CAR HISTORY

The Golden Rocket By: Leon Daniels
November 2006:
 
The “Golden Rocket“, which was nicknamed by the local press, was built in the winter of 1963-64 in Blackfoot Idaho. It was built by Gary Hill and several of his friends from plans purchased from CAE (Culbert Automotive Engineering) in San Diego California. The frame was made from chrome moly tubing and was gas welded. The car had many new racing parts of that time rather than automotive parts from the salvage yards. The first race for the Rocket was in the spring of 1964 with Gary Hill as the driver. The Rocket won the track championships in 1964 and 1965 in South Eastern Idaho. Gary Hill was killed in a non-racing auto accident on June 13th 1966 while driving to work. The Rocket was then sold to the Roy Lacey Sr. family of Pocatello Idaho later that year. Their son Jerry drove it for a few years and then it was never drove again as far as I know. It was picked apart and sold several times in the next 25 years. I started looking for the Rocket in 2003 and finally found it in May of 2004. There was not much left of it, just a bare frame and front axle. The current owner was Tom Hale of Blackfoot Idaho who had purchased it at a local salvage yard in 1995 and was going to make a street rod out of it. He didn’t want to sell it to me at first but after I told him I wanted to restore it back to original condition he decided to sell. Tom’s father worked for Gary Hill in the mid 60’s while the car was being built and raced. Tom said he remembered his father would set him in the Rocket when he came to see his father at work when he was a little boy. I worked for Gary Hill for a few years while I was in high school and also after I graduated. Gary was probably one of the people that were responsible for my involvement in racing. That is one of the reasons I wanted to restore the Rocket and also it was a one of a kind racecar. It was set up like a sprint car but had the engine and drive train offset 4 inches to the left.

Leon Daniels