[1]Images: Dan Gurney's All American Racers [2]
With an abundant number of automotive legends reaching their 70s, 80s, and even 90s these days, it is with heavy hearts that we have had to say goodbye to many of them. Sadly, Phil Remington joined those that we mourn last weekend. A master fabricator, inventor, dreamer and go-getter enthusiast, we join many in the industry, including Hemmings Daily [3], which broke the news a few days ago, in this sorrowful farewell to the beloved “Rem.”
[4]Remington, pictured here in a Shelby Cobra amongst the company of Fred Gamble, John Wyer, Innes Ireland, Phil Hill, and Bob Bondurant, was an integral part of both the hot rod and performance industries.
Phil Remington and the automotive scene have gone hand-in-hand for decades. Born in January of 1921, Remington became involved in the industry as a young hot rodder involved in area dry lake racing. From there, Rem moved up to professional racing, becoming a part of teams like the Shelby Cobra team (after he played a huge part in the iconic car’s creation), Lance Reventlow’s Formula One team thrust into the limelight with the Scarab, and even Dan Gurney’s All American Racers Indy Car team as a builder and master craftsman.
While Remington certainly had skills behind the wheel in his teenage years, he quit racing after a motorcycle accident following his service in World War II and became the master builder that we all knew him to be.
[5] In addition to his help in developing the Cobra, Remington was also instrumental in the development of the Ford GT-40. He also built Indy cars with Emil Diedt and Lujie Lesovsky, as well as Sterling Edwards. Remington also worked with Eddie Meyer, building intake manifolds, and Stu Hillborn. Up until his final years, Rem remained a dedicated part of Dan Gurney’s All American Racers in California.
Instrumental in the success of many performance components, race cars, production greats and the overall success of the industry in general, Remington will be sincerely missed.
At the ripe age of 92 years young, Rem’s life has finished, but his legacy will live on forever.
[6]Even in his later years, Remington enjoyed fabricating and spent hours still working at Dan Gurney's All American Racers, where this workbench memorial now exists.