Hi Wes
I have been reading all of the Pearson Coupe stuff with much interest. Like all
of you I remember seeing it run and read many stories about over the years. Tom
and I are in the same SCTA club so I guess I have seen it more(the coupe) then
most from the best seat in the house, the timing trailer. I also have the
autographed framed painting by Youngblood and the all steel model also signed by
the brothers. My wife bought them both for me. They are real treasures in my
collection. As far as the good old days I started my racing at Santa Ana in
1953, was running around the with the San Pedro Muffler bunch you know the
Stecker Brothers and Jack Ewell and my neighbor was Bob Fugatt who owned the
Black Widow rear engined roadster. I was lucky enough to drive it in 1957 . This
was my first 200 mph ride. I also got into lakes racing the same year. I
belonged to the Albata Club. Did more drag racing from 1960 to 69. Then came
back to the lakes after raising a family in 1983, haven't missed a meet since.
Do we have great sport or what. The timing thing just kind of happened as I went
to the lakes to visit with Gary Cagle and the rest is history. Thanks to all of
the racers I have a very enjoyable position in the world of land speed racing,
watching everyone go fast and being the first to know you reached that goal. The
SCTA and USFRA familys are closer now than ever and the ECTA is working very
hard to keep their operation on par with us. It is a very difficult to start at
square one and make it happen. They don't have the lakes and salt as close as us
westerners but they are doing it with the best they can get. Have a great day .
Glen
Wester S Potter wrote:
> Tom and List,
> Tom, thanks for sharing the story of the coupe with us. It is frustrating
> to see the car in the Petersen Museum and not be able to get closer than 25
> feet to the car. This summer it was mounted several feet off the floor, on
> a slanted display behind a collection of photos and press-and-listen
> comments on the history of Hot Rodding. Pete Chapouris and PC3 have done
> some very nice work restoring cars for Bruce Meyer ... they are friends like
> lots of hot rodders and their projects reflect that friendship too.
> Someone mentioned to Bruce at the Gas-Up that they had heard he had turned
> down an offer in the million dollar range for the coupe and he didn't deny
> it. To have the Pierson/Tom Thumb coupe in his collection along with; the
> Duesenberg, the '37 Type 57C Bugatti Coupe he won the Elegance in Motion
> award with at Pebble Beach, the Doane Spencer/Neal East '32 roadster, Pebble
> Beach, first time Hot Rod award winner in '98 and the red "Bob McGee"
> roadster he placed second in class with this year ( I believe he said it is
> the roadster SCTA or NHRA uses on a logo somewhere) tells you how respectful
> he is for Hot Rod history and all. His daily driver is a red '32 Ford,
> fenderless, 3 window coupe, with an Ardun for power. Fun to see that car
> parked outside "The Lodge at Pebble Beach" in a favorable spot between the
> luxury cars like Cadillac, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Lexus and a Land Rover with
> every protective bar imaginable that will never drive on dirt. The coupe
> was on the cover of a '99 calendar featuring Hot Rods and is very frequently
> shown at prestigious automotive events, I saw it at SEMA. It's nicely
> maintained but not to 100 point "show quality' because he drives it! He
> drove his black '32 roadster with a yellow checkerboard nose ... aircraft
> type decoration ... on the AmeriCruise in '98. There are other cars of
> historical significance which will end up in his collection when their
> racing days are over, there have been handshakes on it. His Hot Rods are
> well done but dependable drivers and I respect him for it. He's also just a
> nice guy... try to find many of them at an event like Pebble or for that
> matter on North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills!
> Wes ... full of turkey in SLC.
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