Listers and Who - Whoers (sounds like Dr. Seuss)
More than you EVER wanted to know.
For those of you who are up to another Who's - Who.........
Brad Holmes here. I was born in Canton, Ohio (OROC Country) at a very
early age, November 1949.
Fast forward to my very own bought myself car, a 1960 Corvair which
my Dad and I painted British racing Green and put a used engine in.
I installed a wood grain steering wheel. Sometime later the engine
caught fire and the fire dept. saved most of the car. I took out the
wheel and Dad sold the car.
Next car was a 1960 Chrysler New Yorker with power everything
including the over 400 cu. in. V8. Push button shift on the dash. Man
would that thing fly. But, a New Yorker just didn't fit the image of
a high schooler. Once again Dad found a guy that wanted the car and
it was sold.
We had a Datsun dealer near by and I was always checking out the new
models in the showroom. I'm not sure which interest hits a young guys
fancy first, girls or cars, maybe simultaneous. The dealer had a
used 67.5 - 1600. MY FIRST SPORTS CAR! I had it the last part of my
senior year, what a blast.
That was in '68 and we had this little ruckus in southeast Asia
and I knew the military was going to invite me come and help them
out. So I decided to join the Air Force, since I had a healthy
interest in airplanes and worked at the Akron - Canton Airport for a
fairly large fixed base operator, charter, fuel service, hanger
space, etc.
After basic training and technical school as an environmental systems
technician I was sent to Nellis AFB, Nevada. My supervisor had a
sorta Sora blue TR4 and got me interested in autocrossing with the
Las Vegas Region of the SCCA. That was from 1969 to 1972.
Had a bunch of fun, learned alot about me an my 1600. Won some
trophies and then got orders for Germany. In '72 I got married, sold
the roadster (sniff) bought a new Datsun 1200 fastback and shipped it
to Germany. A friend I was stationed with in Vegas talked me into
going to Jim Russell's driving school in England. I found out even
more about me and how to drive. The school was a month long, what a
neat experience. My wife went along and visited the villages and
helped out the hotel owner where we were staying. The hotel was built
in 1540.
I was one signature short of getting my racing license and got
orders in '76 to Andrews AFB, Maryland. Worked on the Special
Air Mission (SAM) fleet and Air Force One for almost 11 years.
Sold the 1200 and bought a new 510 wagon in '78. Why a wagon? KIDS!
Twins. Boys, non-identical. Now 24 years old and on their own. One
son in the Navy (recently helped Tom P. at VIR) and the other in
Columbus, Ohio at Mills-James Production Co.
In '87 I was selected to become an instructor at the Aor Force Senior
NCO Academy, Gunter AFB, AL. Got my undergrad and masters degree
in Human Resources and retired in '94. I'm now the Project
Coordinator to the Dean of the School of Business at Auburn
University, Montgomery. I also teach.
In 2000 I got reinterested in roadsters and Phil Hall put me on to a
car in Calgary, Alberta Canada. I bought Dave Palmers '68, 2k-solex
and had it shipped to Alabama (another interesting story)
In June '02 for our 30th wedding anniversary my wife wanted a
roadster, what a gal! We acquired the OROC start car from the Leurs.
A '70 2k-SU and is now under moderate restoration. We joined SEROC
and Phil passed the torch to me this past summer.
A big thanks to the net / vendors and collective wisdom and patience
of all you out there in Roadster Land.
Brad
SEROC
Montgomery, AL
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