[Fot] Pete Lovely's Pooper

[Greg "Lunker" Hilyer]

On Mar 13, 2010, at 8:43 AM, Bill Babcock wrote:
>  a red one built by Pete Lovely and currently owned by Denny Akers

WOW!! I used to sell Pete Lovely cars from the auto auction for his  
VW dealership in Ballard Wa. [I think. .. Ballard... an area of north  
Seattle]. Remember seeing a retired Porsche powered racer in the back  
shop area. Never knew what it was until today. Definitely the Pooper.  
I have to assume Denny Akers is of Akers Auto Acres  also from the  
Seattle area. Used to sell him cars too - from the salvage pool.
As much as I've thought I knew about racing in those years, I missed  
out on some gems. Peter Gregg, Hurley Haywood, Mark Donahue, Peter  
Revson, et.al.,... those were the guys I had my teenage eyes on. But  
missed a lot I could have learned in that time. Pete Lovely was a VW  
dealer/customer. Same for Monte Shelton. But he had everything from  
Lincoln/Mercury to Ferrari and Aston - Best story I can think of from  
him is a friend who bought his wife a new RR Corniche convert from  
Monty's guys. Deal was Monty Shelton Motorcars would install a hitch  
[to tow a Ventnor V12 speedboat] and they would honor the warranty.  
[If anyone wants a short dissertation on the early version of the RR  
TH400 trans. fiasco, let me know].
Anyway, both Pete Lovely and Monte Shelton were customers . Actually  
great, - no b.s. - easy customers. Though I do remember Pete's very  
Swedish sense of humor - He had a great ludafisk joke.  Point is, I  
knew both of these guys on a first name basis in the late '70's/early  
'80's and knew nothing about who they were in any racing context. ,
Not certain but I think Pete is many years gone but Monty might still  
be around. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm sure neither would  
remember me, but I sure remember them - regardless of who they "were".
Also brings back memories of Carlos from Alfa of Tacoma - former  
Ferrari F1 mechanic. Anyone know if he's still around? That saint put  
up with me poking around his shop as a bored teenager and managed to  
teach me a bit in the process.

Sure does explain that little  red Sports Racer though. Now that I  
think about it, I'm pretty sure I have pics of it at SIR maybe as far  
back as '69.

Greg "Lunker" Hilyer
TR4 #314
Albuquerque NM


P.S. Tomorrow is Pi Day - 3/14
3.14 --- Pi, my Plum Pi's namesake number and Albert Einstein's  
birthday.