in 1979.

 

very sad news, heard about this from dave crane, met dave threw cranes get togethers.seen him at the nats several times over the years. he was the guy who was not afraid to tackle any job. had many interesting conversations with him.he will be missed by many people, another one of the guys are gone, but wont be forgotten. rip dave

 

RIP Uncle Dave! I know I did not really know you, but am blessed to see that you touched so many lives with your love of hot rods. Thank you all for your well wishes for our family and the kind words you have posted on here regarding my Great Uncle. Through these words I have been able to know just that much more about him. God Bless you all!

 

I just noticed there are only a handful of remarks and memories left on Dave's memory page,.. If you have a personal recollection or something you would like to share on a personal note,.... please read what others have written,... and leave a note yourself.

Click below for the link.

Dave Lukkari's Memory page.

 

I got to see his Crosley in England when I was a wee lad.

 

any word on the service yet.

 

Erick will keep us informed, but with Christmas and his kids, I am sure he has his plate full right now,... If you go to the memorial page link I posted earlier there is a tab for funeral service information.

I also understand there will be a memorial service in Michigan sometime in the future,...

 

damn....RIP......i found out on xmas from my uncle cole. dave was his uncle. great picture on the bottom one cuz thats my uncle in the passeger seat and dave driving.

 

This is one of my favorite pictures from Speed Week '06. Here, Dave and Tex Smith are using my roadster for a table to discuss something of interest. The following year I had Tex sign my driver's door panel...wish I had the foresight to have Dave sign it also.

 

Btt

 

I'd have to say his little modified was one of the first of the revival/traditional cars I'd seen early on. Great guy, and always very social.
R.I.P.

 

I have been out of it for a lil while and just found out about Dave he was a genuine guy and a wealth of information always nice to hang out with him at little shows around the desert i am very sad to have just found out about this R.I.P. Dave you ARE missed

 

My father made a wooden tribute car many years ago, using the magazine article/picture for reference.

 

Erick.

I just read this. Sorry man. Hope you and your family are doing well. I know what Dave meant to you.

If you need anything, give me a holler.

Jason

 

I have just found out about Dave which makes me feel guilty as its been some while since I saw him or even spoke to him. My best wishes to all those who knew him. He was a wonderful man, a visionary when it came to cars and engineering, and just one of the best people to spend a few hours or a few days with.

We usually would not meet from year to year and often 3 or 5 years would go by. But when we met, it would be like we had had dinner the night before - nothing would have changed. Until of late he had been less well, of course.

Dave, you taught me well - I can still tell the difference between a 28 and a 29 Ford or a 30 and a 31. Knowing you are not there makes me miss you badly. I know you believe in afterlife, so I wish you well up there. If you have time when you have finished telling Duntov about the turbo installation, have a little drink for me. I am having one for you now.

If anyone out there remembers the mad Scottish lad withe the ice cream truck in Detroit, or the guy who 20 years later shipped his orange 29 Coupe to Kentucky for the Nationals, please get in touch, especially if you have reminisces about Dave.

Cheers
Steve

 

I've just found out about Dave's passing. I last spoke with him in 2009 and, as Steve says, years would intervene but with Dave it was always a continuation of an ongoing conversation.

I met him in 1979 when, with Steve's help, he brought the Crosley to my show in Manchester, England. It certainly was an honour and a pleasure to have Dave there.
He gave me one of my most lasting memories... the Crosley had to be driven to the docks in Liverpool (about 45 miles) as Dave had already flown back to the United States and I was lucky enough to be entrusted with the drive!

I'm lucky enough to have a dvd which has a small snippet of an interview with Dave back in '79 and I'll try to get that section extracted and post it on here.

A true gentleman... R.I.P

I've read this forum for years but only as a guest but Dave's passing has inspired my to join, such is the memory of the man, Dave Lukkari.

Cheers,
Rodger

 

Thanks for posting this Roger,... Looking forward to seeing the interview.