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What A Day!
So this morning I have breakfast with my Corvette buddies here in Southern California and afterwards my friend Dale and I decide it would be cool to go and visit Guldstrand Motorsports on the off chance Dick would be at his shop working.
Armed with a sign that hangs in my garage and some photos that Dale took of Dick with John Fitch we headed for Burbank. As luck would have it Dick was there and we were able give him the photos of he and John as well as share some Corvette memories. What a kind and gracious man he is. You can see that the competitive fire still burns brightly and he was very happy to autograph my sign in the "sweet spot" right over the word "Corvette". http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...ps336def7e.jpg Dick Guldstrand After we left Guldstrand's we were driving home on Riverside Drive in North Hollywood when I noticed that we had just passed "George Barris Kustom City". I thought it would be fun to stop in and check out some of the movie cars and customs on display in the Barris shop. As Dale and I were walking around the Barris shop Dale asked a young lady if George ever came by the shop. She politely told us that he was there almost every day and that she was in fact George's daughter. Dale remarked that it was too bad he wasn't there today. She laughed and pointed over her shoulder. There was George Barris! To cap a great day George Barris was happy to autograph my sign in the second "sweet spot" right over the word "America". http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...ps5cccb9c4.jpg George Barris http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...psc82dc57f.jpg Barris Kustom City I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a moment of time with these two automotive legends. Their names are now right next to the names of my very best friends in the Corvette world on a sign that to me "says it all"! :thumbs: http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...ps1e0a18cc.jpg Dick Guldstrand http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...ps19e0bcbb.jpg George Barris http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...psc9f6ca22.jpg Corvette - America's Only True Sports Car :flag: |
I see George has the cardboard cut out version of the Batmobile in his shop, rather than the $4 million version. Might explain why he's still at work. :hide:
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That's cool! I bet that smile is still on your face. During the NCM grand opening I sat down at a table with Dick Gulfstrand. One really nice gentleman. :thumbs: Dennis
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Oh, that's just crazy,
nice! |
Actually Brent it looks like George has another potential 4 million sitting in his shop...
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...psc835efd2.jpg |
Originally Posted by BrentF
(Post 1583108230)
I see George has the cardboard cut out version of the Batmobile in his shop, rather than the $4 million version. Might explain why he's still at work. :hide:
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Originally Posted by esema
(Post 1583108194)
So this morning I have breakfast with my Corvette buddies here in Southern California and afterwards my friend Dale and I decide it would be cool to go and visit Guldstrand Motorsports on the off chance Dick would be at his shop working.
Armed with a sign that hangs in my garage and some photos that Dale took of Dick with John Fitch we headed for Burbank. As luck would have it Dick was there and we were able give him the photos of he and John as well as share some Corvette memories. What a kind and gracious man he is. You can see that the competitive fire still burns brightly and he was very happy to autograph my sign in the "sweet spot" right over the word "Corvette". After we left Guldstrand's we were driving home on Riverside Drive in North Hollywood when I noticed that we had just passed "George Barris Kustom City". I thought it would be fun to stop in and check out some of the movie cars and customs on display in the Barris shop. As Dale and I were walking around the Barris shop Dale asked a young lady if George ever came by the shop. She politely told us that he was there almost every day and that she was in fact George's daughter. Dale remarked that it was too bad he wasn't there today. She laughed and pointed over her shoulder. There was George Barris! To cap a great day George Barris was happy to autograph my sign in the second "sweet spot" right over the word "America". I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a moment of time with these two automotive legends. Their names are now right next to the names of my very best friends in the Corvette world on a sign that to me "says it all"! :thumbs: :flag: Hitch |
I love days like that ..... It makes me remember why I'm here. Top it off by having lunch lunch with John Z [H].
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Pretty cool to meet two legends in one day :thumbs:. They both have great reputations. I have met George but not Dick.
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Dick has always been a wonderful and entertaining gentleman; we spoke regularly when I was the Viper plant manager (several of his customers came to see me about Viper suspension settings and to see how we shimmed the Viper steering rack to eliminate bump-steer), and we had dinner together at the NCRS National Convention at Park City, Utah in 2005. He brought one of his "Guldstrand Specials" and gave me a great ride in the mountains. :thumbs:
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Originally Posted by JohnZ
(Post 1583113595)
Dick has always been a wonderful and entertaining gentleman; we spoke regularly when I was the Viper plant manager (several of his customers came to see me about Viper suspension settings and to see how we shimmed the Viper steering rack to eliminate bump-steer), and we had dinner together at the NCRS National Convention at Park City, Utah in 2005. He brought one of his "Guldstrand Specials" and gave me a great ride in the mountains. :thumbs:
:cheers: |
John, I just thought of something Dick told us yesterday that had us in stitches. As we were leaving he told us that he still gets occasional chances to take spirited drives with his friends. His final comment was "if they hassle me about my age and driving skills I tell them 'Just don't forget who you're messin' with!' ". What a classic.
Along those lines when he signed my copy of "Corvette Thunder" a few years back I thanked him but didn't look to see what he wrote until a couple of weeks later. Above his signature he wrote "Stand on it!". :thumbs: |
Hagerty interviews George Barris, Feb 13, 2013:
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