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| Employee News - send it in!! See Announcements- at bottom of page Current: 9/21/11 Great Historic Interview with Carroll 9/17/11 Seen at SAAC Los Angeles annual Car Show 8/28&29/10 SAAC 35 - Honored employees: Brock, Cantwell, Bondurant, Spencer, Schwarz, Lins, Kretzschmar, Marietta -- 8/14/10 John Morton - T-Boned and tumbled in a 1958 Scarab Sports Racer, Today at Laguna Seca....not hurt, just bruised and of course lucky.....Presssnoop 6/20/10 Phil Remington - Tribute at NHRA 5/8/10 12th Annual Shelby American Reunion at Willow Spring 3/19/10 John Morton inducted to Sebring Hall of Fame Started his racing career in high school 12/15/09 09/25/09 Davey & Norma Jordan visited with Ron Butler at his shop in Oji, California and Grev Hesketh who was visiting Ron 9/28/09 SAAC to host the 12th Annual Shelby American Reunion at its 35th national convention May 7 & 8, 2010 at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park. Yes, the track where the cars were tested! 3/31/09 Race Mechanic, Racer, Can-Am inovator and car designer/builder (Autocoast Ti22 Mk 1 & 2 and UOP Shadows), Peter Bryant died today at home. He had just returned from Legends of Riverside Film Festival and was promoting his new book "Can-Am Challenger", which documents his career and history of the golden era of American sports car and road racing history. He was still going strong with automotive engineering and CAD Design, race car chassis & suspension design. Peter was very energenic at 71. He would have been 72 next week. Peter worked at Shelby American 1964-65 as a mechanic and fabricator and again hooking up with Shelby in 1995-97 designing the Series I.
03/28/09 11th annual Shelby American Reunion held at Wally Parks National Hot Rod Association Museum in Pamona, CA....55 Legends in attendance. See Link Article written by Bob McClurg available in the June issue of Muscle Car Review Group Shot available: see Bob McClurg button 8/29/08 American racing legend Phil Hill passed away yesterday at 10:45 AM in Monterey due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. Much as been written about Phil’s accomplishments as a race car driver and as an individual, and especially close to our hearts, his accomplishments racing for Carroll Shelby and Ford Motor Company. Phil was the first driver Ford hired to race the Ford GT in its inaugural season. He was the best choice they could have had, because he was very communicative and could tell the engineers exactly what needed to be done. Phil left Ford after the 1965 season and signed on with Jim Hall’s Chaparral team. His last race was in 1967 in a Chaparral at Brands Hatch. He pulled into the pits after winning the race, peeled off his gloves and crash helmet and quit racing on the spot. He was only 40 years old. Phil returned to Santa Monica, married Alma, started a car restoration business and fathered three children. That is when I met Phil Hill. I was still in high school in Santa Monica and hanging out at Frank Knox’s Union 76 Gas Station on Montana Ave., somewhere around 20th street. Phil would come into the station to buy gas and we were in awe, fully understanding that he was the World Champion. A few years later Frank’s Union 76 moved to 11th and and the 76 station became the local hot rodder hang out, everyone who had a fast car, or just wanted one, hung out at Frank’s. Later John Beal and Todd Holt bought the station that became know as John’s Union. The hot rodder milieu increased substantially because John and Todd built the fastest cars in Santa Monica. John used to date Al Dowd’s (Shelby American) daughter and Al would come by John’s house with a freshly built Competition 427 Cobra with dealer plates tied to the back to challenge John to a drag race against his 1930 Model A street rod powered by a dual quad tunnel ram equipped Hi-Po 289. During the 70’s Phil would come to John’s Union to get assistance from some of the want-to-be-hot rodders to help him pick up car parts that were too heavy to lift on his own. Phil would drive up in his VW pick up truck with a bulky ring filled with keys and a long list of single car garages he was renting throughout Santa Monica. His list had the location of specific car parts that he had stored and the corresponding key. I would leap into the back of his pick up and off Phil would drive to pick up car parts. I can still remember how fortunate I was to be able to help the World Champion. Phil would try to compensate us, but I’m sure it was because he didn’t understand how privileged we felt to help him. Another hot rodder in the making was Bob Mosier, who lived across the street from John Beal on and . Todd Holt installed a Hi-Po 289 in a 1965 Ford Falcon and sold the Falcon to Bob. I owned a 1964 Ford Falcon and