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RIP Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Troublemaker427, Mar 29, 2012.

  1. Hotrodbuilderny
    Joined: Mar 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,646

    Hotrodbuilderny
    Member

  2. wetatt4u
    Joined: Nov 4, 2006
    Posts: 2,146

    wetatt4u
    Member

    LOVE YA MAN !

    R.I.P.

    God Speed and prayers to the Faimly.....

    Sad DAY......
     
  3. lowkroozer
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 601

    lowkroozer
    Member

    Godspeed ,,He will be missed !!!!!!
     
  4. Very sad, indeed. Godspeed Grumpy.
     
  5. brandyspaw
    Joined: Mar 29, 2008
    Posts: 49

    brandyspaw
    Member

    Between my older brother and Bill Jenkins, they provided some huge inspiration for me to get started in drag racing back in the early seventies. I read all of Jenkin's books and articles about him. I watched him race whenever he was in my area. I even raced a white 67 Camaro as homage to my racing hero.

    RIP Grumpy.
     
  6. bigken
    Joined: Jul 7, 2005
    Posts: 2,788

    bigken
    Member

    Bummer - he was one of my favorites to watch, as a kid.........
     
  7. Carnuba
    Joined: Mar 19, 2012
    Posts: 430

    Carnuba
    BANNED

    Huge idol for me for many many years. I feel privaledged to have met and talked to him several times. He was one smart dude.
     
  8. VERNOR-GREEN GARAGE
    Joined: Jan 24, 2006
    Posts: 260

    VERNOR-GREEN GARAGE
    Member
    from Michigan

    Rest in Peace brother
     
  9. rustednutz
    Joined: Nov 20, 2010
    Posts: 1,580

    rustednutz
    Member
    from tulsa, ok

    Saw him at several races. A truly competitive and innovative person. I remember when he built the first Vega, what an amazing race car. I think I still have the magazine with his semi-nude centerfold. That was something to behold. Miss ya already Grump.
     
  10. chevy3755
    Joined: Feb 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,055

    chevy3755
    Member

    happy trails Grump........
     
  11. lorodz
    Joined: Jul 26, 2009
    Posts: 3,727

    lorodz
    Member

  12. JC Sparks
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 733

    JC Sparks
    Member
    from Ohio

    He was the king of the 4 speed in his day. JC
     
  13. BLUDICE
    Joined: Jun 23, 2006
    Posts: 1,511

    BLUDICE
    Member

    Man - that sucks.
     
  14. 52Poncho
    Joined: Apr 23, 2011
    Posts: 256

    52Poncho
    Member

    RIP Grumpy
    You will be missed.
     
  15. swe64
    Joined: Nov 22, 2010
    Posts: 415

    swe64
    Member

    rip grumpy a real dragracer
    ken
    sweden
     
  16. Wow. That's too bad. Another great, gone.
     
  17. Godspeed Grump

    The April issue of Super Chevy had a nice interview with him, glad to have had the opportunity to read it.
     
  18. R.I.P. Grumpy.
    Al.
     
  19. axe grinder
    Joined: Feb 15, 2009
    Posts: 919

    axe grinder
    Member

    R.I.P. .....da Grump

    [​IMG]
     
  20. bob t!
    Joined: Aug 23, 2011
    Posts: 209

    bob t!
    BANNED

    Knew Bill a little, definately one of my hero's.R.I.P. Grump
     
  21. Pharouh
    Joined: Sep 18, 2008
    Posts: 437

    Pharouh
    Member

    Sorry to hear this. R.I.P. Grumpy.

    [​IMG]
     
  22. dixiedave
    Joined: Nov 23, 2010
    Posts: 45

    dixiedave
    Member

    RIP. I really enjoyed the interview in Super Chevy this month.
     
  23. LOWDUG37
    Joined: Jan 31, 2007
    Posts: 1,003

    LOWDUG37
    Member

    He will be missed.
     
  24. 40fordtudor
    Joined: Jan 3, 2010
    Posts: 2,503

    40fordtudor
    Member

    RIP--he helped make this hobby what it is.
     
  25. That's really too bad, I'm glad I had a chance to meet him in York in 2010. Great guy and he will be missed by many, RIP

    -Dean
     
  26. haroldd1963
    Joined: Oct 15, 2007
    Posts: 1,154

    haroldd1963
    Member
    from Peru, IL

    RIP Grumpy. Took this picture of a Grumpy's Toy Tribute car at this year's World of Wheels in Chicago.

