Dick Dean Passes Away

STREET RODDER would be remiss if we didn't report on the death of automotive customizer Dick Dean, who passed away recently in Southern California. Born Richard Sawitskas, Dean was at the forefront of the custom movement when it was born in the late '40s and early '50s, often working alongside other pioneers of the hobby including Dean Jeffries, George Barris, and Bill Hines.

In fact it was Bill Hines who was employed by Dean's father in the early '50s at the family's Nash dealership in Michigan who taught Dick how to weld and do lead work. After a stint as a pilot in the Korean War, he went to the famed Art Center in SoCal and, in the mid '50s, opened his first custom shop called South End Customs.

At the Detroit Autorama in 1959 Dean met George Barris, who offered Dean a job doing bodywork, and Dick ended up working for Barris for three years. Dean also worked with Dean Jeffries in the '60s on the Monkeemobile, the Green Hornet car, and many other iconic TV and movie vehicles.

Over the years Dean had stated he "must have chopped more than 1,000 cars," (300 or more being of the '49-51 Merc bodies), and his status of the Sultan of Chop will probably never be equaled. An easy-going, fun-loving sort of individual, Dick always had a smile for you. Anyone who has any thoughts on Dean is invited to post them here. His loss is our loss and, though our hobby won't be the same since his passing, our lives are the better because he was here. So long, Dick!