The Ford Barn

deuce_roadster · 05-01-2022, 03:23 PM

I only found out about this recently while talking with a mutual friend, but Pacific NorthWest flathead expert Dave Tatom had passed away a couple of months ago. Apparently, none of our mutual friends had my phone number.
Dave was an accomplished builder who did work for people all over the US. I have been in his shop when Vic Edelbrock Jr, Nick Arias, Barney Navarro and other people of that stature have called him for advice. Dave built the flathead for Vic Jr's roadster. He was a fixed wing pilot, Viet Nam helicopter pilot, an A&P, built aircraft engines, had his own Bonneville car, raced midgets back when they were all running v8 60s, was on several Indy pit crews, worked on the design of the Cleveland 351 when he was at Ford. Pretty much did it all. His father worked on the second design of the tail for the B-17. When Dave was a little kid he used to go up on the fake city that was built over the top of the Boeing Seattle plant during WW2 to disguise it from the air and play around!

I know the member here that goes by Pete knew him. I hadn't heard from Dave in a couple of months, and it didn't register to me that he might be gone, but he was around 85 and in declining health.
He did all the work on my avatar roadster engine and did the machine work on the ones in my 40 wagon and 40 coupe which I assembled. Another source, and friend gone.

Krylon32 · 05-01-2022, 04:37 PM

Dave answered several of my dumb questions and was always courteous. Also a customer of my T5 kits. He'll be missed.

1942deluxe · 05-01-2022, 06:05 PM

Sounds like a life well lived!

KiWinUS · 05-01-2022, 06:30 PM

Sad to hear. Definitely a legend in many ways. RIP.

deuce_roadster · 05-01-2022, 06:40 PM

Dave knew EVERYBODY! Back in about 1996 or 7 when I was putting my avatar together, the guy who started Hedman headers had sold the business and retired and lived near Dave. He was over talking to Dave about being bored and for something to do made equal length headers for my 32. They can be seen in the pictures in my 32 roadster picture album. Cool to have these one off headers. I think he later made another set for another 32 in the area.

TJ · 05-01-2022, 07:08 PM

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Sorry to hear that Dave is gone. i bought parts from him on several occasions. Nice guy to talk to on the phone.

19Fordy · 05-02-2022, 10:48 AM

Mr. Tatom was a legend in his own time and a very fine person who will be greatly missed.
Gosh, it is so sad. He served his country and completed his mission on earth from which we all benefited as flathead folks.

V8COOPMAN · 05-02-2022, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

Dave knew EVERYBODY! Back in about 1996 or 7 when I was putting my avatar together, the guy who started Hedman headers had sold the business and retired and lived near Dave. He was over talking to Dave about being bored and for something to do made equal length headers for my 32. They can be seen in the pictures in my 32 roadster picture album. Cool to have these one off headers. I think he later made another set for another 32 in the area.

Headers are perdy, for sure. Hell, the WHOLE package is "top-shelf"! Coop

GB SISSON · 05-02-2022, 11:07 AM

Very sorry to hear of his passing. His shop was about 20 minutes from where the ferry drops us off in Anacortes Wa. Always a fun stop and he would save good used engine parts, like perfectly good matched sets of pistons for my 'overhauls'. There was a 55 gallon drum out beside the shop where he dumped stock manifolds and other cast iron treasures. This was my bargain bin on the way out. He always took time to visit and his stories were the best you could hear anywhere. He once showed me an old photo on the wall taken from the open door of the plane he flew in Alaska's wilderness. Attached to his plane was a rope leading to a plane that was towing him. Turns out he had engine trouble and had landed on a tidal flat at low tide. Unable to fix it there he radioed a friend who pulled him off, glider style as the tide was creeping up. The friend towed him to a point above his hangar/shop and Dave released the seat belt buckle that was at his end of the tow rope. Of course he coasted right up to his hangar. Rest in peace Mr. Tatum.

rockfla · 05-02-2022, 11:14 AM

Sorry to hear, RIP and blessings to his family. I wish I had known him, I have a 351 Cleveland I would have sure liked to have him build for me!!! AS well as a flathead source

aandkt · 08-15-2022, 04:06 PM

Sorry for the loss to all. RIP

Pete · 08-15-2022, 07:13 PM

Dave was a good friend. I knew him from the midget days.

