Tom,
I grew up about a mile from his Whittier Blvd. shop and he was one of my
hero's also.
By the way, the Devin was his wife's car that he kept stealing from her to
race. At least that was her story and Ak is smart enough that he didn't disagree
with her.
I got to get back to his shop for another afternoon of listening to him spin
stories.
It's been over a year now.
Bryan
PS: I bet Fred spent a lot of time cleaning up the car.
Thomas E. Bryant wrote:
> Bryan,
>
> Thanks for the kind words, but I evidently was wrong on my assumptions
> about this car. It seems that Fred Larson ended up with this car and is
> the one he crashed in 1959. The car I got from Ak was a later creation
> and front engined.
>
> Ak was one of my heroes and became a good friend in my early pursuit of
> speed. It was Ak that began calling me "Tom Thumb". At the time I became
> acquainted with him he was building big displacement Oldsmobiles and the
> cars of his that I remember were a 1950 Olds sedan that he ran at
> Bonneville and Dayton Beach, the "Iron Horse" of Mexican Road Race Fame,
> the '27 "T" that he gave me which was last raced at the National Drags
> in Great Bend Kansas, and the Devin he ran in various venues. Of course,
> I can't forget the "Thing" a Henry "J" powered by a Blown Chrysler, that
> he and Dr. Ostich, built and raced at Bonneville in 1957. It was because
> of this car that I made my first trip to Bonneville.
>
> Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/CC
>
> Bryan Savage wrote:
>
>> RE: "Ak's cars performed very well, but generally were not show pieces."
>>
>>
>> Tom,
>>
>> You are a truly a polite and gracious Gentlemen.
>>
>> Bryan
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