Bob and I would drive down to Lion’s Drag Strip in Long Beach and bracket race our Falcon’s. Phil’s first employee in the car restoration business was Bob Mosier, as I recall, Bob didn’t know much at all about cars, certainly nothing about restoring classic cars. Phil was Bob’s mentor and taught Bob the fine art of antique and classic car restoration. Phil then became a partner in the world–renowned Hill & Vaughn restoration business. I would go over to Phil’s house north of Montana and visit with Bob in Phil’s nine car garage. I believe Phil still owns the Packard that his mother drove. Years passed by, careers developed, higher education prevailed, and John’s Union 76 was leveled for prosperity. Several years later my path crossed Phil’s again, this time at vintage automobile races. I was fortunate to attend the Southern California vintage racing events as a photojournalist and part-time writer for Victory Lane Magazine. I would photograph Phil over the years during these events and have many treasured photographs of Phil both in and out of the driver’s seat. A couple of my favorite are Phil and Carroll Shelby together and another with Dan Gurney and Phil Remington standing next to a Ford GT40. I mailed copies of my photographs to Phil, hoping that he would also appreciate these memoirs. Much to my surprise, the first time I mailed Phil some photographs he called my home to personally thank me for my efforts. The first time Phil called, I was not home, and he told my wife that he would call back when I was available. It was not enough for this amazing person to leave a message recognizing the small thing that I did; he was going to personally take his time to thank me. When I did talk to him on the phone I was astounded. I can recall holding the phone thinking that the World Champion, a consummate sportsman who accomplished so much in his life, was personally thanking me for my photographs. Over the years I would continue to mail photographs I took of Phil during various events, including some photographs I took of his son Derek racing a Saleen S7 at Fontana Raceway, each time Phil would call me to thank me for my photographs. That has left an everlasting impression on me; this was the Phil Hill that I knew, a kind, personable “California car guy” who represented the sport of auto racing with dignity and respect throughout the world. Over the next ten years I saw Phil at various car related events around Southern California and Phil was always approachable and gracious. Over the years Bob Mosier cultivated his own business specializing in ultra-high-end collector cars of the 20’s and 30’s and continued to assist Phil in maintaining his personal collection of over a dozen antique automobiles. During the last few years Bob would drive Phil on New Years Day during a gathering of unique automobiles to Pepperdine University in Malibu for an informal car rally in the Malibu Hills over looking the Pacific Ocean. I was witness to the unfortunate decline of Phil’s health as my heart went out to him. I was privileged to attend the Racing Legends of Los Angeles 2008 Cars & Stars Gala on May 8, 2008 at the Petersen Automobile Museum honoring Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Carroll Shelby and Phil Hill. I helped Phil hold the beautiful trophy in his hands that was presented to him. I looked into his eyes and saw a glistening sparkle that reflected his spectacular personality and exceptional accomplishments, that amazing World Champion, who could find the time to call me on the phone to personally thank me for some photographs. I find it hard to articulate the profound influence Phil had on me over the years, it is just too hard to find the words, I am thankful for the good fortune to know him. On behalf of the entire Los Angeles Shelby American Automobile Club family; our condolences go out to Phil’s wife, Alma and all of their family members. Sincerely, Randy Richardson 1/11/08 Carroll celebrates his 85th birthday at Shelby Automobiles, Las Vegas,NV 12/2/07 Pete and Gayle Brock launch new web site: bre2.net 11/8/07 Tribute to Carroll at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, CA The 10th Annual Shelby American Reunion was held there as were over 60 former employees and friends Carroll Conners and Linda Vaughn.  8/4/07 Santa Ana, California. John Collins died today from complications (cardiac arrest) of renal failure. John worked at Shelby American from 1963-1971 as a mechanic and crew chief. He worked on 289 Cobra, Eagle Indy, GT350, GT40 II J car and Toyota 2000. He worked on McLaren and Lola, then Can Am cars until 1974 and restored cars for Chuck Jones Racing. He is survived by his wife, daughter, brother in England and son Graham who will continue with business of restoring and maintaining vintage race cars.
