Folks Of Interest RIP ... Alex Blanca

Alex C. Blanca Jr.
August 9, 1946 - December 11, 2020

RIP @alex blanca
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@alex blanca joined the H.A.M.B. in 2014 ... here's "the intro" from his user profile:

Location: Newcastle, CA

Occupation: Al's Antique Auto Parts and Metal Spinning Co.

Cars: 1931 Ford, 1957 Chevrolet

Bio:

I started in 1962 when I was 15, with a 1931 "A" that I still have.

I was a charter member of the Nor Cal Early Iron car club in Fremont, Ca.

In 1972, I started making 1932 Ford cowl lights then on to all the cowl lights ('34s, '30-'31s & '29s).

By 1975, I started to make all the same year headlights as well, this was under "Al's Antique Auto Parts."

I moved to Newcastle, Ca. in 1977 and was full time into making reproduction auto parts.

In 1980, we received "The National Street Rod Association's - Best New Street Rod Product of the Year" for our Quartz Bulb Socket Adaptor that would work in a headlight with stock reflectors.

We made many other items that I still see on cars today.

At this time, I mostly do metal spinning for other companies but have some of our items on the car market.

On Sundays, I have Radio show called CRUISIN' GARAGE from 7:30-9AM KAHI AM950 out of Auburn, Ca.​

 

Here's a circa 1964 pic of (a 17-18 yr. old) Alex working on the four 2bbl carbs atop his '31 Model A's Olds V8:

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Here's (a 19 yr. old) Alex in his '31 Sedan at the 1966 Grand National Roadster Show:

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... and Alex with his daughter Stacy circa 1969:

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In late 1969, Alex repainted it:

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I first met Alex, wife Kathy (and daughters Stacy & Cori) in the early '70s when they were members of our car club:

Alex (circled in red ) with some of his fellow NOR~CAL EARLY IRON members
... including my father ("Deuce Bruce" Olson), Dino @fremont32 Ramacciotti,
Gary "Goodguy" Meadors (striped pants), and Bob (@bobs36hotrod) Swartz​

Here's some photos of Alex's '31 Model A Tudor in the '70s:

Alex in his NCEI club jacket with his '31 sedan (circa 1973)


Alex's '31 Tudor at a NCEI car show held at the Fremont Hub shopping center



Blanca's '31 & our '32 in the NCEI club display at the 20th Annual San Mateo Auto & Cycle Show in January of 1974​

 

In 1980, Alex was awarded NSRA "New ______ ___ Product of the Year":

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From 2009 to 2018, Alex co-hosted the CRUISIN' GARAGE Sunday morning radio show on KAHI AM950 in Auburn, Ca:

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In 2017, Alex and his younger brothers Stan & Ron "rebuilt" his '31 Model A Tudor Sedan:

(l to r): Stan, Ron, & Al


Alex with his '31 Tudor at ANDY'S "FINAL FINAL" PICNIC in August of 2017.


Alex with his "high school car" at the 2019 WHS Car Show
NOTE: Alex graduated from Washington High School (in Fremont, Ca.) in 1964 ... where he was the star running back ​

 

Not sure what is happening with your posts

edit ; - thanks ‘kidcambell71’ - (post below), sorry, all I saw was blank posts,

Hemi 32 - beautiful tribute thread, and condolences on the loss of your friend.

 

He's creating a thread, to be laid out, without interuption. Thoughtful placement of "place holders".

All will soon be revealed.

Rest in Peace, Alex. Thoughts & prayers for you, your family & many friends.

 

Here's Alex with some famous Hot Rodders / Customizers:

Alex hanging out with "Candy Apple Joe" Bailon in 2013


Alex with Andy "The Rodfather" Brizio in 2014


Alex & Roy Brizio at the 2014 RBSRs Open House


Alex & Bailon at the 2015 Sacramento Autorama Legends Luncheon


Alex with Billy F. Gibbons at the 2016 Sacramento Autorama​

 

In 2019, Alex was inducted into the Sacramento AUTORAMA LEGENDS HALL OF FAME:

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... and his '31 Model A Sedan was on display at the show:

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In February of 2020, Alex showed his "1931 Model A Ford" at the Sacramento AUTORAMA:

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... where Ed Gardner presented him with the "2020 Butch Gardner Memorial Krooze Safe Award":

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RIP

 

Rest In Peace.

 

R.I.P. Alex. A life well lived.

 

I met Alex Blanca back in the early 1970's when I had an early Ford parts store, and we carried his products. My ex-wife and I went to dinner with Alex and his wife Kathy in Newark, California in 1975 when we went to the l.A.R.S. Alex was a craftsman and a gentleman. I used to see him when I went to Turlock in January, and we would re-hash old stories. I didn't see him on my last trip to Turlock, but I will never forget him. He always had a smile on his face. Although I didn't see him frequently, I will miss him, as he was one of the few really good people that you meet in your lifetime. I can truly say that I am proud to have known Alex.

 

My condolences to his family and friends.

 

RIP Alex.

 

R.I.P.

