Register now to get rid of these ads!

History R.I.P. Joe Panek

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Dave's32insocal, Mar 4, 2017.

  1. Dave's32insocal
    Joined: Mar 4, 2017
    Posts: 73

    Dave's32insocal
    Member

    6FFF2514-5FDB-4C8C-A275-6FE6650CEC65.png Yes it has been awhile! Stopped by the shop to see how things have been and brought Joe a joke book he always has a joke ready for you ,we missed the GNRS both of us just not having enough time to fit it in. SEMA inductees for last year were Barry Meguiar,Doug Evans and GiGi Carleton but they did ask since I nominated last year if I wanted to nominate someone this year so I renominated Joe.
    The Coupe is still getting ready to get worked on! In other words it hasn’t moved.
    John has asked me to look for some of the Roto Faze distributors up for sale as they are looking to buy some back if you have any sitting on a shelf please call John at the shop.
     
  2. hendelec
    Joined: Aug 23, 2008
    Posts: 100

    hendelec
    Member

    They quit taking nominations on March 6 ......................
     
    chryslerfan55 and loudbang like this.
  3. Dave's32insocal
    Joined: Mar 4, 2017
    Posts: 73

    Dave's32insocal
    Member

    I’m not 2 months late nominating Joe, I’m 2 months late telling you guys. Sorry, but I did make the deadline just by a day.
    It would really be nice to see pictures and hear some more stories of Joe and his Roto Faze distributors
     
  4. Scott Mize
    Joined: May 29, 2017
    Posts: 87

    Scott Mize
    Member

    Joe and John helped us out on our Rotofaze. It was simple just needed to set dwell to 62*. We also documented the advance at different RPM levels. Ours is a model 822. SN 843. If you need the advances by rpm I can post those later.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  5. quicksilverart46
    Joined: Dec 7, 2016
    Posts: 460

    quicksilverart46
    Member

    I got to see the car run at El Mirage back in the mid to late ‘80’s. If I recall it did have the Blown V12 . My friend has what I believe is the original Roto faze from this car . It is the wildest ignition that I have ever seen. Its a double Stacked casting of the Original finned dual cap dual coil but with 4 caps instead of 2! I assume it uses three wires per cap on a V 12 firing sequently every 90 degrees. I have got to take a photo of it some day soon.
     
  6. Any more info? This great thread went cold.
     
    Louie likes this.
  7. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    I understand that Joe passed away a few months back. I’m surprised no one updated this thread. No idea what’s happened to Roto Phase now.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  8. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,291

    jnaki

    Hello,

    Here is my version of the famous Roto Faze 1934 Ford Altered Coupe. It was an outstanding build from those early days. Plus, not many were drag racers were with C&O Stick Hydros when they first hit the scene in competition. Especially, on the local high performance hot rod sedans on the So Cal streets.

    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/friday-art-show-2-11-22.1255916/#post-14382252

    upload_2022-2-18_10-1-32.png
    It was hard to compete with established transmission companies like B&M, as well as ignition companies like Joe Hunt Scintilla Vertex Magnetos.

    Jnaki

    [​IMG]

     
    GuyW, chryslerfan55, hendelec and 3 others like this.
  9. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Godspeed, Joe Paneck.
     
    mad mikey likes this.
  10. RIP Joe.
     
    mad mikey likes this.
  11. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    Quite a few years ago I had Joe take some weight out of a Model A flywheel for me. Mainly because I wanted to meet him and talk some. He was cordial and he showed me his coupe. I told him that I could probably fix the block if he stripped it down but he said he had a spare so he wouldn’t be repairing that one. He also said that he was running another bunch of his tall Iso-Port Hemi blower manifolds, the last batch had shifted badly and weren’t useable. I wanted to run one on my Willys. At that time it was obvious that he was starting to have health problems and I wondered how much longer he would be able to keep his place open. He eventually got around to doing my flywheel and he wasn’t shy about charging for his time. I’m glad I got to talk with him a little and see his shop.
     
    chryslerfan55, mad mikey and jnaki like this.
  12. Dave's32insocal
    Joined: Mar 4, 2017
    Posts: 73

    Dave's32insocal
    Member

    FF39256F-A645-44E0-835B-E108747AE1B3.jpeg What I remember most about Joe is he always had a “ Have you heard the one about the……. Joke”ready for you! The pride that he had about having part’s that he helped machined that are still on the Moon in the Apollo landing craft! How he talked about the theory behind the flow on his intake manifold, had a booth at the first SEMA at Dodger stadium! We talked about the coupe and how the 170+ Mph runs were from behind the steering wheel and how he described how the car was fishtailing, how the last run was when the timing chain broke and went through the block and how he had stamped the louvers that helped remove the smoke from the cab. Joe Panek was a true old school Hot Rodder always talking about bringing the Coupe into the shop and fixing it to make a 200mph run! I’m sure all of you who met Joe know how much he wanted to help you with whatever you brought him!
    RIP. Joe Panek
     
    chryslerfan55, hendelec, Tman and 4 others like this.
  13. Dave's32insocal
    Joined: Mar 4, 2017
    Posts: 73

    Dave's32insocal
    Member

    Roto Faze Ignitions and Machining
    From the first time I called,I’ve been talking to John,
    Joe’s nephew. Joe was already only coming into the shop a couple times a week and John was helping out.
    John wants to bring back Roto Faze and I’ve been helping out a little, have been busy trying to buy back some distributors and manifolds for specs we have a good start, the cams and the dual coil housing are what we needed,maybe one will come up for sale in a year,we have been patient and now we have 3 clockwise cams,one counterclockwise and a dual coil twin plug distributor for a flat head,two housing to copy. Any help you can give John, still need a few more spares,also a Weidenhoff Distrib-U-Scope distributor tester. Please if you have something sitting on a shelf call John or PM me, can’t say when but know that we are going to get it done! Thanks in advance! Dave 444C5BB5-05C2-47BE-A5FF-746A85D2C22D.jpeg
     
  14. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    I understood that there was an ongoing problem finding someone to correctly grind the distributor cams.
    It’s been years since I’ve been there but I remember Joe resisting any attempts to straighten up and organize the place (I’m the same way) but it kinda needed that to become what it could be these days. Best of luck to John and good for you for lending a hand. It would be great to see it back in full operation again.
     
    SS327, chryslerfan55 and hendelec like this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.