Larry DeChants #100 Modified - Auto Racing Memories

superstroke · 05-22-2009, 07:33 AM

In November 1972, Chris Ertler purchased from Clarence Krieger, the former Larry DeChant modified #100. Chris would rebuild this car, and return to Lakesides 1/5th mile oval as #93. The 1931 Chevy, raced at both Lakeside and Englewood Speedways with Larry DeChant at the wheel.

Photograph courtesy of the Chris Ertler collection.

webby · 05-22-2009, 09:16 AM

Ha! Check out the oriental style lettering. You don't see that too often on a race car.

lakeside #29 · 05-22-2009, 01:54 PM

Thank you Rick, At the time I bought this car it had been sitting outside Clarence Krieger's "Racer's Roost" shop in Greeley, Co. for quite awhile. The color was pale blue with red numerals and the sponsor name in black. Other than the aluminum deck lid and hood being beat up from being out in the weather the body was perfect. The frame was also in great shape. The car had never been bent up so it was a good start. It still had a closed driveline Chevy rear end and no engine or transmission. The left rear brake was off a Buick, a '54 Roadmaster according to the junkyard paint pen markings. It also had a Buick brake on the right front some unknown Mopar brake on the left. The roll cage was first class and it was set-up with cross steering, I think off a '53 Ford. There was even a bucket seat made from and oil drum and a tractor seat. It was really well made. Chuck Kacin liked that seat so much that I gave it to him and he used it in his figure 8 car.
Larry DeChant didn't remember what year the car was built, but one night at his shop he dug out old photo albums and had photos of it. He said that he, Rich Perry, and Paul Perry put the car togehter in a couple of weeks. In his words, "We didn"t spead too much time on it." When the season was over at Lakeside they put a smallblock Chevy engine in it and ran the dirt at CNS in an open comp show. They blew the spider gears in the rearend. That may have been 1965. Larry got a real big kick out of us rebuilding his old car and was very complimentary of the finished car. It was a priviledge to be around him, he was quite a man.

Chris Ertler

VintageBuzz · 05-22-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakeside #29

Thank you Rick, At the time I bought this car it had been sitting outside Clarence Krieger's "Racer's Roost" shop in Greeley, Co. for quite awhile.
Chris Ertler

Hey Chris! Clarence Krieger is quite the character. Greg Cederburg & I drank a lot of beer with Clarence at his "Racer's Roost" in Greeley and down at the NASCAR races in Phoenix at PIR. Clarence built some great race cars over the years. In the early 70's, Greg bought a '64 Chevy II late model from Clarence and raced it at Intermoutain Speedway in Cheyenne and at Century 21 in Denver. There's a photo of Clarence with his helmet on backwards and his false teeth hangin out of his mouth. I'll have to track that down and post it. ~VB

lakeside #29 · 05-22-2009, 03:28 PM

Buzz, You've got it right about Clarence being a character. I don't know anybody they enjoyed what they did more than Clarence. We pitted next to him at Lakeside. If you needed help he was right there. His pitmen were good guys too. I remember drinking "Moonshine" with him that he got his hands on
someplace, I'm talking the real deal in a Mason jar. Those were some good days.

Chris Ertler

schafer1 · 10-23-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakeside #29

Buzz, You've got it right about Clarence being a character. I don't know anybody they enjoyed what they did more than Clarence. We pitted next to him at Lakeside. If you needed help he was right there. His pitmen were good guys too. I remember drinking "Moonshine" with him that he got his hands on
someplace, I'm talking the real deal in a Mason jar. Those were some good days.

Chris Ertler

we used to pit by the tiger also,he would smoke a cigar while hotlapping, and chase bud with tq after the evenings finally, we would see who got the worm? it was usually Clarence!!!

parrot · 10-26-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webby

Ha! Check out the oriental style lettering. You don't see that too often on a race car.

Timely thread! Just last week I ran across some photos that I didn't remember having, including this one. (Gotta get organized some day) That oriental style number is probably what made Dechant's cars some of my favorites over the years. First saw it on a blue '32 Chevy 3 window, I think it was in 1955. I took the photo below from someone's scrapbook at one of the reunions of what I'm guessing is the same car, only a few years earlier. The sponsor matches up with the 1959 Lakeside program. Is this the light blue version? I like that combination, red numbers on light blue. Curiously, in a Beans Alexander collection photo from the old CRM site, in the background can be seen a two door version of #100. It's sitting behind the Fred Henning driven #61 from about the same time frame, if anyone happens to have that. Don't remember a two door at all. Like to find a better photo. Anyway, this '31 coupe looks to have a pretty straight body and it seems to have stayed that way with Chris' #29. Nice survivor.

Jerry Lee · 10-26-2009, 02:10 PM

In 1961 there was a twin car to Larry's #100. Ken McDonald drove the #103 which had the same oriental style numbers. It was sponsored by Adams City Rexall Drug Store (remember those?), and I think Ken was an in-law or something to Larry Dechant. If I can ever find the picture and article I will post it.

lakeside #29 · 11-11-2009, 06:29 PM

I'd like to make a point of clarification. The #100 I bought from Clarence Krieger was a '31 Chevy. It is not the same car that's in the picture that Parrot put up, that car was a '32. That car preceeded mine by a few years. The front of the top on a '31 is cut off blunt to accept a sunvisor (which was removed on the car I bought). The front of the top on a '32 is rounded. Larry Dechant told me that the car I owned had been a new car when built and that they had not spent a lot of time on it. Sadly the body of the car which was my #93 was damaged in a wreck and I didn't the have skill or the money to fix it and it went to the shreader. It was replaced with a '31 Chevy 3-window that I bought from Clarence for $50.00. The body on my current #29 is a '32 that had been on Mr. Krieger's last #83. I acquired #83 in 1979. The only thing I have left from #100 is the frame rails.

parrot · 11-11-2009, 10:21 PM

Chris, that's a keen eye you have there. I should have caught it, but from that rear angle I just didn't look closely enough. Thanks for clearing that up.

