Re: IT's about F'ing time!
Steve Hinton and I were having dinner in Seattle last month and the date was the 26th year of the crash. He did a web search and we found this site. Since it has been a few years since this thread was active I think its a good time to add to it.
Denise and Dave: Its good to hear you both are doing well. Remember stopping for 31 flavors after school? who was the big fan of Mint-choc chip?
I met Dave while working on the Lysander project at Volpar. Talk about a life changing event. I was restoring the airframe and Dave was in and out with Roger Davies to check on the progress. My life was changed forever the day he delivered the Mercury engine to Volpar. It was spring of 1974 before lunch because I spent my lunch break walking around the engine admiring the workmanship. My wife Kim says that I came home that night and said that I knew what I was going to do for the rest of mylife! Build engines to that level of quality. By the time the plane flew Dave and I had agreed on my going to work for him after Reno '74. I have some photos of him with the Lysander I will get posted.
Thanks to all the posts here, lots of stories. I have 4 years of them and many more of later years. They include Butch, Randy Scoville, Pete Law, Bruce Boland and on and on. The Red Baron project and Reno with the crew having numbers after their names. Ed had #1 and Dave had #10. The second day Dave had #1 and holes in the shirt where the zero had been.
Reading: Dave was a student and I remember learning that Ricardo and his book were the first book to get and reread. However he didn't like to see us reading in the shop while on the clock. " If I want you to know something, I will tell you."
And my best was shortly after I said that I had failed mind reading in college, I was informed that "he made the jokes around here".
Lots of other stories, this fall will be 40 years since I met Dave.
Denise, if you and Dave want copies of stuff I have let me know here. I have my e-mail blocked as I have a lot going on these days. Our shop is huge, and we have 35 people working on a good day. vintagev12s.com has links to the other shops.
On a sad note, the crash was the day we had our grand opening at Tehachapi. In a way it is a continuation of his teaching and legacy. He gave me the chance to learn. He expected the best from his crew and it laid the foundation for my sucess and Ricks, and a lot of other's.
I had a good chat with Dave at Reno 1986 and he was in a good place with his life. He was moving past all the stuff of the past and it is a good memory.
Mike Nixon
Steve Hinton and I were having dinner in Seattle last month and the date was the 26th year of the crash. He did a web search and we found this site. Since it has been a few years since this thread was active I think its a good time to add to it.
Denise and Dave: Its good to hear you both are doing well. Remember stopping for 31 flavors after school? who was the big fan of Mint-choc chip?
I met Dave while working on the Lysander project at Volpar. Talk about a life changing event. I was restoring the airframe and Dave was in and out with Roger Davies to check on the progress. My life was changed forever the day he delivered the Mercury engine to Volpar. It was spring of 1974 before lunch because I spent my lunch break walking around the engine admiring the workmanship. My wife Kim says that I came home that night and said that I knew what I was going to do for the rest of mylife! Build engines to that level of quality. By the time the plane flew Dave and I had agreed on my going to work for him after Reno '74. I have some photos of him with the Lysander I will get posted.
Thanks to all the posts here, lots of stories. I have 4 years of them and many more of later years. They include Butch, Randy Scoville, Pete Law, Bruce Boland and on and on. The Red Baron project and Reno with the crew having numbers after their names. Ed had #1 and Dave had #10. The second day Dave had #1 and holes in the shirt where the zero had been.
Reading: Dave was a student and I remember learning that Ricardo and his book were the first book to get and reread. However he didn't like to see us reading in the shop while on the clock. " If I want you to know something, I will tell you."
And my best was shortly after I said that I had failed mind reading in college, I was informed that "he made the jokes around here".
Lots of other stories, this fall will be 40 years since I met Dave.
Denise, if you and Dave want copies of stuff I have let me know here. I have my e-mail blocked as I have a lot going on these days. Our shop is huge, and we have 35 people working on a good day. vintagev12s.com has links to the other shops.
On a sad note, the crash was the day we had our grand opening at Tehachapi. In a way it is a continuation of his teaching and legacy. He gave me the chance to learn. He expected the best from his crew and it laid the foundation for my sucess and Ricks, and a lot of other's.
I had a good chat with Dave at Reno 1986 and he was in a good place with his life. He was moving past all the stuff of the past and it is a good memory.
Mike Nixon
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