    [​IMG]
     
  27. Spike!
    Joined: Nov 22, 2001
    Posts: 2,733

    Spike!
    Member

    I have a kinda funny story that I will share with my HAMB friends..I worked for "Da Grump" for six whole days..this story has never been published before, but I thought today, here, may get a chuckle out of a few that knew him. true story.
    Six Days at Grumpy’s..

    The year was 1998 and I was searching the “Help Wanted” ads, looking for a new job. Any job. My current job was as a machinist’s apprentice at a local tool and die place. I had only been there about six months, but it was obvious I wasn’t cut out for the gig. I had very little experience, and terrible math skills. I wouldn’t even call them ‘skills” as they weren’t developed in the slightest. They were more of acquaintances. I could recognize them in passing, but we didn’t get along well. Cars are what I really loved, but there weren’t any ads that read “Burn-Out supervisor needed for tire testing”, at least none I could find. Trust me,I looked.

    One ad, however, came close. It read “Machinist needed. F/T” Etc..Etc… “JENKINS PERFORMANCE, MALVERN ,PA”.. No way. Could it be THE Jenkins? William Tyler Jenkins? Grumpy? Hold everything! So, the next day I called out sick, actually, I took my toolbox and left, saying that I was taking it home to clean it. Having some free time on my hands, I made the call to Bill’s shop. I was nervous as Hell about calling, I mean, what if HE answers the phone? Jesus, I hope I don’t sound like a dork. I’ll just play it cool. I mean, after all, it’s a one in a million shot…right? Probably won’t even get to meet him. Well, HE answers the phone. I’m just layin’ on the BS thick as I can dish it out. Can’t remember what I said, but it must have worked.

    I had an interview.

    Now, in 1998, I had the first of four different GTO’s that I would own in my life (so far..) This one was a 1968 hard top, Solar red with a black interior. A 400 cubic inch motor with a His and Hers Hurst shifter and two scoops on the hood. It had posi-trac and could lay a double set of rubber lines as long as I put my foot in it. I used to practice at my last job, much to the delight of my now ex-boss. Every day I would pull out of the lot and he would just give me the stink eye. After all, he would never tell me NOT to do it..he knew what was coming. So, after the smoke cleared, I could see him sitting in his car, waiting until he could find the road again.

    So here I am, an interview with Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins. Mr. Pro Stock. The guy who knows more about the small block Chevy, and how to make ‘em go fast, than anyone alive. I had pictures of this guy on my walls growing up. I would rip them carefully from Hot Rod Magazines and anything else the school library had and tape them up in my room. I wanted a Vega so bad it hurt. I wanted to build a motor and race. I wanted a “Grumpy’s Toy” of my own. How the Hell could I get through an interview with this guy? Anyone with his credentials could tell I was full of it. And I was. This would have to be the best BS performance of my career. I went for an Oscar.

    I get directions to the Malvern PA shop and show up nice and early. I wanted to make a good first impression, so I detailed my GTO to the hilt. The shop itself is rather unassuming in appearance, just a normal looking shop, nothing really special about it. The parking lot could use a few of my famous black lines, but, other than that, neat and clean. I wait outside Grump’s office, and through the door I can hear him talking on the phone about sending something over…I tried not to eves drop too much. It seemed like an eternity before the man himself came out, but he finally did. I stood up and looked down there at the legend himself, amazed at how tall I was compared to him. My God did they pack a lot of knowledge in such a compact guy. But it was really him. Cigar smoking, gravel voiced, and bigger than life. This would have to be a con job to end all con jobs. There was no way I was qualified to be where I was, talking to who I was talking to. Yet, somehow I had convinced myself that I was worthy. After all, I built a small block chevy that ran 11’s on the street. Well, mostly built it..I had help. It was such a good con that I had myself believing it. I could do this. And, if I couldn’t? What were the options? Well, I would be on unemployment. This had to work.

    The interview was a blur of made up stories and lies about my machinist acquaintances, or “skills”, as I called them now to Grump. And, before I knew it, the interview was over. I had no idea if I had succeeded in winning Grump over, I mean, the guy is hard to read. He always looks mad about something, hence the moniker. But I could tell he liked me. I just had that feeling.

