RIP Paul Vanderley

[MFBrown]

Sometime around midnight, Mr. Paul passed into his next life. Please pray for Ms. Vanderley and the familiy during this time.

Mark

[Dwight Southerland]

Sad. I raced with and against Paul during the 70s and 80s. A good person and great competitor.

[Ron Middleton]

Godspeed Paul. Prayers for the family at this difficult time.

[MFBrown]

From running a top fuel car (one of the former Swamp Rats from Don Garlits) with Connie Swingle driving to racing in the inaugural race at Laplace Dragway in Top Eliminator against Boogie Scott (Boogie still has the Drag News paper with the article..!). In later years he ran a modified production Camaro under the Pauls Automotive banner then on to a modified production Corvette for Moroso in which he did research and development for the company. He won several NHRA Division 4 points races, the NHRA Division 4 Series Modified Eliminator Championship in the 70’s, won the inaugural 1976 Cajun Nationals held at Laplace Dragway and I believe he won the Sportsnationals Modified Eliminator title one year as well.

Myself, Raymond Rupert and David (Mr. Pauls right hand man in his engine building business) helped clean off some areas of his property after hurricane Katrina went through. While loading items to throw away, we saw what looked like a crude electric water pump setup. We asked Mr. Paul about it and he said that was the prototype for the first Moroso water pump drive. I thought that was pretty neat. Might not seem like much now, but that was cutting edge technology back then. I remember him racing at Southland Dragway, running against Raymond Martin, Richie Rosen, Carroll Caudle, Larry Cummings, Steve Nicoll, Charlie Kruise, Ronnie Bonfonti, Earlis Allemand, Alvin Ashe, Jones Bros. and the Bienvenue Bros. among others. There were some great battles at the combined competition/modified events. Later he ran a Boogie Scott built econo altered (formerly owned by Dean Thompson) with Ford power. At some point, he performed research and development for Pontiac Motorsports (concentrating on the 4 cylinder Iron Duke engine) and also spent some time in Austrailia racing. Other racing ventures here involved a immaculate B/SM Comet, former pro stock Beretta where he ran C/A, then helping good friend, Danny Guidry and his son Tory, first with a super modified 67 Camaro, then with a modified Corvette (former Mansel and Minga car) and later a C/A Ness Trans Am.

Ms. Vanderley was a vital part of Mr. Pauls success. From raising a family to running the parts end of the shop with longtime friend and employee, Mr. Robert Blocker, she did it all. At one point, the Corvette was not performing well. Ms. Vanderley suggested changing the ignition switch. Mr. Paul chased that problem until Ms. Vanderley finally gave him a new switch she had bought. He said he had nothing to lose that day. Sure enough, the car began to perform well again.

My father(Jim Brown) and I often visited with him and Ms. Vanderley at the races at Southland Dragway. Eventually, Dad expressed an interest in getting a car put together. Mr. Paul told dad he had a combination in mind he would like to try and if it didn’t work out, he would build a tried and proven 331 cu in sbc. That first motor, built at the end of 1977, wound up being the quickest bodied car at Laplace and State Capitol Dragway the first year it was run. It was probably one of, if not the first, 383 cu in sbc, which is so common today. I am researching that fact now. He built another one about that time for an open wheel asphalt car. After being told it was down on power, Mr. Paul drove it to find out it that it wasn’t being run at full throttle. After that, it consistently ran with the big blocks and won.

When Mr. Paul no longer owned a car for drag racing, a longtime friend and customer said, “it just isn’t right for him to be without a car”. So he left his there for Mr. Paul to make a pass whenever he felt the need. I will edit with his name when available.

Another side of Mr. Paul was his love of Bonneville. He ran a roadster for many years with the Mendenhalls, a father and son team. I don’t know the records they set but I know it had been over 210 mph. That’s at 70 plus years old. He has built motors for Boogie Scott who is near the same age of Mr. Paul. He runs a different class and has been over 240 mph. The love of speed and the ability to make it happen and make a living at it at the same time. You have to love that….!

I was fortunate enough to attend he and Ms. Vanderley’s 50th wedding anniversary a few years ago. It was there I realized there was more to the man I looked up to as a racing hero. He told me at early age, he and his family left their home overnight to help settle new military recruits in Biloxi, MS. It was at church one day when someone discussed the need to help the new recruits arriving in Biloxi and they asked for volunteers. He told me he remembered his dad standing up to volunteer. Once in Biloxi, there were many a night not being able to sleep in his bed. His mom explained to him what the young recruits were going through at that time. He decided sleeping on a ping pong table was not that bad after all.

A link to his obituary page is below:
http://www.riemannfamily.com/obituar.../#/TributeWall

Our prayers are with his family in this difficult time.

Mark F. Brown
Petra Consultants
337-267-3030 Office
337-210-3409 Desk
337-288-7892 Cell

[Chad Rhodes]

Paul Vanderly was an amazing man, with an amazing mind. I had the opportunity over the last few years to get to know him when i worked in the speed parts business. He will be sorely missed along this part of the coast for sure. That man forgot more about engines than most will ever know. He even did contract R&D work for GM in the 80's/90's.

[Ed Wright]

At the '78 world finals Paul & I got through tech in the morning, and with the rest of the day free Kay, Paul, Jeanie & I, driving our ramp trucks, went to Disneyland. Went to dinner that evening. Paul was a great guy, and Kay is the sweetest woman you will ever meet. I saw Paul at PRI, when it was still at Indy, the first time I had seen him since I quit in 1979. Dan was building carbs, if I remember correctly. Very nice family.
R.I.P. Paul.

[Jim Wahl]

Another huge loss for our sport. A mind and attitude that can never be replaced. God speed Paul. Jim

[Speedy Peets #4103 I/SA]

May the Lord bless your family in this time, God Bless You, Mr Paul,

[Bob Rice]

Here's a nice pic!

[Ed Wright]

Great pic! That's how I remember Paul.