FREE LOST DRAG STRIPS II BONUS PAGES!

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The gasket sealant that holds hot rodding together: It only took about fifty years, but I finally got to meet Northwest racing legend Dick Simonson (left). Dick was the track photographer at our local straightline venue (Avenue G Drag Strip) from 1955 to 1961. Local racer Ronnie Mankins arranged a surprise visit at the rest home where Dick resides, which was a happy surprise indeed, for all parties. Dick's work appears in Cartech's new Lost Drag Strips II book, but this was his first look at it. Permagrins abounded.

Following our visit, Ronnie drove Dick out to his old place in Sam's Valley for yet another surprise: A heartfelt visit with an old friend. Dick reportedly got pretty revved-up about restoring his old '54 Chevy 3/4 ton. That would take a herculean effort at this point, but anything's possible. Chip Foose: You up for an all-nighter? (Photos courtesy Ronnie Mankins)


There were a lot of photos left over from the final edit of Lost Drag Strips II. Many were orphaned due to unknown photographers, and all were too small to print properly. So we've ground them up into spam, as a treat for our loyal readership. Bon appetite!

Yep, it's time to play America's favorite family game - Name That Drag Strip! Contestants receive a free spin for every correctly identified track! (Photographer unknown)

We tossed you a softball here, to keep your average up. You're welcome.

Bravo! You've advanced to Round Two: Can you name these once-vibrant alternatives to street racing? SGE will pay $100 for each correct answer. Good luck! (Checks will be dispersed following next fiscal year according to Aztec calendar. Aztec calendars available for $37.99 plus shipping [while supplies last] at SGE General Delivery USA. SGE not responsible for calendars ordered during Aztec leap year, which is 2016 through 2020.)

1. (Photo courtesy Tim Young)

2. (Photo courtesy Big Al's Facebook Page)

3. (Photo courtesy Michael Satterfield)

4. (Photo courtesy Kniss Family Archives)

5. (Photographer unknown)

6. (Photo courtesy Bob Bench)

7. (Photo courtesy Doug Waggoner)

8. (Photo courtesy John Foster Jr. collection)

9. (Photographer unknown)

10. (Photo courtesy Dentman on HAMB)

Answers:
1: Detroit Dragway
2: Big Al's Drag Strip
3: Fontana Drag City
4: Fremont/Baylands Raceway
5: Howland Drag Strip
6: KCTA Drag Strip
7: Lawton Motorsports Park
8: Minnesota Dragways
9: New York National Speedway
10: Niagara Airport Drag Strip

Okay, that should be enough shameless promotion for this week. Thanks for indulging the insatiable CarTech marketing machine. PS: Please support your local bookstore. If they don't have Lost Drag Strips II in stock, teach 'em a lesson: Whine about their incompetent gaffe, then order yours at Amazon.com. Bonus: It's Simonson-approved!

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UPDATE UPDATE

As witnessed here last week, SGE Northwest correspondent Marty Strode has been busy flinging sparks on Jim "Little Bastard" Lindsay's landspeed racin' Model T Ford, in preparation for it's dirt debut at El Mirage in May. This week, Strode reveals the finalization of Lindsay's aluminum canopy/secret aero hideout.

 Last week's rollcage enclosure/canopy project deadended with this open tunnel. Can Strode realize Lindsay's vision without killing the aero?

Ya gotta start somewhere.

Beating stuff up is most definitely an art form. If you're an artist like Marty.

A little English wheel message, and the piece begins to develop a personality.

Halfway there. Repeat as necessary. 

Thanks to Marty's trusty TIG welder, the pieces start to come together...

... and Bingo! The tunnel, she's all closed up! Note scoop: Marty knocked it out in record time.

While streamlining like the wind, Strode continued the T's aeroization with a pair of front axle fairings. Again, he starts with a basic concept, this time on his 'poor man's slip roller'.

Ta da!

Initial mock-up shows the concept to be viable, so...

... so there! Pretty swoopy for an archaic Model T. As always, the obvious question remains, "Where's Jim Lindsay during all of this heavy lifting?" (Photos courtesy Marty Strode)

And, as always, the answer remains the same: Lindsay is too busy being served ice cream at the Shedd Cafe to bother with shop chores. Some guys... (Photos courtesy Jim Lindsay)

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SQUIRREL AND TOOLBOX

Detail of my exclusive private-label underwear (I have 20 pair of these [so far], in 20 different colors). The elite undergarments are handmade in the USA by disgruntled textile workers who's jobs were outsourced. The attitude comes through loud, clear, and exquisitely comfortably. Sorry, but my source requests anonymity. 

Straight from the venturi of Long Island New York's storied NHRA Division 1 drag racing vortex, our very own Motormouth Ray handcrafted this likeness of his uber-rare SGE Limited Edition rollaway. Yes, it's made of paper (couldn't afford metal). Power-to-weight ratio rules. (Image courtesy Motormouth Ray)

GRIN

Dick Simonson and Ronnie Mankins, enjoying a good read. Ronnie savored playing Santa Claus for a day. Why wait for Christmas? He does this stuff all the time. Cars will come and go, but it's the people that really make the wheels go around. (Scotty shot)

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AND HE STUCK THE LANDING!

