Mike, Gary and DukeIf you belonged to a car club growing up in Toronto and surrounding area you probably crossed paths with the ‘Rodfather’. Duke (Derek) Brown and his brother Tony were founding members of the Roadmates Car Club which formed in 1956. Duke was the clubs only president from the beginning until his passing in 2016. We all have our Duke stories and over the course of the next couple of months I will share with you some of my favourites.
First how did I meet Duke; in 1961 the Igniters Rod and Custom Club of Oshawa held their second annual one day car show in the parking lot of the Oshawa Shopping Centre. Duke and myself were both showing our hot rods. Duke had a black primed Model A coupe and I had a black primed 34 Ford coupe. My coupe was part of the Kontinentals Rod and Custom Club display.
As it turned out we ended up in the same class: Unfinished Hot Rod. Yes, in those days they had classes for unfinished vehicles. The Igniters didn’t want the responsibility of judging the show and picking the award winners so they decided to use local City of Oshawa officials. The City of Oshawa mayor, Oshawa Chief of Police and the Oshawa Centre facilities manager. As it turned out I was awarded first in unfinished hot rod and Duke was runner up. It was obvious that a mistake had been made. So shortly after, Duke and I hooked up at the conclusion of the show and exchanged trophies. That was a start of a wonderful friendship between us. Of all of the cars in this show, there were 3 vehicles competing in this small outdoor show that went on to compete on the show circuit, win major awards, and appeared in the pages of the popular automotive magazine such as Hot Rod and Rod & Custom. Bud Pearce from Buffalo with his pickup “The 4Bees”, Ken Kay from Kitchener with “Seabreeze” and Ed Benetin from Oshawa with his 1931 Ford Roadster.
This chance meeting with Duke lead to us working together at the Speedsport Shows. We both became International Show Car Officials and traveled all across Canada and the United States. My first story on Duke takes place at the Cadillac House Hotel in Detroit and involves a suitcase. Stay tuned…
I would love to hear your Duke Brown experiences. Please comment below or email me at sled1949@rogers.com
For now,
Gary Challice
Keep on cruisin’ and smoozin’
TTFN
Arlene
There are a number of great Duke stories. Ignoring the beer drinking contests between the EtobiCams and Roadmates.
Here is one of my best. Duke and I lined up at a light on the Lakeshore He had the primered coupe and I was riding my single cylinder Matchless. The light turned and Duke smoked me so badly it was pitiful. I bought a bigger bike to no avail. When I started P.I. he and Tony were my first serious customers they bought a flywheel for the Brothers Brown Fiat.
We had a friendship of over 54 years. Many of us miss him and I think of him almost every day.
Bob McJannett
Please keep the Duke stories coming. He was one of the most generous men I have known. An inspiration to me and so many others.
Ronn Hughes
I had met Duke at many car shows in the early 1970s. In 1973, I was in Quebec City touring ‘Rudy’s Beauty’, a ’32 Ford highboy drag car. I was cleaning under the car when some guy started to pull my feet and drag me into the aisle…it was Duke…just saying hello 🙂