Folks Of Interest Ode to Gray Baskerville 20 years later

I especially liked the reference to Gray's hearing of the firing of John Dianna

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/20...aily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2022-02-01

 

Great story, thanks for posting !

 

Cool story. Thanks!

 

A life lived on his own terms....What we all should aspire to do.....Good write up.....

 

The best EVER. And who can not love another story about the POS Dianna?!

 

What a great article. Thank you for sharing here!

 

Thank you for the posting.. a great read..

 

It is hard to believe it has been 20 years since his passing, he was a treasure of this hobby. I feel fortunate to have known Gray and to have spent time with him at some of the events he covered for HRM.
I met Gray one evening in DesMoines in 1975, I had just finished the three year build on my Comet the day before, packed up some tools and a few clothes and drove it to DesMoines for an NSRA event. That night I went to the HQ hotel for the festivities, I parked the Comet off in a dark area behind the hotel because I did not want anyone to see it because it still was dirty from the final thrash of the night before. We walked the parking lot for a while then headed back to the car, when I got to where the car was parked I found two “characters” looking at the car. When I approached the car to unlock it one of the guys asked if it was mine, I said yes and he immediately got giddy and told me how much he liked it. That was Gray, ( along with Bud Lang) Gray introduced himself and said he would like to shoot the car for HRM. I told him once I cleaned the car he could do whatever he pleased. After that day we became friends, every event that we both attended we would sit and talk, I always enjoyed seeing him. A few years later he also did an article about my Comet GT and my wife's matching GT, they are post HAMB so I will not include a photo of that article. Here is what Gray wrote in 1975: (photography by Bud Lang)

 

I just found and bought one of those die cast roadsters on the 'bay. Cool story.

 

Thanks for sharing.
Gray was my hero; his Dec 1974 Hot Rod coverage of Barry Lobeck's flamed '40 Ford hooked me on hot rods forever.

I got to meet him at a Pleasanton Goodguys event in the early '90's. He enthusiastically asked about my '55 Chevy as if I were somebody important. That meant a LOT to me and is a great life lesson well beyond the bounds of hot rods & customs.

 

I did the same thing

 

Where is Gray's roadster today?

 

Thank you!!! Great story!!!

 

The last I knew his roadster was owned by the Sheltons. What a cool guy, with a flair for words!

 

YEP!---"ol Gray still never painted that spot on the left rear fender!

 

That was a fine tribute to one of the greatest hot rodding writers of all time.
Thanks for posting the link.

 

I read that Gray gave the Roadster to Jim Shelton, to be it's caretaker.
Last I heard Jim was treating it with great care as time was taking its toll on the old build, thus it is not frequently driven any more.

 

Bitchin'

 

I literally ran into Gray in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee a few years before he passed away, nether one of us was paying attention and damn near knocked each other down, I said excuse me but you sure look like Grey Baskerville and his reply was., "I have heard that before".

I have met a small hand full of people that I would considered movers and shakers in the hot rod world, but Gray was so down to earth and just a normal guy, our conversation couldn't have lasted more than 10 minute but he made a lasting impression on me. HRP

 

That's pretty cool, Danny.
But you're both pretty big guys to be having a head-on collision.

 

Jim Shelton has it. I was lucky enough to see it at Bonneville one year. I never met Gray but loved his writing. I was stoked to see his roadster. Snowman ⛄️

 

me too...



I got to meet Jeff Koch and Gray in 1997, it was Jeff's first assignment...fun guy. I didn't get a chance to talk with Gray, unfortunately, just a few "hi"s

thanks for the link

 

Eric Vaughn gave me a Gray Baskerville shirt pin at the Peterson after Gray's passing. Gray had a great following and was a well deserved spokesman to all us automotive enthusiasts.

 

Trivia moment. Gray got his start writing for SUNSET Magazine

 

I remember seeing a pic of him with his little girl, & i thought , any guy that can spend his life chasing down fun, publishing it in a well known publication, drag his kid along, & document that in the magazine as well, has got to be one of the good guys

 

Great story thanks for sharing.

 

Way cool, thanks for that

 

Hilarious

 

Thanks for the share about Gray, one of the all time Best at what he did. It's even Better when you find out that he was just like Us, always brings a smile to my face when I see anything related to "Ol' Dad"!