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Home at last! It sits at the end of a dead-end midtown street - nice and quiet. The upstairs is all mine. This structure was built in 1948. The large building in background holds four more units, one of which is occupied by a Georgia woman who ran Fuel Altereds with her husband in the Sixties. She's a painter now. Her current guy is authoring a book about an abandoned amusement park. Small world.

Also constructed in '48, this two-car garage (currently being restored) should make a comfy nest for the SGE Model A project... 

... I just have to convince the landlord and the other five tenants that this is a good idea. Wish me luck with that. (Scotty shots)

My friends tell me, "You have an uncanny knack for landing on your feet." True, I've been lucky to land on all twos, but take no credit for it. I know from experience that if I'm willing to do the legwork, things will work out however they're supposed to, and that result usually surpasses any efforts, hopes or expectations on my part.

The latest example of this phenomenon played out last Friday. During my recent weeks of aimless drifting, I somehow managed to fill out enough forms and jump through enough hoops to animate some very rusty wheels. There were admittedly some dark moments when I questioned my future, but some pesky inner voice kept reminding me not to give up five minutes before the miracle. Sure enough, on Friday I signed the papers on an apartment. At this writing, that's been five days ago, but I'm still riding the pink cloud of gratitude!

Great thanks to the Veterans Administration and the local Access office for finally implementing their Veterans Now! program. They scooped me up and put me in an apartment (which I love, so far), and are working on even more benefits for my future. Again, I did absolutely nothing to earn this generous gift. I was a total screw-up in the Army and still am. But I apparently have more work to do. This time around, I'm making an extra effort to do work that benefits others. That seems to be the primary lesson presented to me lately. I feel very small. And I can't stop grinning.



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OVERDUE UPDATES:

While I was busy doing nothing, SGE Northern Oregon correspondent Marty Strode was doing plenty as usual, thanks to pesky customer and longtime pal Jim "Little Bastard" Lindsay. Remember Lindsay's blown flathead Modified Roadster landspeedster? Marty reports that the former salt blaster is now now being prepped for its next assignment: "He's going to run it at El Mirage dry lake in May." (Photo courtesy Peter Vincent)

"Jim decided he could sit a little lower in the seat, so I built a new 'cage, three inches lower."

"Jim also requested that I enclose the rollcage in aluminum, and extend it to the rear for some streamlining." While he was cheating the wind, Strode also installed Moon discs to the inner front wheels, noting, "I'm going to make an attempt to clean up the aero factor in the front axle area."

While researching obscure aerodynamic trickery, Jim Lindsay happened across the forgotten world of crate racing. Consequently, Marty whipped up a hood for Lindsay's tribute to his hot rodding roots. And yeah, it runs a crate engine. (Photos courtesy Marty Strode)

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Make no mistake, a loyal support vehicle is crucial to any shop or racing endeavor. So when not fabbing for the stars, Marty Strode has been steadily assembling his latest road dog, a '53 Ford cabover. For those not familiar with the project, here's a brief Q&A session with Marty.

Q: You started with a low mileage original truck. How does that happen?

A: My love for Ford cabovers began in 1963, when I saw Jonathan Winters as Lenny Pike in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, driving a ten year old '53. I got lucky and found this one with 53,000 miles.

A friend of mine was moving some trucks around during the filming of The Hunted, starring Tommy Lee Jones. They had modified four Grumman bread trucks to resemble paddy wagons, and rolled one over during a scene. They were 1979 Ford E-350 chassis, with 351 Windsors and C-6 transmissions. When the filming was over, my friend was told to take them to the scrap yard, but he hauled them to his storage unit. He gave two of them to me, and I was able to make one decent one by cutting the cab portion off just ahead of the sliding side doors and building a front section that matched the early cab. I installed a 460" engine with a Comp Cams 260H, Dougs Headers, and a U.S. Geardrive behind the C-6.

The box will have two swing-out doors in the back. I'm going to build something similar to a tilting car trailer frame that will mount inside. It'll have a winch, and double-folding ramps that swing up 90 degrees and pin in place. The whole unit will be removable in a few minutes with a forklift. With a hot rod or race car loaded inside (and a vacation trailer hooked to it), with A/C, cruise, and airbags, travelling around the U.S. will be a pleasure.

Yet another retired movie star takes up residence in Oregon. But Marty Strode's training regimen will soon have it fit for summer touring.

The majority of the wiring has been completed since our last update, when the '53 resembled a spaghetti wagon. Much better now. 

This warmed-up 460 now occupies the dog house. Thanks to a supplemental U.S. Gear overdrive, the gobs of bigblock torque should ease the cabover right on down the road.

A pleasant operating room is crucial to successful over-the-road adventuring. Marty's office features sano organization, proper Feng Shui, and well thought out ergonomics. Bingo.

