By Bob Rose
Larry Pippin is an exceptionally kind individual with a wide range of skills. He excels in welding and fabricating mechanical and electrical components and has a vast understanding of construction. As a problem solver, Larry has shared his expertise with many over the years.
Some of the cars Larry has owned and built were a 1960 impala hardtop, 1949 Chevy pick up, 1967 Firebird, 1956 Ford flatbed pick up, several pre-80 C10 Chevy pick ups, a couple Corvettes, a custom built rat rod and his current car a 1940 Ford coupe.
Larry was born in 1954 in Upland, California. In 1960, his family relocated to Modesto, where he formed lifelong friendships. At the age of 15, he acquired his first vehicle, a 1947 Studebaker pickup. During high school, he bought his second vehicle, a 1967 Mustang, making monthly payments of $50 to his parents. Larry was a regular on McHenry Avenue, eagerly awaiting the weekend cruises downtown. He became a member of the FAROS in 1971 and is still involved today. Following high school, Larry worked as a union pipe welder for 22 years. Later, he joined his brother Ron as a partner in business and real estate investments. These business endeavors allowed Larry to be a great supporter of local charities and worthwhile ventures. Never wanting recognition but always there as a supporter.
Larry has been a fixture in the local car culture since 1970, he has always been a friend to all helping out with his skills on all things mechanical. As a student at Downey High School, initiations for the Faros were always a well thought out event with maybe a little embarrassment thrown in. If the folklore is correct Larry was required to apply some deep heating rub on certain parts of his body where the only immediate relief was to extinguish the heat by way of the drinking fountain at Graceada Park, paying no attention to the girls walking by, luckily it was dark, how do you spell relief.
Larry has never left the car scene in Modesto always maintaining the pulse of the Modesto car culture. He is an advisor to the board of directors at the Graffiti Classic Car Museum. As a dues paying member of the Faros, Larry joins his fellow members raising funds and donating back out into the community to worthwhile charities like the Graffiti Classic Car Museum, the MJC Auto Body Program, Oakdale High School Mechanical Shop, the VFW, the Shriners and many other endeavors.
All of these attributes are what makes Larry a true “Legend” in the local car culture scene. Everybody knows Larry and his sense of humor, his talent for telling a good joke with a few shenanigans thrown in for good measure. Above all, always a friend, always lending a helping hand. Many people have said, “let me tell you how I met Larry”, then it is sometimes a funny story, sometimes a heartwarming story, but it is always a story, never just, yes I met Larry.
