Dean Moon
Encyclopedia
Dean Moon raised since childhood in the Norwalk (Santa Fe Springs) area of southern California, he was an avid "car guy" and mechanic heavily involved in dry lakes racing and speed equipment with a keen sense for business. He founded MOON Speed Equipment business (c.1950) and continued to improve the quality and safety of speed and racing products his entire life.
He is one of the original founding members that created SEMA
in 1963.
Dean Moon was the consummate “Hot Rodder” and innovator of speed parts. He built and raced cars from El Mirage Dry Lake
and Bonneville Salt Flats to the Drag Strips and beyond, and established a company that became an icon in the Hot Rod industry. Starting his business from modest beginnings in a garage behind his father's Moon's Cafe in Norwalk, California, he grew it into an internationally recognized brand name. Early products were a multi-carb fuel block, spun aluminum wheel discs, aluminum gas tanks and a foot-shaped throttle pedal. These initial products were so prominent, today the term MOON Tank and MOON Discs are used on anything resembling these items.
Moon purchased the Potvin company of Chuck Potvin, good friend and manufacturer of ignitions, camshafts and blower drives, in 1960. In 1962, he moved the company to the Moon Equipment building in Santa Fe Springs, and continued producing Potvin products.
The very first A.C. Shelby Cobra
to reach the United States, delivered to Carroll Shelby
, was fitted with a Ford V8 engine and transmission at Dean Moon's shop in Santa Fe Springs, California, in February, 1962. This historic location at 10820 S Norwalk Blvd is where MOONEYES still resides today.
Moon brought a level of showmanship to the sport of drag racing. His cars not only went fast but looked good with signature Mooneyes decals, yellow paint and chrome plating. His team were well turned out in all white uniforms with the MOON Logo and cowboy hats. Revell
made a plastic model kit of the Chevrolet-powered Mooneyes dragster, which they termed as a test bench on wheels and later used as exhibition at car shows after it retired from racing. The car made a comeback in England in 1963 driven by Dante Duce. In 1964 Duce won the Brighton Speed Trials
in the Moonbeam, a Devin
-bodied sports car equipped with a supercharged Chevrolet V-8 motor.
Many Moon products are still used today and are sought after by the people restoring and recreating old Hot Rods. The “Mooneyes” logo is now part of the history of the sport.
MOON Speed Equipment "paused" after Dean passed on in the late 80s, then stopped momentarily after Dean Moon's wife died. In the early 90s, Shige Suganuma, a long time MOONEYES Dealer from Japan and close family friend of Moon, restarted the company as MOONEYES USA which continues to carry on the traditions of Dean Moon today, including the Mooneyes Hot Rod & Custom Show in Yokohama
Japan
.
He is one of the original founding members that created SEMA
SEMA
Specialty Equipment Market Association of the automobile aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand, Jr., Al Segal, Dean Moon, and Vic Edelbrock, Jr...
in 1963.
Dean Moon was the consummate “Hot Rodder” and innovator of speed parts. He built and raced cars from El Mirage Dry Lake
El Mirage Dry Lake
El Mirage Lake is a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California. The lake is located about west-northwest of the town of Adelanto and north of Highway 18 in San Bernardino County....
and Bonneville Salt Flats to the Drag Strips and beyond, and established a company that became an icon in the Hot Rod industry. Starting his business from modest beginnings in a garage behind his father's Moon's Cafe in Norwalk, California, he grew it into an internationally recognized brand name. Early products were a multi-carb fuel block, spun aluminum wheel discs, aluminum gas tanks and a foot-shaped throttle pedal. These initial products were so prominent, today the term MOON Tank and MOON Discs are used on anything resembling these items.
Moon purchased the Potvin company of Chuck Potvin, good friend and manufacturer of ignitions, camshafts and blower drives, in 1960. In 1962, he moved the company to the Moon Equipment building in Santa Fe Springs, and continued producing Potvin products.
The very first A.C. Shelby Cobra
AC Cobra
The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:...
to reach the United States, delivered to Carroll Shelby
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
, was fitted with a Ford V8 engine and transmission at Dean Moon's shop in Santa Fe Springs, California, in February, 1962. This historic location at 10820 S Norwalk Blvd is where MOONEYES still resides today.
Moon brought a level of showmanship to the sport of drag racing. His cars not only went fast but looked good with signature Mooneyes decals, yellow paint and chrome plating. His team were well turned out in all white uniforms with the MOON Logo and cowboy hats. Revell
Revell
Revell is the brand name today of two manufacturers of scale plastic models. The original US company merged with another, Monogram, but now trades only under the Revell name. European Revell Germany separated from the US company in 2006.-Early history:...
made a plastic model kit of the Chevrolet-powered Mooneyes dragster, which they termed as a test bench on wheels and later used as exhibition at car shows after it retired from racing. The car made a comeback in England in 1963 driven by Dante Duce. In 1964 Duce won the Brighton Speed Trials
Brighton Speed Trials
The Brighton Speed Trials, in full The Brighton National Speed Trials, is commonly held to be the oldest running motor race. The first race was held July 19–22, 1905 after Sir Harry Preston persuaded Brighton town council to tarmac the surface of the road adjacent to the beach between the Palace...
in the Moonbeam, a Devin
Devin Cars
Devin Cars, a company founded by American Bill Devin, produced various racing cars and kit cars in the 1950s and 1960s.-Innovations:The 1956 SCCA H-Modified National Champion was a Devin powered by a 2-cylinder Panhard engine modified with Manx Norton motorcycle cylinder heads...
-bodied sports car equipped with a supercharged Chevrolet V-8 motor.
Many Moon products are still used today and are sought after by the people restoring and recreating old Hot Rods. The “Mooneyes” logo is now part of the history of the sport.
MOON Speed Equipment "paused" after Dean passed on in the late 80s, then stopped momentarily after Dean Moon's wife died. In the early 90s, Shige Suganuma, a long time MOONEYES Dealer from Japan and close family friend of Moon, restarted the company as MOONEYES USA which continues to carry on the traditions of Dean Moon today, including the Mooneyes Hot Rod & Custom Show in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.