Mystic said:
Hi Mystic,
Well, I was pretty young when I knew him, but I will try to build as good a picture of Jim as I can. You also need to know that some of what I will say is from my perspective of the man, how I saw him.
As you read above, I went to work for Jim when I was only 15 and still in High School. Jim owned his own company in Azusa California called Challenger Street Rods. Just before I worked for him, there was a big multi-month "build it yourself" spread of a T-Bucket he designed in one of the national Street Rodder magazines. It was because of that series of articles I approached Jim about a job. I told him I would work for free, if he would just give me a chance. He did, and I even got paid!
From what I heard in the shop from the others while I worked there, Jim was a somewhat known Drag Racer in the mid sixties in a category of race cars known as Gassers. He raced a Blown Willys called the "Challenger." I think a guy on the Hamb called Dragwillys owns the car now.
Jim's eye for details and steady hand with the Tig torch, made him famous in the LA area for being one of the best fabricators around. He was well known for being able to solve all kinds of chassis problems people where having with their cars.
Even though we primarily focused on making the parts for T-Buckets and other related Street Rod components at Challenger, the shop was always full of race cars. Rails, Sprints, Funny's, you name it and it came through. It seemed racers from all over would bring their cars in to get some kind of attention from Jim.
Oh, and off topic a bit, if you ever get a chance to stand next to a Top Fuel Funny Car being started up and run for a few seconds, INSIDE AN ENCLOSED BUILDING, get ready for the shock of your life! You can't cover your ears hard enough to stop the pain. The sound pressure pulses from the exhaust events prevent you from even being able to breath!
Jim is retired now, and getting up there, but back when I worked for him, Jim was a formidable man. He was the kind of person you wanted next to you in a dark alley, or a bar that was ready to go critical. He was rough on the outside, but a super nice guy on the inside. He was also fiercely protective of his friends. He wouldn't think twice about spending a night in jail from knocking the teeth out of anyone who was messing with one of his friends.
Jim also loved life. He was always pulling gags on people for fun. He also liked to host small shows for the local rodders. Even though Jim put a lot of energy into being what I would describe as "Bigger Than Life," I always suspected Jim was actually a bit shy. He never showed his emotions, probably a generational thing, but you knew deep down when something was bothering him. That's when he would get the most obnoxious, and pick on you in the most cleaver ways!
I feel lucky as hell to have known the man. I was raised without a father, and Jim just knew that. So he became a sort of role model for me when I was younger. Jim taught me the most important role a man has in his life. That role is to watch over and take care of the people that he cares about, no mater what! A mans family and friends always come first. This is a quality I find lacking in a lot of guys I have met in my life.
I know I painted a shocking picture of the man in my previous post. But in real life, you would be honored to know him.
Hows that for a touchy-feely reply! Oh my god! What is the world coming to! Men with emotions!!!
Take care Mystic,
David