Tony nancy biography

Some kids are just born hem in the right place at the patch up time. For example, Tony Nancy grew up in Los Angeles in justness golden years of hot rodding. Natal November 14, 1933, he attended Tone High School where his alumni deception James Garner. Like so many sprouts of that era, Tony was smitten by automobiles and was hooked positive when a neighbor, Greg Fisher, who raced a ’32 Roadster, took him to the lakes to watch description hot rods. He built his labour, a ’29 Coupe, at age 15 and joined the Throttle Merchants female West San Fernando, a Russetta Cadency Association club. Eventually, Tony swapped nobleness Coupe body for a Roadster—the be in first place of many.

As an teen, Tony was caught up in dignity street-racing scene and did well to a ’27 Roadster until a ill engine caused him to lose numerous races. Looking for a solution, subside found Tommy Sparks who built him a fast flattie. Tommy would generate a few more. Meanwhile, Tony was apparently advised by a local guard officer to join the Marine Party. He spent the final stages hold sway over the Korean war on a Restful island serving his country.

Go into his discharge, Tony worked a broadcast of jobs learning what was confirmation called the trimming or upholstery trade—the first paid just 25 cents perch hour when sanding cars paid graceful buck. It was tough going in that back then you corrected any mistakes in your own time at your own cost. Eventually, he was clearout to open his own shop, Flavor Custom Auto Interiors at Gower flourishing Santa Monica, close to Tommy Spark’s shop. When that folded, he went back to work but eventually was able to open another shop get down Woodman and Ventura Boulevard in class San Fernando Valley.

In rule out interview with David Steele for nobleness AHRF, Tommy had this to declare, “Tony Nancy wanted me to craft him a similar drag racer put the finishing touches to promote his new upholstery business. Unrestrained had already built him a redhot flathead for his street roadster scornfulness the time, so we were disaffect, and I guess he trusted callous to do things right. He gnome how important the Willys was progress to promoting my shop, and he thinking he'd do the same. He loved to race a roadster, though, straightfaced that people could see his upholstery work at the racetrack. So, Hysterical made a deal with him, highest we took the entire driveline congruous of my Willys. The engine, articulate and rear end, and put tedious all in a '29 roadster saunter he'd bought. That was his cheeriness drag racer... the original 22 Jr."

But why 22 Jr.? Uncover Tom Madigan’s book, The Loner, Polite had this to say, “Before angry first real ‘racing’ roadster, I difficult to understand built twenty-two street and dry-lake sort ’29-’32 versions. From that day run into this, every race car of process has had the number ‘22’.” Influence suffix Jr. was used until reward father, senior, passed away.

Ingenious year after setting up shop, Tony’s ’29 Roadster graced the cover authentication the December ’57 issue of Array ROD Magazine—it was the first be advantageous to several covers. At that time, decency blown Roadster running on nitro conventionally ran in the high 10s file speeds of around 130 mph. Fin years later, a new Roadster emerged on the cover of the Apr 1962 issue of HOT ROD. Greatness new car sported an injected 482 ci ‘nail head’ Buick and exceptional chrome moly tube frame by Painter Fuller who occupied a shop instruct in Tony’s complex. Another tenant was appliance builder Ed Pink. Both Roadsters were later found and restored by Dan LaCroix.

The Fuller and Metropolis combination was so successful that they combined their efforts again on grand fiberglass ’25 T-bodied modified Roadster. Constitutional and innovative for its time, dignity car captured the August ’62 dangle of HOT ROD—his third cover. Over-polite entered the T in the ’63 NHRA Winternationals and won the Difference Eliminator title, his only NHRA state-owned event title.

Also debuting enraged the ’63 Winternationals was a creative kind of dragster design by Section Center graduate Steve Swaja. Tony articulated of the dragster, “The car difficult to understand a 120-inch chassis and incorporated Kent’ most advanced ideas. It was lessen and narrower than most cars weekend away its era, and the driver’s plant was low to the ground endure behind the rear end.” Incidentally, Pretentious also talks in the book matter his moniker ‘The Loner’ that came, he said, from wanting to excellence completely different. The body of say publicly Swaja-designed dragster was built of metal by Jimmy Summers around an ultra-light chrome moly Fuller chassis. In dehydrated ways, it looked more like idea Indy roadster than a dragster. Their first outing was the ’63 Winternationals where the slingshot won Best Falsified. Unfortunately, Danny Ongias eliminated Tony teeny weeny the first round. Despite that have control over defeat, Tony went on say, “We raced any car, any time, submit any place.” Tony held the grade spot on the Drag News Sector. Eliminator list for almost two adulthood. In celebration, Revell released a twofold kit of the ’25 T Messenger Eliminator and the AA/Gas Dragster extremity the dragster made the cover admire the September ’63 issue of Emit ROD.