In honor of John, Graham was an honorary tech for the Can Am cars at the Monterey Historics, Laguna Seca this month.
Send in your memories
LA-SAAC John Collins passed away this past Saturday (August 4th). He had a heart attack but had been admitted to the hospital with pneumonia.
John Collins and his son, Graham, owned and operated Collins Fabrication in Santa Ana, a chassis and race car fab shop that specialized in building, repairing and restoring old Can-Am and Formula Ford racing cars, they are known world-wide for there extensive knowledge in building and restoring old Ford GT-40's. Having worked for Carroll Shelby in the 60's and working on the GT-40 program, the car that John was crew chief on, went to the 24 hours of Le Mans with A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney driving and winning the 24 hour race. That was one of the greatest days in American racing. Graham has offered his customers track support for race weekend, and on busy weekends, or on weekends that Graham is racing his beautifully restored MarchF/A.
Remembering John
I met John Collins a coupla times, both times while researching various & sundry books on the golden days of Shelby American.I know he had anickname-- "Granny" Collins-- and I never asked him about that but suspect it was because he worried about whether everything had been done right on a race car, not the wrong wingnut put on the wrong side so the wheel falls off, etc. He probably knew who put the brake caliper on wrong on Andretti's Mk. IV at LeMans in '67--which led to a crash that knocked out three Ford GTs--but never ratted themechanic out.I know he was deeply involved in the Cobra effort--I heard one story where he volunteered to ride around the track in either a Cobra Daytona or GT40 holding a can of gas in his lap because the fuel flow was blocked and
they needed to check something else in the car. He was a get-the-job-done
kind of guy, but only if it could be done right, and safely.
As I sifted through many GT40 pictures for a couple books, I'd see him pictured here and there in the Sixties, already balding and looking much the
same as he did three decades later when I met him.I visited him at his small shop in Santa Ana and saw that he was confident to take on restoration tasks that would daunt those newer to the trade.My last visit was for the book Ford GT40 and the New Ford GT. My co-author and I took him out for a sandwich and at first he wasn't talking much but then started telling stories, like the famous one about how the Ford GTs were set up lower than regulations allowed and how the Shelby team debated how to temporarily raise them so they would pass over the minimum heighth block. They thought of using glass and then breaking the glass but in the end used wooden blocks. One block was discovered later on the ground by an inspector but he failed to connect it with the Shelby cars.
When my co-author and I left John's shop, he had really warmed up and wanted us to stay so he could tell us more stories. It was obvious that he really relished his years at Shelby-American. You could tell that, to him, they were the greatest years of his life, and he was most proud to have been a mechanic on two LeMans winning teams--in '66 and '67.
He was proud, too, of his son carrying on his work, and the racing community is benefitted by theire still being a Collins ready to continue the job of keeping the same cars running that his dad built.
John, we'll miss ya.....
