geezzz...............

[roger gunter]

well
I guess its safe to post this now

hey guys
really enjoyed seeing the two of you and visiting
got to tlak about 409s, even though I do not have any now--Phil where is my intake ????

Wayne
I was sworn to keep slient about them being here
Phil threatend me
said it I told you, he was moving in with us

 

[Phil Reed]

Nice talk!!!!!
Got back to KC last night. Like Dick............I gotta unload today too!!!!
Here's what happened. I had a customer call about 3 months ago. I started in business in Dec. 83. In the summer of 1985, this customer bought a 62 QB engine from me. After 27 years of owning this engine, he came to the conclussion that he would never get a car and get it built. So he wanted to sell it back to me. I said sure!!
I tried to make arrnagements to pick it up when Candy & I came down for Brian's visitation but that didn't work out. So Dick calls me after Brian's funeral in VA and we were just talking about the whole thing in general. After a bit....Dick asks what I was doing before Thompson. I said I had to make a trip to the Wonderful State of Texas. And then in a flash....I made that immortal statement..........."You ain't got a hair on your a$$ if you don't fly in and go with me"!!!!!!!!! He said he'd check with Corporate and let me know. Corporate said Yes and the deal was done!!!!
I called Ronnie and said I was stopping by but didn't mention who was with me. So it was a surprise for Ronnie that I had a co-pilot!! Had a great 4-5 hour visit with Ronnie...........I didn't have the chicken fried steak tho. Then took Dick down to a small town to meet an Australian friend of mine that does awesome bodywork. Then off to Waco for the night. Had called Randy...Austin bubbletop...and went over to his house to visit the next morning. A really nice young man who's working on his 61 Impala. Got tons of racing experience from his Dad!! Really enjoy meeting new members and Randy is a good one!!!! Then off to pick up my engine.
After loading everything up.............we took off for Burnet. Got a room and then went up to Roger and Joyce's. Ending up going out for an all you can eat catfish buffett!!!! Next morning ...bright and early..........took off for Hayden's. Got here about 9AM. We took him out to breakfast and back to the house for more racing "tales"!! Then at the appropriate time left for Llano and Cooper's bar-b-que!!! I tell Hayden that's the real reason I'm in the area and he's just inside the radius that I could come get him!! Hayden was really feeling good and for as long as I have known him..............heard more new stories that he was telling Dick. What a great time it was!!!! So, finally about 5............headed out and then stopped at W-Heads on the way north. Wayne was all decked out in some of his nicest shorts and shirt............he had a date that night and Dick and I were keeping him from dinner!!!! Not really..........had a great visit with Wayne and took off northbound. Got to Exit 409 at Weatherford, TX for the evening. Left Weatherford Sunday morning and pulled into KC at 6PM last night. 1786 miles.
It was really great having Dick with me!!! I enjoy his friendship and his company!!!! He said he wanted to do this again!!! I need to start saving my money again!!!

 

[Phil Reed]

"THELMA & LOUISE " have returned to us.Dick , did you bring anything home with you ???

As a matter of fact...he did!!! He'll have to tell you the details!!!

Thelma and Louise
Ding and Dong....the Bell Brothers
The one I used was Willie and Julio./.......you know sorta has a Texas accent to it.................

 

[Don Jacks]

Congrats on the engine,did you get anything else?

 

[Dick MacKenzie]

I brought home something else, worth a lot more then Phil's engine in my book! I just got home and won't be able to scan them tonight but I'll get on it tomorrow so you all can see what I'm talking about. Saturday we spent over nine hours with Hayden but it seemed like only minutes. I wish I could remember all the stories, heck, I wish I could remember half the stories!! Hayden is truly a living drag racing history lesson and funnier then most of the professional comedians on tv these days. What a great day it was !!!

 

[Dick MacKenzie]

Ok, Saturday of the trip. Phil and I stopped by Haydon Proffitt's about 9 AM and took him to breakfast. On the way back to Haydon's afterward we did a little sight seeing on the way. Phil found a little place he plans to buy so he can get out in the country a little. Don't tell Candy but here it is:

After Phil put a down payment on his new place we went back Haydon's and started talking 1960s drag racing. Here is Haydon & me wishing we could get Phil to take a walk so we could talk and he wouldn't interrupt us so many with questions.

Some of the stories were hilarious, unfortunately most of them can't be repeated on a family forum! About 2 PM we began to get hungry again so we left for Cooper's Barbeque in Llano TX. I can't describe how good this place is. If you're passing through Texas and are within 50 miles of Llano stop by for the treat of your life!
Haydon and I pigging out on Brisket, Beans and Jalapenos.

Back to Haydon's again, resuming drag racing talk in spite of Phil's constant interruptions. Haydon invited us in to his "Junk" room. More great stories! Such as the picture of him waving at the crowd from his jet car and the letter he received from NHRA telling him if he didn't stop waving to spectators at 200 MPH they would suspend his license! He pulled the following picture out of a pile and signed it for me.

About 5 or 5:30 we finally decided to give Haydon a break and head out (besides he said he wouldn't talk to us any more after NHRA qualifying came on TV at 6 PM). So we said our good byes to a fantastic guy and super day.
Phil & Haydon:

Haydon & Me:

In all seriousness I can't thank Phil enough for inviting me along. Seeing Ronnie, Randy, Roger and Wayne, meeting Rick & Joanie and spending the day with Haydon is definitely one of the highlights of my life! Thanks for the invite Phil and thanks for the Signed copy of Super Chevy!

Oh BTW........ I'm Julio.......Phil is Willie.....

 

[real61ss]

That's great stuff!!!! Thanks for sharing

 

[Austin Bubbletop]

Nice write up Dick! Cant thank you guys enough for stopping by. There aren't many around here that understand my passion for this car. Or simply doing the work myself over hauling it off to the shop for a crate motor and TV-show type makeover. Great memories for sure.

 

[oldskydog]

Way to go Dick. We'll make a Texan out of you yet.
Nice carport for the dually.
When is Phil moving? I guess this means he won't be retiring in Alaska, or is that just his summer home and snowbirding in Texas?

 

[Fathead Racing]

Hey Dick, drop all the signed stuff by my camper at Thompson, I'll have it back to you before you have to change your smoke detector battery's, I promise!

 

[W Head]

Thanks for the great posting & pictures Dick. I do love Cooper's Bar-B-Q and great to see you again. Question, How offten did you have to open the door on your side of the dulley to let all the BS slide out. Man that is a long time to be cooped up with the the "King Of The Road"

W Head

59 El Camino 348-3,2s
59 Impala 409-2,4s

 

[DonSSDD]

Probably had the windows and doors open on the dually- not due to BS, more like the jet drive from the beans and jalapenos?

Don

 

[k9hotrodder409]

Great writeup my frend. I'm glad you had a good time.Hayden looks to be in good health....right ? Sure would like to meet him sometime.Maybe Phil can get him to come to Thompson some time.

 

[Clyde Waldo]

Phil did just that @ Thompson 2010.

 

[k9hotrodder409]

That's why I never met him. I was there in 2011.