    Sure enough, the next day, I got a call from the shop. I had the job. Now, apart from actually having skills and the lying part, it was the greatest achievement in my life thus far. I had officially snowed my way into the front door of my hero. I could see it now, my shiny, three layered roll away box sitting in Grumpy Jenkins shop. It would be a Craftsmen..no wait.. a Snap on… Yeah. All the drawers filled with expensive specialty tools. And they would all be paid for. The problem was, all I had for tools were what few micrometers and calipers that I had bought at my last job. Combined, they could barely fill a drawer in any roll away box. Looks like I was going to Sears. Yes, Craftsmen it was, a roll- away box filled with shiny, new tools. Not even one racing sticker on it. It was as if it were brand new. And it was. Green as the guy who owned it. I always liked those broken in tool boxes the real mechanics had. You could see the years of use in them. They had stories to tell. Mine had none of that. I must have looked like a kid on his first day of school. Neat and clean, without a whole lot of knowledge.

    My first day was the best. Nobody knew me, and I hadn’t broken anything yet. As far as they knew, the rest of the guys could throw whatever job they wanted at me and I would do the job. Well, that’s almost how it went. My first job at Grump’s was coating a set of pistons. I was shown how on one piston, then left to do the other 7 myself. No problem. This was great! Looking around the shop was the best. There, high on the rafters were trophies from days past. Bronze guys holding tires and such. I was in awe. And, every day I got to hear the shop dyno and the sounds of screaming motors getting “the tune” by the man himself. Everywhere I looked was another piece of drag racing history. Every chance I got was spent looking in the rafters and back rooms at all the history. This was the coolest job ever.

    Some of my other tasks (in the beginning days..) included sanding rings to exact clearances and “setting up” the dyno room. Every tool in the tray had a place, and there was a match for every tool on the other side of the motor. It was like an operating room. Just hearing the test mules on the dyno gave me chills. It was the best part of the job.

    My second day at the shop was even better than the first. I walked into the shop and was greeted by a then brand new Corvette. You see, the day before I overheard Grumpy talking to some GM execs about the “new” small block Chevy. One of the new LS series. As I remember it was an LS4 which was still in the development stages. This was 1998 mind you. That motor just came out recently. Anyway, Grump had a few questions as to how the serpentine belt threaded around the pulleys. You see, the next motor up on the dyno was one that GM sent over to Grump for his expert touch. It was a prototype that bore no casting numbers. Hush- hush stuff. My job in all of this, was to make mounts for the dyno to hold this beast, and to re-tap all the flywheel threads from Metric, to Standard. I quickly put my machinist “skills” to work on fabbing up the mounts. I made measurements, and found some flat stock to make them. I even made drawings. Having a blue print on paper, I set about the task of making the mounts. Soon, I had my pieces cut out and proceeded to weld them. Welding was another “skill” I had mentioned I could do in the interview. I had very limited experience. Very limited. OK..I have welded maybe ten times in my life. But that didn’t stop me. I was going to try and last here as long as I could. How else could I write “Six Days at Grumpy’s” years later? My first mistake at welding came soon after I began welding (as so often is the case), Steve, one of the “real” workers at the shop, soon warned me of the dangers found in welding galvanized steel. Something about fumes, poison, and brain cells. Can’t really remember. But, my mounts were made, and they worked pretty well. Steve said my welds looked like “a bird sh*t on them”. I guess that’s bad… It was the beginning of a bad second day.

    Later on, my second task was at hand. Drill and tap the flywheel from Metric threads, to Standard threads. The dyno was set up for standard. So, it was off the to drill press. The tool I was going to use on the drill press is called a “rotisserie wheel” a very precise wheel that has degree marks on it. All you have to do is line up the marks, and the hole you need to re-drill (in this case) will be right there. Well, I was doing just that. Drilling the hole, turning the wheel around, and drilling another, when I felt the presence of someone behind me, struggling to look up over my shoulder. It was Grump. Now I was nervous because he was watching me. Very closely. I tried to concentrate, but then, as the next hole came around, I noticed something rather strange. Apparently, Grumpy had laid down one of his famous cigars on the wheel and forgotten where it was. And here it was, still burning, right on the spot where I needed to drill the next hole. Still nervous, but now amused at the situation, I turned and asked Grump “Well, do you want me to drill through it, or do you want it back?” He took it back, grumbling incoherently, and walked away. I just stared in awe, and went back to drilling.

