Tacoma Toppers

Geno Ames' 1932 Ford Roadster - Deuce of Spades

Danny Hall's 1940 Ford Coupe

Vern LaCoursiere's 1949 Ford coupe of Tacoma, Washington. Vern is a member of the Tacoma Toppers car club. The Ford was his first car, and he bought it and restyled it in 1957, when he was 19 years old.

Chuck Traaen's 1949 Mercury was restyled by Dee Wescott of Wescott's Auto Restyling

Vern LaCoursiere's 1950 Ford convertible. The Ford was Vern's second car. Restyled in 1959, all work was done by Vern when he was 21 years old.

Chuck Johnson's 1952 Ford Victoria of Tacoma, Washington. Chuck was a member of the Tacoma Toppers, and the Victoria was has first car.

Vern LaCoursiere's 1953 Mercury of Tacoma, Washington. Vern was a member of the Tacoma Toppers, and the Merc was his third car. Dressed up with an all-white Mexico Upholstery, Vern gave the car a Candy Purple Panel Paint Job in 1960 when he was 23 years old.

The 1964 Pacific Northwest Motorama was held November 6 - 8, 1964 at the Tacoma Armory in Tacoma, Washington. The show was presented by the Tacoma Toppers car club.

The 1965 Pacific Northwest Motorama was held November 5 - 7, 1965 at the Tacoma Armory in Tacoma, Washington. The show was presented by the Tacoma Toppers car club.

Vern LaCoursiere's 1941 Chevrolet convertible was part of the Tacoma Toppers club display at the 2015 Northwest Rodarama in Pyallup, Washington. Photo courtesy of Tom Tufte.

Chuck Johnson's 1956 Ford F-100 truck was also displayed at the Tacoma Toppers club display at the 2015 Northwest Rodarama in Pyallup, Washington. Photo courtesy of Tom Tufte.

Old club photos displayed at the 2015 Northwest Rodarama in Pyallup, