WELCOME !
ABOUT JONNIE KING
FIRST TIME VISITORS: IMPORTANT INFO !
COUNTRIES LOGGED-ONTO THE HOF LEGENDS SERIES !
HOFL SERIES 1st ANNIVERSARY CD OFFER !
LEGENDS CD CATALOG
HOT OFF THE PRESS: THE LEGENDS IN PRINT !
THE LEGENDS VIDEO GALLERY
DARRYL STARBIRD: A FAMILY AFFAIR & THE BUBBLE TOP BOOK !
DARRYL STARBIRD: DRIVING THE PREDICTA !
DARRYL STARBIRD: THE HALL OF FAME MUSEUM !
GEORGE BARRIS: THE SAM BARRIS MERC !
GEORGE BARRIS: THE
GEORGE BARRIS: THE STORY OF
GEORGE BARRIS/JOHN D'AGOSTINO: OLD SCHOOL/NEW SCHOOL !
GEORGE BARRIS & JOHN D'AGOSTINO IN SWEDEN !
GEORGE BARRIS:LARRY ERNST BELAIR/SHOP FIRE !
SPENCE MURRAY: BEGINNINGS !
GENE WINFIELD: ORIGINS/FIRST SHOP !
BLACKIE GEJEIAN: EARLY HISTORY, NASCAR, AND, THE GNRS !
BLACKIE GEJEIAN: THE
DICK
DICK MAGOO: HIS PERSONAL RIDES & THE  CHOPPED '49 MERC !
POSIE:  NEW DESIGNS & SCOTT KILLEEN PHOTOGRAPHY !
POSIE ON RODS, CUSTOMS & SAWING  A CAR IN HALF !
POSIES: TEAMWORK, TECHNOLOGY, & EARLY INFLUENCES !
POSIES
POSIES: EARLY CARS & SUPER SLIDE SPRINGS
NORM GRABOWSKI: THE ORIGIN OF THE KOOKIE CAR !
JOHN D'AGOSTINO: HIS '40 CADILLAC & THE
JOHN D'AGOSTINO & GEORGE BARRIS: DESIGNING KUSTOM CARS !
NORM GRABOWSKI: THE
JOHN D'AGOSTINO BUILDS:
JOHN D'AGOSTINO CREATES
FRANK LIVINGSTON: BEGINNINGS / FIRST CARS
BO HUFF: ON UTAH, HIS MUSEUM, AND 60'S CARS !
BO HUFF: NEW PROJECTS & GENO'S '49 MERC !
STEVE STANFORD: NEW IDEAS & WORKING WITH THE CLIENT !
STEVE STANFORD: CREATING A STYLE, HEROES, & THE HOF !
STEVE STANFORD: DOUBLE-PLAY !
STEVE STANFORD: BILLY GIBBONS'
CHUCK MILLER'S CARS: THE FUTURE & THE PAST !
CHUCK MILLER: FAVORITES !
CHUCK MILLER: DETROIT AUTORAMA !
STEVE FRISBIE: BUILDING THE
JIMMIE VAUGHAN: ON NORWAY, GARY HOWARD &  HIS '51 CHEVY !
JIMMIE VAUGHAN: ON GARY HOWARD & HIS '61 CADDY !
BO HUFF: THE SAM BARRIS CLONE !
GARY HOWARD: BUILDING THE HOT ROD CADDY !
LEE PRATT'S FABULOUS '41 BUICK !
M. K. JOHN: PUBLISHED ART & MOTORCYCLES !
M.K. JOHN: BEGINNINGS/MAG.FEATURES !
ELDEN TITUS: THE ROCKET CAR !
ELDEN TITUS:
MARK MORIARITY & THE CAR CRAFT
MARK MORIARITY: SAVING SAVELESKY'S '55 BEL AIR !
JOHN KOUW: BUILDING DRIVERS/THE FUTURE IS NOW !
LOU CALASIBETTA: THE A BROTHERS & THE GOLDEN INDIAN !
LOU CALASIBETTA: THE EARLY YEARS, AND THAT HISTORIC GARAGE !
DENNIS McPHAIL: DOING DESIGNS FOR ED
JEFF MYERS:  THE BEATNIKS CLUB & ITS MEMBERS !
DINO & THUNDERFLITE !
BRAD MASTERSON ON BILL HINES & SLINGIN' LEAD !
BRAD MASTERSON: CKD RIVIERA PROJECT CAR !
FRITZ SCHENCK: EARLY YEARS, EARLY CARS !
FRITZ SCHENCK'S COOL CARS !
ORIGINS: THE KUSTOM KEMPS OF AMERICA
JERRY TITUS: FAMILY VALUES & KUSTOMS !
JERRY WEESNER/JONNIE KING: CRUSIN' !
WEESNER  & THE MOVIE STAR !
JERRY WEESNER'S PHOTO-OP TIPS !
ALAN MAYES: PROJECT RIVIERA !
ALAN MAYES & BO HUFF: THE
ALAN MAYES: PUBLISHING CKD/OSR
PAUL LeMAT: HIS FAVORITE FILMS !
FROM
THE RICK NELSON TRIBUTE PAGE
THE DON FERRARA TRIBUTE PAGE
THE MANUEL ARTECHE TRIBUTE PAGE
THE JOHN BUTTERA TRIBUTE PAGE
BOYD CODDINGTON TRIBUTE PAGE
THE DICK DEAN TRIBUTE PAGE
THE ELDEN TITUS TRIBUTE PAGE
THE ORIGIN OF ROD & CUSTOM MAGAZINE
ORIGINS: BUILDING THE R & C DREAM TRUCK !
SPECIAL:
SPECIAL: THE BATMOBILE !
SPECIAL:
SPECIAL: THE HIROHATA MERC !
SPECIAL: GENE AUTRY'S '57 SEVILLE !
THE LEGENDARY CKD
VISIT SOME OF OUR FRIENDS
Hear Our Exclusive Demo !
Corporate Air Travel
Photo/Image Info
Contact Us


             NORM GRABOWSKI:THE EARLY/KOOKIE YEARS

                      

NORM GRABOWSKI is one of the funniest, nicest people you'll ever meet.  I've dubbed him the "Don Rickles" of the Rod & Custom World...and if you ever get the chance to talk to him for at least 5 minutes you'll be able to fully experience that.

This Interview took place at night, when Norm is REALLY at his best.  I asked him how he got interested in cars to begin with and, at that point in time, we covered BOTH his early years, PLUS, the beginning of the build on his '30 Model A Roadster...which ended up being the "Kookie Car".  Norm's considered by many to be the "Father of the T-Bucket", and this is where it all started.

What you'll learn from listening to Norm is: 1. Take a kid to a car show !  It could start him into a lifetime of fun & excitement; 2. How to get your dear old Dad to part with the engine in his '52 Cadillac !    JK

   

(Above left: The '52 Caddy motor (190 hp) shown in the Original 1952 Cadillac Dealer Brochure; Above right: From that same Brochure, the '52 Cad Coupe DeVille...the same type 2 door that Norm's Dad could have had.)

                                          

(Above: Norm crusin' & chowin' down on burgers in Hollywood after the T-Bucket was finished...this is the pic that ran in "LIFE" Magazine.)

PS: DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE OLD "TORQUES" CAR CLUB THAT NORM & THE GANG BELONGED TO ?   IF YOU DO, PLEASE DROP ME AN E-MAIL:  jking@thewwbc.net