Back in 1980, Johnnie Gallagher and Steve Heiden and I met up at Barneys in Yuma. Somehow or another, we all got pretty fried before we went in to dine. I know I couldnt set still for squat. Gallagher was always in a constant state of maintain an even strain. But Steve was always the instigator of everything I ever did wrong. We were all havin a great time. But Johnnie and I had to go. Steve was going west and we were going to Texas. Now this was before #1 became Killer. My K was having a hard time staying out of the way of most all 400s. If I could keep it together at all. We get done eating and head for Steves truck and sleeper to recharge. When Gallagher and Steve and I part company my knees are bangin together. I got my screwdriver out, tightening dash screws, goin up Telegraph Hill. Even goin down the other side around the curves we got her in the wind. And grab the big hole as we make the last curve at Welton. Gallagher aint sayin much. He was driving for Heath at the time. Hes just kinda gunnysackin me. Like everyone used to do me at the time. They would all lay in wait on me to stick my neck out about a mile. Then come up, blow my doors off and hurt my feelings. It was getting to be an everyday happening with everyone. And I was becoming the joke of the year, with this big fancy no running truck. Well we get over there by Tacna or the gunnery range. And Gallagher is laying in wait to nail my ass to the cross. With his 425 Cat. My knees are bouncin off each other, when my truck goes to running real good all of a sudden. But hes still hangin right behind me. And fixin to come into the left lane to go around. Now, a lot of you know, its not a good sign when a motor just kind of frees up all of a sudden. And it wasnt this time either. All of a sudden I hear a POP! And I see oil and antifreeze running down both side windows and on the hood. I look in the mirror and Johnnie fell way back. So here we sit on the side of the road with a hole in a piston. We check it all out.Gallagher is pissed I blew oil all over his truck. He asks me what I want him to do. So I asked him to stop in Gila Bend and give Elwood a call to send a hook. And for him to come get me, and call my dad. It goes to getting dark out there on that Military firing range. I get tuned up some more. I am bouncing off the walls by now. Watching them shoot those parachute flares in the air. And freakin out thinking they are coming after me with tanks and troops. Finally Elwood shows up. My nose is running like a hose. I cant talk. My knees are still banging. I had called Cindy from Yuma to tell her I would come by the house. We get to Gila Bend. I call Dad. He gets someone to pick up my trailer. And I call Cindy. She says Ill come get you in Phoenix. I tell her No, No! I dont want her to see me like this. But she;s on her way. No stopping her! Elwood takes me to the motel on 17 and 7th Ave and drops me off. And when Cindy shows up I am as nervous as a (ah heck, you can guess whatever you want). I got a serious case of post nasal drip. So I tell her we need to go to the store and get some Nyquil for my (cold). Oh Crap, that was a bad idea in my state of mind. I came as close to dyin that night as I ever have in my life. All quite innocently too. I got to stay home for a week and get over my cold while they were putting a new hole in the future Killer. I didnt even make it to Nogales and blew another head gasket. So I loaded to LA and spent the next 45 days living at Jim Prewetts house in Downey. Forty five days and 7 ounces of really good stuff. And all new parts except the cam and crank and block. And KILLER was born.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 17:14:50 +0000