Shorpy

The following link is the most incredible blogsite, if you are interested
in vintage photography from the 1800's to the mid 1900's. You will
not be disappointed, thanks to Dave at Shorpy.
http://www.shorpy.com/

Great Guy with his '40 Ford

Another extreme builder, detailer,
and all round great guy,my good
friend Al from the Minneapolis area
with his cool '40 Ford that he has had
for eons, but currently upgraded.
Al also is an automobilia collector,
who was instrumental in getting
me started....I blame you Al, for all
the "stuff" I've accumulated.

Gotta Love These Guys

Ed Roth and Rat Fink....icons of the
hot rod world.....I love this photo
that was done for the Roth movie
last year "Tales of the Rat Fink"

The Reason Why...

Instead of telling the story in detail, you
can click on the picture and read it right
from part of the poster I used when the
car was put in a local show. Off to the
right you can see how rough the body
really was. It was great fun, but it's over
now.

Bye Bye

It broke my heart to see it go, but
it went to a good home and is being
raced which is was meant to do.
Paul, who purchased the car is a
great guy and is having a ball with
it now. It would have been over a 200
mile plus trip for us to run it anywhere else around this area.
I also had to make room in my
shop for another project, my '28 Ford
Sedan....Oh Well!...and on we go!

Down and Dirty

Here is photo proof that I did
race it, and shortly thereafter
they closed the only dirt track
left in these parts, ending nearly 75
years of racing here in Thunder Bay.
The car went on to a very deserving
owner in Syracuse, New York, and
he still races it to this day. They
are very lucky to have a number of
tracks in his area that support
vintage dirt track racing.

Looks Fast standing still.....

Here is the first photo of #67
just before it hit the track a few
years ago. It was such a fun
project and something I had
to get out of my system for
years.

Jalopy to Modified

It only took 50 years. As per photos
this car was restored to better than
its original splendor. A labour of love
that will be explained in the above
photos.

Ron's '39 Ford Coupe

This is another of Ron's cars
taken at his favorite place...I think
he has shares!

Ron's Solar Midget

A photo of my friend Ron driving
his Solar Midget Racer at
Arlington Mn. not too many
years ago. Ron is a very meticulous
hot rod builder and I admire his
work and perseverance.

Old Country Store

A photo of our garage as seen from the back yard. None of this is visible from the street. My vintage restored race car is beside the old gas pump, taken about 4 years ago.(The garage still looks the same)

And how they look now!

Here is Louis and Merv taken
a couple of years ago holding
models of their respective cars
that I built.

How they looked then!

Louis Tocheri and Merv Dove
local Stock Car Jockeys mid 1950's.

Lakehead Stock Car Club Poster circa 1953

This is the only known poster in existence for Wednesday Racing at the local Stock Car Club track back in the early '50's here Thunder Bay, formerly Fort William and Port Arthur.

My YOUTUBE videos and video favourites!

click here to see my YOUTUBE stuff....
http://www.youtube.com/user/canroddin

A bit more of what it was like(these are not local films)

A bit of what it was like!!

Canadian Lakehead Exhibition Track circa 1958

Here's an aerial view of our track which was in mid-town(Intercity). It gave way in later years to a huge golf dome and a Cineplex movie theatre. It was a half mile track with turn 2 bordering on a street and turn 3 and 4 along a river. Many jalopies climbed the street side ripping out yards of wooden fences and many others ended up in the drink at the other end. The fence was put up to stop onlookers from saving their 50 cents but the fence was never high enough as people would view the races from roof tops or their pickup trucks for free. Cheapskates or what!! The present city of Thunder Bay was actually 2 cities( Port Arthur and Fort William). They amalgamated in 1970 to form the new one larger city. To this day a 2 city rivalry still exists.

Typical #19 controversy

Here's another photo of one of my favorite drivers of the era #19 Louis Tocheri. Louis is the only one with a white drivers helmet in the picture. There was always some kind dispute with the judges, some staged for entertainment value and some for real, which consequently would cause a huge gathering at the spectators fence. Note the hundreds of fans that came out every Wednesday night for the incredibly great entertainment for about 50 cents for adults and two bits for kids. I rarely missed a race back then, with or without my Dad.

Dirt Track Jalopy

Here is a rare colour photo of Barry Kettering, a local driver taken in the mid 1950's. He was one of my personal favorites. He drove #47 for a few years then changed his number to #57. Barry was a great guy that went on to fame in the sprint car world in the US. Sadly he was killed in his sprint racer years ago. These guys were daredevils in their own right and as a kid I remember going to the local exhibition track to view all the excitement with my dad. My love of dirt track racing in the late '60's brought me to do a little racing myself and also to restore a vintage '32 Ford Modified dirt track car a few years ago....more photos to come.

Beach Boys?

My friend Steve doing the Beach Boys thing!!

Car Show 2006

Dennis' and my car at the 2006 George Jeffries car show goin' surfin'

1930 Ford Model "A" Coupe

My friend Dennis has owned his coupe for quite awhile too but wants to get the flathead back in and the fenders back on! Click on photo to see his license plate....JLOPY.....how cool is that!!

Al's '33 Ford 5w Coupe

My friend Al has owned this car since 1961. He needs a medal for owning his car the longest of anyone I know.

Finally Completed.....

All done and quite happy with the outcome. This picture was taken near the causeway past Chippewa Park...a great photo spot.

Halfway Through

I started to get a little excited at this point!

1928 Ford 2-door coach

This is how my Model "A" started! I
love a challenge!!