 

Family, friends, hot rods.
Looks like he knew what's important.
God bless Alex and loved ones.

 

Sincere sympathy goes out to his Family & friends

 

Nice remembrance of a Nor Cal contributor....god speed to then heavens !

 

R.i.p Alex .

 

Condolences to the Blanca family and friends in the passing of Alex...he certainly lived his life around Hotrod in a very big way...may he rest in peace...

Thank you for sharing this loss to the Community @HEMI32 with this memorial tribute to Alex...

Regards,
Stogy

 

The man got around! RIP.

 

Alex's love of cars started at a very early age.

Here's a circa 1951 photo of (a 4 or 5 yr. old) Alex & his sister Linda sitting on the hood of their parent's Packard Convertible Coupe:

The Blanca family Packard in an Irvington*, CA orchard​

... and a circa 1954 photo of (a 7 or 8 yr. old) Alex , his siblings, & his mother posing with the family's Packard:

The Blanca family Packard near their Irvington*, CA home​

* NOTE: In 1956, the town of Irvington became 1 of the 5 districts in the newly incorporated city of Fremont, California.

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Here's an obituary from Alex's hometown newspaper:

Placer pennant project creator, HOF contributor Blanca dies at 74​

Dec 15, 2020 ... by Nick Pecoraro

Placer Athletic Hall-of-Famer Alex Blanca, a lover of classic cars, community, family and all things Placer High School, died Friday after a battle with cancer, his family confirmed. He was 74.

Blanca’s death came 16 months after being diagnosed with prostate cancer and just 12 days after the death of his wife, Kathy, who contracted COVID-19 and died Nov. 29. They were married for 54 years.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, and growing up in Fremont, Blanca moved his family to Newcastle in 1977. He instantly became enamored with Placer High School as the hallowed grounds of Earl Crabbe Gymnasium reminded him of the layout at his alma mater, Washington High School.

“He walked into that gym for the first game that winter, and his high school gym in Fremont was the same exact gym as Placer,” Blanca’s daughter, Stacey Waldman, said. “He knew right then and there, ‘This is where I belong.’ ”

Blanca was a workhorse of a running back at Washington under Jim Ingram, who succeeded Bill Walsh as the school’s football coach before Blanca had an opportunity to play for “The Genius.” But it was the personal values he learned from Ingram that would help him influence students at Placer years later.

According to Blanca’s Hall of Fame induction story in the Auburn Journal in 2018, former Placer basketball coach Jim Mallery once asked Blanca to coach the girls team even though he’d never played basketball. Mallery replied with, “Yes, but you’re good with the kids.”

Blanca went on to coach seven years of freshman and JV girls basketball along with six years of freshman football. He was the freshman coach of current Placer varsity coach Joey Montoya.

“He had a tremendous impact on my life,” Montoya said. “When I got the job (coaching) Placer, he and I would routinely talk in season and at times out of season, and I always appreciated when he’d call me with thoughts and insights and reminders of things. He was just a guy that truly loved our program and loved Placer High School. He was kind of an inherited alumni.”

Blanca was inducted into the Placer Athletic Hall of Fame, not for his coaching duties but more for his contributions as a booster, fundraiser and honorary member of the Block P Society. He earned a green and gold Placer letterman’s jacket and was the Grand Marshal of the homecoming parade one year.

But his most revered accomplishment for the school was the undertaking of his pennant project inside Earl Crabbe Gym.

“He was an outstanding contributor to the athletic heritage of Placer High School,” said Placer Athletic Hall of Fame member and former teacher Bob Burge. “I just hope the pennants he created can be kept in the Earl Crabbe Gym following the building’s remodel.”

Blanca researched every league, section and state championship Placer had ever won as far back as 1903 through Placer yearbooks and Auburn Journal and city library archives. Whatever pennants were missing from the Placer gym, Blanca handcrafted himself to reproduce those felt symbols of success, saying, “I consider a school gym as a place of identity and recognition of the community through the accomplishments of the athletes and staff. I love to see people’s accomplishments recognized.”

Blanca owned Al’s Metal Spinning Company, which produced items ranging from antique car parts to the moving eyelids for the animatronic characters in the Disneyland ride, “It’s a Small World.” His business was previously known as Al’s Antique Auto Parts, where he won the National Street Rod Association Product of the Year Award in 1980.

“His love, to many, was in cars, or at least his main love was, but he was so much more than those old custom cars he beloved so much,” said Newcastle friend Steve Fossum. “He was the kind of man all good, honest, hard-working men wish to be as well as strive to be. Always there for anyone and everyone, at any time any of us needed him.”

Blanca was heavily involved in the Auburn community. He was a member of the Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce, helping chair the Auburn Fourth of July Parade for several years.

“He loved the community,” Waldman said. “He was the kind of guy who would loan you a hundred bucks if you needed it and never expect it back. He felt like it was his duty if he felt like you needed it.”

Alex Blanca is survived by brothers Stanley and Ronnie, sisters Linda Ontiveros and Shirley Blanca, and daughters Stacey Waldman and Cori Blanca.​

 

RIP. God Bless his family.