Canada lost a friend today

Canada has lost a great hot rodder and a cherished friend to all. Calgary’s Don Siewert passed away today after battling cancer for several years. His contributions to rodding were as vast as his interests – 210 mph at Bonneville at the age of 72 driving the ’28 RPU of the North of ’49 team that he helped create, drag racing, sports cars, customs, rods, restorations, antiques, he did it all. He was a licensed mechanic and body man, and he drove what he built, everywhere, rain, shine or snow, north. south, east and west, Over his long life he worked as a mechanic, body man, painter, insurance appraiser, teacher, all the while raising a happy family. In recent years he helped his son Mike put together a neat little ‘28 roadster, then a flathead powered ‘30 roadster for himself. After retirement he taught auto shop in a high school and often brought the roadster in to show his students just how it’s done, old school style.

Don had the most incredibly positive attitude about life that you could imagine, cancer be damned, and you couldn’t help but get close to this guy once he started talking and flashing that infectious smile. In 2009 Don was inducted into the Canadian Street Rodding Hall of Fame and his entire family showed up – much to his surprise – 15 in all from all over the country. Anyone who experienced the love that this group showed for Don that night will remember it forever.

To Don’s wife Marilyn, sons Mike and Rob, wives and grand kids, and to his huge extended family and friends, our deepest sympathies. The licence plates on Don’s car said it best – FOFIT (“Fastest Old Fart in Town”). Don, thanks for the ride. You will be missed my friend, but never forgotten. May you rest in well deserved peace.

 

R.I.P. Mr. Siewert from all of us "Frozen Chosen"

 

My condolences to Mike, family and friends.

Don was a great guy... and although my time with him was short... it was memorable due to his generousity (he let me drive his car, even though I couldn't shut the door!) and great outlook on life!

He was one of those guys just excited to hang out and talk hot rods.


Sam

 

i can tell by reading this he was quite a guy. contributed in everyway he could. not many people can say they did what he did. rip mr siewert . bet hes painting or driving something right now.

 

Didn't know him personally, just knew the name, either way r.i.p.

 

RIP Mr. Siewert, my Dad and myself send our condolences to your family. He was a great guy and a great friend to many other great people.

Brant and Dave Inglis

 

Congratulations on a life well lived and a well deserved rest though your family and friends will be mourning your loss, Sir. Love the Merc 3W coupe custom, very clever and well done.

 

Deepest condolences to all who knew him.
R.I.P

 

Don was definately one of the good guys! You just could not help but have a good time when he was around.
Mike & Rob please accept my deepest condolences, I was sure looking forward to seeing him at Bonneville one more time.

Mick

 

Sad news. RIP.

 

My condolences to family and friends.

 

Very sad news indeed. He was an AWESOME guy and treated everyone that stepped foot in his pit like family. My condolence to his family and many legions of friends.

 

It's been a long time since I have spoken to Mike, and only met Don once, but it was a memorable meeting.

My condolences go out to all the Siewert family and friends and may Don have all the fun he wants in that great place he now finds himself.

Canada and the rodding community (Street Rodding and Hot Rodding which in reality are all the same) have lost a really great guy and someone who loved every bit of his life.

RIP Don.

 

This is sad day. My Condolences to Marilyn, Mike and the extended family.

Don, your infectious smile and positive attitude will be sorely missed.

.

 

My deepest condolences to his family.
One of Calgarys Hot Rod icons. RIP

 

The thread title says it all and my heart sank as I read the second sentence.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Don and his amazing family in 2007. First at Sum's in Blanding where we spent a day hiking and sightseeing and then onto Bonneville for Speedweek. Many, many wonderful memories - from gourmet lunches to "water spritzes", all overseen by the enthusiastic patriarch of the Siewert family.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the entire Siewert Family.

We all share your loss.

 

Sad news. My heart-felt condolences to the entire Siewert family. Sounds like Don was quite a man, sorry I didn't get a chance to meet him.

