Two

SANTA BARBARA

Back at the start of World War II, Santa Barbara was a quiet, well-to-do resort town with a small handful of car enthusiasts. High school student Bob “Bagsey” Benedetto of Santa Barbara is seen here on State Street near Figueroa Street in early 1942, just before he left to serve in the military. Note the gasoline-ration stamp on his windshield. The black 1929 Ford roadster has a 1932 grill and 1930 headlights. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Here is another view of Bob Benedetto’s Model A, taken on the same day. The hot rod is parked in front of a candy and tobacco shop on State Street, not far from the Montgomery Ward department store. There does not seem to be much foot traffic in this early-wartime sidewalk view. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

One of the more famous hot rods of the early scene in Santa Barbara was this dark green channeled 1931 Ford roadster, known as the “Gopher.” It got that nickname because it sat unusually low for a hot rod of that period. This attractive roadster was seen all over town in the prewar days and early 1940s. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

The origins of the Gopher are not clear, but it is thought to have been built in Los Angeles in the late 1930s. The early hot rod went through many local owners during the war years before disappearing sometime in the mid-1940s. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Another famous, or infamous, local hot rod was known as the “Jeep.” Possessing an obscure past and having multiple owners, this dangerous-looking 1926 Model T was seen tearing all over town in the old days. That looks like a late Model A Ford four-banger with some type of aftermarket head in the engine compartment. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

This typical but good-looking 1929 roadster has been fitted with the usual 1932 grill shell. Of interest are the cut-down windshield and aftermarket “beehive” oil filter and cooler seen mounted on the AB-block V-8 engine. It has a 1932 front axle and mechanical (rather than hydraulic) brakes. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Pictured somewhere on Santa Barbara’s west side in 1941 is this somewhat rare custom 1934 Ford cabriolet (note the glass rear window). The owner has removed the front fenders but kept the rear ones and added some fender skirts. The rear end has been decked. Note also the post-mounted spotlight. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

These two images from 1941 show a hot rod belonging to Santa Barbara resident Jack McNally. A 1932 Ford roadster, the rod has been given a distinctive look by the addition of a grill shell from another make, possibly Chrysler or DeSoto. This was a not uncommon practice among hot rod builders in the early days, with Packard grills also being a popular substitute for the usual Deuce or Model A shells. The Ford was powered by a 21-stud flathead V-8 equipped with dual carburetors, most likely the one it left the factory with. The hinged windshield is a modified unit from a 1937 Ford. (Both, courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Jack McNally examines the flathead on his hot rod. Note how the twin carburetors are mounted on an Edlebock “slingshot” intake with the carburetors up on extensions in order to clear the top-mounted generator on this early V-8 engine. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Here is another example of a Ford hot rod from 1942, seen on State Street, just south of Figueroa Street. A 1932 Deuce grill shell combined with the 1929 roadster body made for what was probably the most eye-pleasing hot rod configuration there was. The 1932 I-beam front axle used on this rod was preferred by hot-rodders because it was “dropped” 1.5 inches lower than the 1929 axle. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Alan Jennings was another well-known local hot-rodder in the early 1940s. Here he is in his green 1929 Ford roadster just prior to entering the military. His passenger is unidentified. The location appears to be a garage somewhere east of State Street in Santa Barbara. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

The clean and simple appearance of Alan Jennings’s rod is evident in this image. Cars similar to this one were on streets all over California by the early 1940s and became the prototypes for most of the hot rods seen over the last 70 years. Jennings’s roadster would soon go into mothballs as he too entered the military; it would be rebuilt on his return. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

This is the well-crafted dashboard of Alan Jennings’s roadster. Fabricated by Jennings himself using elements from a 1932 Ford, the Stewart-Warner gauges are nicely laid out. Alan Jennings had a talent for making dashes and did a few for other local hot rods and customs. The speedboat-style windshield was made by Jennings too. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

This shot shows the Gopher parked across the street from the McNally residence on Robbins Street. As can be seen in this picture, there was a lot more open space in Santa Barbara back in the 1940s. This neighborhood has been densely developed since this image was taken. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Dick Jacobs of Santa Barbara drove this metallic purple 1937 Chevrolet coupe, pictured here in Montecito at Lee Hammock’s home. He has put “high-lows” on it, that is, larger wheels on the front for a cooler look. Whitewall tires, a spotlight, long whip antenna, and rear fender skirts top off this late-1940s custom. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

