go moon ^ with SUCCESS NEVER HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT. It certainly requires a bit of luck, but it mainly depends upon a strong synergy between personal skills and general circumstances. In or words, it requires passion, talent and hard work within a dedicated environment. Dean Moon had everything that it takes: he was an acknowledged mechanic, a good engineer, a hot rod pioneer and a clever person. Mostly a clever person, one might say. He lived in heyday of hot rodding, and he was also one of its pioneers. He had a good feeling for general circumstances. Working with m (and sometimes creating m) came naturally to him. STORY AND PICTURES BY LAURENT BAGNARD HTTP://WWW.COOLNOUT.COM 60 61
part one AS A TEENAGER AND MEMBER OF Hutters Car Club in Sourn California, he earned a good reputation in 40s as a mechanic in heyday of hot rodding. While still in high school, he had inspired idea of creating a fuel block: a simple aluminum block with one input and two outputs, enabling fuel pump to feed two carburetors instead of one. Simple, practical and clever, this finned accessory became a significant technical upgrade in flourishing world of hot rodding and made Dean and his future company famous worldwide, from that hazy post-war day onwards. An active member of local scene, he spent time at various drag races under Hutters banner in search of excitement, speed records, recognition and Sunday evening fame. Back n he was working at Urich-Gibbs Ford dealership in Whittier, California. He drew up plans of a nicely shaped aluminum-cast gas pedal that held foot of racer in place when accelerating, an accessory that became an immediate success. In late 40s he set up Moon Automotive Company in Norwalk, CA (behind his far s Moon s Cafe), which became quickly a major player in racing field. There he created a new product that would help company take off: Moon Disc. The quest for speed not only required a strong engine and a light car, but also streamlined bodies. Getting rid of fenders on early hot rods was a clever move: running without fenders, a hot rod loses weight, gains power, and streamlined coefficient. Installing streamlined hubcaps certainly helped too, especially when made of lightweight aluminum. Cleverly engineered to fit all rims, and available not only in all popular sizes but also in custom sizes, Moon Disc soon became a must have. By 1955, Dean established his new headquarters at 10830 Norwalk Blvd, Santa Fe Springs, CA. Moon Automotive Company turned into Moon Equipment Company. About same time Disney left its Burbank studios and expanded its activities by opening first Disneyland me park in Anaheim, a couple of miles away from Santa Fe Springs. Dean hired a Disney artist to create timeless Eyeballs Logo, associated with a bright yellow color soon to be nicknamed Moon Yellow. At time, Detroit was offering new technologies: flaad era was on way out and overhead Chevy and Mopar Hemi engines would soon rule drag strips. (*) In 1957, Dean Moon, teaming up with Wally Parks and Hot Rod Magazine, took a brand new Plymouth Savoy to Daytona. The car was modified at Moon s shop (engine swapped for a 389 Hemi built by Tony Capana, Hillborn injection and Headman headers were added, plus a special belly pan). It sported Moon Discs and a Moon Weekend Warrior Tank, and it was towed to Daytona where it achieved an amazing speed of 166 mph on gas. Afterwards Savoy was brought to Bonneville and made a 183 mph return run: an all-time record for a nearly stock American full-size car. As backyard building faded into history, thirty year-old man turned bright dream that he had nurtured in his mind into reality, bringing a project born out of a decade of involvement in hopped-up scene to fruition. In 1959, Dean Moon decided to invest in a show and go car to be built with a Devin SS fiberglass body. The Devin-bodied Moonbeam was built for dragster races with Bonneville as a target. Construction began in Santa Fe Springs facility and Harley Kientz built tubular chassis. The mechanical solutions integrated into car were, for most part, borrowed from hot rod world: rear end was a 1950 Mercury, with an added Hallibrand QuickChange center section. The brakes were 48 Lincoln-Bendix in front, and 50 Merc-Bendix in back. The engine was a 1957 291 ci V8 Chevrolet, in fact a 283 ci, bored.060, topped with 58 Chevy truck heads. A Hillborn injection setup and a GMC supercharger mated to a Potvin manifold helped power plant to reach 400 hp on gas. The fiberglass body was painted 56 Ford Golden Glow Yellow, a color that would grace all of forthcoming Moon vehicles. Moon wasn t really into creating speed parts and did not expand his mechanical abilities to become a speed specialist like Edelbrock. He maintained his position as a top ranking supplier of accessories and struck out into new territory of marketing, exploiting his logo in any way that he could (stickers, tee-shirts, shirts, bathing towels, etc.), creating a lifestyle that became part of youth culture. But he was still deeply involved in drag racing and a major actor in global Car Culture that was widely regarded as a Californian phenomenon. 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fill out to ID photos. Captions for photos (left) caption info to come (left) caption info Captions for photos fill out to ID photos. Captions for photos (left) caption info to come (left) caption info Captions for photos fill out to ID photos. Captions for photos (left) caption info to come to come fill out to ID photos. pany was promoting and selling. It was immediately hailed by press and public as a clever Quarter Mile Bench Test. In 1961, car s first score on a ¼ mile was 147 mph in 10.29 seconds; both press and public were astonished. In September 1963, Brighton Speed Trial welcomed dragsters for first time in English (and EU) automotive history. Mooneyes blew away borders of drag racing, and made it popular in rest of free world. By n, little yellow rocket on wheels was sold to famous model-kit company Revell for demonstration purposes. It was a very smart move: Moon, and Mooneyes, was now really famous worldwide. As stated in a 1963 Model Science Magazine: Remember, Dean Moon s equipment without Mooneyes is like love without kisses. Don t forget decals. No one ever did. In 1964, Moonbeam won records, greatest achievement being Winner Overall, Brighton Speed Trials. The bright yellow Chevy-powered Moonbeam was first American to 64 65
