THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503110136
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close-Up
SOURCE: Janelle La Bouve
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Dana Byrum folded his 6-foot-3-inch frame to climb behind the wheel of his bright-red 1923 T-bucket roadster and pressed the horn button.
``It'll burst your eardrums,'' he said in response to the high-pitched sound, a smile spreading across his face.
``This thing will fly,'' said Byrum, who was wearing bib overalls, a pink T-shirt and high-topped shoes. ``From a dead stop, if you stomp it, the front wheels will come off the ground.''
Byrum and his wife, Cheryl, rebuilt the roadster and a maroon 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Fastback.
They had a brown top custom-made for the sports car to match the two-seater's original interior. Under the seat, they installed a radio. They also installed 18-inch-wide tires on the back.
For the Barracuda, their biggest challenge was searching three states for chrome parts.
``At one time, it was a drag car,'' he said. ``We converted it into a street-legal car to put on the show circuit.''
Both vehicles have been shown in the ``World of Wheels'' car show, which is held at the Virginia Beach Pavilion.
``We like these old cars, and we refuse to grow up,'' he said.
The Byrums are members of the Tidewater Streeters, a car club, which puts on four major shows for charity yearly. They also enter their cars in about 11 other shows each year.
``To us, the most important thing is raising money for charity,'' he said. The charity shows which have benefited from their efforts include the Ronald McDonald House, the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, Toys for Tots, the March of Dimes and a retirement home in Deep Creek.
``We do everything we can for the kids,'' he said. ``If we don't take care of the children, there will be no children for the future. That's the way the club sees it.
``This spring we are doing the Chesapeake Jamoree to benefit the Sharon Carey Medical Scholarship Fund,'' he said.
Byrum admits that Cheryl does the work which keeps their cars show-ready. That means white-glove clean even under the hood of the Barracuda, where the chrome and black paint gleam.
Although he has given up drag-racing, Byrum is still enthusiastic about the sport. He's working to reestablish the American Drag Club. Already, he has acquired a jacket patch advertising the club's name.
Full name: Dana L. Byrum
Grew up: ``I was born in Portsmouth. Then grew up in Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.''
Fond childhood memories: ``Listening to the radio in my father's car at night. I'd run the battery down. Then he'd get up in the morning and his car wouldn't start. I did it more than once. We didn't have a radio in the house.''
Spouse: Cheryl
Children: Paul and Patrick
Occupation: ``I'm in the topsoil business as field supervisor for Jack Frost Enterprises. I tell people I'm in the dirt business.''
Hobbies: ``I'm a big drag racing collector - any kind of drag racing memorabilia and die-cast models. And I play league pool. Connie's Bar and Grill sponsors us. But I'm kind of a workaholic.''
Favorite magazine: ``National Dragster''
Favorite song: ``There are so many. I like the oldies and country music.''
Favorite movie: `` `Forrest Gump.' There's a little Forrest in everybody.''
Can't resist: ``Pepsi-Cola. I start my day with a Pepsi and end my day with one.''
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? ``Lose some more weight.''
Greatest accomplishment: ``I guess I finally found the perfect woman in life and settled down.''
Favorite TV program: ``Frasier''
Favorite Chesapeake restaurant: Red Lobster
Favorite way to spend a day off: ``With my wife. We do everything together.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
by CNB