Attn: Stephen Johnson

Stephen & Horace Johnson · 12-13-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

Stephen, I talked with Jim Paquet today at the PRI show in Orlando. We talked about your car. I didn't realize it was VanCleve's car. Jim

yes it is

Stephen Johnson #2162
Horace Johnson #2167
SS/D 427 Ford Fairlane NHRA-IHRA

bill dedman · 12-13-2008, 08:23 PM

I had watched Jim drive that car in Super Stock at a lot of West Coast drag races without really knowing where it was from. I had seen his name in Dragster on the records page, which lists home towns for record holders, but I had never been to Washington, so it didn't mean anything to me.

My wife and I were on vacation in 1991, and driving around the base of Mount Shasta and I came to a stop at a stop sign, looked to my right and saw "Van Cleve Motors," on the building on the corner.... and then it hit me... "Morton, Washington!!!"

I had wondered why that name sounded familiar to me as I had just driven past the identifying sign on the outskirts of town.

There was a lot adjacent to the dealership, so I pulled over and just sat there for a few minutes, and my wife said, "What are you DOING?"

I said, "Just paying a little homage to a friend I've never met... the guy who's name is on that dealership."

After a while, I took off, but I'm not sure she ever understood...

It's very gratifying that that car ended up in the hands of some guys who respect it and are doing right by it!

Stephen & Horace Johnson · 12-13-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill dedman

I had watched Jim drive that car in Super Stock at a lot of West Coast drag races without really knowing where it was from. I had seen his name in Dragster on the records page, which lists home towns for record holders, but I had never been to Washington, so it didn't mean anything to me.

My wife and I were on vacation in 1991, and driving around the base of Mount Shasta and I came to a stop at a stop sign, looked to my right and saw "Van Cleve Motors," on the building on the corner.... and then it hit me... "Morton, Washington!!!"

I had wondered why that name sounded familiar to me as I had just driven past the identifying sign on the outskirts of town.

There was a lot adjacent to the dealership, so I pulled over and just sat there for a few minutes, and my wife said, "What are you DOING?"

I said, "Just paying a little homage to a friend I've never met... the guy who's name is on that dealership."

After a while, I took off, but I'm not sure she ever understood...

It's very gratifying that that car ended up in the hands of some guys who respect it and are doing right by it!

thank you, thats a test to my ole man!!! Very Hard Worker!!!

Stephen Johnson #2162
Horace Johnson #2162
SS/D 427 Ford Fairlane NHRA-IHRA

Geerhead55 · 12-14-2008, 12:00 AM

Bill,,,You've got great eyesight if you saw Van Cleve Motors in Morton, Washington from the base of Mt. Shasta,,which is in California!!!! Perhaps you meant Mt. Rainier, which is a few miles up the road from beautiful downtown Morton. Sorry,,,I had to do it.
Danny Durham,,,,,,,, Washington resident for only 55 years and counting.

bill dedman · 12-14-2008, 12:28 AM

Hey, Danny... you're RIGHT!! It WAS Mt. Rainier!

Wait 'til you're 70... LOL!

Somedays, I can't remember which shoe goes on which foot... BUT, I easily remember that a '57 Chevy 220hp 283 Power Pack motor had 300 ft. pounds of torque (according to the factory), and that the 283 hp fuel injected motor had pop-up pistons and swirl-polished valves...

What's WRONG with me??? I'm not even a Chevy guy....

Michael Kilduff · 12-14-2008, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill dedman

What's WRONG with me??? I'm not even a Chevy guy....

THAT'S what is wrong with ya!

bill dedman · 12-14-2008, 12:56 AM

Good one, Michael... science fiction, but funny!!!

The Van Cleve Fairlane is living on, apparently, through the efforts of a father who really cares about performance, and his son's love for racing. That's so cool!

My Dad want to the drags just once. My partners and I had a 345cid Olds-powered B/Gas Coupe back then (1962) and were middle-of-the-pack racers as far as performance went. We ran as fast as we could afford, which meant a milled, cast iron (3 two-barrel) J-2 Olds manifold on some '55 heads we'd put '56 exhaust valves in (bigger) and flat-top pistons, with some flex-pipe headers... (no kidding.)

My Dad showed up at one race (never to return), but I had no idea he'd gone there. When I got home, his one comments was, "GOT BEAT, DIDN'T YA..."

I just walked out of the room.

I think anyone whose Dad works on the race car is a lucky so-and-so...

12-14-2008, 12:00 AM	#4
Geerhead55 VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Tacoma, Washington Posts: 1,632 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Attn: Stephen Johnson Bill,,,You've got great eyesight if you saw Van Cleve Motors in Morton, Washington from the base of Mt. Shasta,,which is in California!!!! Perhaps you meant Mt. Rainier, which is a few miles up the road from beautiful downtown Morton. Sorry,,,I had to do it. Danny Durham,,,,,,,, Washington resident for only 55 years and counting.

12-14-2008, 12:28 AM	#5
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Attn: Stephen Johnson Hey, Danny... you're RIGHT!! It WAS Mt. Rainier! Wait 'til you're 70... LOL! Somedays, I can't remember which shoe goes on which foot... BUT, I easily remember that a '57 Chevy 220hp 283 Power Pack motor had 300 ft. pounds of torque (according to the factory), and that the 283 hp fuel injected motor had pop-up pistons and swirl-polished valves... What's WRONG with me??? I'm not even a Chevy guy.... __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 12-14-2008 at 12:30 AM.

12-14-2008, 12:56 AM	#7
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Attn: Stephen Johnson Good one, Michael... science fiction, but funny!!! The Van Cleve Fairlane is living on, apparently, through the efforts of a father who really cares about performance, and his son's love for racing. That's so cool! My Dad want to the drags just once. My partners and I had a 345cid Olds-powered B/Gas Coupe back then (1962) and were middle-of-the-pack racers as far as performance went. We ran as fast as we could afford, which meant a milled, cast iron (3 two-barrel) J-2 Olds manifold on some '55 heads we'd put '56 exhaust valves in (bigger) and flat-top pistons, with some flex-pipe headers... (no kidding.) My Dad showed up at one race (never to return), but I had no idea he'd gone there. When I got home, his one comments was, "GOT BEAT, DIDN'T YA..." I just walked out of the room. I think anyone whose Dad works on the race car is a lucky so-and-so... __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 12-14-2008 at 12:59 AM.

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12-13-2008, 08:23 PM	#2
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Attn: Stephen Johnson I had watched Jim drive that car in Super Stock at a lot of West Coast drag races without really knowing where it was from. I had seen his name in Dragster on the records page, which lists home towns for record holders, but I had never been to Washington, so it didn't mean anything to me. My wife and I were on vacation in 1991, and driving around the base of Mount Shasta and I came to a stop at a stop sign, looked to my right and saw "Van Cleve Motors," on the building on the corner.... and then it hit me... "Morton, Washington!!!" I had wondered why that name sounded familiar to me as I had just driven past the identifying sign on the outskirts of town. There was a lot adjacent to the dealership, so I pulled over and just sat there for a few minutes, and my wife said, "What are you DOING?" I said, "Just paying a little homage to a friend I've never met... the guy who's name is on that dealership." After a while, I took off, but I'm not sure she ever understood... It's very gratifying that that car ended up in the hands of some guys who respect it and are doing right by it! __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 12-13-2008 at 08:32 PM.