R.I.P. David E. Davis

RIP, DED - Always larger than life, always reminded me of my favorite Uncle with a similar persona........which was exactly why he was my favorite.
I'll enjoy a glass of single malt this evening, remembering you both.

 

He lived what appeared to be a great life. I enjoy reading him tremendously because his love for his subject, and perhaps more importantly, his love for the language are so apparent. He wasn't about "nuance" in writing or in living.

His Pontiac GTO vs. Ferrari GTO comparo was one of the things that really got me interested in cars. I'll never forget that article and the back story about the highly tuned and tweaked Pontiac.

Condolences to the family.

 

I to first ran across David E. Davis Jr. with the famous 1964 Car & Driver GTO story. A long, sometimes bumpy road since then but always interesting!
RIP DED

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIBBaoxd6hQ&feature[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy6Zn4TIOr4&feature[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P-IcFiztdk[/ame]

GTO vs. GTO, 1964 - "The hook on which we hung the magazine."
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RIP....although the one bit of advice he had for me I did not follow. He spoke at a Porsche Club meeting several years ago and I had a chance to talk to him. I told him I was thinking of selling my 911 to get a ferrari...he told me not to do it- the ferrari would be in the shop more- as nice as Ferrari's were the porsche was better to own. Needless to say I didn't follow his advice

He was very entertaining and had great stores at the porsche meeting, and I have been getting Automobile magazine for well over 20 years now. He was an icon of the past 50+ years for any car buff!

-Andrew

 

The dean is gone and unlikely to be replaced. RIP

Regards,

Jim Walker
365 GT 2+2 #12451

David E. Davis Jr., auto writer and founder of Ann Arbor-based Automobile Magazine, dies at 80

David E. Davis Jr., called "the dean of American auto journalism," died in Ann Arbor on Sunday after complications from surgery for bladder cancer. He's remembered as "just a great guy, true car nut, great writer, interesting personality."

 

RIP Mr. Davis.
And I blame you personally for this addiction I have suffered/enjoyed for over 40 years. Thank you.

Tritone

 

Damn. I grew up reading DeD, and was a charter subscriber Automobile magazine.

I hope they have one hell of a party for him. I suspect he would approve.

Thank you, and RIP.

 

If his wake doesn't include copious amounts of fast cars, whiskey and a 21-shotgun salute, shame on us.

 

David E. Davis knew how to enjoy the good things in life.

When I first pulled up to the hotel at the winery for the Ferraris on the Vine event back in May 2010, I parked my blue 550 next to a stunning Bentley coupe.
We were packed for a 3-day weekend so it took me a few trips of hauling luggage in from my car, so I got several good long looks at that Bentley.

The black Bentley coupe was David E.'s ride. It was on loan from Bentley.
He had just driven it non-stop from Michigan to Virginia for the event.

God bless you, David. May all your roads be sunny ones from now on.
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exactly. he was the first car mag editor to really focus on lifestyle, and not consumer advice. I think that was the main reason Automobile didn't do "data tables", independent testing, etc.

I like cars for how they make me feel and the friendships they've allowed me to create, not because one has a more impressive white paper than the other.

 

Thanks! I didn't know the car (much less the videos) still existed. I'm still searching for a crisp copy of that issue of C&D.

Jack

 

What better time to change the signature?

 

Sad... End of an Era.
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Other than perhaps LKS and Peter Egan, no one can touch DED. Period.

"and it felt like losing your virginity, going into combat and tasting your first beer all in about seven seconds"

DED quote when reviewing the '64 GTO.

R.I.P. my friend, R.I.P.

 

Wow. I remember when AUTOMOBILE came out. I was in college, and I wasn't really into car mags, but it caught my eye. What other publication had the audacity to print a shot of a Ferrari 308 side by side with a Toyota MR2, and posit the question of which car would you choose to drive each and every morning as your only transportation....really?

AUTOMOBILE used to fascinate me because of unexpected side ramblings, columns by novelist Jim Harrison, and DED's constant asides about Ruger pistols and quail hunting.

I still remember being incredibly impressed when DED wrote about his purchase of a Ferrari 328 for his own use. His writing was so personal and made such an impression that DED struck me as the first "real" person I knew of to own a Ferrari.

Last year, I chucked stacks of decades old car mags to make room in my garage. I had been influenced by several viewings of HOARDERS on A&E to question whether I really needed a lot of crap. I rationalized that tattered car mags with address stickers glued to them were meaningless, and I'd be likely to find any info I needed on the 'net now anyway.

In memory of DED, I hope someone rescued a few of those mid-80's issues of AUTOMOBILE from the recycling center and got a charge of their own....
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Wow, I haven't thought of that in 20+ years.

 

I too just happened to be looking at Jean Jennings' (Lindamood will always stick in my head though) non-obit tribute to him in Automobile Magazine's 25th anniversary issue yesterday. What a coincidence that I hope he read.

Even in my young(ish) state, I saw that they had 'fun'/adventures with the cars. Unlike the other magazines I used to read. The Sep/Oct cover with the yellow TR in the desert was one of my two favorite shots that got me hooked on that car.

He lived a life the way other people talk about wanting to live theirs.

 

An icon.

I've been reading his prose since I was a child and am jealous of those who met the man in person. Under his leadership, C/D became the only car magazine causing withdrawal symptoms; the next edition always seemed like an eternity away.

Thanks to Jean Jennings' Vile Gossip column in the April edition for her peek behind the curtains and veiled homage to David.

RIP DED, deepest sympathies to family and friends.

 

For those that might be interested, here is a link to the article written by Jean Jennings (aka Jean Lindamood) about David E. Davis.
It was written for the 25th Anniversary issue of Automobile Magazine.

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/columns/1104_vile_gossip_it_was_the_best_of_times/index.html

.

 

I had the pleasure of meeting David E. during the 2009 Texas 1000. We enjoyed a few meals and laughs together. When I thanked him for his body of work, He seemed genuinely touched. Over the last 45+ years he had a big influence on my love of automobiles.
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Truely sad. Godspeed Mr. Davis.

 

Thought I'd post this in here as well. I was honored to have my images posted alongside his article on caranddriver.com and this is the thumbnail of the article.
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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHsnNUTlsI4&feature[/ame]

 

Remember when the raccoon ate the hell out of that car?

DED had many good times...