Turning back the clock

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in the early days of Pro Stock (70-75).... Ron Butler was THE innovator, and IMO, his cars were the class of the field.

Know where and who actually built the 72 (later updated to a 73 ) Mopar Missile? (hint) it wasn't in Motown. After the 72 Missile Butler built Butchs 73 Pro Stock Duster, the first Mopar Pro Stock race car featuring a complete tubular chassis with rack and pinion, and yes, headbanger bars, same with Bagshaw's race cars. Of course it would make sense....Ron Butler was Bill Bagshaws neighbor.

Butch didn't mind the bars...he needed a place to rest his arm as he literally steered with 2 fingers.....at 150 mph!

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Would have preferred to be in the packed house at Carlisle, but with the Flash on standby (still in the trailer from The Summit Nationals), my new wheelman / person Jodee (sponsor and wife) and I headed to Good Guys in Columbus. Met up with Mopar buddies Kevin and Jack at the Crown (Marriot) for a great day of fun and free revs.

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around 3pm, waiting for the show goers come back to the parking lot....or a call to the staging lanes.

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bob mCcarty said:
I still think Bill Jenkins built the first one , to try to keep up w/ Sox-Martin . I read about nhra inspecting it as the first one , back then . All the others followed suit to keep up .
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I agree....and If you check, I said first MOPAR

In late 71 Mopar and others went to NHRA begging for a safer full tube chassis and was told absolutely NOT. So in 72 Butler built the Mopar Missile (to Mopars specifications) with OEM front unibody frame rails / modified K frame and like the Motown Missile, rack and pinion steering. They go to the WinterNationals and Jenkins shows up with a full tube chassis Vega. From what I understand the majority of the field should have been DQed, but NHRA had a race to run and a field to fill. So when Butler built the next race car (Butch's 73 Pro Stock Duster)...it was game on.

This is fairly fresh in my mind, about 3 weeks ago I had this same discussion with Butch as we discussed how trick the chassis on his 73 Pro stock Duster was.
 
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The triangle ties the top of the roll cage to the front and rear suspension. Look at all Butler built A-bodies from that era (Billy the Kid etc). They are all built the same.
 
Been a tough week my FABO friends......Bout, my friend and fellow hot rodder for 50 years passed last Wednesday after a week long battle with pneumonia. Bout / Boutwell Customs worked on every hot rod I have owned beginning in 1971 when he repaired a paint bubble / flaw on my 69 GTX. The list is long from there finishing off with the California Flash restoration and Butch's street ride. The windshield / rear glass stainless for Red (Butch's street ride) is still at his shop for me to pick up.....must of been one of the last things he did. I stopped by his shop 3 days (?) before he went in the hospital and he did not mention it was done.

In the video below, Bout is the guy with the white beard with the dark ballcap standing to the left of the post (right above the cowl).

Rest in Peace my friend, I'll see you on the other side.

 
HemiDenny said:
Been a tough week my FABO friends......Bout, my friend and fellow hot rodder for 50 years passed last Wednesday after a week long battle with pneumonia. Bout / Boutwell Customs worked on every hot rod I have owned beginning in 1971 when he repaired a paint bubble / flaw on my 69 GTX. The list is long from there finishing off with the California Flash restoration and Butch's street ride. The windshield / rear glass stainless for Red (Butch's street ride) is still at his shop for me to pick up.....must of been one of the last things he did. I stopped by his shop 3 days (?) before he went in the hospital and he did not mention it was done.

In the video below, Bout is the guy with the white beard with the dark ballcap standing to the left of the post (right above the cowl).

Rest in Peace my friend, I'll see you on the other side.

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Condolences to you and his family.
 
Bouts final cruise. After this mornings service, I helped load Bout into the hearse for one last cruise Bouts daughter put together. I'm guessing about 60 of us (mostly hot rods) cruised behind the hearse as we drove thru Findlay passed his house on the west side and out to this shop on the east side where we said our final goodbye.

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I met Bout in his 57 (you can see it right above my hood) in 71. He still drove it whenever it was nice out.
 
Thanks....I think God gave Bout a mission in life..... be a good husband and great father and have many, many friends.

Mission accomplished!
 
He was truly blessed if he did what he loved, and had a family he loved and loved him. Sounds he didn't have to lay and suffer much through sickness. That in itself is a blessing too.
 
Thank you all for the kind words. Today it was a little tuff to get going, but I take the best medicine there is....building hot rod stuff. And in my minds eye, Bout (in spirit) is now right there with me, always smiling and sipping on his glass of tea.
 
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HemiDenny said:
Thank you all for the kind words. Today it was a little tuff to get going, but I take the medicine there is....building hot rod stuff. And in my minds eye, Bout (in spirit) is now right there with me, always smiling and sipping on his glass of tea.
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Keep those great memories close and he'll always be with you.
 
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