1 Strother MacMinn’s LeMans Coupe Vintage Photos Alton Johnson’s LeMans Coupe “The Most Exciting Sports Car Design Constructed In The USA In Years” Robert Cumberford: SCG Magazine, March 1960
2 Strother MacMinn’s Original LeMans Coupe Drawing Bob Gurr Collection
3 Contents Vintage Photos Alton Johnson’s LeMans Coupe Building The LeMans Coupe 22 Photos ........................................................................................................... 1 In Process 23 Photos ........................................................................................................... 7 Pat Boyce-Smith Photos 6 Photos ............................................................................................................. 13 Completed LeMans Coupe 42 Photos ........................................................................................................... 15 Color Photos 7 Photos ............................................................................................................. 25 The LeMans Coupe Story (Bill Quirk Collection) 6 Photos ............................................................................................................. 27 Photographer: Ralph Poole 1 Photo .............................................................................................................. 33
4 Robert Cumberford: Sports Car Guide, March 1960
1 Building The LeMans Coupe Photos Taken at Victress 1958 / 1959
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7 In Process Photos Taken at Victress 1958 / 1959 Alton Johnson (L) Merrill Powell (R) At Victress 1958/1959
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13 Pat Boyce-Smith Photos Photos Taken at Victress 1958 / 1959
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15 Completed LeMans Coupe
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25 Color Photos
26 Bill Quirk: Foreman at Victress I first met Doc Boyce-Smith when he and Hugh Jorgensen were working on the very first Victress buck. It was located in a back stall of Vic's Gas Station on Laurel Canyon Blvd. in North Hollywood. I stayed in touch with Doc after he moved his operation north to an industrial park on Sherman Way, still in North Hollywood. It was shortly thereafter that Doc hired me, even though my only transportation was a bicycle, for 75 cents an hour. My duties were pretty much sweeping and general clean up. I remained working there while attending high school and graduated in Winter of 1956. It was an exciting time, because we were all learning about fiberglass lay-up, resins and the many chemicals and techniques we were using. We were truly on the cutting edge of a new industry. By then I had purchased transportation: a 1932 Ford Roadster Hot Rod. Merrill Powell had bought into the company and Bill Powell (not related to Merrill) was hired. If I remember correctly, Bill Powell was kicked out of his home and Doc gave him a job and a place to sleep. It was a couple of years later that Alton Johnson came on the scene. Alton, who was born and raised in Natchitoches, Louisiana, in the heart of the South and the Jim Crow era. Like most black kids, it was pretty tough growing up. Even though, Alton was a dreamer with a positive attitude. He found that he had a great talent and a love for automobiles. He extended that love and talent into design. So much so that he won a design contest with the Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild contest. It wasn't long after that that he learned of Strother MacMinn's LeMans Coupe project. One thing lead to another and Alton contacted Victress Mfg., talked to Doc about employment and his desire to build the LeMans Coupe. It wasn't long before Alton arrived, he was hired and his dream was in full gear. He worked in the shop as an employee and after working hours started on his own project. His exhausting and rigorous schedule continued for months, but he didn't let up. We were all amazed and impressed at Alton's vast abilities and talents; he could do anything. When he completed the buck, it was an all hands on board project to build the mold. Once the fiberglass mold was complete, the fiberglass body was laid-up. It was a very exciting day when the LeMans body was removed from the mold. From there Alton built the chassis, installed running gear and engine, all within the course of a year. In the period of time Alton and I worked at Victress, we became very close friends. We both loved jazz and would often travel over Malibu Canyon in Alton's car (LeMans Coupe) to La Mur, a restaurant and bar with a wonderful black lady who played piano and sang. She had a style similar to Billie Holiday. We would go over at least once a week. (continued next page)
