Any Concord Ca. guys, from back in the day

[Meep-Meep]

Yep, shake rattle and roll! We just had one earlier today in the 4.0 range and a second one about 20 mins ago. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc71667591.html I remember the '89 quake well - I think everyone who was here did. Also the Berkeley / Oakland hills fire. I just started at the Berk lab earlier that year. What a mess! Remember the Caldecott tunnel fire? Maybe you already mentioned that. Just running through our local disasters and I thought of that.

You mentioned Don Torte. I know that name but can't remember from who or perhaps I met him once. Maybe from Edgecombe. As far as painters go I have a buddy that is good friends with Art Himsel.

I don't know the Pankey folks but do they happen to have a radiator shop in Hayward?

 

[shag766]

guys i have been keeping up reading this thread and it is really interesting. good for you guys. it makes me wonder where all our old crowd is now.:headbang:

 

[Budnicks]

People

Yep, shake rattle and roll! We just had one earlier today in the 4.0 range and a second one about 20 mins ago. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc71667591.html I remember the '89 quake well - I think everyone who was here did. Also the Berkeley / Oakland hills fire. I just started at the Berk lab earlier that year. What a mess! Remember the Caldecott tunnel fire? Maybe you already mentioned that. Just running through our local disasters and I thought of that.

You mentioned Don Torte. I know that name but can't remember from who or perhaps I met him once. Maybe from Edgecombe. As far as painters go I have a buddy that is good friends with Art Himsel.
I don't know the Pankey folks but do they happen to have a radiator shop in Hayward?

I didn't even feel the quake up here... Don Tourte, was a partner in a couple of Nostalgia dragsters & is a or at least was a great racing chassis guy, he built my 1st Funny Car Chassis, he lived in Pacheco Ca., he knows the Edgecombe's for sure, Don Tourte was partners with Pete Kaiser, John Picket, Arlen Ness, Jim Davis in NDRA racing amongst other forms of racing... I don't know if the Pankeys's own a radiator shop or not if they do it was after I left the area, it could be... That area had it's share of disasters when I was living there that's for sure, up here fire is the big threat... Here's a couple more names for ya Bob Monroe a fabricator that lived in Pleasant Hill, I have seen him on TV a bunch with the Ness's, Arlen & Cory doing motorcycle builds for Discovery channels old "Biker Build off" shows... Tom & Dan Ross, Tom & Dan were my neighbors in Cobblestone Ct. as a young kid, Tom had a 39 Chevy/Ford Sedan I think it was, back in the 70's-80's, I'm not sure what happened to Dan... Bob Odel mostly a Chevy guy also, 1st gen. 67-69 Camaros & early 40-50's pick ups {good friend of Rob Daurte's, Rob's cousin was Bob's girlfriend at the time} & was a former roommate of mine, great body & paint guy & a big time b/s & bench racer always talked crap, never would run his stuff though, he would hang out with Rob in his garage while Rob would fab his stuff up, or over at Jim Cyr's place or my place to be associated with someone who would actually run there stuff...

 

[Budnicks]

Reunion

guys i have been keeping up reading this thread and it is really interesting. good for you guys. it makes me wonder where all our old crowd is now.:headbang:

I would love to get a bunch of guys together that's kind of why I started this separate thread, there were so many guys that were out doing the same thing I was back in my youth, most were "brand x" guys like every were else, the Mopar guys were far & few in between back then kind of a fringe group for lack of a better word... It would be great to b/s & bench race with a bunch of the old gang, see were everyone is ? & what they are doing now, how many are dead ? how many are successful ? how many have kids ? how many are grandparents now ? how many are still car guys ? how many still racing ? how many are still in the Concord, Clayton, Walnut Creek, Antioch, Pittsburg, Martinez, Pacheco, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga areas & include the Alamo, Danville, Dublin & Pleasanton areas, you know all the regular stuff we start to think about when we get a little older...