05-01-2022, 03:23 PM	#1
deuce_roadster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Shelton, WA Posts: 3,800	Loss of another NW flathead expert I only found out about this recently while talking with a mutual friend, but Pacific NorthWest flathead expert Dave Tatom had passed away a couple of months ago. Apparently, none of our mutual friends had my phone number. Dave was an accomplished builder who did work for people all over the US. I have been in his shop when Vic Edelbrock Jr, Nick Arias, Barney Navarro and other people of that stature have called him for advice. Dave built the flathead for Vic Jr's roadster. He was a fixed wing pilot, Viet Nam helicopter pilot, an A&P, built aircraft engines, had his own Bonneville car, raced midgets back when they were all running v8 60s, was on several Indy pit crews, worked on the design of the Cleveland 351 when he was at Ford. Pretty much did it all. His father worked on the second design of the tail for the B-17. When Dave was a little kid he used to go up on the fake city that was built over the top of the Boeing Seattle plant during WW2 to disguise it from the air and play around! I know the member here that goes by Pete knew him. I hadn't heard from Dave in a couple of months, and it didn't register to me that he might be gone, but he was around 85 and in declining health. He did all the work on my avatar roadster engine and did the machine work on the ones in my 40 wagon and 40 coupe which I assembled. Another source, and friend gone.

05-01-2022, 04:37 PM	#2
Krylon32 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,489	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Dave answered several of my dumb questions and was always courteous. Also a customer of my T5 kits. He'll be missed.

05-01-2022, 06:05 PM	#3
1942deluxe Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Albion, PA Posts: 713	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Sounds like a life well lived!

05-01-2022, 06:30 PM	#4
KiWinUS Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Charlotte NC KiWi-L100 available here Posts: 2,963	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Sad to hear. Definitely a legend in many ways. RIP.

05-01-2022, 06:40 PM	#5
deuce_roadster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Shelton, WA Posts: 3,800	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Dave knew EVERYBODY! Back in about 1996 or 7 when I was putting my avatar together, the guy who started Hedman headers had sold the business and retired and lived near Dave. He was over talking to Dave about being bored and for something to do made equal length headers for my 32. They can be seen in the pictures in my 32 roadster picture album. Cool to have these one off headers. I think he later made another set for another 32 in the area.

05-01-2022, 07:08 PM	#6
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,037	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Sorry to hear that Dave is gone. i bought parts from him on several occasions. Nice guy to talk to on the phone.

05-02-2022, 10:48 AM	#7
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,950	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Mr. Tatom was a legend in his own time and a very fine person who will be greatly missed. Gosh, it is so sad. He served his country and completed his mission on earth from which we all benefited as flathead folks.

05-02-2022, 11:07 AM	#9
GB SISSON Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Orcas Island Washington Posts: 4,942	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Very sorry to hear of his passing. His shop was about 20 minutes from where the ferry drops us off in Anacortes Wa. Always a fun stop and he would save good used engine parts, like perfectly good matched sets of pistons for my 'overhauls'. There was a 55 gallon drum out beside the shop where he dumped stock manifolds and other cast iron treasures. This was my bargain bin on the way out. He always took time to visit and his stories were the best you could hear anywhere. He once showed me an old photo on the wall taken from the open door of the plane he flew in Alaska's wilderness. Attached to his plane was a rope leading to a plane that was towing him. Turns out he had engine trouble and had landed on a tidal flat at low tide. Unable to fix it there he radioed a friend who pulled him off, glider style as the tide was creeping up. The friend towed him to a point above his hangar/shop and Dave released the seat belt buckle that was at his end of the tow rope. Of course he coasted right up to his hangar. Rest in peace Mr. Tatum. __________________ Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)

05-02-2022, 11:14 AM	#10
rockfla Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 3,963	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Sorry to hear, RIP and blessings to his family. I wish I had known him, I have a 351 Cleveland I would have sure liked to have him build for me!!! AS well as a flathead source

08-15-2022, 04:06 PM	#11
aandkt Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: LI NY Posts: 222	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Sorry for the loss to all. RIP

08-15-2022, 07:13 PM	#12
Pete Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wa. Posts: 5,409	Re: Loss of another NW flathead expert Dave was a good friend. I knew him from the midget days.