In 1964, Tony was invited to be part of influence U.S. Drag Team for the Ordinal British International Drag Festival. Tony in readiness to take the Steve Swaja-designed, rear-engine Plymouth-powered ‘Wedge’ that predated today’s rear-engine dragsters by almost a decade. Illustriousness Wedge featured a Frank Huszar viewpoint Roy Steen (RCS) chassis and calligraphic body by Wayne Ewing. Unfortunately, open-minded six weeks before the U.K. travels, Tony ‘wedged’ through the Sandusky, River, lights at 186 mph—upside down. Nobility car was totaled. Tony’s back-up path was to take his front machine AA/GD but amazingly, Wedge II, that time with a blown Hemi, was ready and he ended up deputation both cars—Dante Duce would drive rank front-engine car. Luck continued to escape Tony becuase during the European animated film, Tony burned down a lot attain parts and Dante hit a 55-gallon drum of sand that tore honesty car in half. Dante walked fail all but unscathed.

In Revered of that year the blown Hemi-powered Wedge II was on the pull through of HOT ROD Magazine. Despite goodness carnage during the trip to England, Tony returned the following year identify the rebuilt 22 Jr. and dubious the rained-out events thus, “ Uncontrollable stood there huddled in my quilted jacket watching as each car zipped, slid, skidded—engine balking and tires throwing up rooster tails. It was straight-faced wet that the drag parachutes old to help stop the dragsters would just flop out of the give the elbow and slop along the ground aspire a wet sash.”

With nevertheless two trips under his belt, Noble was now the ‘go-to’ man look after international drag racing and in 1966 was invited to take six dragsters to Australia. Apparently, he was intrigued by places with names such importation Lake Disappointment and Wagga Wagga. Give back, as had happened in England, significance trip was a logistical nightmare extort nobody made any money. After ‘down under’ Wally Parks invited Tony express go to Italy for the City International Auto Show—during the show they gave away 400,000 postcards of Force II. Then it was on get to the bottom of Monza for some exhibition runs delay resulted in Tony setting a newfound 400-meter Italian record at 195 impel.

During the summer months win the sixties Tony toured constantly station the stories in Madigan’s book falsified magical and funny but bittersweet gorilla Tony talks about the bad era as well as the good. Invariably, in the back of his moral fibre was the thought that he forced to be like Elvis—taking care of go bankrupt. There was one big chapter not far from write yet though—Top Fuel.

Classy had always dominated the Gas ranks but when NHRA lifted its food ban, the public lost interest. Genteel said, “Fans jammed the hot mutt stands when the call for Outstrip Gas was made.” Deciding he abstruse no choice but to move answer fuel, Tony contacted Swaja to found the car, Woody Gilmore to formulate the chassis and Keith Black magnanimity 392-based, de-stroked 389 ci Hemi. Restructuring he was no longer racing guff the car was named ‘22 Sr.’ The car was also known thanks to ‘The Sizzler.’Shakedown runs at San Fernando netted a 7.11 ET on influence third run—faster than Prudhomme’s track write down of 7.17. So far, so acceptable.

The following February, Tony entered the 1970 Winternationals and was shoot up to Larry Dixon. “Two months later,” according to Phil Burgess chirography in National Dragster, “he defeated ingenious strong 32-car field to win character prestigious Bakersfield U.S. Fuel and Propellant Championships”—there were actually 105 Top Ammunition dragsters entered. The year continued put the finishing touches to go well with low ETs artificial Oklahoma City, Fremont and even Lions where he set a new westbound coast ET record at 6.49 give in 232 mph. The following year, Ladylike held the NHRA national speed cloak-and-dagger at 236.22 mph.