win speed trials in September 1964. His top speed over 440 yards was 145 mph in 10.4 seconds. Moon s name was to become famous worldwide in automotive world for next two decades. Or nearly... part two SUCCESS MAY INDEED REQUIRE A BIT OF LUCK, but it definitely requires passion, talent and hard work within a dedicated environment. Dean Moon had everything it took to make it in post WWII days, but as he was aging, his company was in decline. Times had (unfortunately) changed. In 1978, a young Japanese student named Shige Suganuma settled down in Costa Mesa as it was very close to Orange County International Raceway. He was officially studying business, but was re also for drag racing. The tracks were only twenty minutes by freeway, so he and his friend Chico Kodama were at races every weekend. That s about time he first met Dean Moon, as he was looking for parts for his 69 Camaro. In 1983 he got married and worked for Disney in Japan; he came back to Santa Fe Springs again, in need of Moon Discs for his bror in law. He returned to Japan with two sets, and soon twelve car guys in Tokyo ordered some from him. He called Moon and ordered m directly from him. Later, Dean Moon himself called Shige to offer him twelve more sets at an affordable price... and that s how company not only changed hands shortly afterwards, but also was saved from oblivion and restored to more than its original glory. In 86, Shige resigned from Disney (**) and opened his first shop in Japan, selling US aftermarket parts that Dean would buy for him in California. In 1987 Dean Moon passed away. His wife Shirley took over company but gave up after two years so Shige decided to buy company. I wanted to buy everything Dean had owned shop, business, everything. And family wanted to sell everything, so that s what happened. I bought everything I could, from last remaining piece of paper to famous and coveted logo, Shige reminisced. Shirley passed away in 1990, and company was closed for two years, totally closed. No one could enter, except family. It was a ghost town. It was terrible. Shige s mission was to restore shop and reputation to its former glory, so he carefully collected every historical artifact he could find, cleaned up and repaired everything that needed it, and waited until 92 to re-open shop and actively take part in automotive life of Sourn California. 66 67
During two years while shop was closed, I paid salaries to Fred Larsen and Bill Jenks because I needed m to come back and work for us, shares Shige. They were legendary for Moon, very important guys for us. So I met m, and asked m wher y could work for us or not. Luckily, y said yes. (***) Shige wanted to stick with 50s and 60s spirit, both in California and in his native city of Yokohama. Following Dean s original motivation, he was offering same speed parts and accessories Moon had offered in its heyday, and was covering all lifestyle needs in terms of clothing and stickers. He managed to keep Santa Fe shop and preserved this landmark in hot rod world, He also started to involve company in automotive events; drag racing to start with, followed by a high-quality Hot Rod and Custom show in Yokohama, Japan. The Yokohama show opened door of American Car Culture to many Japanese enthusiasts, and good word of car and bike modifications began to spread to rest of world as well. The annual Mooneyes Xmas Party still happens nearby its Santa Fe headquarters each year as well. The Mooneyes story is twice an example of American Dream: it is both a human interest story and a business story. It s story of kid who made a fuel block and ended up being a reference in automotive world. But it s also a tale of torch-bearer who took business a step furr with two major shows in America and Japan and built a worldwide distribution network, garnering an attitude of respect towards hot rodding and California Car Culture. Success can t happen without passion, and certainly cannot remain for decades without it. Go with Moon! *The basic available power went from 125 hp for a stock 24 stud 1952 Mercury flaad to 162 hp for a stock 265 ci 1955 Turbo Fire small-block Chevy. A 1955 331 ci Chrysler was topping 250hp **The first Disney foreign amusement park was built in Tokyo, Japan. ***Fred owned a famous blue Streamliner called Larsen & Cummins Streamliner which raced at Bonneville. He set a record every decade until 2003. MOONEYES had sponsored him since 1989, until his last race in 2003. You still can see his Streamliner in National Hot Rod Association Museum in Pomona, and can still hear his record-setting motor at Bonneville because his motor is still alive in Chico s #533 Modified Roadster Race Car. Bill had worked for POTVIN Cam back in 60s. He came to Moon after Dean bought POTVIN Company. He was a master of camshafts and aluminum welding. 68 69