 

[1badgtx]

I was livin in S.f. for the big 89 quake..I was on 26th and judah watching the battle of the Bay..I stood in the backyard and watch paint fly as the houses hit toghter..I was also in berkeley for the east bay fire...It was really sad watching people run down the hill with the only belongings they could save..Also was in berkeley for the rodney king riots...Van loads of people came from oakland and raided all the businesses on telegraph ave..The grocerey store I was workin at had private security...We had two guys with uzi,s gaurding the store.I now live in the foothills of the sierra mtns...I don,t look my doors and I know all my neighbors..The veiw off my deck is tahoe national forest..Less stress than the big shitty for sure!!!
Petty Blue 67 gtx

 

[Budnicks]

I hear you

I was livin in S.f. for the big 89 quake..I was on 26th and judah watching the battle of the Bay..I stood in the backyard and watch paint fly as the houses hit together..I was also in berkeley for the east bay fire...It was really sad watching people run down the hill with the only belongings they could save..Also was in berkeley for the rodney king riots...Van loads of people came from oakland and raided all the businesses on telegraph ave..The grocerey store I was workin at had private security...We had two guys with uzi,s gaurding the store.I now live in the foothills of the sierra mtns...I don,t look my doors and I know all my neighbors..The veiw off my deck is tahoe national forest..Less stress than the big shitty for sure!!!
Petty Blue 67 gtx

I was on the bay bridge when the Rodney King riot **** happened, I wasn't bothered ever & always packing, use to be a certified rangemaster & carried a lot of cash at times, I hear you about the getting away from the big city ****, I moved to Rancho Murieta 15 or so miles east of Sacramento it was a Gated Golf Community & very peaceful, when I 1st left Concord area, now I bought a house in Eastern Sonora about 6 miles from town, I take care of my elderly Pops in his old stomping grounds, were he has lived for the past 30+ years... I have close neighbors across the street & on either side 1 is a Ca. Fish & Game Warden, he's a Jeep & dog guy, he is a great neighbor, the guy across the street has a real nice 47 Ford with a 351 Cleveland, grey tweed interior, tubbed, narrowed 9", nice Centerlines, gold & blue 2 tone paint, wins shows every were, he's an older guy with lots of toys, Corvette, 4x4's, travel trailer, boat & hunting quads, on the other side is a tree hugging Retired Ca. Forest Sevice guy, he tolerates me, not really that friendly, then behind us is a 25 acre & 40+ acre parcels, we hardly ever see anything except, a herd of dear, a flock of turkeys, raccoons, skunks, porcupines, owls, a Bobcat a couple of times & their 2 dogs come & mess with my dog... I'm still not really into this area, almost too peaceful, too many {blue hairs} retired people, too many on welfare & unemployed, but it's far better than the "big shity" that's for sure, It's not really good for the single, middle aged car guys, like me though, pickens are perty slim...

 

[Meep-Meep]

I didn't even feel the quake up here... Don Tourte, was a partner in a couple of Nostalgia dragsters & is a or at least was a great racing chassis guy, he built my 1st Funny Car Chassis, he lived in Pacheco Ca., he knows the Edgecombe's for sure, Don Tourte was partners with Pete Kaiser, John Picket, Arlen Ness, Jim Davis in NDRA racing amongst other forms of racing... I don't know if the Pankeys's own a radiator shop or not if they do it was after I left the area, it could be... That area had it's share of disasters when I was living there that's for sure, up here fire is the big threat... Here's a couple more names for ya Bob Monroe a fabricator that lived in Pleasant Hill, I have seen him on TV a bunch with the Ness's, Arlen & Cory doing motorcycle builds for Discovery channels old "Biker Build off" shows... Tom & Dan Ross, Tom & Dan were my neighbors in Cobblestone Ct. as a young kid, Tom had a 39 Chevy/Ford Sedan I think it was, back in the 70's-80's, I'm not sure what happened to Dan... Bob Odel mostly a Chevy guy also, 1st gen. 67-69 Camaros & early 40-50's pick ups {good friend of Rob Daurte's, Rob's cousin was Bob's girlfriend at the time} & was a former roommate of mine, great body & paint guy & a big time b/s & bench racer always talked crap, never would run his stuff though, he would hang out with Rob in his garage while Rob would fab his stuff up, or over at Jim Cyr's place or my place to be associated with someone who would actually run there stuff...

Oh I have known Bob for years but also haven't seen him in years. Great welder! It was in his garage in Pittsburg that Robby built his 510. I remember that car when it was beige and he was making plans to weld two sets of fenders together to stretch the front end to accommodate the BBC.

