RIP Dean LaPole

[Phil Reed]

Today was Dean's birthday. Probably not too many guys here know who Dean is but...........he was one of Fred Totten's best friends. Dean had a header shop in CA. Fred and Dean I guess spent some of the 60's and 70's together racing. Anyway......for the 2004 National Convention.....Fred convinced Dean to fly to KC. Dean did and that was the first time they had seen each other in 20-25 years. Well...old friendships are hard to forget....so after the Convention, Fred loaded up Soo Sad and drove to CA. I think he spent 6-8 weeks out there. Dean made up jigs to build 348 409 headers for our 58-64 cars. Fred stopped by the shop on his way home with his car and showed me what they made. It was gorgeous!!!! Later on, I ended up buying the last set they made.
I ended up selling the headers last year to someone who had a friend in the header business so maybe copies might be available.
RIP Dean and Fred!!!!

 

[Fathead Racing]

I had the pleasure of making Dean's acquaintance at the first 348/409 convention. (just an other excuse to thank Phil) By the time I left Kansas I had a new friend. He and Fred were a good match, book ends, so to speak. RIP Dean. I can see Fred and Dean bench racing right now.

 

[jim_ss409]

It was a real pleasure for me to meet Dean LaPole at the 2004 Convention.
I mostly listened as him and Fred reminisced about various adventures they had back in the day.
The topic of discussion was always 409's. It wasn't until much later that discovered that they also raced a BBC powered funny car. (actually two, the first one got wrecked)
If you scroll about two thirds of the way down the page in this link you'll see the first "King Camaro" on it's final pass,,, and pictures of the wreck. (Dean walked away)
A little farther down, you see the new King Camaro.
I copied the caption...
"Dan Geare, Fred Totten and driver Dean LaPole soon returned better than ever innovative racer was one of the last pure Chevy funnycars on fuel utilizing a unique fuel system and dual plug heads it was one of the loudest as well"

http://www.mts.net/~57ford/reunion10.html

 

[Quickshift409]

Very sad, the other half of Totten and LaPole now gone. May they rest in peace. Bo you are very lucky to have the car, it's a piece of history.