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My Dad, Bill Horton, was a racer in
his youth and has been through a lot in his life. He
has overcome many ailments common to others his age,
including a heart transplant and the loss of a child.
Now, just before he turns 83 he has rebuilt his car...
Lord help us all!
His "JezeBelle" a Chrysler Powered 1940 Ford
Coupe, won World Comp “B” Gas in 1956 and
it is still a screamer today. The car has been restored
to the same condition it was in the last time it went
down the strip in 1959.
Our research has led us to believe that the original
motor was exchanged within a few months of purchase
with a Cadillac motor. Why someone would want to take
out a perfectly good motor and replace it with one twice
the horsepower in the bootlegging Carolina Hills is
beyond our understanding... Sort of...
In 1959, Dad garaged the car only to pull it out for
one washing in 1970. “Kids needed to eat more than
I needed a toy” was his reason. The car is a historical
beauty and along with a track record of races comes
a photo and mention in the November 1956 issue of Hot
Rod Magazine. Herman L. Davis raced the car from Northern
New York to Florida and back to Fort Worth, Texas never
losing a race. Shortly after this trip Mr. Davis painted
“JezeBelle” on the car and sold it to my Dad
who raced it for a few more years.
My Dad stayed away from dazzling paint and modern conveniences
in his restoration and opted to stay with the full 1957
race ready look, complete with the original paint. 90%
of the rust that is on the car is a paint effect done
to match the spots of natural rust here and there. If
“Rad Rods” had a Queen with tattered elegance...
JezeBelle is it !
The photos were taken at a local car show in Arlington
Texas. Bobby and Ruth Langley came by to say 'hello'
as did several of the pioneers of the day. My Dad and
Bobby are in one photos standing in front of JezeBelle.
Many stories were swapped of long hours and short money.
Most of these racers are in their 80’s now but
still held dear the memories of late nights working
on a friend's car who would be a competitor the next
day. Their stories of patchworked motors and “southern”
engineering made me wonder just how they made it to
80. But I now know that these early antics are why they
are still kicking at 80+.
You should see him impish grin and gleam in his eyes
when he starts it up and, well does just a bit more
than “Chirps” the tires. It’s good to
see an 82-year-old look 17 again.
Our search has led us on a few dead ends and now we
are trying to locate family members of Herman L. Davis,
old trophies and even older stories. We would appreciate
any information that would put us in touch with people
who could add to our story of JezeBelle...
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In presenting this the first edition
of the story of the owner of Jezebelle, it is hoped
that it will serve as a “fair warning” to
all!
83-year-old “farts” never grow up and never
get too old to play with their toys! Some 57 years ago
when the editor (Kelly Horton) was still very young,
she observed an “aged” white haired “child”
as he climbed out of his Dragster (with a little help,
you understand) and received his Trophy!
This is how it all began... In the mid to late 50’s,
a lifetime fascination for speed overtook Bill Horton.
Having been married for more than 10 years, the father
of daughters (Gwynne and Dana); Bill gave in to a desire
to own a “Race Car”, after the family began
attending the drags as a past time. Wasn’t long
before “need for speed” (but not in the family
auto) became so consuming, he now needed to fulfill
his desire and dreams of OWNING A RACE CAR. Attending
the “Drags” just wasn’t enough! As luck
would have it the “Car of Cars” became the
one to own! Herman L. Davis, well known on the North
Side of Fort Worth, as well as Texas, Oklahoma and California,
decided the buzz he received from racing was now a need
for flying! In the fall 1956, after Herman won “World
Champion” in the B Gas Class Competition at the
‘NHRA NATIONALS” in Kansas City, (along with
good friends Johnny Lovelean and Earl Dorris, “A”
Gas and “C” Gas World Champion of their class,
respectively), the Jezebelle was “up for sale”!
What a wonderful time to be living thought Bill and
the transaction began!
The “World of Drag Racing” had just begun
for the Horton family. Bill raced at the Guard Base,
Richland Hills Drag Strip and Caddo Mills and his need
for speed was now being satisfied, especially when receiving
a trophy for the effort, which was realized quite often!
Friendship with the other race drivers became a prized
possession. Drivers like Bobby Langley and his “SCORPION”
dragster, Ed Mabry, “Outhouse Mouse”, Bruce
Norman “Bald Eagle , Don Garlitz and his dragster
“Swamp Rat” only to name a few, were a welcome
sight each race day as they were all helpful to the
new kid on the block. Many have since passed away but
their memory lingers on in the Horton family. Drag racing
was now a regular past time, although the Sunday races
did not allow for attending church worship services.
As time went on the guilt became worse. Now with a baby
son, Kelly, and the excessive guilt of missing Sunday
worship, not to mention blowing up an engine near his
home, showering down to impress a friend, the Jezebelle
was put to rest for a while...
Or at least what he thought was a while... would you
believe... 50 plus years? That is a while, isn’t
it?
Resting comfortably in the barn, Jezebelle was almost
forgotten, what with the kids in school, football, baseball,
girly activities, graduations, weddings, grandchildren,
great grandchildren, and a host of other activities.
Traveling through our beautiful USA, Canada, Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island, and even Europe, then a heart
attack, followed soon after by a HEART TRANSPLANT! The
children never forgot Jezebelle, constantly reminding
Daddy that Jezebelle should be restored. “Daddy,
put her back so the public could see and enjoy her,
as well as our family. She just doesn’t belong
in the barn!”
In 2006, as the Hortons lost their middle child, Dana,
to ovarian cancer, they seemed to hear the echo of “Daddy
put her back together”, especially since Dana was
so verbal long prior to her death!
In the fall of 2009, Bill finally gave into the pressure
and began “ratting” through the barn for all
the parts and the procedure began taking shape.
In the summer of 2010, Jezebelle was shown at the neighborhood
car show on the Albertson’s parking lot on Little
Road near I20 and seemed to be a big hit. Then in September
2010, she was entered in the Good Guys Show at the Texas
Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Receiving many
favorable comments at the September Good Guys show,
Bill was encouraged to enter and show Jezebelle at the
37th Annual Motorama in Fort Worth, Texas where he won
First Place in his class, the Competition trophy and
Second Place in the PEOPLES CHOICE award.
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