Folks Of Interest Veda & Karl Orr - where did they go?

What happened to Veda & Karl Orr? I've wondered for some time. Seen a few photos on these famous California racers but not much bio info. One photo shows her standing beside her two tone '32 highboy. They had an early speed shop apparently located in Culver City. They both raced at the dry lakes in the 30's. During the War Veda published a "news letter" for the guys overseas. Later she published her "Veda Orr's Lakes Pictorial - 1946 Season" and others. For anyone interested, I just found a link on this:
hotrodhotline.com feature of "Richards Corner" posted 9/28/08. He (Richard Parks) edited the piece reportedly written by Bob Falcon. I'm searching for more ....................

 

bump: what happen after early the 50's? I know they go in to track racing at some point. Jared

 

I would like to know more about them myself. There was talk of a book about Veda, but I don't know what happened to it.

 

I was looking for Veda's bppk also. They said she sent info to the GI's in WWII about Land speed racing and HoT Rodding while the boys were gone. Thanks for posting, hope we find something out.

 

Would love to know more myself.

 

my self also i love 30's- 40's dry lake stuff. if you didnt know by my car. billy

 

He passed away in 1988 she passed in 1989. http://www.streetrodderweb.com/features/0802sr_veda_orrs_1932_ford_roadster/index.html Two of the folks who were instrumental in making land speed racing what it is today.

 

thanks awsome read. billy

 

ive often wondered what happened to them both, seems both veda and karl played a big part in lakes racing yet they werent as popular as some of the other folks who were around at that time - was it because veda was racing and she was a woman?

i really like the car built by Paul Beck, its got that look about it, would love to see it in the flesh.

ive got the book published by floyd clymer, i love it, the pictures, drawings by dick teague etc. etc. Hopefully someone like Rodders Journal will do a piece on them and unearth some more pics and give her/them the credit they deserve for their efforts during the early years.

 

Here you go!
http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/guestcolumnists/richardscorner/08vedaorr/

 

A rough copy of that book is available on EBAY, but quite pricey...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Veda-Orrs-Lakes...oryZ2875QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I would love to have that book, but that is too much!

 

Eric Loe wrote about Veda in recent a "Hop-Up" annual.
In my opinion, Veda was one of the most important people in Hot Rodding.
Her correspondance with the rodders during and after the war, are what some consider to be the spark that turned into "Hot Rod Magazine".

I have copies of nearly every one of her SCTA & CT news. Its a great wealth of information on a time thats not really recorded in hot rod history.

Zach

 

Zach,
I couldn't agree more! I keep thinking someone will make a movie??

 

A reproduction was done of her book, I think it is out of print now, but still much cheaper than original.

 

It is hard to track Veda's early racing career as they did not print her name or results from meets For her to be treated like that then go on to do all she did (war correspondence, making programs, advocacy for landspeed, etc) makes her a hero in my book. I'd love to learn more about her, wish I could have meet her

 

In the early - mid 60's they opened and ran a small speed shop on Mint Canyon Rd. near Solemint junction in Newhall, California.

Not sure how long they ran it because I transferred to another power station in Colton in 1964.

Very nice people and both of them were good at solving a particular problem you were having as well as recommending the parts needed and getting it for you if it wasn't in stock.

I recognized their names from reading hot rod oriented stuff, but didn't realize how much they impacted the sport.

 

My wife likes the name VEDA if we have a girl and I am "A-OK" with that name too seeing how there is something behind it. An influential women for the history and future of Hot Rodding for sure.

 

Seems to me that Al Drake interviewed them in the mid '80s.

 

Veda did so much for us . I too have copies of the California Timing News from Vol1 #1 to Vol2 #24. Very great stuff.

Veda and Karl, ya did good.

 

The true "unsung" heroes of hot rodding as far as I'm concerned!

 

I saw Paul Beck's new Veda Orr Roadster at the Deuce Week at the Peterson Museum in 2007 and really enjoyed learning the story of Karl and Veda Orr. What impressed me the most is that Karl and Veda were "in it together" till the end. Their love and support for each other was inspiration for everything they did and accomplished in their lives. What an amazing marriage of two people. Veda's dedication to the sport showed an immense amount of caring and dedication for her friends and brothers of the dry lakes that were spread around the world during WW II. It makes me wish they were still with us so we could honor them further. They truly were the "Greatest Generation".

 

Could you just imagine the line that would form to get their autographs if they were still here and doing a signing at a major meet. It's just too bad someone didn't take the time to interview them and record it before they passed.

Frank

 

And again,
#1. Does anyone have any other photos of Veda & Karl? Maby "mug" shots? I've seen car photos and the great one of her standing by the roadster. And, what did Karl actually look like? Would be nice to put a face on history!
#2. Does anyone have a copy of that Al Drake interview (or any other) with them done in the mid '80s as reported above by HEATHEN?

 

All these years that I've had these CT News magazines I thought they were SCTA publications. One day in the late 1970's a local Rolls-Royce owner stopped into the shop, he would always have some question about his 1926 Springfield built Coupe. Last guy on earth you would expect to hand over a stack of CT News and Hot Rod up to 1953. He'd just sold a 3 port Olds head the week before. The Lakes Pictorial with the Orr roadster is on the cover, that was in the pile too.

 

Here are Veda and Karl on the April 1949 cover of CT News, looks like the inside of their speed shop in the background.

 

A few Karl Orr's cars




Karl by his A roadster

 

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In the late 40s early 50s Karl & Veda went track racing, Jim Lattin owns Karl's restored '27 T track roadster.

 

jimmy thanks for posting those pics - i really like the pic of the roadster sitting with the track T on the back - both cars look stunning.

 

That has to be the best '32 Ford Roadster top ever, is the '32 in front of the shop the same car that was black & white, or did they have two '32 roadsters?