Turning back the clock
Maybe Bro John will comment on his 3 plus hours on the the phone the last couple days with Butch.....sounds like he is as excited about the restoration as the rest of us.
Yeah....my cell went off a couple of mornings ago and it was Butch Leal.
Seems that some folks had been telling him about the significant progress on the California Flash Duster. They had showed him some recent pics (He doesn't do computers) and he was really excited. He must have checked up on us because right away he was asking about our yearly big tent at the Nat's. He volunteered to attend and to sign autographs and tell stories (he can tell them all day and I could listen to them - they are great!). He also has some pictures and posters to sell. All I have to do is get the show promoter to buy his plane ticket (probably not a problem) and he said no hotel, he would stay with his old friend Gil Kirk (Rod Shop). Evidently his restored '65 Belvedere SS/B is only a couple of hundred miles away and he said he would get it there for a double display.
Of course this depends on if our car gets done in the next six weeks which would be a Hail Mary. We have (so far) decided not to exhibit it until it is truly done. If not, we will certainly do it next year.
Actually something strange happened here:
1- We wanted Butch to see the car when it was done.
2- We were going to try to get him to come to the Nat's and be with the car when we displayed it.
3- We had been thinking about replicating the photo on the cover of the 1975 Direct Connection catalog with Butch and the car.
Well, all of these things may happen and I didn't have to say a word. Butch brought them all up on his own. Amazing! Now if we can only get the car done. Denny thinks it a three month job; Six months if I help.
