Ran into your Dad today at the Mopars at the Red Barns show in Hickory Corners, Michigan. First I've seen him in the last several years, I've talked with him many times at the march Indy show over the years and always enjoyed him. He's such an easy going down to earth guy to talk to and makes us lesser mortals feel somewhat like equals (even though we know we're not anywhere in the same ballpark as him). I think it was about 1979 when I first spoke with your Dad, it was over the phone when he was a distributor for Direct Connection/Mopar Performance parts back then, I believe in North Carolina. I was doing some engine work on my Super Bee and he tried to guide me in the right direction with some parts and advice to rebuild the engine. I ordered quite a bit of stuff from him back then, still have it all, some is still in that engine and some parts are still on the shelf as I never used them all.

Anyway, today when I saw him at the show I just had to stop and say Hello and chat with him a bit. I know he's a busy guy and everybody wants to talk to him and his time is limited, so I tried not to over do it. I mentioned that I had seen the documentary you've done on his life and how much I have enjoyed it. What I really wanted to tell him though is how much he means to all of us ordinary Mopar guys (like me) and how much he's respected, but that didn't really come out in our conversation, as its kind of hard for us guys to get all sentimental and mushy like when we talk to each other.

So anyway, just let him know that he's a pretty special guy to a lot of us and we really appreciate all he's done for Mopar and especially the way he's done it over the years, with dignity and class. Thanks Herb!


Tom (from Indiana)