 

My heart-felt condolences to the whole family. I met Mike years ago, then Don this past fall. My wife and I had a blast with the both that evening(Canadian street rod hall of fame induction dinner). Down to earth and infectious with his enthusiasm for the hobby and sport.
He will be sadly missed.

 

Mike, my condolenses to you and your family. Don will be missed. Truely a Canadian legend that did it all. Pat.

 

R.I.P.
God Speed....

so sorry.....

 

I met Don and the family at Bonneville in 2002.Great people and like "samIyam" Don insisted I take his roadster for a spin { I couldn't close the door either - too big ].Since then I've followed the accomplisments of 'North of 49' My condolences to the family. R.I.P. Don.

 

RIP Don. Condolences Mike.

 

RIP, God bless the family. This is a loss for the entire hobby.

 

Sounds like Don lived an exciting life full of happiness with family and friends. RIP Don. Condolences to his family and his extended family of friends. Sad news, cancer is so devastating.

 

Truely a loss. May he rest in peace

 

Don was one of the most incredible guys you would ever meet. I made my first trip to the salt in 1998 with Don and his Wife Marilyn, son Mike (Cword) and his grandson Robert. We shared many laughs and gags along the way. He was bitten hard by the salt bug and had to built a car to go back and race. I could go on and on about what a wonderful guy Don is but at this time it is tough to put into words.
The following is a quick glimpse of Dons life from the Canadian Street Rod Hall of fame induction in 2009. You can copy and paste the link belos, for pictures associated with the write up.

http://www.csrhof.com/induction/2009/siewert.pdf


DON SIEWERT INDUCTED INTO THE CANADIAN STREET RODDING HALL OF FAME.

The Canadian Street Rodding Hall of Fame was created in 1993 to commemorate
the 25th Anniversary of the Canadian Street Rod Nationals. At that event, held in Moncton, New Brunswick, the first 25 members were inducted. Don Siewert became the 42nd member of that exclusive group at the 2009 Induction Gala in Waterdown, Ontario.

The Don Siewert story is a long one and goes back to 1935 in the small farming community of Morin, Alberta. Life on the family farm was not a part of Don’s boyhood dream. So after graduation from high school he enrolled in what was then called the “Farm Construction Program” which resulted in Don obtaining his journeyman’s ticket as a licensed motor vehicle mechanic.

In his early 20’s he moved to Calgary and immediately found work using his skill and knowledge repairing all types of vehicles and heavy equipment. At that time he also started playing with cars, a ’33 Chev Coupe was quickly followed by a ’35 Ford pick-up. That truck was his indoctrination into the world of hot rodding as he swapped the stock V-8 60 for a more powerful 255 cubic inch Mercury.

Always looking to improve and to learn more, Don moved from mechanical repairs to auto body work and eventually received his license in that field as well.

Cars were becoming a big part of his life, he dabbled in drag racing and in 1957 he built a full custom Mercury to showcase his body work skills. That car turned heads everywhere he cruised. Don’s head was turned when he met Marilyn, they were married in 1960.

Several of the hot rod magazines of the day covered sport cars and they caught Don’s interest so he switched from the lead sled Merc to a brand new 1960 MGA Coupe. The little MGA didn’t last too long as son Mike came along in 1961, followed by Robert and Barbara.

Throughout the 60’s, Don became involved in restoring cars and trucks. His main vehicle was a 1919 Ford Model T Runabout. He was an active member of the Alberta Pioneer Auto Club for over 10 years serving as president and tour chairman.
During those years he rescued a number of project cars including a 1930 Ford
Roadster which was put into storage as Don focused on career, home life and
raising a family. His car hobby was limited to family vehicles that he rebuilt in his backyard garage for his own use or for friends in the ever expanding car community.

In the 80’s Don got immersed in street rodding. Son Mike had just returned from California with the urge to build a ‘fun vehicle’ like a mini- truck or hot VW. At Don’s insistence that fun vehicle just had to be street rod. So together they found a basket case ’28 Ford Roadster and got to work. Over the following four years father and son built the car from the ground up. Don likes to have his signature on the cars in the parts he designs and builds. His passion for problem solving and handcrafting adds to the looks, drivability and performance of the roadster.

