August 15, 2002 DTA Newsletter Featured Member
Don Davis joined the DTA in 1949. He remained in it for only a couple of months because he was convinced the club wouldn’t last long (guess we showed him)! He joined again in 1993 and showed his big bottle nitrous injected 1987 Buick Grand National at the Georgetown show.
Don first became interested in cars when he was only five years old. He would find abandoned miniature cars in the trash and adopt them. Being short of funds, like all car hobbyists, Don would use whatever he had on hand to repair and rebuild these tiny cars. He’d cut tree twigs and used them for an axle or cut cross-sections for use as wheels and tires. He would work on them during the day and put them away each night. His mother says he had a tiny box for each car.... which were their "garages". Before he put them into their individual “garages” each night, he would wipe them down with a d amp rag and polish them with a dry cloth. Don was already demonstrating his interest in a car’s appearance. As anyone who knows Don, this continues to be one of his main interests today.... and he is an expert detailer.
Don was 16 years old when he acquired his first car.... a 1936 Ford 3 window coupe. It ran very well and soon Don began street racing.... mostly at night.
The ‘36 was his sole means of transportation. He worked in downtown Denver and drove it to and from work. One early morning on the way to work, he turned onto Lawrence from 14th Street and caught the traffic signal red at 15th Street . In the next lane sat a ‘35 Ford 5 window coupe. The two drivers checked the other one’s coupe out. When the light came down to green, they both dumped their clutch and floored it. It was a very, very close race as they speed shifted up through the gears. So close, they weren’t even sure who had won! The next morning, the ‘35 coupe was parked at the curb and waiting when Don turned onto Lawrence St . As Don stopped for the 15th Street red light, the ‘35 coupe pulled up alongside. The two engines were brought up to approximately “scream” rpm and held there. When the light clicked green, the two coupes launched... and burned rubber when they made their speed shift. Again, it was so close they were unsure as to who had won! This daily race went on for quite a while. Each weekday morning one or the other would be waiting for the other coupe to have their morning race. Don said the two cars were so close it was the one who got the jump at the start who would win (barring a missed speed shift, of course). Don found out sometime later the ‘35 coupe's owner worked at Davis Motors (a Ford dealership which later became Bob Jones, Sky Line Ford). One day the ‘35 coupe happen to pull into the gas station where Don was working. The two contestants finally met face to face. The ‘35 coupe’s owner was a gearhead named Eddie Jackson (who went on to become a top stock car and midget driver as well as racing in the Indy 500!). They were instantly friends.
Don was interested in upholstery but was unable to do his own upholstery. He met Ed Collins, still one of the premier upholsterers in Denver , and asked him for a job. Ed said he couldn’t afford to hire any help.. that he didn’t have nearly enough business for two people. Don told Ed he wanted to learn upholstery and to use a sewing machine... and he would work for nothing. Suddenly, Ed discovered he had too much work for one person. He instantly accepted Don’s offer. Don worked for Ed for nearly a year before he felt he’d mastered the sewing machine enough for his simple needs. Since then, he’s done a few of his own cars in addition to doing some of his neighbor’s cars. He did a van conversion once after looking at one that had just been done. This is pure talent in my book since I sewed two fingers together on my left hand doing my own upholstery while in the Navy! Boy did that smart!
Don had his own Texaco service station on 29th and Lowell for about 5 years before he had had enough and got out of the service station business. He went to work for Mutual of Omaha Insurance. He stayed with them for just short of three years. Don again changed his line of work and joined American Builders. He sold building materials. One day the president of the company came into Don’s office and Don told him he was quitting. The president had always like Don. He shut the door to Don’s office and confided he was quitting the company too! The two of them quit and opened Tartan Inc. (building materials) as partners. Most of the staff from American Builders left with them.... which sure didn’t make American Builders very happy! He remained an equal owner of Tartan Inc. for the next 18 years before retiring.
During all this time, Don was buying, showing, and selling specialty/collector cars and trucks. Each car was detailed to the nth degree by Don. Don went back through his scrap books and photos for this article and lists sixty one (61) cars and trucks he’s owned!!! The list itemizes each of them..... 21 coupes and 4 roadsters in this list. In 1995, Don drove his orange ‘32 high boy roadster on a rod run to Belleville , Kansas where he took best in show.
In 1997 Don purchased his present hot rod.... a 1932 Ford Victoria . It has a stroked 350 cubic inch Chevy engine. Dual four barrel Carter carburetors, Jag front end, Jag rear end, fully functional knock-off wheels, four wheel disc brakes, and a full leather interior including the head liner (by Don naturally). The interior, topside, and underside is detailed completely. If it’s not painted and rubbed out flawlessly, it’s polished stainless/aluminum or chromed. All chrome is virtually perfect. The complete underside of the car is probably the most detailed of any car I’ve ever seen.... absolutely fabulous. Don entered this in the 1998 Denver Sabres Tri-State auto show shortly after reupholstering it himself. He was judged best in class, best engineered, and won the very prestigious sweepstakes award (what Don, nothing for upholstery?). But the thing that Don is most proud of is he was recipient of the Jim Glasman Memorial Award. Probably the highest award in the show.
Throughout the years Don has competed his cars with some of the best. He’s won 1 Memorial Award, 9 Sweepstakes, 19 First Places, and 6 Best of Show! Remarkable.
As I’ve said, Don is known for his extreme detail work. Everything Don does is as perfect as can be. I give Don a rough time about not driving his Vicky, but I wouldn’t drive my heap either if it was even half as perfect as his Vic.