All the comforts of a new millennium apartment. Bonus points for the trick cutaway photo! (Photos courtesy Marty Strode)

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SQUIRREL AND TOOLBOX

Cast iron squirrels are scarce enough, but this example doubles as a nut cracker. Thank you for your service, sir. This guy is a fixture at James Drive Studio, where we just finished the latest Scotty Gosson Combo album. Expect spam soon. Meanwhile, we've started on a third album, featuring all vocal songs, with lyrics and singers and everything. (Scotty shot)

When the heat is on, save the tools first! (Image courtesy Craig Clents)



GRIN

My personal stairway to heaven. How heavenly? There's hot and cold running water, a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and a living room up there. And the key to the place is in my pocket. Somebody throw me a white gown and a damn harp! (Scotty shot)

Just a friendly reminder: On April 18th, Lost Drag Strips II will be available wherever money is accepted. Please support your local bookstore. If they don't stock this product, Amazon.com always has the best deals. (Image courtesy Gosson Bros. Racing Library/Cartech Inc.)

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DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION UPDATE

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Apparently, I'm not the only one impressed by this waterfront property (our local tributary - Bear Creek - runs behind it). In fact, it looks better to me every day.

What a ride. First, a heartfelt thanks to those who have asked after me. I'm fine. Just very tired. Today marks my first day back online since making a hasty exit on the last blog post (where I revealed a thyroid condition that had rendered me unemployable and ultimately homeless). The consequent days have seemed an endless train of Catch-22s that now find me barely across the starting line, weeks after the green flag dropped. As a matter of habit - and as a coping mechanism - I've been documenting the journey thus far with my battery-powered wireless cellphone.

My new daily driver. With no money for insurance or gas, and nowhere to store my car, it made sense to sell it. I had use of a bicycle for a while, but pushed it around more often than I pedaled it (damn Oregon geography), so I gave it back. This 5 year old pair of Keen work boots have been getting me around okay, but they're overdue for a complete overhaul.

The upside to being bootbound is walking as the crow flies to take in the sights I missed while driving. This example reveals the character of the East-side neighborhood I lived in before moving downtown to the SGE compound. I'm hoping to re-establish residency in this area, but no dice yet.

The couch surfing began at James Drive Studio, where host Rob James and I had just finished up the new Scotty Gosson Combo album (brace yourselves for future spam). Under the carpet lays a concrete slab that soaks up frigid temps like an ice flow.

4:00 AM. Too cold to sleep. The cold has been my nemesis as far back as I can remember. Recent research indicates a connection to failed thyroids, which the experts tell me likely happened in early childhood. This is my thanks-for-the-information look.

Now this is more like it. My next stop was at (Scotty Gosson Combo vocalist) Tricia Murphy's sumptuous digs, only a few blocks from the studio. It's heated. You're looking at my new best friend, Roy Orbison (he lets me call him 'Roy'). Great guy. Bonus: He radiates heat while sleeping.

Scotty Nobody, kickin' it with Roy fricking Orbison! I know! But what is it with rockstars and leopard skin? I never got that.

Speaking of decadent rockstar lifestyles... Yeah, that's a Jacuzzi at poolside. 

My host Tricia Murphy (at left) and pal Lisa Allred (right) conjured some last minute vocal stylings at the house, which we tacked onto the new album shortly after this shot. There's a humbling amount of talent in this image. Plenty of character, too.

Some random walking-around-town shots...

I see these abandoned temporary homes every day. I like to think they're signs of hope, like maybe the tenant found some actual housing. With a one percent vacancy rating in this valley, finding an available dwelling is a cut-throat endeavor.

And I see an amazing amount of jettisoned baggage. The other day, I helped a cop round up some women's purses and bags of clothing at roadside. The very next day, I watched two cops count thousands of dollars (at least a dozen stacks of $100 bills) they found on the hood of a car. Surreal. 

It took a couple of weeks of aimless wandering before it finally came to me: I'd sold my car (and my tools), and had money in the bank! So...

Yes! I missed my comforts more than expected. 

Privacy, independence, this place has it all! There's also a shower, color TV, hot and cold air, and a fully stocked vending machine. 

Okay, I experience occasional moments of boredom at the motel, but am not complaining.

Oh yeah, this happened. An advance copy of the new book (on sale April 15th). The stories and photos are cool, but I made some unfortunate choices in the final edit that I now regret. I did my best under the conditions though.

Thanks to the efforts of old pal Richie Rich, I recently enjoyed a visit with an old friend at the motel. As always, my trusty old Fenton inline-6 slapped a grin on my face. I'm still eating peanut butter & jelly and washing my clothes in the sink, but that's living pretty large, considering my condition. And my future is still waiting out there somewhere.

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UPDATE: 

As of 3-30-2016, I may have finally found an apartment (via the Veterans Administration). Fingers crossed. This is a big deal to me. More news when the dust settles. 

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