Hot Rods Rich Law --A not so average hot rodder died on Monday

Rich Law died Monday following a two year battle with Cancer. If your from the Chicago Area or have been to at least 17 Nats North, or to 38 NSRA Nationals, or to over 250 midwest rod runs or way to many cruise nights, you might well know Richie. He was at the first Natinals in Peoria Il, in 1970, with his yellow 40 Chevy sedan. He became a member of Vintage Tin in 1971. In about 1975 he put his signature car, a 35 Ford Phaeton on the road, BRIGHT YELLOW, lowered, chopped windshield, 351 Winsor. C4. lift off top. The car was seen EVERYWHERE for about 15 years. Usually with load of people in the car and you never knew who was going to be driving. Richie finally had to sell the car 'cause life got in the way. He still had a hot rod or 2 until 1992 when he aquired his forever car, a 1938 Ford Coupe. Had it on the road since '94, with a few time outs for up grades and redo's. It's a really nice lowered, raked, Flame Red, wide whites, small block driver. Rich Law, maybe alittle more than an average hot rodder, in the last 55 years he's only had 3 or 4 years when he didn't have a hot rod on the road. Richie Law, a WAY above average guy. He's the kind of guy, when you ever meet him you'd like him and never forget him. A retired cop, a married guy, a Dad, a Grandpa, and the best friend I ever had. Bill Rinaldi

 

Condolences to his family.


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Condolences to the Law Family and Friends on Rich's passing...Rest in Peace Hotrod Guy...

Sorry for the loss of your Friend @Bill Rinaldi and thank you for sharing this with us.

Regards,
Stogy

 

sorry bill for your loss . I didn't really know rich personally, but I had seen him around over the years. it is always tuff when you lose a great guy. rip rich.

 

Rest in Peace Rich.

Condolences to family and friends.

 

Rich and Maureen Law. Rich and his smile will be missed.

 

R I P

 

a lifetime rodder that supported our sport so well, his easy smile makes me think I knew him. Strength to his lovely wife and love to her to carry on. Being a 76 year old senior makes this issue very sensitive to me as I struggle to stay in the game. Rest easy sir.

 

I’m sorry you lost your friend.

 

BILL, SO SORRY ABOUT HIS LOST, HE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF ME AND MY SON, RIP.

 

Didn't know Rich but remember seeing the 35, RIP.

 

sorry for everyone's loss,...not just the immediate family's,...guys like Rich touch so many lives.

 

While I never knew him personally I remember him as one of those guys that always had a smile on his face, and just like you said Bill he would have a bunch of people in the ‘35 at those early Nats.
Godspeed Rich.

 

So very sorry to her this Bill, I met Rich a couple of times when I owned my 38, real nice down to earth guy. I used to see the yellow 35 constantly in the summer on my way home from work, loved the look of that car. RICH LAW, may you "REST IN PEACE"

 

Godspeed, condolences to the family.

 

Bill, did Rich have a hood and fenders on his 40 sedan when he went to Peoria? HRP

 

sincere sympathy goes out to his Family, and friends

 

Rich and Bill went for a ride in this DC-3 last summer.

 

RIP, Sir

 

Thank you all for the kind words and thoughts. I cant thank you enough for posting pictures of Rich and his cars, A very special thank you to my good friend Jim 32 for the very special pictures he posted. Richies funeral service is Sunday and I really don't know how I'm going to get past that. Bill

 

Danny, the 40 Chevy Sedan was a pale yellow and was full fendered. It had a warmed up six with 2 pots, fenton headers and a 4 speed. Incidently, Rich's 35 started life as a 4 dr sedan. He built the car in his garage teaching himself as he went along, built the lift off top out of conduit and flat strap. Farmed out the paint and some of the upholstery to fellow Vintage Tin members. Same with the 38 only by then he knew a lot more and had really sharpened his skills, still had aVintage Tin member (or two) do the paint and some finess work. Bill

 

My most sincere condolences to Maureen and the entire family. While I was not as close to Rich as Bill Rinaldi (they were in the best friend category), I'm going to have a tough time making it through the service on Sunday

Rich was one of those folks who became a valued friend forever, as soon as you said hello to him. Vintage Tin is a great group of folks, and Rich Law made a lasting impact on us all. RIP

 

Sincere condolences to all his family and friends-remember seeing him and his car at Kalamazoo many times over the years- RIP


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Sad....really sounded like a stand up kinda guy.....sorry for the loss .

 

Sad day in the hot rod world my condolences.

 

Our condolences to his family & friends ......

Godspeed Rich.

 

Rich was a gentleman. Not a lot of guys like him anymore. Blessed to have known him. There are hot rods in Heaven, and I have a couple of buddies up there to show him around.
Godspeed Richie, you will be missed sir.

 

We put Richie to rest yesterday. Needless to say the place was mobbed the whole day. Folks from the many facets of his life, his immediate family, wife and all her family, his police family, friends from all walks of life and his hot rod family, streching back 56 years. In the many skits Rich and I put together at all the Vintage Tin Banquets, his favorite was a take off of the Johnny Carson routine with Carson putting on an Arabian Sheiks Giant Turban and a cape and Carson became THE GREAT CARNAK. A mystical character who could read a persons mind for a question and the answer would appear in writing in a sealed envelope. His wife made up the outfit, and Rich became the GREAT CARNUT, I played the Ed McMahan, part as CARNUTS assistant. CARNUT would hold the envelope to his head and say the question, such as. "Oh great wise one, where is the center of the Universe" With a flourish he would open the envelope and read the answer. "Behind the wheel of a chopped 32 3 window coupe, THATS the center of the universe!!". In ending the eulogy that I said, I ended it with a take off on Richies CARNUT skit. "Oh Wise One, Where do I go from here?". I opened the envelope and the answer was "Straight to Heaven, RICHIE, Straight to Heaven". And I know it's true. Bill Rinaldi

 

BTT