History L.A. Hot Rods at the beginning

First opened this when it was one post, kept seeing it and thinking "gotta check back and see how its going" but didn't check back till now. Outstanding.That Von Arx car is neat.

 

Hey there, Back to Thunder Alley, I've tried every way possible to send along the photos of the Nairn heads that I had but the system keeps bouncing them back and telling me that there is a sending "failure". I'd like for you to see them and have copies of the photos. Feel free to email me at [email protected] and I'll send them to you that way. Thanks.

 

Harms Way; You may be correct about the driver being Vida Orr. she was a true pioneer.

 

More poster material (actually, many of these outstanding photos are!)

 

Just wicked cool.

 

Triumph 500 Speed twin with a girder front end was likely a pre war model.Surprising to see one that wasn't bobbed.A hot rod bike back then.

 

Thanks Jimmy! Is the car still around, or is the Riley V8 in one of the Roadsters today? Bob

 

Incredible collection Thunder Alley. Thanks for sharing!
If Don Montgomery has another book in the works you should consider loaning out the photos to him.

 

I thought you all might enjoy a look at the program for the 1949 El Mirage (dry lake). I'll post each page in two separate posts. Lots of interesting info and the full entry list from those time trials. Enjoy.

 

Here is the rest of the 1949 El Mirage dry lake program;

 

How very cool !,.... Best thread on the HAMB in a long time !

 

Love that it sure looks like an aircraft cockpit. Fantastic stuff.

 

El Mirage. Love this.

 

Hope you don't mind my re-posting some of these in larger format. Great stuff.

 

No helmets, no seat belts . . .

 

Last blow up from me, just so in love with this car . . .



And the cover of the program . . .

 

This thread is going to drive the cost of early issues of HOT ROD through the roof. Bob

 

Great thread ! DON FERRARA was one of the earliest L.A. Hot Rodder's...and one of the b-e-s-t !

He's the man who started me into the R&C World in 1953 !! (His Tribute Page on the HOF Legends Site is at this Link: http://www.legends.thewwbc.net/gpage105.html )

Don was a mastercraftsman, built all his own machines, and his "A" was a landmark roadster, racer, and multiple-award winner...it was a rod to be reckoned with, and was also at the first version of the L.A. National Guard Armory Hot Rod Show in 1948 (and 1949, 1950, 1951) where it was a 1st Place Winner. That legendary "A" was also a "screamin' Demon" at El Mirage, and other racing venues.

Don knew, and was friends with all of the early pioneers during his time: Petersen, Tom Medley, Wally Parks...et al.

If it wasn't for my Dad & Don Ferrara,starting me into the World of cars (my Dad), and, Rods & Customs (Don) I might not be writing these words today...my Dad passed away in 1983, but Don is still with us and is 86.

I talked to Don again a few months ago...he's in fair health, has slowed down alot, but still gets to some of the Cali. Rod & Custom shows when he can...and, for the time being, has stopped riding his Harley. You heard me right...up until a few months back Don was still riding his beautiful, big, "Fireman's Red" Harley...at 86 !

Ya gotta love it !!

(That's Don and his iconic "A" Roadster below !)









Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net

 

Uber cool info, thanx man. It generated some other great history also. ~sololobo~

 

Thanks for the neat post!----Sure brings back many old memories from my hi school days 1946-1950.
At that time all the guys were taking Machine shop to mill heads, grind cams,& port & relieve their flatheads.
Even had one guy that built his Chevy 4 banger in auto shop to run at Muroc (Don Rickson).
Pierson was always cruising our Inglewood Hi school with his neat '36 3wd white coupe, as was Joe Torvick with an identical coupe. Another '36 3wd was owned by Jim McKinley, the 3 of them formed the "COUPES" of Inglewood around 1948.
Every Friday at school, the buzz around the school was, who's going to the lakes this weekend?
Then on Monday, everyone was talking about who went the fastest!

Exciting times then for sure, thanks again for posting the memories!---Don

 

Thank you for sharing your family history with us!!

 

Wow !!! What a great thread, I have been following along for a few day's, but I just had to post and Thank you for all the wonderful pictures. This is exactly why this website is the greatest.

 

You're welcome casper. I am enjoying sharing the treasure trove of my Dad's (Don Nairn) old photos and stories of our families part in what is the story of the early days of California rods and racing in general. I'll be posting more pics and stories and may be putting together a book or catalog showcasing the hundreds of pics in the collection. Stay tuned.

 

Thunder Alley, everytime I look at this thread it's better than the last time...big thanks for starting it and sharing.

 

Awesome thread. THIS is what the HAMB is all about! Many thanks!!

 

Thank you for sharing your dad's history in stories and photos, it is greatly appreciated. If you need any help id-ing cars I'd be happy to help.

BTW do you happen to have any photos of Ralph Schenck streamliner or the Spurgin/Giovanine '25 Chev roadster?




1947

1948

 

Great historical stuff. Thanks for sharing.

 

How about a bit of Indy on this Sunday morning. As a progression from the dry lake racing days, my Dad (Don Nairn) and Uncle Jim Nairn along with Stu Hilborn and Jim Travers and Frank Coon (of Trayco Engineering) evolved to Indianapolis 500 racing scene. Stu had introduced his fuel injection system with great success and Travers and Coon were the master engine builders. They joined the Howard Keck racing team with the goal of shaking things up at Indy. Beginning in 1951 with a rather wild midget car phenom driver named Bill Vukovich, they got on a roll leading most of the 1952 race (before a late crash) then winning back to back 500's in 1953 and 1954, before while leading again on lap 56 of the 1955 race, Vukovich got caught up in a multi car crash (he wasn't involved in the initial crash), ran out of room at the top the track on the backstretch, clipped a tire and went up and over the very short wall, spinning an flipping several times outside the track and the car burst into flames killing him instantly.

The photos below show
some Indy scenes and shots of the pit crew (my Dad and Uncle among them). In the group photo, my Uncle Jim Nairn is on the far left and Don Nairn is on the far right with Stu Hilborn to his right. The last photo is of my Dad (with Stu Hilborn to his left) looking back up the front straight in the moment they both realized that something was seriously wrong as Vukovich had not come around as he should have by then. Seconds later the crew was informed of the crash. It was the last time my Dad attended the Indy 500.

 

That little 15a roadster just floors me! THAT is what I want to build. All these images are just awesome! I bookmarked this thread so I wouldn't miss a thing.

 

Geez, how much better can this story get? Fantastic!