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 "We ran that motor in my Deuce...  "We ran that motor in my Deuce roadster and also the track T. It was a 3/8x3/8 with one of Howard Johansen's (Howard's Racing Cams) camshafts. Phil Weiand donated his heads and manifold. We ran the track roadster Friday and Saturday nights. We'd get home Saturday at midnight, pull the thing from the T and stuff it in my '32, and head to the dry lakes. We'd get up there Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon on the way home we'd run on one of the dragstrips."  It was not uncommon to pool...  It was not uncommon to pool resources back in the day when funds were limited. Don's '32 became the Chopsticks Special. The neighborhood kids turned out to watch the trio leave for El Mirage behind Don's '34 pickup. The hot Weiand-equipped four-carb Ford Flathead V-8 became their "Poor Man's Novi." Don (left) with Larry Shinoda and Bruce Robinson.  Don took this photo of his...  Don took this photo of his shop, "hanging out of my airplane," Don roars. "Think about it, there's no ladder that high. I took a couple of shots and got the hell out of there before someone turned me in."  Don saved this sorry-looking...  Don saved this sorry-looking '34 Ford from the scrap heap to become a roving billboard for their business nationwide. "We towed all over the country with a Flathead V-8 in it. Once or twice a year we'd go all over Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania where we raced the track roadster and later the Sprinter."  This photo was shot Dec. 15,...  This photo was shot Dec. 15, 1956, of the Robinson and Zabel Automotive '34 Ford truck touting: Engine Rebuilds-Mufflers. And that number again, (before there were a kazillion phones) CHapman 5-5656. Note the muffler stacks and the brand-new '56 Chevy in the background.  "That looks like an old dog...  "That looks like an old dog but it was a brand-new car at the time before it was painted," Don says. "We used to run the Sprinters in a race or two before we finished them up and detailed them. We built the Sprint Cars from scratch. We got the tubing for the chassis from Industrial Metals. We always ran DeSoto Hemis. The Dodge was too small and the Chrysler was too big and heavy. We had two good sponsors in those days: Howard Johansen (Howard Cams) and Phil Weiand (Weiand heads and manifolds). Once in a while they'd give us a couple of tires or a barrel of fuel. That was a big deal in those days."  "We towed our track roadsters...  "We towed our track roadsters and Sprint Cars all over with the '34. We went to Oakland and San Diego then twice a year we'd go back East to Dayton, OH; Salem (opened in 1947 in Southern Indiana); and Winchester, IN. Most people can't believe we did it with the Flathead V-8 in the truck. No junk Chevys in my truck", Don laughs.  Don at 6 a.m. on his third...  Don at 6 a.m. on his third cup of coffee at the Trompers Hot Rod swap meet. If you like vintage tin, plus real hot rods dripping with nostalgia parked in every nook and cranny, plan to attend their next swap meet. Check the Trompers website for their next Eagle Rock swap meet.  Don at 6 a.m. on his third...  Don at 6 a.m. on his third cup of coffee at the Trompers Hot Rod swap meet. If you like vintage tin, plus real hot rods dripping with nostalgia parked in every nook and cranny, plan to attend their next swap meet. Check the Trompers website for their next Eagle Rock swap meet.
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