One of the great things about a company like Eastwood is the people we get to work with. One of those people was the legendary Gene Winfield. We were sad to get the news on March 4th that Gene passed away at the age of 97.
Eastwood’s nascent video team connected with Gene at a SEMA show more than a decade ago. Matt Murray, who was the face of the company’s early creative content efforts, really connected with Gene and got to know him well. Matt helped bridge Gene’s talents and experiences with a new generation of builders through a series of instructional videos. Eventually, Gene even hosted on-site classes at our Pennsylvania headquarters.
Nine years ago, I witnessed grown men attending one of his classes here, giddy like kindergartners on their first day. Most of these guys had worshiped Gene’s work in their youth. They were now standing in awe and disbelief as they worked alongside their hero in our workshop.
Already in his late 80s at that point, he was still remarkably sharp with his tools and quick-witted as well. He held everyone’s attention on every thought and still had so much to share with anyone who showed interest. He credits his welding and panel-beating skills to his time spent in the military during WWII. He was also known for The Winfield Fade, a technique he developed for transitioning colors on custom paint jobs.
For a generation of car enthusiasts, Gene was something of a superhero in disguise. Often overshadowed by his more famous peer George Barris, he designed and built some of the most iconic custom vehicles for TV and film. These included the gold and green “Reactor” bubble-top three-wheeler driven by Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series, along with the Galileo II shuttle.
A true godfather of the American custom scene, he famously preferred to work the “traditional” way. That usually meant acetylene torches, lead body filler, and lacquer paint – safety be damned. To be honest, it’s hard to argue with a guy that had worked that way for more than seven decades. And in many ways, it felt like nothing would ever stop Gene Winfield.
But time eventually catches up, and we knew this day would come. We’re thankful for the wonderful memories we have with Gene. And we feel truly blessed to have been in his presence for even a brief time in his long and storied life.
Godspeed, Gene!
Only Gene Winfield is the only man that can do a paint job like that and pull it off. If anyone else did that people would say they are crazy.
“That usually meant acetylene torches, lead body filler, and lacquer paint – safety be damned. To be honest, it’s hard to argue with a guy that had worked that way for more than seven decades. And in many ways, it felt like nothing would ever stop Gene Winfield.”
Let’s not forget his love for cigars. I think your picture is the only one I ever saw where he wasn’t smoking.
Wayne, to get you the best answer, give one of our technical advisors a call at 1-800-343-9353. They’ll be able to ask additional questions about your project to get you the best results.
Best body filler to use where the sail panel amd roof is joined that was originally filled with lead. From the factory. I understand this joint moves some work driving. So it needs to be flexible. Also the best primer filler to use over epoxy. Thank yoy.