Wally Wyss
7/5-9/07 SAAC 32, Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, UT. http://www.millermotorsportspark.com Great event by the one and only Shelby American Automobile Club. Directors Rick Kopec, Howard Pardee and Ken Eber together with track owner Larry H. Miller treated members to a super racing experiance, supurb accommodations at Little America Resort, Salt Lake City and outstanding evening programs Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Former employees attending were: Bob Bondurant, Phil Henney, Pete Brock, Lew Spencer, Chuck Cantwell, Bill Eaton, Bernie Kretzschmar, Ralph Mora, Mike Sangster, Walt Hane and Sonny Fee. Many spoke with Pete being the keynote speaker. Bob and Phil signed the new book (see Memoribilia). Back at the track Bernie tore it up once again in a replica of the Jerry Titus #61. 4/17/07 Fresno California. Dick Smith and his son-in-law died in a private airplane crash. Dick was one of the Legends that raced a 427 Cobra S/C (CSX 3035) as an independent from 1966 to present all over the U.S. He holds a World Record of 198 MPH (actually clocked at 202) at Daytona in his Cobra and is a Daytona ARRC 1967 champion. He is an Honorary member of the International 100 MPH Club. Those that knew Dick, loved him and those that raced against him, respected him. After his professional racing career he continued vintage racing and was very popular at SAAC events. When you saw that red Cobra with a "hot rod" front nudge bar, you knew a super nice guy and one hell of a competitor was in the pits. He was a person, a personality you just loved hanging around. His energy and kindness....and that Smile!...well it's a chunk of Cobra racing history that we will all remember.... Send in your memories for posting...bob Fresno Bee's account: Plane crash kills 2 Fresno residents The Fresno Bee 4/19/07 13:34 3:25 p.m.: Two Fresno residents died in a plane crash Wednesday in the Tehachapi mountains, according to the Kern County coroner's office.
The victims were identified Thursday afternoon as Richard Smith, 73, and Kyle Runciman, 16, according to Kern County deputy coroner Kelly Cowan. Smith was Runciman's stepfather.
The airplane was en route from Fresno to Lancaster on Wednesday when it went down in the Alpine Forest area of the Tehachapi, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department. The cause of the accident remained under investigation Thursday. Bob, both my wife Lois and I would like to convey our deepest sympathy and offer our condolences to Dick's wife Heather and all of Dick's family and friends on their incredibly sad loss. Having known him for many, many years we have watched him have fun racing his cars and sometimes even besting the works Cobra team with his efforts. We I have never seen him without a smile on his face. He will be very much missed by all his friends at the Cobra Club. Peter and Lois Bryant. Las Vegas Nevada It is sad, he was really a nice guy. Always gave me positive comments on my driving and shared his knowledge. Just knowing he is gone leaves a hole ---Jeff Shanklin Dick Smith: Rest in Peace Walley Wyss
A Cobra enthusiast sent a report from the newspaper and I paraphrase: "At
3:55 p.m.: Two Fresno residents died in a plane crash of a single engine
Piper Wednesday evening in the Tehachapi mountains, according to the Kern
County coroner's office. The plane crashed in a remote pine forest at 5500
ft."
The victims were identified Thursday afternoon as Richard Smith, 73, and
Kyle Runciman, 16, according to Kern County deputy coroner Kelly Cowan.
Smith was Runciman's stepfather.
The airplane was en route from Fresno to Lancaster on Wednesday when it went
down in the Alpine Forest area of the Tehachapi mountains in the late
evening, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department. The cause of the
accident remained under investigation Thursday.
Smith was know as a well respected bail bondsman for many years. He also was
a professional pilot . In the Cobra community he was known for his long time
ownership of Cobra 427 CSX3035, which underwent many cosmetic changes as he owned it but was basically the same car that propelled him to many wins. He
likd to run the number 198 on it because he was clocked going that speed
at Daytona. It was a tribute to his driving ability that he could hang on at
that speed
.
According to Gordon Levy writing on the website Club Cobra He is a 6 time
national road racing champion, 1 time international FIA champion. He drove
Can Am cars, took the Indy Rookies test, drove factory Porsches in Europe."
Dick was a pilot that got his license when he was 16. He flew P40s in the
military and later flew airliners including the MGM Grand.
Levy also wrote: "As great those accomplishments are, more important is who
Dick was. As a person Dick was very down to earth. He used to say 'Im just
an okee from Fresno'. He was always willing to help out if needed and truly
cared for the people around him. He was a Father, Grandfather and Great
grandfather. I know that they will miss him a lot
Smith was very active for a retiree even to his last day. He was reportedly
contemplating buying a vacation home in Ireland; had just completed a
nationwide tour with the Cobra; and was working with a kit car maker on
making up a Cobra kit car to break a speed record at Bonneville.
But the best thing is that he was always friendly, to everyone, and not just
"real Cobra" owners. There are hundreds of Cobra fans who cherish the
time they met him and can trace their interest in Cobras to meeting Dick Smith,
the best ambassador the car ever had...
