Updated 2/4/2008
Celebrating 50 years of organized Hot Rodding in British Columbia
We salute and remember those Hot Rodders who have passed away and are now Rodding in Peace. Please let us know if you have any corrections or names to add to the list.
Argue, Denny
Aussem Tony
Bird, Barry
Braddick, Stu
Brookshaw, Reg
Brunt, Richard
Campbell, Donny
Cooney, George
Coyes, Al
Devine, Brian
Erickson, Wally
Fikowski, Bob
Green, Blackie
Grocott, Harold
Halliday, Richard
Hardy, Dennis
Jonasson, Rick
Lane, Gene
Maxwell, Dale
McConnell, Bob
McKenzie, Herb
McLachan, Don
Miller, Al
Morton, Walt
Nielson, Russ
Robinson, Wimp
Schofield, Don
Schroeder, Don
Shorter, Dave
Wagstaff, George
Whitcher, Ron

Unique Project to Remember Past Hot Rodders taking shape.
As our sport evolves, have you noticed that many clubs and organizations are celebrating milestone anniversaries, particularly in the 50-year range? BC Hot Rod Association just happens to be one of those organizations and they are holding a celebration event June 15th and 16th 2007 in Cloverdale BC. (www.bchra50.org) BCHRA assembled a committee to organize a cruise, car display and banquet party and it was during early planning discussions the committee agreed it would be fitting to remember and honour the memory of past members and Hot Rodders throughout BC who had passed away. The challenge for a project of this nature clearly is how to pay tribute and avoid casting a dark shadow over the event festivities. Many suggestions were discussed, and a group of dedicated Hot Rodders from North Vancouver took up the challenge.
The project they suggested was to rebuild a car from back in the day of a now deceased Hot Rodder, and display the car at the June 15th and 16th celebration event. To understand the unique part of how this tribute fits, we need to provide a little background of the project the boys from North Vancouver are embarking on.

This part of the story focuses on the Braddick’s, formally of West Vancouver and now in North Vancouver. Many of you may recall Sylvia and her late husband Stu. Sylvia began drag racing in 1956 and campaigned for many years the 1968 Dodge Tradesman Pickup wheelstander with twin Blown Hemi engines in the back. Stu had built in 1954 a T Roadster that was a mix of 1927 and 1924. Stu campaigned the T at shows and races till around 1964 when the car was sold. The whereabouts of the car remained largely unknown till Sylvia hunted the T down as a surprise for Stu’s 65th birthday. After extensive searching, and many tips from friends, she found the car behind a barn in Maple Ridge, still complete and with much of the pinstripe that had been originally applied by James still intact (yes, that’s the same James (Jim) Greenwood who is the BCHRA 50th anniversary committee chairman). After some negotiation, Sylvia bought the dilapidated hot rod back and had it hauled to a friend’s house. The body was removed from the now badly damaged frame and readied as the surprise gift for her beloved husband’s birthday.

While out at the restaurant for Stu’s birthday celebration dinner, these friends deposited the body of the now not so pristine hotrod into the living room. Upon the return to the house, Stu was definitely surprised at the new living room centrepiece. He very much looked forward to rebuilding the car that was once a big part of their youth. Stu began the process of rebuilding the car almost right away starting with building a new frame. Unfortunately at this stage of the project, everything came to a very untimely halt. Sadly, Stu passed away in Dec of 2002 and Sylvia was left with the beginnings of the rejuvenated car as a memory of their years together.

Now back to the project and the four members of North Shore Rod & Custom Club, Denny Bromley, (Snappy) John Marrett, Gary Marshall and Frank Bevacqua. These four gentlemen have devoted their spare time and have an ambitious goal, to have the car drivable by the time of the anniversary event. Either way,driveable or not, the car will definitely be at the Millenium Park show on June 16th. And what better way to build a Hot Rod, but in the back yard garage just as so many Rod’s in the day were built. Grass roots Hot Rodding…. Gotta love it. Currently the car has the rear suspension and diff mounted, front suspension set and ready for mounting. A flat head engine complete with 3 speed is set to power the rod and the body has been mounted to the frame that Stu built.

The project has some hurdles to cross before it can be completed, mostly with parts required to finish the project. If anyone can donate any pieces listed, please call Denny Bromley at 604-922-0280. Any parts will be gratefully received and acknowledged.

15” Rims, old style bolt pattern

18 Guage sheet metal, ½ sheet for the floor

1 ½ “ Mild steel tubing, enough to make a roll bar

Steering column


 Steering wheel, prefer 40’s 50’s ford
32 Ford rad Shell
Seat frame
Upholstery work
Running flat head or Y block 272 or 292
Fuel tank
Open drive shaft

We will keep you posted to the progress of this project as we all look forward to seeing the car in real life in June.

We would like to acknowledge the following donors that have contributed to the project.
Supplier Contact Donated
Quik-Shot Truck Body Finishers Ltd. Phil Lum Sand Blast Body and parts
Air Liquide Scott Gersel Supplied bottle of Argon
Hot Rod Corner Russ Irwin Painless Wiring Kit
Jellybean Hot Rods & Customs Ewald Penner 9” Ford rear axle
Langley Ublast Jon Fox & George Bird Blasting of small parts
Luke’s Custom Machine & Design Luke Balogh Machining frt axle and parts
Action Plating Larry Olsen & John Dosanjh Chrome W/shield Post and frt end parts
C.B.S. Paint Ed Lowen Body shop supplies
AKZO Nobel Coating John Cox Finish coat paint
B&N Hot Rod. Bill & Neil Lemon Running gear components
Street is Neat Metal Polishing & Stainless Repair Bruce Bensmiller Stainless repair & Polishing
Hi-Pro Coatings Brian Carey Powder Coat Frame & Components
KMS Tools. C.A.R. Parts Martyn Hugh Set of Shocks
Flat Head Manifolds
North Shore Parts Bill Hamson Various hardware supplies
BC Bearing Bob Hartfish Front Wheel Bearings
Old Car Centre Jim Rear Spring Bushings
A-Part Auto Wrecking Gerry Abrabson S-10 Clutch & Brake Assembly
Coles Hot Rods Rolly Cole Master Cylinder, 18 gauge floor material.
Front brake drums & flex hoses
Fuel tank, 41 Plymouth shocks, chrome u-bends, 4 spoke steering wheel.
Art Brumpton Complete set of Model T roadster upholstery
We will keep you posted to the progress of this project as we all look forward to seeing the car in real life in June.We will keep you posted to the progress of this project as we all look forward to seeing the car in real life in June.