27 The LeMans Coupe Story Story and Photos From Bill Quirk Collection I was living at home at the time, and one night I got home a little late and my mother, who was born in 1900 and raised in the south, was standing on the back porch steps in her robe with her hands on her hips, obviously upset, and in a raised voice said, "Have you been out with Alton again!?” We exchanged words and I moved out the next day. Alton shared with me many stories about growing up in the south. One in particular stuck with me: He and a friend went on a two day road trip and in route stopped at a drive-in for lunch. They pulled in and waited and waited for service. Finally, a voice came over a loudspeaker: "We don't serve blacks here!! The really humiliating part was an outburst of laughter from patrons. Sadly, they moved on. One evening when Alton was returning from Malibu with a fellow employee and friend, Eddie Matta, his brakes failed to work on a turn. Malibu Canyon Road was very mountainous with steep embankments. Alton lost control of the car and went through a chain-link fence; the car being ripped in half. Fortunately, Alton and Eddie were dragged out of the car by the fence as the bulk of the vehicle went careening down the mountainside over 100 feet. Alton's and Eddie's lives were spared, but not the car; it had been totaled. I went back with Alton the next day to view the remains in the bottom of the canyon from the road above. We agreed that he and Eddie were lucky to be alive. Thus began the process of building LeMans Coupe 2.0. Unfortunately, Victress closed its doors soon after this and Alton and I went our separate ways. I did a short stint at Bruno's Corvette Repair in Studio City. Roger Brunelli (Bruno) moved to a larger facility about two miles away, still on Ventura Boulevard I heard that Alton was working there and stopped by to say hi. I told him I had been married since we last saw each other and invited him out to our new apartment in Covina. He accepted and Linda made a nice big Italian dinner, but our guests never showed up. That was my last encounter with Alton Johnson. That was in 1965. My career in fiberglass had ended and I was in construction as a superintendent. Bill Quirk: June 18, 2022
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31 Merrill Powell Letter: March 1, 2007
32 Ralph Poole passed away peacefully in his sleep at home in Arroyo Grande on Friday, June 29, 2018 ... He was 93. Born in Los Angeles on January 29, 1925 to William Wiley Poole and Ouida Jane Low, Ralph was raised during the great depression. He attended a variety of schools in Southern California, including the Carlin and Marcel Military Academies. He was attending Fremont High School in L.A. when World War II began. Like many of the "greatest generation" he wanted to join the fight, but he was too young and the U.S. Navy turned him down. Finally in January 1943, still just 17 years old, he dropped out of high school and joined the U.S. Coast Guard. Sent to training on Catalina Island, Ralph became an Apprentice Seaman and joined the crew of the USS Glendale, a Tacoma-class patrol frigate. He was sent to the south Pacific where the ship and crew saw lots of action in and around the New Guinea Theater. Discharged in April 1946, Ralph loved life at sea, so he decided to join the Merchant Marine. He spent two years running oil tankers between the Gulf States and the mid Atlantic. During these voyages, he became interested in photography and decided to use the GI Bill to attend photography school. (continued on next page)
33 Photographer: Ralph Poole After two years of school, he began work for the brand new magazine, Road & Track ... and later contributed to HOP UP, CAR CRAFT, ROD & Custom, and CAR SPEED and STYLE magazines. Ralph met Carlotta Souza while at a dance at the Green Hotel in Pasadena. They immediately fell in love and were married on February 21, 1953. During their 62 years of marriage, they raised four children: William Thomas, John Stanley, Leslie Rena and William Wiley, had eight grandchildren, and nine great-grand children. Ralph began freelance photography work in 1963, working primarily in the automotive field. However, an active interest in boating led him to find work in that industry for companies such as Glasspar Boats and Chrysler Marine, as well as others. An adventurer by heart, Ralph joined writer and friend Spence Murray on two long cruises of the Gulf of California aboard a 25 foot boat, producing a couple of well known, pioneering books on the subject of cruising in Mexico. The two friends thirst for adventure led them to try and break the automotive speed record from Tijuana to La Paz, which was the holy grail of rugged off-road adventure. They succeeded beyond any expectations, breaking the existing record by almost half, while driving a stock American Motors Rambler. The sanctioned Baja 1000 race began the following year and he is credited for helping to start this famous event. In 1971, Ralph and Carlotta started their own publishing company, launching the first issue of Trailer Boats magazine. While the first decade was tumultuous, with grit and determination they survived, and by the 1980s a second publication, The Western Boatman, was started. Eventually five different magazines were created and in 2003 they sold the company after 32 years of ownership. Retirement found Ralph and Carlotta cruising aboard their trawler, "Poco-A-Poco." They went from Alaska to Maine, via the Panama Canal during their many years of cruising. Taking along many of their kids and grandkids, they helped teach valuable life lessons and a sense of adventure throughout the family. A funeral will be held at 1:00 pm, Friday, July 6th at the Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach, CA and he will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife at the Arroyo Grande Cemetery. Story published on July 4, 2018 on Jalopy Journal.com
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