Folks Of Interest Art Chrisman Has Passed

My sympathies to the family and friends. I had very little contact with him through the years but have good memories of each time.

 

Condolences and best wishes to the family.

 

RIP , sad news... was lucky enough to see the Hustler run at SIR along time ago..

 

Art was an invaluable source of knowledge at Bonneville. Autolite paid him to help racers with plug readings and he would show up with a Ford wagon loaded with hundreds of boxes of spark plugs. We knew Art through our association with Ak Miller. When dad and I showed up on the salt the first time in '61, Art helped with plugs, jetting and timing, even gearing suggestions. His efforts helped Dad set a 163 mph record in C modified production. When my brother and I took our little Honda to Bonneville in '69, Art's experience with nitro on the salt was the reason we set two AMA fuel class records.

Thanks for all the plugs and advice old friend from the Lowe family.

 

R.I.P Art Chrisman

 

Never met him, but I have a Chrisman 5.14 9" third member in my Galaxie, came from Mickey Thompson

 

Condolences to the Chrisman family on their loss definitely a big influence in the sport of race/hotrod. That brown coupe an icon.
Regards,
Stogy

 

Art was THE SHIT.

 

For those of you not completely familiar with Art's accomplishments, I recommend the book Published by Ed Justice of the Justice Brothers auto chemical Company. The title is "The Christman Legacy" . I got it for Christmas a couple of years ago and literally could not put it down! I have many history of hot rodding books but this one is superior to most all others. I told Ed how great I thought the book was and he said the he printed a limited run of 1000 and has a "few" left. If you want to read about a true legend and his family the book is a must! R I P Art and thanks for what you did for ALL of us.

 

I was fortunate to have had Art ( along with his son Mike and good friend Roy Fjasted ) as lunch buddies for the past 20+ years . Not only was he a mans' man , racers' racer and a gifted craftsman , but he was a devoted husband , great father and a loving grandfather . I will miss his great smile and infectious laugh with always a good word and a helping hand . A humble man with a gracious demeanor who will be missed by many .

 

We may not have know him in person but all of us who grew up in a certain era knew him and so many others thru magazines etc. So many of the hero's we grew up with are passing, it is the circle of life. But at least we still have Squirrel and Ryan.

 

Well I've only been a alive since the '50s, why try and make a condolences thread into something it is not.

 

Honored to have had him as a friend... one of my heroes, a terrific guy, talented beyond belief. Sad day and we will miss him dearly. Godspeed Art.

 

As a young 13 yearold I had the privilege of going to Riverside in February, 1959 with a friend and his father who knew Art personally. We met a really nice guy and witnessed his first passes with the top mounted blower setup. What a lasting memory and the strongest sales pitch for drag racing you could ever see. We followed him to the first March meet and again were stunned as he waded through the field on Sunday to emerge as the winner. He was always #1 on my list of drag racers for the inspiration he gave me for drag racing. Art, may your storey and your legacy never fade. RIP

 

Extremely well said Philly.

 

The legends are falling fast.

 

One of Compton's finest......

 

I met Jack when I was 12, then Art when I was 16...or 18, so many years ago.
The Chrismans 'Grew me up', always thought I'd see 'em again and again.

Godspeed, Art. Fine man.

 

hello,
our deepest sympathy to the chrisman family. we followed his career as long as we were involved in drag racing. from the early 58 meet at riverside raceway to the 1960 bakersfield meet. his cars were so impressive and he was a great driver. i was happy to record a little bit of history for everyone to enjoy and remember.
thank you,
jnaki
riverside:
bakersfield:

 

I'm so sorry I never got to meet him. I tried a couple times but it didn't work out. I wanted to confirm that my memory of one of his engines was accurate. In about 1954 55 one of the small magazines did an article of the dyno test and they showed the needle at 404 HP. That was and is very impressive to this day.

 

Here are a couple shots of Art wrenching on the Hustler dragster at the California Hot Rod Reunion many year ago. He made great tire smoking exhibition passes at that meet.

 

NOTHING has the sound that car makes!
That thing could knock the "fence crows" off the Famoso fence.

 

A true gentleman that will be long missed.