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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Born in England, Tony Thacker grew up loving automobiles. Heck, in 1950s England, there was not much else to love. It was gray skies, gray cars, and gray faces. However, somebody on his paper route subscribed Hot Rod magazine, and Tony was exposed to red and yellow cars and the clear blue skies of California.

It took a long time to get there, but eventually, as an accredited automotive journalist, author, and book publisher, he made the move to the Golden State to work for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the trade association for the automotive performance industry. There, as editor of SEMA News, he learned the secret of networking and met everybody from George H. W. Bush to bearded ZZ Top front man, Billy F Gibbons.

After eight years and several positions at SEMA, Tony realized a dream to launch his own auto book publishing company. However, when he had nine books under his belt, a call from legendary racer Alex Xydias caused him to shelve the books and become marketing director at the famed SO-CAL Speed Shop.

At SO-CAL, Tony was instrumental in launching the company’s influential clothing line as well as numerous other products. Meanwhile, he and partner Jimmy Shine rebuilt a 1929 Model A Ford to go 200 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats, where they set a record at 206.454 mph.

A call from General Motors initiated SO-CAL’s return to the Bonneville Salt Flats almost 60 years after the company had set numerous land speed records there. Over a period of six years General Motors and SO-CAL set even more land speed records.

Thacker’s recognition in the hot rod field initiated a call from Wally Parks, founder of the National Hot Rod Association, and an offer to run the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California. Within three years, Tony and his small team were able to turn the ailing not-for-profit into a viable and active international destination.

As exciting as that task was, Tony received an offer in 2012 that he couldn’t refuse: to move to Portland, Oregon, to help plan and build a new educational motorsports museum. The World of Speed opened April 24, 2015. The experiential edutainment venue uses the excitement of motorsports to educate young people about career possibilities in the auto and motorsports industries.

After successfully opening the World of Speed, Tony retired and moved back to Los Angeles. Even in retirement, however, he is as busy as ever, consulting for a number of clients and back in front of a computer working on his first love, book projects.

Around 2000, Mike Herman started at H&H Flatheads, where Tony Thacker really admired his drive, energy, and marketing savvy, as he always worked hard to get the H&H name to the forefront. Mike’s grandfather Max Herman Sr. and his father, Max Herman Jr. founded the company. They started in their current location in 1972 rebuilding T, A, B, and V-8 flathead engines, and their reputation continues worldwide. Since Mike took over the V-8 flathead side of the business in 2002, he has built and shipped more than 1,200 engines, more or less two every week.

Even in the early days, Mike was quick to see the potential, and as industry founders such as Barney Navarro, Al Sharp, and Ken Austin retired from active business, he purchased their assets and diligently put their innovative products back into production. In most cases, when he could, he used the original pattern makers and the original foundries. And although his degree is in management and marketing, he knows every job in the shop, from sweeping the floor to management and machining the blocks, his work ethic and techniques instilled by his knowledgeable father.