Hello list,
Reading about the skunk work and others occupations on the list I thought I
would let you know about mine.
I was born in Hollywood Ca., and moved to La Canada CA., when I was 7. I
went to Pasadena City college, and Los Angeles State College majoring is
business and production management. I went to a computer school when I
finished college and then worked for Lockheed Aircraft as a computer
programmer. This was when a computer that was about room size couldn'd do
what personal computers do today.
I worked at Lockheed for 10 years. I went to the skunk works, which was
just north of the airport at the time, a few times but could not go in.
You were only given clearance if you needed it. I did get to see some of
the planes land at the airport, u-2, etc., but they were hastily put away.
Kelly Johnson, who was over the skunk works was a very smart individual.
I moved to Carson City, after my daughter was born, because the smog and
number of people started to get to me. I also lived on a hill and it there
was no real place for a kid to play. I have lived in Carson City ever
since and it has grown like a weed.
I have been married twice. I have two children, Elaine who currently is
working for Oregon State in France, and Dave who is an engineer in Irvine
Ca., and helps me with some of the technical aspects of the race car.
I wanted to go into jalopy racing at Ascot park when I was 16, but my
parents would not sign for me. My goal at the time was to drive at Indy.
I started drag racing in the 60's with a 50 chevy and later with a 64
chevy. I happened to pass the Bonneville Salt Flats on a vacation and
attended the 24th running of Speed Week. I knew I wanted to race at
Bonneville after I saw the race. It took a few years before I was able to
start building a car. Family came first. I built a 1934 Ford altered
coupe. The plan was to break the flathead gas record and then retire the
coupe and quit. It took 7 years of trial and error to break the record and
I was hooked with land speed racing. Two years before I broke the record
in the coupe, Burklands comp coupe came up for sale which I bought and
currently run. The goal is to get all 4 comp coupe flathead records and
get into the two club which will take a chevy.
I am retired from the State of Nevada Department of Transportation, where I
was a computer programmer, hardware and software support tech, operations
manager, and asst. dept. manager.
My hobbies beside racing include setting up a museum on my property of old
farm machinery, old tractors, and a mining display. I am also involved
with old fire trucks. I am doing research for the Pasadena Fire Department
on there apparatus which start in the mid 1800's. I volunteer to the U.S.
Forest service monitoring their historical sites. I am also doing research
on some the early history of Carson City and Lake Tahoe and am in Boy
Scouts. When I get time I also build street rods.
I have a girl friend, Jan, who helps on the race car and research etc. We
like to fish and four wheel drive. She is a great lady.
Take care
Dan Webster # 313 where we have about 6 inches of snow on the ground
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