If I may put in a plug for my book "Hot Rods In The Forties" then there are numerous pictures in the book, loaned to me by Gopher members Don Blair, John Ryan, Tim Timmerman and Dan O'Regan. I knew all of these guys ,except John, from back in the 1940s so it was really nice to be able to put the photos in the book. It was a great time. Don www.montgomeryhotrodbooks.com
i have pretty much lived my life by your books on 1940's rodding a huge inspiration for my A roadster for sure!
I hadn't visited Landspeedracing.com for some time but was a little saddened to find out about Gopher Johnny Ryan's passing. R.I.P. STAFF NOTES, by Richard Parks; I received a phone call from Greg Ryan that his father, Johnny Ryan, passed away. Johnny was a dear friend of our family and a giant in auto racing. He was born on March 8, 1918 and passed away on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. Details of his memorial service will be provided later, but he will be interred in the Veterans Cemetery in Riverside, California. As soon as I can I will try and put together a biography on his life with the help of his family and friends. I interviewed Johnny on several occasions. He was charming and friendly and always made people welcome. His Irish humor and stories while growing up and his life in racing made people smile. Johnny had a way of humanizing people and turning their faults and foibles into teaching experiences. He didn't always have success, but he worked hard at what he did. In his youth he had a hard time and he and his friends often did things that they regretted later. Johnny was typical of the young people of the Great Depression years; struggle was a constant part of their lives. The world of auto racing, especially land speed racing in the deserts of Southern California gave Johnny and his friends something to work towards. It was World War II that changed Johnny's life and the lives of his friends. His best friend and business partner was Nelson "Nellie" Taylor and they went racing and then into the military. Nellie was severely wounded in and around the Battle of the Bulge, prone in the freezing snow until he was rescued. Johnny was on a transport ship in the English Channel in December of 1944 when it was sunk by enemy torpedoes. He escaped by jumping over the rail of the ship onto a passing destroyer, but about 2000 other soldiers drowned in the icy waters. After the war, Taylor and Ryan opened their famous engine building shop in Whittier; and their flatheads powered record setting runs in auto and boat racing. For a time their flathead powerplants were the engines that dominated in land speed, speedboat, drag and oval track racing. The partners were also active members in the Gophers car club and the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA). Some of their members included Harry Weber, Bud Van Mannan, Donald and Dante Gonnella, Bill Zaring, Nellie Taylor, Johnny Ryan and many more. The Gophers excelled at partying and mischief. They raided other car clubs and stole their members, especially if they had fast cars. The lure of belonging to the Gophers car club was irresistible and at one time or another just about everyone came under their influence in the late 1940's. Johnny told me many stories about the outrageous things the Gophers did. On one occasion they followed a truck carrying watermelons and one of their members climbed onto the back of the truck as it was moving and threw melons to those in the cars behind them. The highway was littered with smashed melons, but at their parties they had watermelon for weeks. One Gopher painted a swastika on the ceiling of a dance hall in a joke that had a sad outcome when it became known about the Jewish Holocaust. Nellie's health was never good after the injuries he suffered in the war and Johnny would often carry his friend, in his arms, from place to place. After Nellie died, Johnny managed the business. The engine shop is still in operation under new owners. Johnny remarried to Gloria Lanzini and they lived in Yorba Linda. They were close friends with Leslie Long and Johnny came to the Santa Ana Drags Reunion to meet with all of his friends. The last time I saw Johnny and his son Greg was just two weeks before his passing. He was the same courteous gentleman with the flashing Irish eyes, quick smile, wonderful stories and graciousness. Johnny Ryan will be missed.
That is sad news about John Ryan. It sucks that we are losing all of these guys from our hot rod history. I am bringing this back to the top looking for any more pictures and info. on the cars of this great club.
I have two versions of their plaque posted on my website ..... ..... but I'm not sure which one is like the ones in the photo you posted. I think the bottom one was made later and SCTA was added. The plaque on the car with the license plate number 24T868 has what looks like something in the blank space where SCTA was added.