This lineup of hot rods from 1949 is parked in front of Lee Hammock’s garage/workshop at 610 East Valley Road in Montecito and features some of the “all-stars” of the Santa Barbara hot rod scene. From left to right are Fielding Lewis, Keith Loomis, Rip Erickson, and Keith Purrington. Hammock is behind the camera, and his 1937 Chevrolet is just visible at far right. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

A pair of 1934 Ford coupes driven by Santa Barbara locals Dave Malis (right) and Jack Mulhart (left) duke it out on the strip at Goleta in 1948. Jack’s family owned the Mulhart Electric Company of Santa Barbara. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

Among the many hot rods owned by Lee Hammock, this sharp full-fendered 1934 Ford coupe was particularly nice. Lee is posing with it at his family’s home in Montecito. Note how the Stromberg carburetors are mounted on risers to clear the generator on the early 21-stud flathead engine. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

This shot, taken in the 1950s on Haley Street in Santa Barbara, shows a 1935 Hudson coupe that Lee Hammock and Rip Erickson bought with an idea to make a jalopy racer out of it. Unfortunately, Erickson wrecked the car before that was possible. The businesses visible in this shot have all changed, but the buildings remain largely the same. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

Besides building hot rods and jalopy racers, Lee Hammock also tried his hand at customs. This 1940 Mercury sedan has been nosed and decked, and that is part of a 1947 Cadillac grill up front with a 1946 Mercury front bumper. As with most hot-rodders, Lee kept the custom for a short time before selling it off. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

Lee Hammock’s dad, Lee Hammock Sr., is seen here relaxing during a family party in Montecito. Hammock Sr. was an old race car driver and builder himself, having barnstormed midget racers throughout the Midwest during the 1920s and 1930s before bringing his family out to California. He worked as a chauffeur for a wealthy family in Montecito and was completely supportive of his son’s career in racing. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

This white, flathead-powered 1929 Ford roadster is a good example of a late-1930s or early-1940s hot rod. It was built by Bob Cosper of Santa Barbara, who is seen here behind the wheel. Note the homemade windscreen and the DeSoto grill shell. DeSoto grills were seen on quite a few early Santa Barbara hot rods. (Courtesy of Lee Hammock.)

Frank Keeler of Santa Barbara is seen here checking the oil on his white 1932 Ford three-window coupe in front of Santa Barbara High School in 1953. Frank would be tragically killed in a road accident during the early 1960s while towing his dune buggy up from Baja California. (Courtesy of Frank Viera.)

The J&S Garage at 1610 East Valley Road, Montecito, has been has been in continuous operation for nearly a century. Started in 1919 as a limousine service for the wealthy families in the area, the business soon became a general automotive garage when purchased by Elroy Jenkins in the 1920s. Jenkins operated the garage until 1964, when he retired and sold it to Jay Roach of Santa Barbara. Under Roach’s ownership, the garage became a Philips 66 service station and also became known as a meeting place for the local hot-rodders. Roach would build many successful Bonneville racers there as well as quite a few hot rods. The gas crisis of the early 1970s put an end to Roach’s days as a Philips 66 dealer, but he kept the garage open as a repair shop. From then until Roach’s death in 2012, building engines and hot rods became the main part of the business, although it still did general automotive repair. After Roach’s death, the garage was purchased by employee Hunter Self, who operates the business in the same tradition as did Roach. (Courtesy of Hunter Self and Betty Roach.)

Jay Roach built this fast-looking 1931 Ford Model A sedan back in the late 1950s. An accomplished engine builder, Roach has put a blown Oldsmobile Rocket V-8 in the engine compartment. It was white with red wheels, and note the cover over the blower stacks that are sticking out of the hood. (Courtesy of Hunter Self and Betty Roach.)

Here is a close-up of the blown Oldsmobile engine in Jay Roach’s hot rod. He must have used it on the street, because he has installed sealed-beam headlights. The intake stacks sitting atop the six Stromberg carburetors have been made from 16-ounce Olympia beer cans. Pictured are Jay (at right, behind the blower), Fred Dannenfelzer (center), and Jay’s wife, Betty (left). (Courtesy of Hunter Self and Betty Roach.)

