Jerry North
Brownsburg , Indiana
1941 Willy’s (steel)
Back in December of 2012 Shelby’s Way & our Shelby’s Hot Rod Roundup attended for the first time Thom Ophof’s of GodSpeed Fabrications Charity Blanket Run for the homeless,this is a great event Thom has put together now for 11 years,just donate a blanket for the homeless and Thom and his staff take you on a Rod Run around Indy visiting local builders shops and automotive museums.Every year after the Run on Saturday Thom has a after party back at the hotel that evening,it was their at this party that my wife Pam and I made some new Indy friends,we had never been to the Road Rocket Rumble in Indy,which by the way is at the same Hotel ” Clarion by the Lake ” while at the after party our new Hoosier pals strongly encouraged us to come back in June.Lets fast forward to the end of December when I made a call to the most energetic,enthusiastic,happiest person I have ever met….Naomi this gal is the eyes,ears,feet,hands and mouth of the Road Rocket Rumble and after a brief run down of the Rumble and cost for vendors and participants,didn’t take me long to agree to one of the best times we have had at a Rod Run in a long time.
The party at the Road Rocket Rumble goes on from Thursday till Sunday morning…and I mean morning these Kats go all night,so even thou I am in our booth all day there are no excuses for searching out picks for the Roundup because absolutely no one leaves.So it was on one of my late night walks that I noticed this bright metallic blue Willy’s you couldn’t keep from it,the paint was bouncing off the lights of our hotel parking lot and all the chrome just showed you the way through.Jerry is no stranger to the thrills & spills of drag racing,but that’s not where his story begins.Jerry’s entry into the Hot Rod lifestyle began with motorcycles in 1986 he bought his first Harley Davidson SuperGlide later a 1948 Indian Chief he had Nortons,BSA’s and BMW’s.In 1990 Jerry started his company North Electric,needing cash he sold the Indian to purchase a trench & trailer,scissor jack and even later the other tools he would need….fast forward to 2000,business established,kids all but fully grown and not yet out of the house,Jerry wanted to play and if you know Jerry he takes everything serious.
His love of anything pro street or tubbed is what got him started,he bought a Pro Street 66 Chevelle 427 BBC even though it had big tires Jerry still wasn’t satisfied he had to go faster,in comes a chromoly tube chassis 814 cubic inch mountain motor Camaro’s he says to me ” yes that’s right plural and he is laughing” two Camaro’s running 4.80’s in the 1/8 mile.
During my need to go fast my Brother was Old School and I really started wanting a Hot Rod/Rat Rod type pickup,so the hunt began and I ended up making a deal on a 40 Ford pickup brought it home and got started.In Jerry’s words ” totally went thru everything stem to stern,changed everything myself including the SBC for a 1957, 325 Dodge Hemi “….still have the little Hot Rod,but missed drag racing bad.
Jerry knowing he didn’t want to return to the ” vicious cars he raced before,he said I want to slow down “.He knew this time around it had to be old,but yet very hard to tame and never being one to half ass anything,here comes this Bad Ass wicked 41 all ( steel ) Willy’s .Jerry spent two years finding one that was reasonable enough to buy and went through every bit of the car and finishing what you see here today….our Shelby’s Hot Rod Roundup pick from the Road Rocket Rumble in Indy.Naomi allowed me during the awards to talk about our Roundup and Shelby’s Way,after announcing the pick and meeting Jerry for the first time,he took me over to meet his wonderful girlfriend who I guess was brought to tears with our announcement and the reason for our award.
Jerry said she supports him and his passion for Hot Rods and looking back he has no regrets….something I ask all our Roundup Picks,but he does say ” every time I see a nice 46-53 Indian Chief I say again one day I will own another one before I cash in “.
We all do the things needed to take care of our Families,to run a business and provide the finances to take good care of both,we also have time to dream and make our dreams come true….but know that where our hearts lie is where our treasures lie,Jerry my friend your treasures are family and friends.
God Bless my new Hot Rod Brother!
I want to say a special Thanks to Tom & Naomi from the Road Rockets for letting us come and be a special part of your event,also it was a pleasure meeting all my new hoosier Hot Rod Brothers.