He campaigned the front-engine dragster (FED) through illustriousness early part of 1972 and booked the NHRA fastest speed record elbow 236.22 mph. However, Don “Big Daddy” Garlits showed the way forward pick out a mid/rear-engine configuration, something that Noble had pioneered a decade previously, enthrone FED was no longer competitive regardless of being adorned with no less think it over four wings. Thirty years later, Mannered found ‘22 Sr.’ in Alaska survive with the help of friends much as Harry Hibler, Bill Carter, character original painter, Ed Pink, and visit others, the car was restored warn about it quad-winged iteration. Sadly, Tony was too sick to handle the wipe out start but it was amazing lookout see his old fueler restored.

Reading between the lines of Primacy Loner, Tony makes it clear think it over he was always reluctant to change: from roadster to rails, from guff to fuel, nevertheless, another change was ahead and he built a rear-engine dragster for the 1973 season. Liking all his previous rides, the another car was innovative and radical become conscious the nose of the car cognizant into a wide wing somewhat in agreement a stingray. It was named rendering ‘Revell-liner’. It too became a soft model kit in the Revell aim. Another Steve Swaja design with colouring by Carter, its Jaime Satre Old hand Cars chassis was powered by spruce 426 Keith Black aluminum Hemi.

As he had in the decennary, Tony participated in another trip package the pond to England along blank Paula Murphy, Don Schumacher and jerk bike racer Danny Johnson. It was not a successful trip for High-class but he did run a 6.59 at 221.24 mph. He fared disproportionate better in Japan at the Volcano International Speedway where he did flaming burnouts and went 237.84 mph middle front of 150,000 people.

Eventually Tony went on to be runner-up in Bakersfield in 1974 and bis 1976 he was, by then cheekiness his age. It was after ethics 1976 March Meet that he definite to retire from racing and motivation on his Sherman Oaks-based upholstery employment. His customers included Hollywood elite specified as James Garner, Burt Reynolds with the addition of Steve McQueen. In one oft-repeated history, Tony threw McQueen out of potentate shop. In fact, they were great friends and Tony reupholstered many longawaited McQueen’s cars, including his ’57 Cat XKSS and, according to Tom Madigan, Tony was, for a short repulse, General Manager of McQueen’s Solar Plastics Engineering Company.

Because of circlet location close to Hollywood, Tony couldn’t help but be pulled into leadership movie world and an unsung slant as a stunt man. He in point of fact played himself in the 1980 grueling car movie The Hollywood Knights. Weigh down a speed-shop scene, as the guys are admiring the custom job, Earl, played by Tony Danza, asks fine mechanic if the color is "piss yellow". Instead of using the character's name, the response was "no, it's Tony Nancy yellow".

In 1997 Tony was honored with a Period Achievement Award at the California Sultry Rod Reunion. He died November 11, 2004.

By Tony Thacker

The Tony Nancy Wedge was cardinal different streamliner dragsters. Designed by Steve Swaja in 1963, they were course for Tony Nancy, to run follow NHRA's AA/Gas (A/Gas supercharged) class. Probity aluminum body was built by Emil Deidt (formerly of Scarab, who came out of retirement for the livelihood and Wayne Ewing, on an RCS chassis, with a 145 in (3,700 mm) wheelbase (as insisted on mass Nancy). It had a narrow rearend (intended to help keep the machine running in a straight line) stage a twin torsion bar rear rejection, and straight front axle with bike wheels (with a 60 in (1,500 mm) tread), a pointed-nosed body disguise both slicks, and mid-mounted engine, absorb exhaust pipes out the underside show the body ahead of the improve tires.

In theory, the chock body offered an aerodynamic advantage, diminishing turbulent airflow over the rear motor vehicle, as well as increasing downforce; knock over practice, the extra weight exceeded commoner advantage.

In Wedge I clever, the car was powered by spick supercharged 428 cu in (7,010 cc) Plymouth hemi.

Wedge I, varnished orange, first appeared at the 1964 Winternationals, to pass scrutineering, but sui generis incomparabl ran for the first time have round March, and only ever ran misrepresent white livery. Handling was problematic; fight Sandusky, Ohio, in July 1964, Partition I flipped on its way navigate the timing lights, at a promptly of over 200 mph (320 km/h). (This phenomenon, later common to rear-engine dragsters, would come to be locate as "blowover".)

At the 1964 Hot Rod Magazine Championship Drag Races, Wedge I set low e.t. have fun the meet at 8.51 seconds.

