Page 20 - NM Spring_2021

Frank was asking if I happened look at the postings but with no
to know where the coupe was at
that time. I advised that, when he
pulled away from my home outside
of Pittsburgh in 1989, I had not
seen or heard of either he or the
fuel coupe. Frank lamented that
it was likely the best car he ever
had. He sold it in the 90’s and was
curious as to its fate. I had been in
contact with Paul Gold through the
years and Goldy was into some of
the “blogs” that followed old race
cars. He embarked on a mission to
post inquires asking if anyone had
seen or heard of the car. In the next
couple of years, I would periodically
TED STARTING UP THE COUPE
GOLDY & TED
20
responded OK, I will send you a
sightings. check tomorrow. When the process
of finding the old fueler began back
Then, one day in 2013, one of the in 2011, I had no intent to own it
posts stated that they had seen the once more. And now, it was mine
coupe a few years back in the state again. I thought, “what am I going
of Oregon. No further information to do with it”?
came forward until a few months
later when another poster indicated Walt sent some photos confirming
he saw it in Washington. Within a that the car was nearly completely
day or so, a gentleman wrote that he intact. He had never run it in the
saw the car in Tacoma, Washington. 11 years or so that he owned it and
It was in the collection of famed old believed that somewhere along the
top gas racer, Walt Austin, father of way it had been fired up as there
past NHRA top fuel and top alcohol was carbon on the plugs. He had
funny car champion, Pat Austin. intended to freshen it up and run
Out of curiosity, I decided to at some nostalgia events but other
projects always seemed to push this
attempt to contact Walt. I found one back. It was all there including
he owned an auto repair/parts the rare magnesium front and rear
business in Tacoma, “Austin’s Pro Halibrand wheels, magnesium
Max”. I called a number and asked manifold, Donovan valve covers and
for Walt but was advised he was not rocker arms! It was missing the
in. I asked if he had a cell phone? Strange Engineering full floating
The answer was no, he did not. I axles for the Dana 60 rear (probably
asked if I could leave a message but holding up a tree somewhere in the
was told that, he really did not take northwest), the Childs & Albert
messages. Comically, I inquired, starter, batteries and cables. It
“how does one get ahold of him”. was dirty with years of oxidized
The lady on the other end of the magnesium parts.
line kind of chuckled and stated,
Arrangements were made to
“well, if he’s here and wants to talk ship it back east to my home in
to you, he will”. A few days later, I
again phoned and Walt answered. Pittsburgh. The day it arrived,
Somewhat reluctantly, he listened Walt called me to ask, “did your car
to me as I explained I’d built the make it kid”? I got a laugh out of
car and was just curious about that as I had not been called “kid”
its fate. Walt’s entire demeanor in decades. Walt then prefaced
changed when he learned of my that by stating that many had tried
history with the #134 fuel coupe. to buy the car from him over the
He asked some questions and about years. It got to the point where
20 minutes into the conversation, he he pretty much kept it out of sight
abruptly said, “do you want to buy it to avoid pesky inquires. His last
back”? Without giving me a chance remark was that he wanted me to
to respond, he asked, “what do you know that he could have sold the
want to pay for it’? I advised him of car for a far greater amount than he
how much I sold it for back in 1989. did to me. However, he believed old
Without hesitation, he exclaimed, cars should go back to the original
“I’ll take that”. Not thinking, I owner/builder. This was a really a
Nitro Madness Magazine SPRING 2021