Perhaps you know Mike McIntosh. He's a guy I grew up with who is closer to your age and is a die hard Chevy guy (like Bob) however Mike never had anything running except his Hugger orange / black top 69 Camaro SS. I always liked that car and have kicked him in the *** for selling it to buy a 71 Vette. Somehow Mike knew Bob and I would always tag along when going to Bob's place because I admired his fabrication skills. Last I heard Bob remarried to a gal that I went to HS with (cradle robber!). Her name is Wendy Prather (if I have the correct name matched with the correct face) and they live in Dana Estates. I'd really like to see Bob again but I'd have to show up in a MoPar. He would expect that from me! Maybe I'll call Robby and see what's up. Geez, this is getting really exciting!

Do you remember Steve Sidron (sp?). Blown yellow 65 Falcon and 57 Ranchero. His Falcon was the picture car on the Hot Rod or Car Craft mag subscription tear out form for years.

 

[Budnicks]

Yep

Oh I have known Bob for years but also haven't seen him in years. Great welder! It was in his garage in Pittsburg that Robby built his 510. I remember that car when it was beige and he was making plans to weld two sets of fenders together to stretch the front end to accommodate the BBC.

Perhaps you know Mike McIntosh. He's a guy I grew up with who is closer to your age and is a die hard Chevy guy (like Bob) however Mike never had anything running except his Hugger orange / black top 69 Camaro SS. I always liked that car and have kicked him in the *** for selling it to buy a 71 Vette. Somehow Mike knew Bob and I would always tag along when going to Bob's place because I admired his fabrication skills. Last I heard Bob remarried to a gal that I went to HS with (cradle robber!). Her name is Wendy Prather (if I have the correct name matched with the correct face) and they live in Dana Estates. I'd really like to see Bob again but I'd have to show up in a MoPar. He would expect that from me! Maybe I'll call Robby and see what's up. Geez, this is getting really exciting!

Do you remember Steve Sidron (sp?). blown Yellow 65 Falcon and 57 Ranchero. His Falcon was the picture car on the Hot Rod or Car Craft mag subscription tear out form for years.

Yes I do remember Steve Sidron (sp?) & his little 289 w/4:71 roots blower,he came over to Jim Cyr's & my place a lot, we even talked him into running his Falcon at Freemont it ran high 12's if I remember correctly, he kind of went the direction of Roland & Fatty... Last I remember Bob Odel , I stayed at his house in Pittsburg, for a short time, "thank god", until the townhouse I bought in Oakhurst, Clayton area was finished, then I ended up moving to Rancho Murieta, Ca. east of Sacramento area, here's the real story, all I really remember is he couldn't ever finish a project, you had to get him off his a$$ to go & work on the stuff, but he was a damn good welder & body guy... .... Mike McIntosh the name sounds familiar, car sounds really familiar, I can't say I can put a face with the name though... That name Wendy Prather sounds really familiar... Were is Rob Duarte living now? not still with his parents by Clayton Rd. I hope, he was kind of shy, never really went chasing after women & his parents really were helping to support him back then, he was a Locksmith at the time, but were talking 10-15 years ago since I've seen him, last I saw him, he was just starting at the lab ...

 

[Meep-Meep]

Actually I got Bob's new wife's name wrong. I did go to school with Wendy but the gal I was thinking of is Kim (don't know the last name) and I went to school with her too. Rob is in the Oakland hills and is currently building a 190 SL roadster on a late model Vette chassis. Maybe we should drop in on him at the lab

 

[Budnicks]

Rob's 190SL

Actually I got Bob's new wife's name wrong. I did go to school with Wendy but the gal I was thinking of is Kim (don't know the last name) and I went to school with her too. Rob is in the Oakland hills and is currently building a 190 SL roadster on a late model Vette chassis. Maybe we should drop in on him at the lab

I'll bet the 190SL will be a Turbo combo, he was a turbo tech guy early on, he's still a car guy that's cool, it would be great to see some of the old gang for sure... :argue: Kim, I wonder if that's the same girl that Bob was going with a while ago ?, she was at least 10+ or so years younger than me, I think, Bob is a couple of years older, I think {the 1 that was Rob's cousin or something like that}, I don't remember her name but Kim sounds right... I knew a younger women named Wendy {not sure about the last name but Prather sounds really familiar} she was staying at a friends place off of Clayton rd. a buddy of mine Rob Meyers {huger orange 67 Camaro with black ralley stripes} at the time, they lived there with his sister & brother in law Chuck, it was a "big old house" like 7 bedrooms & 4 baths, with maybe 3 acres of land, a **** load of dogs, chicken, old cars & out buildings...

