One of the more interesting individuals
that you will ever meet around the old car hobby here in the
valley is without a doubt Bernie Edwards. While Bernie
only spends about half his time in the valley these days, he is
certainly a big part of the valley and a big part of history
here in the valley. Bernie started his life in the valley
in 1948, when his parents moved to Harlingen. In high
school, he recalls building up his first hotrod, a 1932 Ford 3
window coupe, followed by a 1936 Ford sedan. This would
only be the beginning of his hotrod building days.
He met a girl from Weslaco and they
were married in 1952. He served in the United States Air
Force from 1951 until 1955. After serving his country for
these four years, he returned to the valley and lived in
Progresso, where he would soon begin a hobby and interest in
racing that would last a lifetime. He began racing at a
drag strip in Edinburg. He later would move over and race
at what was the big drag strip in the valley at the time in
Harlingen. Bernie took to drag racing well and loved the
thrills and excitement the sport had to offer. For years,
Bernie dominated the track in one of his dragsters.
The one pictured is one he ran in A/A
Gas, powered by a 1966 426 Hemi. He also
built and ran a wheel stander. He would take the cars to
competitions throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico.
Apparently one of Bernie's secrets to success was to intimidate
his competition. He would show up to drag events dressed
as a Mexican bandito, including the large sombrero and a serape
over his shoulder. He would then tell them that he was
Santos Gomez from Mexico. Apparently the trick would work,
or perhaps Bernie actually had some racing skills, as he was
very successful, winning awards and trophies from various
national competitions all over. He beat the likes of
legendary Bill Shcrewsbury in his wheel stander and Gary Watson
in his Paddy Wagon. He also would perform exhibition runs
all across the states with his "el Oso Negro".
In 1970, Bernie packed up his wife and
three children and moved to Alaska.
Yes, cold, snowy, cold, icy, cold, frigid,
and did I mention cold Alaska. He worked as
a mechanic on the Alaska Pipeline until he retired. While
he had a home and family in Alaska now, we all know his heart
was still here in Texas. You
can take someone out of Texas but you just can't take Texas out
of someone's heart. His love of cars and
building them and making them go fast has never ended. The
skills and knowledge he gained from doing mechanic work all
those years has enabled him to know how to build and rebuild
cars and some pieces that many would have walked away from and
not even attempted to restore. He has built several
hotrods and street rods throughout the years and still owns a
good collection of them today. He currently has a '34 Ford
coupe, a '34 Ford sedan, a '36 Ford Panel, and a 1937 Packard
coupe. While most of his cars stay up north in Alaska, the
Packard is here in Texas.
Bernie is a good ol' boy who
believes in getting your old car out and using it.
You tell it Bernie.
And does he ever use his cars and enjoy them. While he
spends his summers in Alaska, Bernie stays active with a street
rod club and takes his cars out on cruises and outings
throughout the summer. During the winter, Alaska is no
good for cruising in your old car, so Bernie comes back "home"
to Texas, along with his daughter in her '36 Ford pick up, and
cruises the Lone Star State in his Packard. He considers
the Packard his "Southern Toy". Bernie is known for taking
one or more of his cars back and forth the whole trip from
Alaska down here to the valley. Talk about a dedicated
cruiser with his old cars. The picture he has painted on
the back trunk lid on his Packard tells it all. NO
TRAILERS. That is it, he believes in getting out the car
and enjoying it and I couldn't agree with him more.
Bernie did all the work on the
Packard himself. All except for a little sewing on the
upholstery and laying down the silver and purple paint.
The Packard is powered by a Chevrolet crate 350 engine, with a
350 automatic transmission. It rides on Mustang II front
independent suspension and a Chevy II rear end. The car is
a smooth ride with all the necessities for a south Texas ride,
including air conditioning. You no doubt have seen Bernie
out and about in his Packard coupe or if not, I am sure you will
as he does like to get out and enjoy his cars. The only
problem is that we miss seeing him around for a few months when
he goes up to visit Alaska again. -- L. Olsen
