Speed shops

[coldwater]

How many of you old guys remember the kick <-BAD WORD-> old speed shops that used to be scattered around. The real pros that learned the ropes by getting in the pits of the now endangered racetracks and getting dirty. Guys that knew things about gears and engine guts, and made a living passing that knowledge on to the swooning pimple faced teenagers hanging around trying to learn some fantastic thing that would make them the proverbial "gear head" that every boy lusted after. Today, I found the need for the odd bit for my CJ, and thought about Don's speed shop. The place that robbed me of just about every hard earned buck I could find a way to make, and where I learned a great deal from the odd greasy mentor hiding under the hood of some monster in a dimly lit garage. A quick search on the interweb......and there it was, Dons speed shop. After more than 35 years, It was still there, and off I went! I discovered that Dons had burned down in 03, and the family decided to do it again, fearing that old Don would just die off if his life's work were to be reduced to ashes. Well, It was like a trip in a time machine, and I felt like a kid again. The "new Don's" was just the same as the old Don's. the home of fantastic things, that every gear head dreams about, still there. Just like the old days, there was no way to get to the counter, because the floor was littered with cranks, blocks, blowers, heads, and every possible big block era Detroit masterpiece ever made. Every single place that you could possibly put a part, had 2 or 3 there. Racks to the ceiling held rusty old big blocks of every description, waiting for a new life. Engine stands with monsters being built in what few nooks of free space were left, and the smell of gas and oil was embedded in the fiber of the building, and it was like heaven. Best of all, there stood old Don in the chaos, smiling like a kid. Actually, a lot nicer than I remember him being They didn't have the piece I needed in stock, but could have it by morning If I needed it, But hang on....let me look in here....Poking around on an old bench of bits and pieces, there it was, a perfectly good used part. Let you have it for 5 bucks If you want, and If there's anything wrong with it, gimmie a call, I'll order a new one, and take the 5 bucks off the price. He took me all over the shop, thrilled to show me everything he had going, and what he was building. we chatted about the old days for a bit, and I left with a needed part, a hand shake, and a promise to be of any help that I may need, just stop by or gimmie a call.
Sorry about the lengthy post, but I was completely blown out of the water by this very important little piece of my younger years being brought back in living color. How many of you old school guys remember this fantastic piece of history, and are any of you still fortunate enough to have an amazing piece of history to go to when you need the old pros help? Tell me a story guys.

 

[dalefan88]

we have one in town but he is way over priced and he is a . if some else had it that was nice and lower the prices it would be a sweet place. hmmm maybe i should buy it from him lol. mrs dalefan would love that. use the jeep as a showcase for parts.

 

[dslywalker]

We still have a couple here in Phoenix that are good.Called one the other day to see how my Eldenbrock carb should be jetted for a 350.Famous reply you still running a carb.
Mike

 

[elwood blues]

Heck Dave, you now me, I'm not old. I think at one time you told me I was still wet behind the ears. But my first job, well my first official job with a paycheck anyway was at a garage. We didn't do anything over the top, but I learned all that I could about brakes, tires, exhaust work, anything I could dig into. I got to meet a lot of those old gear heads working there. It was working there that got me started running around with a few different guys that ran dirt track cars. Late and Limited Late Models, Stateline Speedway just over the border into NY, Eriez Speedway in Erie PA, Sportsmans Speedway in Knox PA, man I just don't remember all of the places I'd blow an entire days pay just to get into the pits and turn wrenches on some guys car. Quick change rear ends, super soft tires aired down to 7.4lbs, burning race fuel, it get's me excited just thinking about it.

And then there were the old timers that you talk about. Guys like Sheldon (I can't remember his last neme) who owned Shedd's garage, that guy had every tool you could ever think of. Need a special tool to remove a strutt from someone's mid 90's Buick, Sheldon has one. That guy alway's had some car, truck or tractor torn down to the block. And when you'd stop to see him, he'd come out, cigarette hanging out of his mouth, wiping his hands with a red rag, and the first thing he'd do is shake your hand and ask you how you were.

Or Billy Nobles, I don't even know if his garage has a name. Everyone always said, just to swing in and see Billy. Now that guy's garage, man. I think he's still got that old shackled up Nova with the blower sticking out of the hood sitting in his garage. He'd alway's say "one of these day's I'll finish that thing". He's known as the the carburetor wizard where I grew up. If you're having an issue with a carb, Billy can straighten it out. From Jeeps to circle track cars, it doesn't matter, Billy can tune it and make it run better than when it was new. He was the guy I took my CJ to right after I bought it. I'd never seen a Carter YF before, I had no idea. He told me to go to NAPA, buy the rebuild kit, "AND DON'T FORGET To GET A NEW FLOAT" he yelled as I took off out the door. He showed me the in's and out's of the YF and how to rebuild it. He also told me to get rid of it, because once it's been rebuilt, it'll never be the same again.

Now, I've moved around so much I never do get settled in to one place for long enough to ever get in good with the gear heads in the area, makes me miss home once in a while.

Great thread Dave

 

[BrockGrimes]

A nice old fellow just closed his doors after years and years, due to the lack of business. It's sad to drive by and see the doors boarded up. Damn lazy people and all the mexican'ts going to autozone and advance did him in. We older folks tried to do our part but it just wasn't to be, he couldn't make ends meet years ago must less today. So he closed the doors and retired, the sad part is after his wife passed this was all he had. Who knows what'll happen now.

Damn fast food, quickie marts, the interstates, and the gota have it now assholes,
have ruined it!

Remember taking trips where the drive was as much a part of the trip as the destination?

What I miss is the old pull-a-part yards where you got stuff cheap and could really do something,
now they want 3 times what the old car was worth new.

 

[Kane]

Ha too funny. As soon as I started reading this Don's speed shop came into my head and then I read it on your post. That shop is amazingly dirty, filthy and full of awesome parts and crazy knowledge. I am about to give them my Distributer so they can do a custom ignition curve for me. I live right down the road from them now.

 

[coldwater]

Ha too funny. As soon as I started reading this Don's speed shop came into my head and then I read it on your post. That shop is amazingly dirty, filthy and full of awesome parts and crazy knowledge. I am about to give them my Distributer so they can do a custom ignition curve for me. I live right down the road from them now.

I KNEW you would get in here sooner or later!

 

[shamrock]

I was schooled by this guy.
Wilcap Company History Page

In the photo's on this link, picture number 8 is where I had my 4x4 shop showroom (next bay back was my installation bay)....late 70's to the early 80's. Tony and his family were an incredible part of my life...feel really blessed to have been taken in by them.

 

[Jet]

Wow, great memories.

1970 ish.
Ed died before i got my drivers license. I guess.
Never knew why, he was just gone one day.
Ed taught me all i ever needed to know.
He had a shop like you hear in old country songs.
From Ed i learned that you don't need a needle to air up a ball.
How to vulcanize a bike tube, fix a chain, everything i needed to know about fixing my bike.
I learned about welding, torching, heat,& bend.
Ed was the 1st guy i saw seat a bead with starting fluid,& a match.
I learned how to cuss there even though he never hear me.
Ed's bathroom was the 1st. i'd seen with a condom machine. Not sure he ever had the opportunity to use one.
I didn't learn much about cars from Ed, but learn i did.

to Ed.

 

[coldwater]

These answers are all gold. I wish a few other guys would step in here and share some old buried stories about what they learned from these quirky olk guys that spent their time in those old shops. Trucks bicycles, cars, or just learning a little about how to be a man.