Howard Jones
Supporter
My friend Bud Jones finished the race on Feb 15th in Livermore California. He was 91 and is survived by his wonderful wife Joanie and his childern.
I met Bud when I was looking to build a hot rod. I had decided to do something different and put the engine where it belongs in the midengine posistion. My first thought was to do a 914 Porsche and a Mazda rotory and sufing the internet to figure out how to do that I found out that there were GT40 kitcars, In those days only GTD and ERA's. ERA's were $50K no gearbox, headers, etc and GTDs were about $35k but you got everything less the engine.
AND when I looked into how to buy a GTD kit, low and behold there was a guy named Bud Jones in Livermore California. Livermore is two freeway exits from my house in San Ramon and his phone number was on the listing. So I pick up the phone and call him right then and there. We meet at his house the next day, he gives me a ride in his GTD, showes me two kits in his garage, and I deside I need a GT40. I ask him to give me a day to raise cash in the market and two or three days later I have a GTD kit in my garage, and a firend for life.
12 years later and after he has become my mentor and best friend "Betty" my GT40 needs to go to the track for the first time and Bud takes me to Thunderhill in N California for my first virgin track day on his trailer. I didn't have a trailer yet. Ya I was HOOKED!!!!! That day changed my life. Bud Jones changed my life. I loved him like a father and his wife like a mom. What a wonderful friendship..
I met so many people becasue of that GT40. I had several GT40 parties at my house. One day I had 12 GT40s parked out in front of my house. We also started going down the Willow Springs twice a year to run the big Willows track with COCOC. Cobra Owners Club of Orange County. Waht a wonderful groupe of Car guys.
Some of the Pictures are from Willows. The one with the three GT40s is one. Bud in the front. Rollin in the middle and me in the rear. That day was really something, People were lined up waving their hats and the beer drinkin lasted a bit longer that day. The other one in front of my house all have bud in them. Hes the tall guy with the black shirt and hat. The one with my daughter (red shirt and hat) in the forground is buds 70th birthday cruse. Thats him standing next to his GT40. Hell that was 21 years ago.............................
God Bless ya Bud.
I met Bud when I was looking to build a hot rod. I had decided to do something different and put the engine where it belongs in the midengine posistion. My first thought was to do a 914 Porsche and a Mazda rotory and sufing the internet to figure out how to do that I found out that there were GT40 kitcars, In those days only GTD and ERA's. ERA's were $50K no gearbox, headers, etc and GTDs were about $35k but you got everything less the engine.
AND when I looked into how to buy a GTD kit, low and behold there was a guy named Bud Jones in Livermore California. Livermore is two freeway exits from my house in San Ramon and his phone number was on the listing. So I pick up the phone and call him right then and there. We meet at his house the next day, he gives me a ride in his GTD, showes me two kits in his garage, and I deside I need a GT40. I ask him to give me a day to raise cash in the market and two or three days later I have a GTD kit in my garage, and a firend for life.
12 years later and after he has become my mentor and best friend "Betty" my GT40 needs to go to the track for the first time and Bud takes me to Thunderhill in N California for my first virgin track day on his trailer. I didn't have a trailer yet. Ya I was HOOKED!!!!! That day changed my life. Bud Jones changed my life. I loved him like a father and his wife like a mom. What a wonderful friendship..
I met so many people becasue of that GT40. I had several GT40 parties at my house. One day I had 12 GT40s parked out in front of my house. We also started going down the Willow Springs twice a year to run the big Willows track with COCOC. Cobra Owners Club of Orange County. Waht a wonderful groupe of Car guys.
Some of the Pictures are from Willows. The one with the three GT40s is one. Bud in the front. Rollin in the middle and me in the rear. That day was really something, People were lined up waving their hats and the beer drinkin lasted a bit longer that day. The other one in front of my house all have bud in them. Hes the tall guy with the black shirt and hat. The one with my daughter (red shirt and hat) in the forground is buds 70th birthday cruse. Thats him standing next to his GT40. Hell that was 21 years ago.............................
God Bless ya Bud.
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