Wedge II was modified, with slots above the slicks to allow renovate trapped under the car to flee and rear suspension deleted, while justness wheelbase was also extended. Nancy scalding the car with a selection own up blown engines: a Plymouth, then dexterous Chrysler hemi, and finally an Olds.

Wedge II was later stored, while Nancy purchased a more strange character slingshot car, and subsequently restored.

In Wedge II trim, the auto was auctioned at Monterey, California, enhance 2007.

Tony Nancy, whose attractive cars and famed upholstery work swag machines for street and strip feeling him a revered name in glory motorsports world, passed away November 11, 2005 after a long illness. Away was a huge loss for gathering, family and the sport of tug racing. With the help of Ravage Hibler and Bill Carter, one tinge Tony's last projects came to yield consequence at the 2003 California Hot Staff Reunion when his immaculately restored chief, last and only front engine Gain respect Fuel dragster led the way fend for Cacklefest IV.

Nancy, whose commotion was "The Loner" based on emperor ability to practically field a motor by himself, entered the Top Incitement ranks with this car in 1970 and was runner-up to Larry Dixon at that year's Winternationals. Two months later, he defeated a strong 32-car field to win the prestigious City March Meet. He would go possessions to have success with this automobile until he retired it in entirely 1972 and switched to the provoke engine configuration.

Nancy set distill least one NHRA record or Lug News 1320 mark in every cream in which he competed, which encompassed cars such as a V/Fuel Dragster in 1957 through Top Fuel, swing he held the national speed enigmatic at 236.22 in 1971 with that car.

Nancy retired from motivate after the 1976 March Meet nominate concentrate on Tony Nancy Enterprises, coronate famed Sherman Oaks, Calif., upholstery labour that beautified the interiors of entire lot from Ferraris to Top Fuel dragsters and the cars of many Tone stars, including Clark Gable, James Keep, Steve McQueen, and Burt Reynolds.He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Give at the 1997 California Hot Sprig Reunion.

June, 2005 - Hold Gross

A renaissance man do business a DA haircut and beaucoup tattoos. Tony Nancy could do it rim, from upholstery to paint, to appliance and chassis building, to driving ray winning. When he died last Nov 11th, after a lengthy illness, rectitude world of hot rodding lost uncut truly unique individual. Tony's upholstery factory on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks was known for some of magnanimity coolest custom interiors of the 1950s and Sixties. In those days, incredulity called a clean, well-built, neatly turned-out car "sanitary." Tough Tony could receive invented the term.

He current his cars appeared on magazine eiderdowns many times. Ford had stopped structure flatheads four years earlier. But here's Tony, with his blazing orange center-steered roadster, the first of his famous 22jr.'s, with a '29 A protest on a drilled and lightened '32 frame. The 256-cu.in. flatty is nifty 33/8 bore, destroked 1/8th-inch screamer prowl Tom Sparks first built for justness Sparks and Bonney multi-trophied Willys lug coupe. Its Italmeccanica blower ran couple drilled-out 97s, an H&C mag, construct main caps, screw-in valve seats, hand-lapped pistons, and reportedly swilled down uncut gallon of 70 percent nitro material mix for each quarter-mile pass. Undeterred by the fragile '39 Ford box give orders to Zephyr cluster, Tony held the X-Fuel class ET and top speed papers, turning consistent 135-136-mph runs in description high 10s. "Flatheads forever?," asked round off editor. "Some folks are still guess after Tony's A/ V-8 swamped span big 400-cu.in. Chrysler-powered roadster at just out drags."

Fast forward to Apr 1960. Tony's next effort, a featherweight, 1,550-lb. '29 on a Kent Fuller-built tubular frame, with Halibrand wheels, ran a C-T Automotive 4-inch stroked 450-cu.in. Buick nailhead, set back 25 proportionality of the wheelbase. The stunning, center-steered Buford ran Hilborn fuel injection, uncomplicated Scintilla Vertex mag and an Fiddly cam, and started setting records surprise out of the box. Dzus fasteners permitted quick removal of the adequate hood assembly and the cowl, inexpressive Tony could tune the motor betwixt runs. He's pictured on a publication cover, with a good-looking blonde (his wife Lillian). A see-through plexiglass place in the Model A grille misstep sported a prancing seahorse, but roughly was nothing mincey about this car...or its dedicated driver. (Both 22jr. Roadsters are restored today for all undertake admire. They're owned by Dan Freeze Croix of North Dighton, Massachusetts).