05-22-2009, 01:54 PM	#3
lakeside #29 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wheat Ridge, Colo Age: 69 Posts: 445	Re: Larry DeChants #100 Modified Thank you Rick, At the time I bought this car it had been sitting outside Clarence Krieger's "Racer's Roost" shop in Greeley, Co. for quite awhile. The color was pale blue with red numerals and the sponsor name in black. Other than the aluminum deck lid and hood being beat up from being out in the weather the body was perfect. The frame was also in great shape. The car had never been bent up so it was a good start. It still had a closed driveline Chevy rear end and no engine or transmission. The left rear brake was off a Buick, a '54 Roadmaster according to the junkyard paint pen markings. It also had a Buick brake on the right front some unknown Mopar brake on the left. The roll cage was first class and it was set-up with cross steering, I think off a '53 Ford. There was even a bucket seat made from and oil drum and a tractor seat. It was really well made. Chuck Kacin liked that seat so much that I gave it to him and he used it in his figure 8 car. Larry DeChant didn't remember what year the car was built, but one night at his shop he dug out old photo albums and had photos of it. He said that he, Rich Perry, and Paul Perry put the car togehter in a couple of weeks. In his words, "We didn"t spead too much time on it." When the season was over at Lakeside they put a smallblock Chevy engine in it and ran the dirt at CNS in an open comp show. They blew the spider gears in the rearend. That may have been 1965. Larry got a real big kick out of us rebuilding his old car and was very complimentary of the finished car. It was a priviledge to be around him, he was quite a man. Chris Ertler Last edited by lakeside #29; 05-22-2009 at 04:48 PM.

05-22-2009, 03:28 PM	#5
lakeside #29 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wheat Ridge, Colo Age: 69 Posts: 445	Re: Larry DeChants #100 Modified Buzz, You've got it right about Clarence being a character. I don't know anybody they enjoyed what they did more than Clarence. We pitted next to him at Lakeside. If you needed help he was right there. His pitmen were good guys too. I remember drinking "Moonshine" with him that he got his hands on someplace, I'm talking the real deal in a Mason jar. Those were some good days. Chris Ertler

05-22-2009, 07:33 AM	#1
superstroke Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Thornton, Colorado Age: 65 Posts: 503	Larry DeChants #100 Modified In November 1972, Chris Ertler purchased from Clarence Krieger, the former Larry DeChant modified #100. Chris would rebuild this car, and return to Lakesides 1/5th mile oval as #93. The 1931 Chevy, raced at both Lakeside and Englewood Speedways with Larry DeChant at the wheel. Photograph courtesy of the Chris Ertler collection. Attached Thumbnails

05-22-2009, 09:16 AM	#2
webby Administrator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lakewood, Colorado Age: 52 Posts: 1,058	Re: Larry DeChants #100 Modified Ha! Check out the oriental style lettering. You don't see that too often on a race car. Follow ARM on Twitter \| Like ARM on Facebook Rat Rods, Old school Muscle cars. Advertising on Auto Racing Memories

10-26-2009, 02:10 PM	#8
Jerry Lee Resident Rocker Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Golden, CO. Posts: 820	Re: Larry DeChants #100 Modified In 1961 there was a twin car to Larry's #100. Ken McDonald drove the #103 which had the same oriental style numbers. It was sponsored by Adams City Rexall Drug Store (remember those?), and I think Ken was an in-law or something to Larry Dechant. If I can ever find the picture and article I will post it.

11-11-2009, 06:29 PM	#9
lakeside #29 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wheat Ridge, Colo Age: 69 Posts: 445	Re: Larry DeChants #100 Modified I'd like to make a point of clarification. The #100 I bought from Clarence Krieger was a '31 Chevy. It is not the same car that's in the picture that Parrot put up, that car was a '32. That car preceeded mine by a few years. The front of the top on a '31 is cut off blunt to accept a sunvisor (which was removed on the car I bought). The front of the top on a '32 is rounded. Larry Dechant told me that the car I owned had been a new car when built and that they had not spent a lot of time on it. Sadly the body of the car which was my #93 was damaged in a wreck and I didn't the have skill or the money to fix it and it went to the shreader. It was replaced with a '31 Chevy 3-window that I bought from Clarence for $50.00. The body on my current #29 is a '32 that had been on Mr. Krieger's last #83. I acquired #83 in 1979. The only thing I have left from #100 is the frame rails. Chris Ertler - "professor coupe"

11-11-2009, 10:21 PM	#10
parrot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Age: 80 Posts: 327	Re: Larry DeChants #100 Modified Chris, that's a keen eye you have there. I should have caught it, but from that rear angle I just didn't look closely enough. Thanks for clearing that up.