Subject: [Fot] memorial "ad" for Jimmy and Lanky

From: "J.C. Hassall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2013 15:11:49 -0500

Amici,

It seems that Lanky has gotten a lot of well-deserved coverage lately 
(see also the Oct-Nov VTR magazine) but Jimmy hasn't been "in the lime 
light".  In an effort to generate more interest in sponsoring an "ad" 
memorializing them in Levy's next book, I asked Kas to give me a write 
up about Jimmy.  Here's Kas' note:

Mike Cook is doing a very good memorial article of Jimmy for the VTR 
magazine and it will probably bet better than anything I can give you as 
it will all be repeats. But try this on:

James Anthony Coan came to me in the middle of 1965 as a brash, 
aggressive young guy who said he wanted to work at a challenging job. I 
gave him the opportunity with a 18" wide broom.  Broom 
engineering lasted  a couple weeks and then it was obvious he really had 
some interest in what we were doing and the complication of running a 
department that was working all over the country with a minimum of 
assistance from the mother factory.

With his basic mechanical knowledge gained working at a dealership, Jim 
put his head into helping build a series of cars for the 1966 Sebring 12 
hour event. This was his first test of showing devotion to his job. The 
hours spent in that effort were quite incredible. From this rather harsh 
test of abilities, I then heaped work on him. Jimmy responded at the top 
of the page every time.

It was not the effort as a mechanic that I found and later treasured, 
but the devotion to his job and interest in learning everything he could 
about every aspect of working in a technical arena with close inspection 
all the time from outside sources. Jim's response to more and more 
detailed assignments gave the answers that I wanted and were needed to 
further the competition departments goals of assisting private owners. 
When I resigned from British Leyland it was a great pleasure to 
recommend Jimmy Coan as my replacement.  Jimmy was my loyal and very 
good friend. Our friendship and trust continued long after our Triumph 
days and through the very last hours of his life.

In case you haven't seen the artwork, here's the link: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92513095@N03/8408581917/

I need pledges by 11 FEB for this to happen, and we're still well short 
of critical mass.  If you're thinking about participating, pls send me a 
note with a $ amount that I can add to the (very short) list of pledges.

tnx

jim

-- 
Jim Hassall
Blacksburg VA
'63 TR4 in autox preparation
99% finished, 90% to go
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