Span Inc.

[Chevy454]

Interesting... [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]

[Mr70]

As in Enron,Worldcom,Xerox,and now Span Inc.?
Et Tu Don Yenko. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[menmyfcs]

WOW. Lots of Dick Harrell talk these days. Dick Indeed worked for Bill Thomas.He later wanted to be more toward the midwest for the racing part of things. The timming was pretty good as the muscle car era was about at its peak.Dick not only being a very likeable person he also was very good at building a car that would perform as it should.
Don Yenko not being one to pass up a chance to have the best
choose Dick Harrell. Dicks love for fuel racing made him want more than to just build cars for others but to have a fleet of his own.The move to KC was for racing and his ties with Jim Tice at AHRA. I am speculating but also going on pretty good knowledge. Fred Gibb wanted a to build a muscle car program the ZL1 and who better than Dick Harrell. I have no doubt that even knowing any top people at GM that you were going to sell them on an idea with out a top name to put it together.As with all good projects it takes more than just one person to make it happen and you arent going to use Joe Dokes out in the back of your GM store.As time went on they made a great team and Dick got his dream.Dick Harrell Performance center.If you ever went to an AHRA race in the late 60s to early 70s you saw one hell of a lot of Fred Gibb and Dick Harrell cars.I am not sure Dick had the time to appreciate all of what he had built. I am sure of one thing. He would be proud of what it has become.
There is a story on how he ended up at Nickey etc.I just have to find it. Take Care all MenMyFcs

[Stefano]

Thanks for the info. When did Dick Harrell work "for" Bill Thomas? I would think that would have had to come prior to his days at Nickey Chevrolet. There are still quite a few people who do not believe Dick was employed by Nickey as no paper work, like an employment contract, or the Dead sea Scrolls has surfaced.

Did he ever work with Jim Spencer and perform Conversions for Span Inc./Yenko as has been told by urban legend.

Could Bill Thomas have been Dick's direct link to Nickey Chevrolet?

[hvychev]

WOW! great picture of Dick. Thanks for posting it MenMyFcs.

[menmyfcs]

I will have to do some reading and dig through what I have here.There is a story of times and places I just have to find it. Back then there were many aggrements just made on a hand shake. Give you an idea what kind of a guy he was.
They were at a match race in Pheonix Az. one nite.All the cars were in line to run. Dicks car was there but not Dick.
He was helping some kid with a stocker rebuild his trans and under it putting it in. They had to find him. He would help anyone.I am getting busy right now. Later I will post a few letters from people back then. I think the Nickey and Bill Thomas times worked hand in hand.I have read an article that made mention of that but I want more than just 1 artcile to be sure. Have a good day. MenMyFcs

[JoeC]

I believe Dick was working with/for Bill T in late 66 or early 67. Dick's daughter remembers living in CA. and riding horses there but was not sure of exact date. Joel Rosen told me he had been in CA and stopped in to the Bill T shop and met Bill and Dick there. Joel recalls it to be early 67 and he was very interested to see what they were up to.

[68TopStock]

menmyfcs,

That is one of the best pics of Dick I have ever seen. Here is a pic that may tie in to Dick's early days with Bill. I think this car is the "Bad Bascomb" Chevy II, but I may be wrong. I have discussed this elsewhere on this site, just can't remember when.

[Rat_Pack]

That black Chevy II is not Bad Bascomb. I had talked with Mr.Thomas about that car and he said that Dick never had a black one, it was always red. Then I showed him that exact same picture and he said that car must have been something that Dick had built after he wrecked Bad Bascomb. Until I showed him that picture he had never even known of the car. Dick did work in his shop while they built the 66 Chevy II funny car, but he was not a regular employee. Dick was a drag racer per Mr.Thomas. I asked how Dick got involved with Yenko & Nickey he said that he introduced Dick to the owners of Nickey one day and the rest was history. He never knew how Yenko was ever involved......................RatPack............. ..........

[menmyfcs]

The picture I have of the Black car says Retribution 2 on it.It was an earlier NovaI have posted an invoce on the other site from Dick to Yenko. dated 8-1-67. Like I said I will have to look into other paperwork I have here. Best I can tell Dick worked for Nickey from sometime in 65 till about early 67.I have just located a Magazine called Tach of Jan 67 claiming to be the 1st to show the Nickey 427 Camaro.If I can scan the article I will do it.Enjoy
Menmyfc. PS Hope we are not Judged on typing.