 

[Budnicks]

We had an 4.8-5.2 earthquake last night, depending on what news channel you believe... 1st my Dog Lord Budnicks was cocking his head back & forth like he was looking at something on the floor, I looked but saw nothing, then I actually felt it up here last night around midnight, it lasted probably 60 seconds seconds or so on & off, the only reason I knew we were having an earthquake, is the handles on my bedroom dresser started to rattle back & forth {do it normally when you walk by} they started ratting then stopped, then rattled for 15-20 or so seconds then stopped, then rattled for another 15-20 seconds or so, a ladder in the garage fell down was the only damage I have found this morning... I think it was suppose to have been centered around Whitehawk, Ca. up by Truckey, Ca. area, west of Lake Tahoe in the Sierras, that's the 1st earthquake I've felt {or heard to be more precise}, while living up here in the foothills, that's 2 in a short period of time in NorCal, it makes me wonder, when is the big 1 going to hit ? No big deal here in Cali. if it happened on the east coast they would have it all over the news & Pres. Obama would be blaming it on the "Bush's Fault" that's for sure..LOL...

 

[Meep-Meep]

I felt one about 5:30 this morning that was centered near Berkeley. I'm on the top floor of a condo and I was swaying pretty good and as long as I don't get an address change I'm fine. I bet the fault in Berkeley has been renamed Bush's fault.

 

[Meep-Meep]

guys i have been keeping up reading this thread and it is really interesting. good for you guys. it makes me wonder where all our old crowd is now.:headbang:

Yeah, it's been really cool finding this guy. Hope you find your gang.

 

[Phantomcobra]

Ok, I'm connected to this area crowd in a way but I didn't hang with any of the people mentioned here. I was too old, married with kids. Bought a house on W Leland Rd near Railroad in Pittsburg in late 80s, early 90s. Move out around mid 90s. Had a 67 Mustang Fastback (289 auto) and a 69 Plymouth Valiant (273 auto) back then. Mustang turned heads but if the Mustang didn't keep the gas to the floor, the Valiant was passing it. That old Plymouth showed the tail lights to more than one 280Z and the like. Finally took advantage of one of the $750 for junkers things they offered when it was at 200,000 miles and starting to give me issues.

Was living in San Jose and looking to replace the Plymouth with a 66 Charger in the 90s. I had one in the 70s and always loved it but prices were out of sight. So in 2000 my company moves me to Texas and I keep looking for a 66 Charger. Finally find one in Tennessee in pretty nice shape at a reasonable price. Bring it here and look up the history and guess what? It was last sold to the guy in TN from Concord, CA (he died shortly after getting it and his wife sold it to me).

https://picasaweb.google.com/phantomcobra

 

[Budnicks]

Pittsburg area

Ok, I'm connected to this area crowd in a way but I didn't hang with any of the people mentioned here. I was too old, married with kids. Bought a house on W Leland Rd near Railroad in Pittsburg in late 80s, early 90s. Move out around mid 90s. Had a 67 Mustang Fastback (289 auto) and a 69 Plymouth Valiant (273 auto) back then. Mustang turned heads but if the Mustang didn't keep the gas to the floor, the Valiant was passing it. That old Plymouth showed the tail lights to more than one 280Z and the like. Finally took advantage of one of the $750 for junkers things they offered when it was at 200,000 miles and starting to give me issues.

Was living in San Jose and looking to replace the Plymouth with a 66 Charger in the 90s. I had one in the 70s and always loved it but prices were out of sight. So in 2000 my company moves me to Texas and I keep looking for a 66 Charger. Finally find one in Tennessee in pretty nice shape at a reasonable price. Bring it here and look up the history and guess what? It was last sold to the guy in TN from Concord, CA (he died shortly after getting it and his wife sold it to me).

https://picasaweb.google.com/phantomcobra

Welcome to the fray...LOL... It's a small world sometimes, I too lived in San Jose, Ca. for a short time off of Tamoshanter dr. & Turret rd., also Sierra Dr. up buy the Egg Ranch {excuse the st. name spelling?}, while I was building "Target Masters" Indoor Pistol Range in Milpitas, Ca. off of Minus Circle... I do also know the West Leland, Bucannon rd. area of Pittsburg, Ca. very well, been in that area many times, especially in my youth... It's good to see you got your 66 Charger you wanted & it's great it's a west coast car, it will have allot less rust & rot issues, do you know the persons name that owned the 66 Charger in Concord, Ca., just curious.... Maybe we know of them... The link you posted doesn't work

 

[Budnicks]

Thanks

Yeah, it's been really cool finding this guy. Hope you find your gang.