_________________________________________________________________
 Dick and Heather Valley of Fire, Nevada 2/1/03 SMITH, RICHARD -- Services for Richard Smith, 73, of Fresno will be at 10 a.m. Thursday (March 26) at Peoples Church. Mr. Smith, owner and operator of a bail bonds company, died Thursday. Arrangements are by Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home, 1525 E. Saginaw Way, Fresno, CA 93704 559-227-4048
Past 1/9/07 Bernie and Diana Kretzschmar became the proud parents of a 66 Hertz Shelby and a 68 GT500 Shelby convert. Heard to say "You got me into all this again and now I've spent the kid's inheritance" Ed..don't worry Bernie those cars are going up in value and are harder to catch than a greased pig. 1/8/07 Checker Flag: Harold "Hal" Keck, 1/8/07 age 75 www.heintzelmanfh.com 1/11/07 Carroll is 84 and has passed the Energizer Bunny 1/22/07 Rem is 86 and still going strong at All American Racers 1/23/2007 - Photojournalist Peter Brock Injured at SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge
Las Vegas, Nev.‹Photojournalist and Vintage Motorsport contributor, Peter
Brock, 66, was badly injured Saturday, January 20, while covering the SCORE
Laughlin Desert Challenge event in the Nevada desert.
Brock was photographing on a section of the course when an out-of-control
1600-class race truck left the course and hit him from behind, throwing him
about 30 feet. He suffered a badly broken leg, including his femur and ankle
and numerous bruises. Medical personel on site immediately rendered aid and
transported him to a nearby hospital, after which he was airlifted to
University Medical Center in Las Vegas for surgery.
Brock spoke to us today from his hospital bed and is in very good spirits
despite his injuries and knows that it will take some time to get his leg
back in shape. His wife Gayle, who accompanies him to all the races and who
also is a photographer, has been with him since the accident. He's expected
to remain in the hospital for several more days and then will recupertate at
his Washington state home.
Although Brock is widely known today for his work as a photojournalist
covering races around the world, he is also known as the designer of the
world-famous Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe back in 1963, a car (six were built)
that went on to beat Ferrari for the World Manufacturers Championship in
1965. He is also the designer of the current Brock Superformance Coupe.
All of us at Vintage Motorsport wish our good friend and colleague the
speediest of recoveries.
ed. 1/25 He's doing well and most thankful.....It could have been much worse..... planning on leaving for Washington Sat 1/27 2/26/07 Phil Henny is at it again. Look for a new book from him soon: Bob Bondurant - America's Uncrowned World Driving Champion. His last book (see Memoribilia page)....Just Call Me Carroll was well received. He's planning on presenting the new book at SAAC-32 in Utah.....are you guys going? Announcements
14th Annual Shelby American Reunion planning for NHRA Museum celebrating 50th Anna Cobra
13th Annual Shelby American Reunion
12th Annual Shelby American Reunion held May 8, 2010 at Willow Springs 13th Directory mailed Jan 11, 1010 11th Annual Shelby American Reunion held March 31, 2009 at the Wally Parks National Hot Rod Association Motorsports Museum 12th Dirctory mailed 2/13/09 85th Birthday of Carroll Shelby celebrated at Shelby Automobiles, Las Vegas, NV , 1/11/08 10th Annual Shelby American Reunion was held November 8, 2007 at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles in conjunction with a tribute to Carroll Shelby by the Museum.....Over 60 employees attended this memorable event... 4/23/07 Dick Smith -- Services for Richard Smith, 73, of Fresno will be at 10 a.m. Thursday (March 26) at Peoples Church. Mr. Smith, owner and operator of a bail bonds company, died Thursday. Arrangements are by Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home, 1525 E. Saginaw Way, Fresno, CA 93704 559-227-4048 SAAC 23 - Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele Ut (near Salt Lake) July 6-9, 2007 SEE saac.com for details 1/22/07 12th Directory mailed 12/15/06 9th Annual Reunion DVD released | |
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