Shortly after the street rod was completed Mike relocated to Mississauga, Ontario. When Don and Marilyn visited in 1987 they borrowed the roadster for a trip to Ottawa. That drive hooked Don on street rodding. Once back in Calgary he pulled the 1930 Ford Roadster out of 20 plus years of storage and got to work. 10 years later he hit the road in his own street rod. 10 years may seem like a long build but during that time he also rebuilt a dozen early Mustangs and did bodywork on the side to fund his projects.

The little roadster is driven. It is equipped with a bored and stroked Flat Motor, rolls on 16’ wire wheels and sports a home designed and cast Duval style windshield frame. It sits right and is a real neat retro ride.

The summer of 1998 saw Don, driving his topless roadster, son Mike in his Roadster and a group of fellow Foothills Street Rod Association members making the drive to Bonneville. Once on the salt, Don became obsessed with the atmosphere, the back yard engineering and the ingenuity of the builders. As the group roamed the pits over the next few days, Don could often be heard saying, “We can do this, we can do this”.

So began another quest, to race at Bonneville, the fastest place on earth.

Back in Calgary Don got a ‘28 Ford Roadster Pickup and started right in on the project. In 1999 noted engine builder Ken Gilmour came on board and serious progress was being made. The big break however, came in 2001 when Don took Ted Allan to the salt. Between the Bonneville experience and Don’s enthusiasm, Ted caught ‘Salt Fever’. Allan, an experienced and talented race car fabricator and proprietor of ‘Allan Rod and Custom’ became a partner. A host of others got on board to lend their expertise, time and money to the shared project. The combined efforts of this group culminated in 2002 when the Roadster Pickup called ‘North of 49’ hit the salt at Bonneville for Speed Week.

At Bonneville they proudly fly the Canadian flag and welcome everyone to their pit to experience the salt. North of 49 has become well known and respected for their hospitality, the atmosphere they create and the friendships they foster. Don is the catalyst, the prime promoter and the driving force of the group. He shares owner/driver privileges with Ted Allan and they are surrounded by a large crew who are infected with his enthusiasm.

While Ted focuses on setting a B Street Roadster record with the race truck, Don is more focused on having fun and providing a racing experience for the crew members, fellow street rodders and his high school students. With his retirement in 2000, Don became an auto shop teaching assistant, first in auto body and then in mechanics. He continues in that role today, encouraging, educating and influencing the next generation of gear heads.

In 2007, at the age of 72, Don ran the truck to its best ever speed of 210.5 MPH. The high from that pass kept his spirits up as the following month he began the fight for his life against Non Hodgkins Lymphomia. Later that year Don returned to work with his kids at the high school. Seven rounds of chemotherapy had put his cancer into remission.

During his battle with the disease Don kept busy by continuing to plan North of 49’s future and working on his latest street rod project, a hemi powered, track nosed, T roadster that should hit the street in the summer of 2010.

Around Calgary, Don is affectingly known by his nickname “ FOFIT” an acronym for Fastest Old Fart In Town. His reputation and skills are well known and respected by street rodders and racers everywhere. He continues to use his expertise and experience to encourage, educate, enthuse and influence others.

 

Not what I wanted to be posting for a first post. Have known Don and family for what seems like ages. Had the immense pleasure of road-tripping, garage crawling, swap meeting and general bull-shitting with the whole Siewert clan. Never a dull moment with any of them in the room. Don was the catalyst for a great time for anyone within earshot. As has been said many times by many of my fellow posters, Calgarians and friends: the world is now a much sadder place. God speed, Don: Aim for the 5 mile marker and keep your foot down.

 

Don was a good friend of my Foster father. He will miss him terribly. Bonneville will miss him.

 

Thanks Andy, for starting this thread and thanks to everyone who is participating in it.
I'm running from task to task as we get ready to formally celebrate dad, peeking in on these threads is giving me inspiration for the tasks at hand. I'm also printing these for my mother and grandmother. Grandma especially is really consoled by the high regard and appreciation expessed for her son.

Thankyou!

Mike