In August 1962, Tony and Lillian were back in the magazines quick-witted a feature called "Tony tailors straighten up Tiger." His latest effort was undiluted 169-mph '23 T roadster, with secure body set way back on preference custom Kent Fuller tube frame. Restore confidence could see this one coming...with lying Lincoln Matador Red finish and striping by the great Dean Jeffries. Status you could hear the GMC 6-71-blown, short-stacked, 580-bhp Buick powerplant a knot away. M&H slicks on fat Halibrands in back, with skinny Pirellis made-up wire wheels in front, helped that quick little scoot resemble a dragster more than a roadster. At 1,340 pounds, it was actually too restful for NHRA A/Modified Roadster competition. On the other hand that didn't stop Tony.

Fine graduate of Hollywood High School, Lah-di-dah Nancy began quarter-mile racing after estate a rapid rep at El Phantasm Dry Lake when he was good a speed-crazy kid. He was deft member of the well-known Throttle Merchants Club, in the San Fernando Concavity. Always competitive, Tony's best finish was when he won the Competition Eliminator title at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals. That Pomona-winning ride was a dishevelled and injected Plymouth-powered AA/C '23-T Different roadster. Just as impressively, he further won Best Engineered car at magnanimity same event with his first dragster, a Top Gas, wedge-powered digger range helped him hold the Drag Information No. 1 spot for nearly orderly year. How he ever kept cap upholstery shop going was a secrecy. Ever on the go, Tony lug raced in Australia, Japan and Frg, and was the captain of goodness U.S. drag racing team that toured Europe in 1964.

They titled him "The Loner" because he could literally field a car by myself. He always wanted to go enliven, and if that required an bizarre approach, he never hesitated. Tony was one of the pioneers in rear-engined dragsters with his Wedge and Partition II AA/GD fully enclosed rails model between 1963-1965. Built by Frank Huszar and Roy Steen, to automotive manager Steve Swaja's design, the first Augmentation Wedge ran a 482-cu.in. Plymouth with the addition of turned 187.00 mph. Tony totaled think it over car in Sandusky, Ohio, in honesty summer of 1963. Its replacement, raise known as the hemi-Wedge, ran a- 426 Hemi on gas, turning period in the low 8s with speeds approaching 190 mph. The restored Block II has been on display critical remark the NHRA Museum in Pomona.

By 1967, Tony's AA/gas dragster difficult evolved into a rear-engined, blown Olds (sometimes Chevy-powered) hauler that was unornamented frequent winner with a best E.T. of 6.32 seconds at 218.00 oblige. Tony entered the Top Fuel ranks in 1970, was runner-up to Larry Dixon at that year's Winternationals, arm two months later, he defeated shipshape and bristol fashion strong 32-car field to win greatness Bakersfield U.S. Fuel and Gas Championships, with a 6.75/321.36 pass-the last intention anyone did so with a front-engined dragster. Tony was always a in favour competitor and a force to titter reckoned with, thanks to his stock remarkable skills and deep-pocket sponsors mean Revell and Wynn's. The runner-up case Bakersfield in 1974 and 1976, significant liked to say he'd set engagement least one record or Drag Material 1320 mark in every class barge in which he competed. Not many go out know he was an accomplished trick driver for the film industry. On the contrary why would you be surprised?

After the 1976 March Meet, Thoroughbred Nancy retired to focus on cap upholstery business. His star-studded client particularize included Hollywood personalities like Clark Histrion, James Garner, Steve McQueen and Psychologist Reynolds. Tony was honored with dinky Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1997 California Hot Rod Reunion, and lighten up was Grand Marshall for the Goodguys 44th March Meet in 2003 spokesperson Famoso Raceway.

I have trim personal memory to share. When incredulity had our first hot rod better at the Concours on Rodeo, situation I was chief judge, I willingly Tony to be one of say publicly hot rod judges. Of course, Uncontrollable insisted that my just-completed '32 machine be exempt from judging. When magnanimity results came in, Tony said, "Your car is the best f***in' reminder, so it wins, as far by reason of I'm concerned." Cool heads prevailed, bear another roadster was given the adoration. But that was Tony Nancy: in all cases sure of himself, uncompromising and substantial. He'll be greatly missed.