14 replies to this topic

[lm/0/12/71/72]

I saw in the Butler Eagle where Dick Gill has passed away Dick is one of the first guys I helped when he had the old henry j # 770 with a big Mopar engine in it he kept it in Harrisville in  a garage where the FNB parking lot is now then he had a garage in Slippery Rock where he kept his Late Model. We had a lot of good times in the old days our prayers go out to Dick's family , time goes too fast.

[old man d]

Thoughts and Prayers to his Family. R.I.P. Dick.

[3799]

He also drove the Kodiak 0 modified.

[Walt Wimer]

Sad News!!   I hadn't seen Dick in years, but who can forget that Henry J with the big Chrysler motor he raced at Lernerville and Mercer in his early days!!  He had four wins at Lernerville and five at Clearfield and maybe some others.  In 1972 both Dick Gill and Turk Burkett won Late Model races at Clearfiled.   R.I.P. Dick Gill.

 

Walt

[lm/0/12/71/72]

You are right Mike he ran that car at Clearfield for the Grahams we usually parked  our cars beside them in the pits he ran both cars his 0 late model and their car Dick was a good driver he drove his race car from his dads used car garage in Slippery Rock there was Policeman across the road at a neighbors house and he just turned to the guy he was talking to and said I just didn't see that did I.

[cats442]

I remember him driving a light blue convertible #70 at Clearfield. Talked to him in the pits and what a nice approachable guy. I have a newspaper clipping of him winning in that car. RIP.

[REC]

The henry j car,  was there a character painted on it with maybe a spiked ball and chain??  or something close to that ???

[Walt Wimer]

I think maybe so, but not sure.

 

Walt

[FanJim24]

We were in the hospital at the same time at the end of October. He had some moments that had me suspecting he may not have long. I'm sorry to hear that he is gone. Based on the people that visited him and their conversations, he will be missed by many. 

Edited by FanJim24, 09 December 2017 - 08:32 PM.

[dhess71]

I am so sorry to hear we lost our old friend Dick (Bass) Gill. I can remember a lot of good times together, racing and other wise. We built the first Henry J together in a garage in Slippery Rock. It had a 308 Hudson in it and was originally painted green. After Dick rolled it over at Mercer we decided to change colors. Many, many good memories......

R.I.P. Dick....  my old friend.....

 

 

P.S. These my be the pictures of his old Henry J, you are talking about

Attached Files

•  DickGill_HenryJ2.jpg   543.64KB   24 downloads
•  DickGill_HenryJ3.jpg   543.96KB   7 downloads
•  DickGill_HenryJ4.jpg   475.11KB   8 downloads

[REC]

Great pics!    yes!  there is the character i remembered!!  thanks for posting!

[Walt Wimer]

Didn't he later put a big Chrysler engine in that Henry J???

 

Walt

[dhess71]

Walt,

The pics are of the 2nd Henry J.(Not the original) Dick built this around '66 or '67, I think. ( I was in the Service at the time) He claims it was a 383 but it could have been a 413 or 426 ????

In 1969 is when he built the Blue # 70 Plymouth with the 426 Hemi.

[Walt Wimer]

I got out of the Navy in early 1966 and returned to Butler, so maybe I didn't see the "original" car??

 

Walt

[Big Block 0]

I was able to find a few pictures of Dick Gill when he drove our car in the late 70's.  The one picture is of Dick and Kodiak.  Dick was a student of Dad's at Vale-Tech.  Sorry for the 2 sideways ones, I could not get them turned.   

 Dick Gill at Bedford Speedway 4th of July 1977 special.jpg   105.6KB   2 downloads  Dick Gill 1976 or 77 at Lernerville.jpg   135.13KB   4 downloads  Dick Gill 1976 or 77.jpg   160.32KB   2 downloads  Dick Gill drove for Kodiak 0 1978 - Purple Metal Flake.jpg   123.22KB   3 downloads  Dick Gills Late Model - Ron Buchanan in car at Clearfield.jpg   89.03KB   2 downloads  The Teacher and the Student at MotorDrome.jpg   137.51KB   5 downloads