Two men pushed me into the dark side of flatheads. This middle aged baby boomer only had interest in big horsepower and overhead valves. Why in god name would anyone think about putting a flathead in any ford? An old fellow, the father of a good friend of my son. Took me under his wing and spent many weeks talking about the history and Romanticism of these old engines along with the sound, and why they sounded that way. Mind you this was well before the new traditional resurgence. Flathead’s were few and far between in the Hotrod scene. Couldn't wait to buy an early old ford and make it a hot rod. An early Hotrod. The car had a 21 bolt engine. With its share of issues to keep it running. I’d post these issues in the hamb. Bruce was always there (every single time) giving me instruction and cheering me on. He wanted more young people to experience this engine he loved. He’d message me and even let me borrow special tools he had stash away. bruce left his mark in the flathead resurgence. He made it much easier for all of us to round the corner to the dark side with his vast knowledge and ease of explanation. I always tried to get Bruce to post pics of his cars. His excuse was he didn’t have a digital camera. Before. iPhones. I remember starting s a fund here on the hamb to buy him a camera so we could see his cars. He never did post any pictures. I would never ask him why he didn’t take pictures for us. I thought. He must cherish his privacy. so I gave him that. A good friend to us all.
So glad to see this thread is helping all of us to member Bruce. it is great to hear the stories that he helped create. it is best to celebrate but, it is also OK to grieve. no one knows how long any of us have here in this world. we all take too much for granted, or keep putting off spending some extra time with that special person in your life. being able communicate about so much here is great.
He means so much to all of us, just imagine how his family is feeling... God Speed Bruce..... Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Never met the man personally but did exchange emails with him as many have asking questions about a flathead I had acquired. Shared his knowledge freely and I respect that tremendously. Rest in peace.
To Ryan and the rest who responded, we as a whole need more people like Bruce in our lives. They are the ones that make the rest of Us step up to be more like Them. Sometimes we have been like Them without even knowing it, but the people we impact at that moment Know and That's what matters. Bruce, accept these testimonials in your honor. Rest Well, Hot Rodder.
I do hope that his Family and close Friends can take some solace in knowing just how much we will miss him and how much he meant to all of us here. God Speed, Bruce.
Look at the way Bruce is remembered. Why is that? Because Bruce was a hell of a man. He made people feel good. He lived by a code, as far as I can tell, and he stuck to it. Bruce gave people his knowledge. He was humble, a class act.
Bruce offered me the same solid advice as some pup on here that knew very little about Flatheads. Always helpful, and always there... You will be missed, Bruce.
Just look at his picture.....he just looks like the guy everyone's complementing and you'd miss when you were stuck on something.....thanks for posting that.
Bruce was one Hell of a solid human being - and an amazing resource for knowledge, debate, engineering facts, etc.. One time I was pondering some type of design with him and he said "I'll send you a book". Sure as heck a week or so later an old automotive engineering book showed up via the post office - with a little note from Bruce. Nobody like him - period . . . he will be missed by MANY!
Some of the first things I read when I started on here were by Bruce and it didn't take long to tell that he knew his stuff along with his answers being well researched. That right there is probably the best way we can continue to honor his HAMB legacy and that is when you answer someone's question take the time to check your references and make sure you give the best answer that you can and not just throw out a guess or what you heard from the guys down at the spit and whittle club. Evidently Ryan isn't the only one who Bruce emphasis the "no eulogy" thing on. A search this morning does not bring up anything on Bruce Lancaster II except that he had retired from The Library at Drue University at the end of May/first of June in 2017 where he was a research librarian. Not even a mention on the library's FB page of his passing..
I thought that a way to honor Bruce would be to sit down and read every single post he made on here and the Ford Barn. It was like having him sitting next to me! Not only did his vast knowledge on all things early Ford run continuously, but his wit and sense of humor got me laughing in tears. His instructions on one thread on timing a flathead began with something like "mug a third grader, steal his backpack, keep the compass and protractor and ditch the rest, then make a degree wheel". I'm really going to miss that.
Good idea HotrodA. His dry sense of humor and quick wit was very entertaining. Here’s one he wrote clear back in 05. “The most important test to make on the loadamatic distributor is the old Navy standard flotation test.” I’d like to invite everyone to add more of his humor to this thread.
The last reply to a thread Bruce made was when he commented on the antiquated forum about my obsession to collect motel room key fobs with the number 32 , his seance of humor came shinning through. HRP
Bruce had so much knowledge, it has reached around the world, i am in Australia and he has shared his wisdom with me, a gentleman, massive loss to the HAMB
OK I have seen enough of these types of posts and need to speak up. How do YOU measure up to these people we are losing? I know I don't. I am not talking knowledge, just the willingness to give to others in the hobby. A good legacy for Bruce, Roy, Dick and the others is for us to take the time to help those who are new and struggling. If you have a part some hamber needs to complete their project that you have 4 of, offer it up. this is a COMMUNITY I don't have much to offer as I am newer and have limited skills, but I love old hot rods and want to see more built or saved. And I have offered up the limited stuff I have.
Two great men who have left us. blown49 Member Emeritus from West Union, OH. Bruce Lancaster said: “Never did an intro--just started sneaking in replies to questions I could answer if no one else posted the right stuff. No one ever noticed. Mebbe I'll do an intro someday. This is the best car mag on the planet, period. Someone here knows absolutely damn everything a car nut might ever need to know.” I'm fairly new myself but I don't feel Bruce needs to do an intro, he's has prolly done more for people here than most. I picture him in a room with shelves lining each wall, sitting at a big old wooden desk, and smokin' a pipe and glasses slipped down on his nose (not to be confused with Santa Claus!) DEC 9, 2005 !REPORT! LIKE + QUOTE REPLY
Bruce's library of Ford information needs to acquired by a HAMBer. You know he didn't remember all of the info he posted. He looked it up. He was a library researcher, that's what he did.
A great loss to everyone. Bruce was one of a kind, and a wonderful person. The HAMB has lost another great guy. R.I.P. Bruce.
Bruce was a wealth of knowledge and very willing to share it. He will be missed here. God Bless Bruce.
What I really liked about Bruce, Was when he would chime in on a question He would Say weather or not He had personal experience with the issue and would share his experience and advise accordingly. So many people ask questions on here and although I know guys want to be helpful, They will google for an answer about something they have never had any experience with before and then post the same wrong Shit that google has stored on its server. Guys like Bruce will be missed for sure.
I thought they would mention it on their webpage as well. I was shocked they did not. but they will bbe honoring him at what they tell me is an "irish wake" at the Drew University pub in the first week of December. -Beth (his younger daughter)
The Jalopy Journal
