"Studebaker Joe"

[Stan Back]

I understand that "Studebaker Joe" Gaelic(k?) passed away in the last year.  I did not know him, but I would like to see that he's included in this year's memorial page in the SpeedWeek Program.

Anyone know the correct spelling of his last name (and a little history, too)?

Stan

[Bob Drury]

  Stan, it is Joe Gialich.  Joe was a really nice guy and He ran two 53' Studes at Bville : Black Velvet in C/FCC; and a red Coupe.

[Stan Back]

ORB --

This is a stretch, Bob, using you as a spelling expert.  This one's on you.

Thanx,
Stan

[4-barrel Mike]

Very little about him on the net (in a quick search). 

Several minor mentions in Society of Land Speed Historians Newsletters (Hot Rod Hotline), such as: "Rod Rider Annual D/S Award for Amazing Unawareness and Dimwitted Actions; 1997 Joe Gialich, 1998 John "JD" Davis, 1999 Ray Trobee, 2000 - 2003 Not Distributed, 2004 Kenny Bell, 2005 David Kirsch, 2006 Not Distributed, 2007 Jim Travis, 2008 Bob Nakonieczny, 2009 Tony Huntimer"

Mike

[salt]

"Studebaker" Joe Gialich was a great father, friend and racer. If anybody ever deserved to be called "Studebaker," it was him. 
Born in East L.A. in 1929, the son of Central European immigrants, Joe grew up around car guys like Gene Scott, Gene Ohly, George Bentley, Ron Benham, Don Berg.
After his overseas military service, Joe bought himself a brand-new '53 Loewy Coupe; a few years later, he visited the Bonneville Salt Flats during Speed Week.
Work and family intervened, but by the 1980s, Joe had joined the Rod Riders and started making his dream of going 200mph in a Studebaker, on the salt, a reality.
His first race car was irreparably damaged in a freak shop accident, and his son Anthony ("A & P Auto Body" in Monrovia) finished the beautifully chopped, black '55 "Black Velvet" (named after his favorite libation) comp coupe in 30 short days to be ready for Speedweek.
Running mostly "D" class Chevy small blocks, Hilborn-injected, on fuel, that were built by his good friend, 1960s fuel dragster racer Howard Allen and with his high school buddies Billy and Marty as his core crew members, "Studebaker" finally achieved his goal of topping the 200mph mark in 1999.
I started hanging out with him and his sons, Anthony and Paul, at the first "Bonneville World Finals" in 1990 and had the great privilege to drive both his black and his red "722" Studes at Muroc, El Mirage, and on the salt.
My motto "Who has more fun, Willi" was coined by Studebaker Joe after I blew up one of his fuel motors during a Speedweek qualifying run, coasting through the 3-mile traps at 199mph.
Studebaker Joe Gialich passed away on November 22, 2015, at the age of 86. He was wearing a "Kraut Bros." racing shirt.
I miss him.

Willi
Kraut Bros.

[Dynoroom]

Well Done Willi...

God Speed "STUDEBAKER" Joe       

[kiwi belly tank]

Joe & his son's were the first Bonneville racers I met on my first trip here from Australia in 88. I rented a piece of junk car from a garage right by the Motel 6 I was staying at & was driving around trying not to run into $hit on the wrong side of the road. I heard a healthy engine running as I drove by their shop so not being backward at coming forward I stopped & wandered in. What a great bunch of guys they were to some weirdo from the other side of the world. That was the start of a lot of introductions to more racers that eventuated in a long history with Al Teague.
When I was leaving the shop that day Joe probably saved my life, I stepped out in the street looking the wrong way for traffic & he grabbed me & pulled me back right before I became truck food.
Thank you for the hand up Joe, we'll see you again Mate.
  Sid.

[Stan Back]

Thanks, guys.  I really appreciate your posts.  I remember Black Velvet, too.

[Bob Drury]

  I met Joe at His shop in Monrovia back in 1997.  I had flown down to L.A. and was staying with Bruce and Dianne Geisler in Huntington Beach.
  Bruce and I were on a mission to visit various vendors that I needed to do business with while building My Stude for Bonneville.  What a day...  First stop was Tom Cirello's Magneto shop, then off to Doug Thorley's Header shop.  Next to visit Fred Larson at Moon Equipment followed by going to Deist where I was measured up for a Fire Suit and bought my Fire System and Jim designed my parachutes.
  Somehow We ended up at Roy Fjstad's shop where Roy showed Us how his Dzus fastener machine worked (Full Bore.... I bought plenty).  Next it was off to Isky's which is a place where Gearhead's like Me could spend a week just looking at all the "neat" junk Ed has accumulated over the years!  We next moseyed over to meet Red Roberts at McLeod clutches where We went in the back door (Bruce hated dealing with "counter people") and straight into Red's office.
  Next it was on to Geisler's "shop" where both Gale Bank's and Doug Thorley started their Business's and for dessert We went to see Studebaker Joe at His shop.
  He and Bruce were long time friends and Studebaker racers and He was  excited to pass along encouragement to a novice wannabee who was by now spinning with way to much information and awe..........
  I had forgotten all about that day in Heaven and all the Great Racers that I met.
  I think I will call Bruce and thank Him for opening the doors to a "Racers Disneyland" which has to date only cost Me around $100,000. plus or minus... but then again Who is counting?  All in all I thank everyone of the people I mentioned for helping a low buck Racer from the Northwest achieve a dream that started in 1959 when I opened a copy of Hot Rod Magazine and read a article on Bonneville and saw a sh*t load of Studebaker's and It blew Me away...........
                                                                                                         "One Run" Bob Drury

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Man-o-man, talk about hot rod heaven in this life.  What a story.  It's great to have a few such in your head -- makes the youngsters appreciate what we've seen and done - and gives them ideas for their future.

Bravo, Bob.  Great tale.  Thanks.

[MRK]

Great stuff. Thanx to all for posting!!