Senior Moments

Photo ID #	G12.02.10_200_MIL_LAN_0050S_1
Car #:	many!
Driver (s) :	many!
Location:	Lanhorne, PA
Date:	Late 50's
Photographer:	Bob Farlee (slide transfer by Bob Burd)
Photo provided by:	Russ Dodge
Comments:	Senior Moment From Russ Dodge: A Real Stand-Out In A Crowd Experiencing a "Blah" day and wanting to "put together" a Senior Moment contribution, I went to "Old Faithful" a reference I use when talking about my Bob Farlee photo collection album. Once again it didn't let me down as I open the pages it was like having an old friend come for a visit. There's always so much you can talk about! As I came to this Langhorne photo, the 200 car stood out to me. It isn't often that I recall a Ford Club Coupe being used and when they were, we always felt they looked like turtles or army helmets! This #200 car was a "looker"! With the flip of the page a close up shot of the car was found. The name Long John appears under the side window and supports the name John Mileski found written on the back of the photo. The club coupe differed from the standard because it offered a full back seat. Introduced in 1937, about 17 thousand were produced and in 1938 less than half that. Making less than about 20 % of the total Ford produced those two years explains their scarcity for stock car use later on. I remember Kenny Shoemaker and Jeep Herbert driving a good looking # 37 club coupe with a yellow and black paint job and Ll' Abner Ed Goeke with that "indescribable green", #19X club coupe. Here's the challenge for you Seniors. 1. Who can fill us in with more information on the 200 car. Do I have the correct driver? 2. How many club coupes have you seen? Who, When & Where? 3. How many cars of the remaining 25 or so, can you identify the driver! Senior Moment By: Russ Dodge

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Date:	Visitor's Name:	Comment:
12.03.10	Russ Clock	The Coupe #200 is indeed Long John Mileski's. I just spoke with Long John last week at Don Kempster's wake, Long John was the one who set the bodies on most of Mousey Kempster's cars and did the body work and paint. Thanks for showing this photo.
12.03.10	Larry Jendras Jr.	Frank Rose of Baltimore, Md. had a club coupe #48 yellow and black that ran at Alcyon with Ace Canupp driving. This car was also numbered #148 on occasion. You could have also seen this car at Westport Stadium in Baltimore, Mason-Dixon and Lincoln in Pa. and the Delaware tracks. Another club coupe from down our way was the pink #75 of Bobby Tester. That car was later painted Tester's familiar maroon with yellow lettering.
12.04.10	Jack Reinhard	I have known Long John since the very early 60's and he drove up to the end of the 1962 season when back trouble made him stop driving. The engine in this car was a 312 Ford and it may have been the one that Dick Simonek built for him which was pretty trick in that Dick converted the rod bearings to full floating rod bearings like the flathead Fords used. Long John is someone with very impressive skills as evidenced by his early 50's Ford pickup that he has owned and customized for 56 or so years and with the exception of the engine John has done absolutely everything on that truck including the upholstery. It is a beautiful example of a 50's custom with a proportioned down Autocar grill assembly that John crafted. In regard to Russ Clock's comments about Long John doing the bodies on Mousey's cars, all of the 3K cars had a real race car stance and looked perfect every time they hit the track due to Long John's talent. Long John Mileski is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever known.
12.04.10	George Perkins	I know I've seen a couple of club coupes but the only one I can remember is a novice car that ran wall, light blue and white, I think the drivers name was Dick Vliet. As far as the remaining cars, the only one I recognise is the S-1, I know it was driven by Stub Stevens but I remember it as Jackie Moschera's fist car.
12.04.10	76Steve	In 1956 the 37 that was owned by Kenny VanBuren was a club coupe before the cut a piece out of the middle to move the fire wall back so they could set back the Lincoln engine that was in it. There is a picture of it in the 50's photo's. https://3widespicturevault.com/50spics&vitals/05.14.03_037_BEA_WOO_0056_1.htm Also, the red 2 in the back was owned by the Rebel (Lucky Jordan). That was the color of his car's back in the 50's.
12.04.10	Jack Reinhard	The car with the orange roof and black sides in the top slightly left of the picture is Hoppy Jensen in his 179. He ran at Rhinebeck and other tracks in the Hudson Valley of New York and Western Connecticut area.
12.04.10	Nick Marcigliano	I've heard these cars called "prince" or "princess" coupes. In the later years of Weissglass Speedway's reign, Norm Tryde had a '37 Ford Club Coupe. It was a dull orange, #21A with a SBC (283 ?). He was usually a top runner and may have won a championship or two. Before the final season of 1972, John "Archie" Archibald bought it. He was foced to move up to Sportsman/Modified after dominating the Novice division. He painted it a metallic brown/bronze, #73. The car suffered a few wrecks, the season ended early, and the track closed for good. I think the car was scrapped soon after. Nick Marcigliano
12.04.10	Mike Kent	My pop (Stub Stevens) gave the orig. S-1 to Jackie Moschera. The way I understand the deal was that Jackie didn't have to pay for the car as long as continued to run the S-1 number (good deal eh?!) To tell if it was a Stub S-1 or the Moschera version, one needs to look for the name "Patsy" on the door of the car---that is my mother's name and it was on the car when pop was driving, but Jackie did not keep it on there. Another neat footnote (for me anyway) regarding this picture-my wife is a nurse and was working at a nursing home for a number of years. One of her co-workers was a woman named Ronnie---the sister of Ed (l'il abner) Goeke. Small world.
12.04.10	Janice	Looks like Warrington in the # 81
12.05.10	parcans	You all never cease to amaze with the memories of those times. ? I'm sure this has been posted before, but it's worth seeing again. Langhorne fire in '51. (4 parts.) ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x05Ryr8DO_E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKpH-4qyzSE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlkng6l0qyI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zexVJj-BLY
12.06.10	R L	thanks for bringing up his name. I worked with ed for many years, was a great guy and and very go driver. (the lip)
12.08.10	George Gwynn	Here's a link to a picture of the #48 Club Coupe that Larry mentioned above. https://3widespicturevault.com/50spics&vitals/07.25.03_048_CAN_ALC_0056_1.htm https://3widespicturevault.com/50spics&vitals/07.25.03_048_CAN_ALC_0056_1.htm George Gwynn Frederick, MD
12.08.10	John Marelli	I remember Larry Bowers running Flemington. I'm sure he ran a 37 Ford Club Coupe. Thanks, John Marelli
12.08.10	Nicholas Marcigliano	While perusing the 60's section I came across another "Club Coupe". On page 17a is a photo of Ed Goeke in # 19X at Flemington.
12.11.10	Warren Wetzel	I remember Richie Kolka driving a club coupe #K-2. Also there was Stan Engler in the #8, a Dorney Park car. It was involved in an awful crash with Bobby Wargo at Nazareth in which Bobby was badly burned. Bob Pershing ran a #17A at Flemington as well. The neat thing about the Pershing cub coupe is that it was made street legal a few years back. I saw it run at Bridgeport about 15 years ago. The owner drove it to the track!