Features TWEETY BIRD, JIM GOVRO'S BEAUTIFUL CHANNELED 32 ROADSTER RETURNS AFTER 50 YEARS, KERVILLE DRAGS

We heard that Tweety Bird might be in the January 1954 Hot Rod Magazine. They did a story on the August 1953 Kerrville Drag Races. The top photo was sent to us on the HAMB site. Notice the little trailer behind Tweety Bird in the first photo. You can see the same little trailer in the corner of the last picture in H.R.M., too bad Jim was parked just a little further left of that photo.

 

Here are several more photos from I believe 1953. Kerrville, Tx.

 

How awesome are those photos!!!!!!!!!!!! Piecing together such a historical time for Hot Rods really makes Happy Days again! Thanks for sharing! It looks like in 1953 this was the place to be.

 

Just to clarify ... the 1955 NHRA Nationals were held in Great Bend, Kansas ... the 1956 Nats in Kansas City, Missouri ... the 1957 & 1958 Nats in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ... and the 1959 Nats in Detroit, Michigan.

At any rate ... here's the Vimeo video clip:

​

It was actually created by @Ryan Cochran ... I believe its some vintage movie footage that he acquired from Norm Jones ... did some creative editing (including adding the "soundtrack") ... and posted it (or or a portion of it) in his May 12, 2008 The Jalopy Journal Blog entitled The 1957 NHRA Nationals.

NOTE: Ryan's Vimeo video is actually just a (7 min. 35 sec.) version of the (13 min. 20 sec.) Woody (@portage) Woodford YouTube video that @kidcampbell71 posted for you back on post #72 ... i.e., it contains the exact same footage of Tweety Bird running at the 1957 NHRA Nationals in OKC.

 

Sorry your right. It just looked a little different with music added to it. Thanks for your help.

 

Too cool!

 

Just a few more pics before Jim And Frank Barnes headed out to the salt flats.

 

Tweety Bird on the road trip at Missouri. The other pics are of the time tower at the drag strip in Oak Hill, Texas 1953.

 

It's great to have dates on pictures. Tweety is ready for it's caddie. Look at all those trophies, and Jim still has all of them. The last 3 are of Tweety are after Jim sold him some time in the 60's. Thanks guy's keep sending them.

 

Well the 2016 Lonestar Roundup was awesome! Jim and I found some great parts for Tweety. Things are moving on a little slow but are now starting. Hope all is well in Hot Rod land.

 

Love this! What a great car!

 

Well I'm really wanting to take Tweety to the Duece Reunion. Jim doesn't want to go since nothing has been done to the car. He takes care of my mom and his love with so much care. Nothing in life means more to him than my mom. I really want to take Tweety but mom depends so much on Jim's care he problemly won't make it. My heart ways heavy on me to get him behind the wheel again. It's been now 54 years since he drove Tweety last. Hope to see alot ya'll at the Duece Reunion.

 

I totally love the whole aspect of this car!......Just soooo cool.....the photographs and history, is just so incredibly awesome

 

So much thanks goes out to all of our followers! 48 Ragtop you opened another page of Tweety that would have been lost with out your help. Pictures are gold. These are pics of Jim's brother inlaw's car the Purple Turtle at a car show in Fort Worth,Tx. It was also the tow car for Jim at the 57 & 58 NHRA Nationals. 48 Ragtop also sent us a grainy pic of Jim, Lawrence,and Tweety at the Nationals that lead us to a book the Middletown Pacemakers, The Story Of An Ohio Hot Rod Club and on page 156 here is Tweety again!!!!

 

Really great thread and car! I have a long-shot question Did Jim or his friends know a fellow Austin rodder with a full-fendered, chopped '34 ford coupe in the early/mid 50s? The builder was Charles Axleson, also known as 'Cotton'. Ive only seen 1 picture of the car and was curious if the name or car rang a bell. Austin was a pretty small town back then, maybe someone has a picture of the '34?
Thanks for sharing all the great photos, hope your project takes off!

 

I just talked to Jim and he talked to Cotton's wife yesterday. Cotton is not doing well and has been in a rest home for the past 2 years. He doesn't recognize anyone any more. Yes he did have a 34 ford in the 50's but they are long gone. I'll ask Jim if he will ask Cotton's wife if she may have some pics of those cars still.

 

A few more new pics. The license plate on one is 1969. You can see Tweety through the roll bar on the T bucket. Thanks Duncan for digging up these pics!

 

The last picture with the guy wearing the Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88s t-shirt was taken AFTER 1974 because the band was formed in 1974. I am not 100% sure, but I believe that is Keith Landers aka. Johnny Dee in the photo.

 

Im willing to bet the line up of cars is on barton springs road next to the Long Center (today) Austin Municipal Auditorium (Palmer Auditorium) at the time. Do you have names of the other drivers in line? I recall a fellow named John Norwood who helped me move a bugeye sprite (in the dead of winter in 1978) tell a story of his t-bucket and how he crashed it on Guadalupe street racing some years earlier. I was curious if John had the blue or red t-bucket in the photos...
Thanks so much for bringing out this part of old Austin!

 

Those last pics are on Barton Springs road,just across from the old Holiday House restaurant. Duncan shared some really awesome pictures with me. He has a model 32 that he is building that he's customized to look like Tweety.

 

Thanks to a new follower, Ted Carlson, lead us to another edition of Hot Rod Magazine that Tweety's in at the 1957 NHRA Nationals. Yet another page of pure Tweety history!!!!!

 

Jim, did the Flamethrower make it there ? Didn't hear from you ...

 

What a great story, sorry it took so ling for me to find it. Bob

 

I just learned that Cotton passed away on January 13th - might mention it to Jim if he had not heard...
Bruce

 

We found another great pic from the 1957 NHRA Nationals. Jim is the one in the cowboy hat. The Duke' car club in Austin and Texas wrer well represented at the Nationals that year. We found the Nash steering box for Tweety a few weeks ago and the wheels of progress are starting to roll.

 

Very cool...

 

Hey All you Hot Roders, The Hill Country Ralley For Kids Car Show is coming up on September 23 in Dripping Springs, Texas. They will close down Mercier St. and start setting up cars at 8:00am. I'm goning to Bring "Tweety" in his still unfinished state on a trailer. Hope to see ya'll there!