The Dusters, one of the more successful clubs of Santa Barbara, are seen here showing off the trophies won by members during a meet at Santa Maria. Quite a few of the Dusters’ yellow club jackets are visible. The club logo was a wheeled broom taking off in a cloud of dust. The Dusters were founded in 1952. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Fred Dannenfelzer (right) is seen here in 1959 at Merced with one of his early dragsters. A member of Santa Barbara High School’s class of 1956 and a founding member of the Dusters car club, Fred would also become famous as a builder and driver of both drag racers and Bonneville Salt Flats racers. As of this writing, he holds the record for open-wheel cars (with a speed of 366 miles per hour) and is preparing a new racer for another run. The dragster in this image is powered by a blown 265-cubic-inch small block Chevrolet with three Stromberg 97s on top. The well-designed frame was homemade, as was the rest of this solid-looking dragster. Also visible are, from left to right, brothers John and Jim Langlo of Santa Barbara and an unidentified local hot-rodder. (Courtesy of Fred Dannenfelzer.)

Besides being in the Dusters, Fred Dannenfelzer was also in the Grave Gamblers car club. Here is another of his drag racers, this one from around 1960. Fred has switched to a blown 392-cubic-inch Chrysler Hemi for power. Note also that the blower is chain driven rather than belt driven. The frame and body are again homemade, and it looks like he has used the same dropped axle as on his earlier car. Below, Fred is seen just as he lifts his front wheels off the starting line at San Luis Obispo. That is a Volvo 544 in the upper-left background. (Both, courtesy of Fred Dannenfelzer.)

Here, a group from the Dusters clowns for the camera while working on Eric Salter’s 1927 Model T roadster at the Richfield service station that used to be at the corner of State and Mission Streets. From left to right are Jack Chard (bent over the engine with his face not visible to the camera), Eric Salter, Don Adams, Gus Raymer (with hat over his face), and Gilbert Angulo. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Santa Barbara native Jack Chard is seen here at age 14 with his first hot rod, a channeled 1927 Model T pickup powered by a Model A four-cylinder engine. Jack caught the hot rod addiction at an early age and, as an adolescent, hung around in the background at tracks like Goleta and Santa Maria before becoming a member of the Dusters car club. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

By the next year, the pickup had been replaced by this chopped 1932 Tudor sedan. Jack, age 15, is at right, draped over the fender. The location is his family’s home, a historic adobe house on San Pascual Street in Santa Barbara’s west side. Jack was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time and got to meet many of racing’s early greats. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

When Jack finally reached 16 years of age (legal driving age in California), he acquired this flathead-equipped 1927 Model T roadster. A born hot-rodder, he continues to run old Fords at shows up and down the coast. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Like all car clubs, the Dusters would travel to drag strips in neighboring counties. In this image from December 1957, Bruce McGee (left), Jack Chard (center), and Art Castignola (right) have stopped for a picture on the way south to San Fernando’s drag strip. Like the Motor Monarchs of Ventura, the Dusters adopted the white pants and shirt with the club jacket as standard attire while at the strip. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Dick Griffin was another local hot-rodder who would occasionally drive for the Dusters. He is seen here with his homemade dragster across the street from his parents’ house on Gillespie Street in Santa Barbara’s west side. This is as basic as it gets, just a pair of Model A frame rails and a 21-stud flathead V-8. The hand pump for pressurizing the fuel system is visible below Griffin’s knee. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Lee Hammock used this cool black 1951 Ford Business Coupe (right) as his everyday family car during the mid-1950s. Parked next to him on this hot day in Montecito is Santa Barbara resident Doug Powers, sitting on the fender of his yellow chopped 1932 Ford coupe. In the background is East Valley Road, also known as Highway 192. (Courtesy of Don Lanning.)

Walt Williams of Ojai and his wife, Ronda, sit proudly in his neat little yellow 1931 Ford roadster. Williams has just won first place at a car show held at Santa Barbara High School in 1959. He has installed King Bee headlights and used old-school (by 1959) lever shocks. (Courtesy of Walt Williams.)

