OK, this is part 2 of the story I begun a couple of weeks ago:
When we had reached the exit to the Bonneville race course, we already knew the races were off. It wasn't moist, it stood under three feet of water. The view was actually quite stunning but not what we had hoped for. We took off at the exit, passed the Phillips 66 gas station, and further on (maybe at what is referred to as The Bend In The Road) we saw an old Ford with a matching trailer. Outside was a pair of lawn chairs and a fold-up table with Bonneville souvenirs. An older couple was about to pack it all into the trailer so we stopped to get some souvenirs before they left.
They Were Multy and Vera, and they ran the hospitality department at Bonneville and SCTA events. We got to talk, and stayed for the rest of the afternoon. Multy spiced his stories with "oh Boy, oh boy"s and Vera served us sliced water melons.
After we got back to Sweden we kept writing letters for some years. Here is an excerpt from his first letter, describing how land speed racing could be in the early years:
There were just 36 of us had cars entered in the first Bonn. in 1949 - my friend and I had the only 2 cars entered in the modified roadster class, so I drove my 1922 Ford model "T" through once, then helped my friend work on his car all week till he finally beat me - we had the most fun! He still comes to visit me at the shop.
Wendover in the early days used to have just one Deputy Sheriff and it was not unusual to have a car do a "speed run" down the main street at 3:am with no exhaust manifold or exhaust pipes - Man would the house lights come on after a few runs like that!
From 1950 on for 22 years I was privileged to safety check the race cars, there were 2 or 3 more men to help me. I used 3 double handfulls of cotter pins that year - inspection that first year, 1949, consisted of one question "Did you turn in an entry blank?" That was all! I sure helped to change that!
From 1951 through 1958, except for 2 years when my son and daughter came up to work as a course steward or in the timing stand, I always took along some tools and clothes, some food and a sleeping bag on top of the turtle deck!
I drove up and back in my model "T" roadster, 4 cyl. 1922. Built in 1932 - the frame and rear spring are dated Oct. 1913 - body is 1922 - turtle deck about a '23 or '24. Steering gear is from an Essex, ignition switch is Buick, instrument panel hammered out from an early Cadillac aluminum body parts, hood is from a '27 or so Oldsmobile, sidedrive is Chevrolet "4", distributor cam is Ford V8 with every other cam lobe ground off, a Durant 4 distributor drive gear - distributor is from a Nash 8 cylinder car with dual plugs - I use a Rajo overhead valve conversion head drilled out for 4 extra plugs on the left side - to make it a dual ignition system!
Oh yes, oil pump is from an early Cadillac and the special oil system holds 10 qts. of oil!
I never got to see a picture of Multy's T, but recently there was one at the H.A.M.B. forum:
Imagine being there in those early days of hot rodding, what a thrill it must have been.
i used to have bonneville and they road so good. I wish i still have it. I just love people like the ones in pictures. I am sure they are full of stories.
Posted by: oilfield equipment | Mar 27, 2009 at 06:45
this is such a great story. i love people like this.
Posted by: run your car on water | Apr 13, 2009 at 19:19