    As I stated before, there was a brand new Corvette in the shop, and the dealership in town needed it back. I’m sure GM set up the whole deal. Who knows? But, someone needed to take it back. I volunteered, and nobody else stepped up. Grump gave me a stern look as he handed me the keys to this beautiful, powerful machine. I remember he said to me “I know how many miles are on it, and how much rubber is on those tires”. “Go straight there and get a ride back from service”. I tried to keep a straight face. “Yes sir”…

    As soon as I was out of view, I nailed it. Through first gear and through second, blazing the rear tires in un-abashed fury. I drove it like I stole it, and, had the fuzz pulled me over, there would have been little proof that I hadn’t. I romped the throttle at every red light and stop sign from the shop to the dealership. I was still grinning when I pulled into the place. There was rubber coating the inside of the rear fenderwells and all over the rear quarters. The interior smelled like fried rubber as well. The gas gauge was near empty. The guys at the service department must know what I now knew. Those ‘vettes sure are fun. Upon my arrival, I expected to be fired. But, no one said anything.


    The next couple of days I kind of helped out the others. They had hired a real machinist at the same time they hired me. He drove a Jaguar “J-type”. I’m sure he made more than me. I’m also sure he deserved it. You see, I was working “under the table” and paid in cash, which was fine with me. There isn’t any record of me ever being there. But this story is true.

    My third day was spent doing menial tasks, until Grumpy came up with my next big job. What was it going to be? Building a motor? More motor mounts? Degree in a cam? Uh…no. “Ya see that barrel of old pistons out there in the garage?” Grumpy asks. “I want you to go through that barrel, and find the worst looking ones”. “Put them in these crates”. As it turns out, Grumpy was going to a nostalgia meet, and was going to use an engraving tool to sign the pistons at 50 bucks a shot. We all got a kick out of that and soon all of us were gathering up Grumpy’s old cigar butts from the shop floor (and everywhere else he laid them down) We put them in a cigar box and wrote on the lid “GRUMPY”S OLD CIGAR BUTTS.. 3 DOLLARS EACH” we took the box and placed it between the driver’s seats of the van he was taking, laughing our asses off. Who would pay 50 bucks for an old junk piston? When Grumpy returned a few days later, he was in a pretty good mood. I asked him how it was. His reply was “ I sold four pistons and three cigar butts”. He was serious too. Three were actually missing from the box.


    Days four and five were days Grumpy was gone from the shop, so I mostly helped out where I could, and did a lot of snooping around when I could as well. I can honestly say I never took anything from that shop that wasn’t mine, but man was it tempting. Come to think of it, I never even got a T-shirt or a decal for that new roll-a-way tool box. It wouldn’t be until years later at the York US-30 reunion that I would get some decals. Even then I had to buy them like any other average Joe.

    On my last day at Grump’s shop, I had gone from being a machinist on Monday, to cutting the grass on Friday. It was there that I had my last fun at the shop. Grumpy had a garden tractor. It was a riding mower. May have been a Sears 15 horse, I can’t recall. But that thing sure was fun. Grumpy asked me to cut the grass, figuring I couldn’t mess that up, and went back inside. I looked around for some fuel, and couldn’t find any regular gas, so I used the stuff from the VP Racing Fuel barrel. That stuff smelled great, and, maybe it was the fumes that got to my head, or maybe it was the welding fumes combined that made me wonder “could Grumpy’s tractor do wheelies?” Well, I’m here to tell you, Yes it can. Big wheelies too! I could even ride them for almost the whole length of his yard. Yeah, it sure was fun until I looked over, and there was Grumpy. Smoking a cigar and shaking his head. I bet he was wondering what he had done.

    Monday came and I was there. Ready to start another week, when Grumpy came up and said “I don’t think its working out”. I wasn’t surprised at all. I was kinda relieved. I took a last walk around the shop, gathering up my new tools. They were easy to spot as they were the only shiny ones in the place. I said my goodbyes and that was it. Later, I came back to pick up my tool box, which I later sold for money. It was off to the unemployment line for me after all. But what a great six days.

    Sometimes people ask me what was so great about pushing a broom around, and picking up old cigar butts? The way I looked at it was this. It was Grumpy Jenkins dirt I was sweeping, and Grumpy cigar butts I was picking up. If you loved drag racing like I do, or even just half as much, and had the chance like I did, maybe you would do the same thing. Maybe you could last more than six days too.
     
  28. redlinetoys
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 4,302

    redlinetoys
    Member
    from Midwest

    God Speed Grumpy. An old hero gone to the racetrack in the sky. We'll miss ya!
     
  29. Hot Rod 50
    Joined: Jul 30, 2007
    Posts: 500

    Hot Rod 50
    Member

    Via con Dios Grump. You'll be missed.
     
  30. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    THE chevy man. RIP.
     

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