One of the most popular pin-stripe artists on the Central Coast was Jesse Torres, who was known to the local hot-rodders as “Vonte.” Quite a character, Vonte worked Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. He is seen here plying his trade on a 1955 Mercury at a Vallejo, California, car show. (Courtesy of Jesse Torres.)

One of the longest-lasting clubs in the region has been the Santa Barbara Igniters. In this group shot taken in front of Santa Barbara High School are, from left to right, Dave Boccalli, Sam Foose, Tony Cavalli (driver’s seat), Phil Salter, Barry Atsatt (in jacket), Dick Jeffers, Karl Hove, and Ben Rockwell. (Courtesy of Barry Atsatt.)

Here are three of the Igniters of Santa Barbara making an appearance at Santa Maria Drag Strip with the club’s 1937 Ford sedan. Looking smart in white coveralls and snap-brimmed hats are, from left to right, Gary Henshaw, Dave Boccalli, and Tony Cavalli. (Courtesy of Barry Atsatt.)

Willis Partch of Santa Barbara seems apprehensive about the work done on Don Lanning’s 1932 Ford Deuce roadster. He is pointing at an early 21-stud flathead V-8 with a single carburetor. The fenders must have been just removed, because the car still has its fender brackets (visible over front tire). The windshield has also been taken off. (Courtesy of Willis Partch.)

When Santa Barbara hot-rodders were not drag racing at Santa Maria, they would travel down to one of the many strips in Los Angeles or Orange Counties. Seen here waiting their turn in the qualifying line at Lyons Drag Strip are two members of the Igniters in a 1940 Ford Standard Coupe. Standing at left is Dick Hoskins, and at right in the leather jacket is Tony Cavalli. (Courtesy of Willis Partch.)

Santa Barbara High School class of 1953 graduate Frank Viera is seen with his 1922 Ford Model T touring car. Touring cars, or “tubs,” could be made into some pretty cool-looking rods, as seen here. The hot rod was powered by a four-cylinder Ford C block with a rare Alexander overhead conversion and a twin Zenith carburetor setup. (Courtesy of Frank Viera.)

Here is another view of Frank Viera’s Phaeton, this time at a 1958 Santa Barbara High School car show at Peabody Stadium. The Alexander overhead conversion can be seen to a better advantage here. Legendary hot rod builder Sam Foose did some of the bodywork on the canary yellow touring car. This big tub could be filled up with friends for Saturday-night cruising, or driven up to Santa Maria for the drags. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

In 1957, Santa Barbara High School, along with the Dusters car club, held a car show at Pershing Park, located at the west end of Castillo Street by Santa Barbara City College. A Model A pickup, 1940 Ford sedan, and Oldsmobile Rocket 88 are included in the line of cars in this image. In the background, a big, new Dodge or Plymouth is negotiating the Safety Jamboree test course. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)

Willard Partch sits in Don Lanning’s 1932 Ford roadster, parked in front of the newly completed Santa Barbara Courthouse Annex on Figueroa Street in 1954. The maroon, full-fendered Deuce was powered by its original flathead V-8 equipped with Edlebrock heads and manifold and a Collins camshaft. (Courtesy of Don Lanning.)

Although Stewart-Warner kits or Auburn dash inserts were popular alternatives to the stock dashboards in hot rods, it was not unusual to see complete dashboard assemblies from other cars grafted to the rod’s interior. Don Lanning’s 1932 Deuce roadster was equipped with this neatly installed 1940 Ford unit. (Courtesy of Don Lanning.)

Don Lanning is seen here sitting in his newly acquired Deuce roadster, parked in the driveway of a rented garage in Santa Barbara’s west side (that is the foot of Television Hill in the right background). Don would go on to a successful career teaching shop class and coaching football at his alma mater (class of 1955), Santa Barbara High School. (Courtesy of Don Lanning.)

In this view of the 1957 car show at Pershing Park, prominent Santa Barbara landmark Television Hill stands out in the background. Visible at the top of the hill are the newly completed studios of local station KEYT-TV. The coupe in the left foreground belongs to Dusters charter member and future Bonneville record holder Fred Dannenfelzer. (Courtesy of Jack Chard.)