Spam, Friends Fuel Gasoline Alley Garage

click on photos to expand
(top)
Numerous Gasoline Alley businesses came together to rebuild this 1949 Ford F-100.

(middle)
A teardrop trailer under construction.

(above)
Linder also finds time to label and sell hot sauce products.

Photos by Jay Thompson
(posted Nov 8)

Many people may remember Jim Linder as Speedway's street department mechanic in the 1970s. Since then, Linder has turned his mechanical talents and knowledge into a multi-faceted operation spanning three businesses occupying two buildings on Gasoline Alley.

Linder describes his operation as "three worlds." His favorite world is Bubba's Garage, where he restores cars into hot rods. He carried the name Bubba with him as a reminder of his Tennessee roots.

The walls of Bubba's Garage are lined with memorabilia from the past; AM only radios with knobs, car parts that require tools instead of a laptop and USB cable, posters for cars that had more metal in them than a battleship. "I tell my wife people break in here at night and leave stuff."

Every Wednesday evening, club members meet at Bubba's. Linder hosts a "Spam O' Rama" twice a year, where members find various ways to prepare the canned meat that is staple on Boy Scout camping trips. One year they went through 61 cans of Spam, somewhat reminiscient of the famous Viking skit on Monty Python's Flying Circus.

The shops are clean and well organized. "All of the stuff I hated when working for someone else, I don't do."

Linder shares his mechanical knowledge by teaching conferences nationwide and in Canada. Students from around the country travel to Gasoline Alley to attend his Guru School. He stresses it's only for serious technicians. The course is sold out a year in advance.

Changes in engine technology gave Linder a chance to start in the fuel injector business. Carburetors were phased out by 1991 and replaced by fuel injection. "I couldn't find a carburetor to teach the class" while he was an instructor at Lincoln Technical Institute. His fuel injector repair service includes a life time warranty for $24.95. Fuel injectors become clogged with debris, so Linder and his staff remove contaminants, most often the result of dirty gasoline, by ultrasonic cleaning. Over half of his business comes from out of state, including operating Valvoline's nationwide Fuel Injection Products Hotline.

Every day at noon he closes up shop for a one hour lunch break. Employees can eat in the kitchen or go out for lunch, but must follow one rule: no shop talk.

In addition to restoring cars, Linder restored a Teardrop Trailer complete with oak interior. Since then, he has built 27 replicas. The trailer, made by Kit Manufacturers, was popular in the late 1940s. He explained two people can sleep comfortably in the 690 pound sleeper because its dimensions are just four inches short of a full size bed. Other features include stove, ice box and propane tank for cooking.

He has also raced a truck at the Bonneville Salt Flats five times and just was few miles per hour off the record. Linder plans to return next year with a bigger engine. "The record for the flathead powered production truck is 101 mph and we have run 97.6 mph a few times. The problem with the salt flats is the elevation and air density. We seem to loose about 20 % of available horsepower at that elevation."

He also participates in the Newport Antique Auto Hill Climb in Newport, Indiana in his Model T he calls "Simple T". Speeds are not recorded at Newport because it is a timed event. "We ran a 30 second time. Another interesting part of the Newport Hill Climb is that only the model Ts may be modified in any way. All other cars must run stock."

"The unusual thing about the Simple T is that we ran the hill and then drove the car to Morris, Illinois." Linder racked up 464 miles on the Simple T driving to the Hunnert Car Pileup the following weekend.

The Chevrolet Brothers started the hill climb in 1922. The Newport Lions Club has operated the three-day event for the last 40 years. He said it's an event that everyone needs to see.

Linder also promotes Bubba's Garage and Newport Hill Climb with his hot sauce label. He labels about 600 bottles a year to sell to help offset some expenses.