Legendary hot rodder and custom car builder Stan Betz from Anaheim High Class of 1946 made a repeat appearance at the 2nd Annual AHS Alumni Association Colony Classic Car Show held on the  campus Oct. 12 as part of Homecoming 2012. Of course, his red roadster he named “2032,” a completely custom-crafted candy raspberry red highboy pickup with Lincoln Mark VIII running gear, was a showstopper.

Stan Betz’s love affair with cars was sparked as a young boy growing up on his parent’s 10-acre orange ranch on Lemon Street in Anaheim.

But Betz wasn’t interested in ranching or even learning his father’s skill as a hybridizer of orange trees and other fruit bearing plants. What really caught his attention, and kept his interest for the rest of his life, were cars. First it was his uncle Dick Kraft’s hot rods that he worked on as a young boy. It turned out to be the perfect match for Betz, who lost his right leg below the knee to polio at age 3.

He also couldn’t have had a better teacher. His uncle was one of the original hot rodders and his many innovations included building and driving the first rail job called “The Bug,” a clone of which is on display in the National Hot Rod Association Museum in Pomona. Kraft’s other custom-built cars are highly collectible.

Like his uncle, Stan’s cars have become famous in the automotive world and are shining examples of his legendary skills as a master car builder and painter. The relationship he developed with the custom-car world from a young boy is still going strong and, at age 84, Betz is still in business and visits his office daily.

His journey to becoming the center of the 1950s rod and custom culture, as well as a businessman who figured out a way to make money at doing something he loved, included a stop at Anaheim High School. A 1946 grad, Betz confesses to having spent most of days at Anaheim High in the machine shop working on hot rods. He owned a Model-A roadster with a V-8 engine that was shoe-horned in during welding shop. Three years later he built a track T that he raced on local outlaw tracks when he wasn’t working the night shift at a gas station.

His shop is now in the City of Orange and looks like an automotive museum with his display of memorabilia and a unique collection of MGM movie miniature cars, boats, trains and other vehicles that Hollywood filmed being driven over cliffs, crushed, crashed and blown up in thousands of movies. The 100-piece collection was featured in an early episode of “Visiting with Huell Hower.”

Of course, work only gets done between visits with the many old friends and associates who stop by to reminisce with Betz or ask for his advice. Some of these visitors are members of Anaheim’s famous Street Sweepers Car Club, which was founded, named and sponsored by Betz.

Back in the ‘50s, when hot rodding and car clubs were in high gear, Stan’s shop, a small wooded single car garage he rented for five bucks a month located in the alley right behind the police station, was the meeting spot for The Sweepers. Along with holding their meetings, the members would also help him punch louvers, which are vents located in strategic positions on a car’s body to allow hot air to escape, an important feature for custom cars that were hitting speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. Betz and his team were stamping louvers in hot rods, racecar hoods, deck lids, fenders, or anything a custom-car owner wanted punched. Guys came from miles around to get ventilated.

AHS Yearbook Ad of the Bean Hut

When not at Betz’s shop, the Sweepers would hang out at the 76 Station at the corner of Palm (Harbor) and Center (Lincoln) or at the Bean Hut, a.k.a the La Palma Drive-In. The Sweepers gave this iconic hangout the nickname “Bean Hut” and the drive-in became the favorite of car clubs throughout Orange County and beyond.

When the louver business slowed down, Betz added paint products to his enterprise, which became Betz Speed and Color. His shop became known as the best place to find the exact color, especially for customers who wanted to match an existing stock or custom paint color.

Featured in countless magazine and newspaper articles, Betz has also been included in “Hot Rod History – Book Two: The Glory Years” by Tom Medley. Chapter Two is dedicated to Betz, “one of the best paint mixers around. Betz works in the sun and can match paint to an exactness that defies even the computers.”

Even though Betz never considered his job as “work,” he always made time for taking rides in his custom cars, racing them on oval tracks, dry lakes and the salt flats.

Back in the 1950s Stan drove a 1932 Sedan with a “hot flat head” that he finished in bright yellow. He also owned a ’51 Ford pick-up with Von Dutch flames, a cut down hood and “big and little” tires. (This tire innovation was first done by The Street Sweepers.)

His love affair with the automobile continued throughout the decades when members of the Street Sweepers traded in their custom rides for college degrees and lives in the slow lane. Stan stayed in the trade and created creating automotive masterpieces. To see an article and photos about one of his award-winning vehicles, visit: http://www.customclassictrucks.com/featuredvehicles/14818_2032_custom_rod_pickup_concept/index.html#ixzz1ZGpTXryD

Beyond the automotive world, Stan’s life includes his wife and two adopted children, ages 9 and 6. He also rows four miles, three days a week, in Long Beach Harbor near his home.

Betz was greeted by his many friends and acquaintances at the car show that attracted more than 50 other custom-car owners. His participation made the day even more special for all involved.