MTFCA Forum

I was reading some old posts from years ago, and wondered, what ever became of Fast Frank Harris ? He was a common fixture on here, kinda faded away after his racing pal Humble Howard Genrich passed away.

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Both Frank & son, Bill Harris have been absent for some time now - someone in the Longbeach Club should be able to shed some light on the matter.

I saw Bill at the swap meet. He said his dad might be able to come but I never saw him.

My Dad "Fast Frank" is doing well. He's almost 90 years young. Mom is right behind him. I haven't been on the Forum for a few years because we sold our Model T and now have a '31 Slant Window Model A Sedan. We still have other toys & belong to the Long Beach & Orange County Model T Clubs.
Bill Harris

That’s great, glad to hear he’s still ticking along.

We miss Frank.

Great to hear Frank is doing well. One of my greatest Model T memories was to be picked up from my Hotel at Anaheim by Frank and Howard to have a day out with them. I got to drive Howards lucky 7 down an LA freeway and enjoyed a treasured morning tea weekly catchup with Frank and Howard at a spectacular private car collection. Hopefully I will get to catch up with Frank again. Like others, his posts and participation here are missed.

Bill: Sorry to hear you no longer have your '15. Loved seeing it, and you, bopping around town. Glad to hear your dad is doing well!

I know that Fast Frank was having some health issues a couple/few years ago. I am very pleased to read that they are both still doing well!

From my Dad, Fast Frank:
Turned 90 and had two strokes. One on August 6th of last year took my eyesight out of the right side of both eyes. It is called hemianopia. The second one I just had three days after my 90th birthday this last September 25th. It is called (D) or (#6) Aphasia It's the best one to have if you have to have a stroke. I know what I what to say bet can't get the words out I have issues mainly with pronouncing vowels. We live in Long Beach so I sometime pronounce it as Lang Bitch much to Mary's dis-made. At time I stutter as I hunt for correcting pronunciation. None issue of one entire side of the muscles, dragging, listing as a child, the only issue is the speech and if I don't talks you would know that I had any stroke issue.

The best thing about it is that my brain still works and the eye sight is back to almost normal. Muscle coordination allows me to drive legally. I took special training with a bank of testing on a licensed instructor and strokes trainers technicians on a simulator and have in the care of a Neurology and medical Doctor along with the normal much of medicals who old folk follow around.

Number 22 is under the safe care in New Mexico and is doing what Model T Speeders are doing what Speeders ought to does.

Mary broke her pelvis last February and wend through over 80 days of healing. Dr. told me she would be in a wheel chair so I bought an elevator. That was less costly than selling our two stair 50 years home and paying and the capital gains losses and getting a one stairs homes place.

Wow Bill H! Thank you for the update! I can't remember when I first met your dad, but it must have been nearly fifty years ago. I went down to the Long Beach swap meet with Ed Archer and Larry Streeter and their wives a couple times. Ed introduced me to a lot of the Southern people on those trips. Humble Howard and your dad always treated me like a longtime close friend, and it has been a pleasure for me to know them both.
Given his age, and the tone of his comments, it sounds like your dad is doing well. That pleases me. I think of him often, and the Endurance Runs we shared.
Take care my friends!

Hi Bill,
I only had one real interaction with your dad. On a San Diego speedster run he had a rear freeze plug rust out and I worked with him until
after 10:00 Saturday night replacing it with a Nickle. Had to remove the intake & exhaust to get to it and had no gaskets to replace the old
ones. I'm 25 years your dads junior and I admired his tenacity to get the car ready for Sundays run. He is a real trooper and a inspiration to
all of us. Say high & give him a hug OK.
Craig.

I won an Ebay auction for a Rajo BB head and parts in October 2009. It turned out that Humble Howard Genrich was the seller!

Here is a photo of Humble and Fast Frank along with my treasure. The two gentleman drove up to San Jose, CA to personally deliver the parts to me.

Fine gentleman, indeed!

Now I just need some good advice and help building a killer engine to use the Rajo BB...and the BB-R and the Fronty S-R that I have.

Tom

Sounds like you need 3 chassis to go with your 3 engines.

Dave, I have basically everything I need to build three more speedsters. What I need are recommendations for engine builder is Nor Cal.