CARL TJORHOM

Pioneer - Hot Rod, Custom Car and Drag Racing - Inducted 2008

By Krista Tjorhom and Keith Warren, 2008

Carl became interested in hot rods when he was 14 years old, and bought a channeled 1932 Ford 5 Window Coupe, as his first car. He has had many cars since, and some of the most notable have been a flat head powered 1932 Ford roadster, which he bought in 1958, he later installed a Cadillac engine, and showed the car in many shows in the Vancouver area and the Pacific Northwest, winning many awards. This car was featured on the cover of the September 1966 issue, of Car Craft magazine. Carl was the first non US person invited to join the LA Roadster Club. During this time he also drove an Olds powered, 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe, as his daily driver.

From 1962 to 1971 Carl, built and raced, a 427, powered, 1957 Thunderbird, called, “The Black Bird”. He drag raced this car at Mission Raceway as well as most of the Drag Strips in the Pacific Northwest, turning a best of 11.11 ets. at 128 mph. He also outfitted this car to run at The Bonneville Salt Flats and towed it down there in 1968, only to be rained out.

In 1965, Carl opened the first Dealer, High Performance Division for the Ford Motor Company, at the George Black Dealership in Burnaby, and campaigned a 1966, 427 Powered Cyclone on the drag strips of Arlington, Van Isle Drag Strip, Puyallup, and Mission Raceway, turning 12.5 ets.

During the 1963 to 1968 racing season, he crewed on the Bob Morgan Super Modified Racing Team, running the CAMRA series, in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, BC and Alberta.

In 1980, Carl acquired another 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe, and did a complete frame off rebuild, featuring a 331 Chev engine, and 5 speed transmission. This car was featured in the May 2002 issue of American Rodder Magazine. New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine, also featured the car in an article submitted by long time friend, Warren Fairhurst. He considers himself lucky to have had Jack Peebles do the 1932 Ford roadster, as his first complete upholstery job, and 32 years later, the 1940 Ford Coupe, as his last, before

retiring.

Longtime friend Fred Welsh has painted all of Carl’s cars.

Carl and friends Reg Brookshaw and Ken Boleen, traveled to the Bonneville Salt Flats for the annual Bonneville Speed Trials, every year for over 35 years, and also worked on the track as volunteers for about 10 years.

Carl has worked at Ocean Park Ford for the last 19 years, and over 50 years in total with the Ford Motor Company. He continues to enjoy road trips to the Salt Flats and the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion, with long time friends Fred Welsh, Ken Boleen and Andy Poirier. Carl’s love of hot rods, drag racing and road trips has carried on with his daughter after taking her to Bonneville at 15 years of age.

Below: Carl with the 1932 Ford roadster                                       Above: Carl today