Hey Meeps the feelings are mutual , ex Concord Boy, Budnicks

 

[Budnicks]

Sorry

Maybe a bit off the track here, but in '83 I drove my '70 GTX from WI to my brother's place in Santa Clara. I lived there with him from April through August that year. I had a good time cruising El Camino Real in the Santa Clara/San Jose area. Met a bunch of good Mopar pals cruising that street. They were really cracking down on cruising that summer - they had a no loitering ordinance as a way to hassle the car guys and keep them from stopping to chat. One of my funnier cruising experiences there was when a guy came up next to me at a stop light and asked where I got my hood. He just laughed and didn't believe me when I told him the Air Grabber was factory.

I was a member of the old MMCI club back then, and there was a nice girl named Linda from Concord who was the local chapter leader in the area (there's my Concord connection). I met her once when we all went to the Fremont dragstip one night. Some good memories.

I lived in San Jose/Milpitas Ca. area for a short time & remember the El Camio Real cruises very well, I was there earlier than 83 though, the cops were much stricter in the South Bay, than in the east bay Concord/Walnut Creek areas, always running us out of parking lots & closing or diverting the cruise nights route, ticketing people they saw more than a few laps... I Remember the Mopars Owners Club show at a park in Concord some were, the name "Linda" also sounds very familiar {I think she was the organizer of the local Mopar show}, the park name isn't coming to me either...

 

[Budnicks]

Doom & Gloom

I felt one about 5:30 this morning that was centered near Berkeley. I'm on the top floor of a condo and I was swaying pretty good and as long as I don't get an address change I'm fine. I bet the fault in Berkeley has been renamed Bush's fault.

The Hayward fault hasn't had a big quake, in a long long time, it's due to have a big one soon "I think", we have had a bunch of little tremors here in NorCal of late it seems... Hardly even a mention of it on the news at all, I guess were just too use to it, compared to the east coast, they talked about their little quake for a couple of weeks....

 

[Meep-Meep]

Maybe a bit off the track here, but in '83 I drove my '70 GTX from WI to my brother's place in Santa Clara. I lived there with him from April through August that year. I had a good time cruising El Camino Real in the Santa Clara/San Jose area. Met a bunch of good Mopar pals cruising that street. They were really cracking down on cruising that summer - they had a no loitering ordinance as a way to hassle the car guys and keep them from stopping to chat. One of my funnier cruising experiences there was when a guy came up next to me at a stop light and asked where I got my hood. He just laughed and didn't believe me when I told him the Air Grabber was factory.

I was a member of the old MMCI club back then, and there was a nice girl named Linda from Concord who was the local chapter leader in the area (there's my Concord connection). I met her once when we all went to the Fremont dragstip one night. Some good memories.

Somehow I missed this post earlier. I remember MMCI and I knew Linda very well. She had her dad's green 69 Coronet 440 that she had restored and made sort of a hot rod out of. Very nice car. She used to date my neighbor but I haven't seen her in years. Her and I, with a couple of others, were the founders of this local MoPar club called Diablo MoPar Association but eventually it got taken over by a group that wanted to be all formal and adult like. All I wanted to do was drag race so my buddies and I left.

 

[64BEL]

Yeah - as I remember, Linda was easy on the eyes in addition to being a nice girl and into Mopars. I winning combination! I had an earthquake experience while I was there, too. One day I was sitting in my GTX parked - working on the stereo or something - when it started rolling back and forth a little. I thought someone was pushing on it from behind - like rocking it while it was still in gear. I even got out and walked around it to find no one around. It wasn't until later that my brother told me about an earthquake that hit Coalinga, CA that day - some 400 miles away from us. But we still felt it in Santa Clara.