Early history of inliners

- by Herbert Devon “Herb” Hall

I was working solely with Charlie for nearly two years to get the Club started, before even Don came on the scene. I had done a financial projection for Charlie, to determine the break even point for the Club based on what Charlie and I were thinking about for potential dues at the time. We needed around 600 members or so - at then current dues.

The Club got rolling, and during the time Pat Dykes became Club President, we had slowed down in our growth pattern. Each year you lose or get new members, but we were sort of stalled. We needed to increase our membership to pay Club expenses. Charlie said he could not afford it, Don was not in a position to do more than he was already doing, which was a lot, and I was no longer able to assist financially as I had in the past, since I was getting married.

I came up with the first Membership Roster on Nov. 1983. The Club was then “officially” about 2-1/2 years old. We had enrolled 212 members but 27 had failed to renew, so our membership was 185. Below the break even point, financially.

The breakdown by state, of those 185 members is listed just below. We had already become “International” with members from Canada and also Australia! We also had a good diversity of states represented in the early membership.

STATES WITH (1) MEMBER WERE:
Alabama; Arkansas; Indiana; Massachusetts; Maine; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; North Carolina; South Dakota, Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Australia; British Columbia, Canada

STATES WITH (2) MEMBERS WERE:
Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Kansas; Montana; Nevada; New York; Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming; Ontario, Canada

STATES WITH MORE MEMBERS WERE:
Iowa 11 members; Maryland 9; Colorado 8; Washington 8; Illinois 6; Ohio 5; Connecticut 4; New Jersey 4; Oregon 4; Arizona 3; Michigan 3; Minnesota 3; Pennsylvania 3;
And last, but by no means least … California with 77 members (41.6% of the active membership).

HERE ARE SOME DATES FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CLUB:

- In the fall of 1980, Charlie ran an ad in “Hemmings Motor News,” announcing the new production of his 12 port head.

- The club officially started in issue #2, May 11, 1981.
(Issue #1 was March 1981).

- Gary Wise was named President in Jan. 1982, Vol. 2, Issue #1.

- Ray Hedstrom was named Treasurer in Sept. 1982, Vol. 2, Issue #5. Ray was a friend of Gary Wise.

- In May 1983, Vol 3, Issue #3, I was listed as Membership Chairman and also Treasurer.

- Jim Merritt followed me as both Membership Chairman and Treasurer when I needed to step down. Due to work and coming marriage in May of 1985. I stepped down on Dec. 15, 1984.

- Pat Dykes (who was briefly Membership Chairman), became President in May 1983, Vol. 3, Issue 3, and he served in that capacity until March / April of 1985.

Now back to the story:
Pat Dykes (#67) connected with Pat Ganahl (#128). Pat Ganahl was, as I recall, at one time, Editor of “Street Rodder” Magazine. I believe when Pat Dykes connected with him he was Senior Editor of “Hot Rod” magazine. There was a drag racing event in California and Pat Ganahl told me that he thought Pat Dykes was going to take over the whole event.

Pat Dykes was a powerhouse kind of guy and was very dedicated to Inliners. The event went off well. Then there was a small ... a few lines ... mentioning “Inliners” that appeared in “Hot Rod” Magazine. Some of you may remember that blurb in “Hot Rod.” This small mention in “Hot Rod” Magazine flooded my mailbox with inquiries about the Club. We shot up in membership rapidly as a result.

It was the efforts of Pat Dykes that got us mentioned in “Hot Rod” magazine… needed effort, at a critical time in the life of Inliners. This small mention in “Hot Rod” more than doubled our active membership and gave us the breathing space we so desperately needed, financially.

Then there were other articles in “Hot Rod” and other places that pushed the Club past our break even point and the Club has been going ever since.

I knew most of the guys that joined the club in the early days, having corresponded with them; wrote articles about them and for them, etc. In 1985, I got married and my life changed dramatically and I had to step down from my official positions and to cut back. I still helped the Club by writing some articles for another year or two and some later on. I no longer had the time a single guy has to work the 20-30 hours per week that the Club took in the early years, nor the money I put up to help the club get going. Later, for my commitment to the early Club, Charlie Baker made me the first ever “Lifetime Member.” By then it had been a 7 - 8 year commitment.

I am in my 74th year as I write this and my health is not what it used to be so. I have been unable to attend Conventions etc., for years due to family responsibilities, finances, and in last 15 years my handicaps made traveling difficult for me (if any distance away from home).

So there we are. The very early days of the Inliners Club. It was a wonderful time. I met and made numerous friends and I had a great time!

I still look forward to the Newsletter every couple of months and read it all the way through as I have always done. I feel privileged to have been a part of Inliners’ at the time of its birth and for so many years. A fabulous time it has been!

I have had the fun of owning some inline powered vehicles in my days. I first purchased (for $50) a 5 window, 4 speed, 1/2 ton Chevy pickup with a 216 (rust free from Colorado). Later I bought a ’53 Chevy 1/2 ton, 5 window, with 216 engine and a 3 speed. Then for just $10, got another 1950 Chevy 3 window (parts truck).

Over the years I have also owned a ’37 Plymouth; a ’39 Chevy pickup; a ’59 Chevy Bel Air, 2 door with an automatic tranny (bought from my older sister for $300). Also, had a 1965 Chevy II - which had a blown engine which we pulled out, and put in a 1963, 292 ci 165 hp inline six motor (I got from a junk yard from a pickup). Had a 1962 Dodge Dart with a slant six; a 1964 Ford Falcon. Owned 3 mid ‘70’s AMC Gremlins - I drove one, others were for parts. When I got my first V-8, it was a 1970 Chevy Biscayne, 4 door sedan and I drove it to work for years. I should have kept (hindsight always being 20/20) the Chevy II and the ’59 Chevy... and mostly, the rust free ’50 Chevy 5 window 4 speed. I still miss all of those.

At the urging of Luke Lucas I have put down a few of my fond memories of Inliners International. I guess I could write many more pages, as I have so many good memories of events and people. Inliners International has been one of the singular highpoints of my life. I consider it a privilege to have been a part of this organization as one of the founders of Inliners International... in the beginning before the Club was started, through the early years, then as we developed and grew to become a well established organization.

The Club was originally a vision of Charlie Baker. God Bless him and many others who helped to grow the Inliners Club. A very special thing was being a friend of Charlie Baker, Don Kincaid, Gary Wise, Pat Dykes and other Club Inliners.

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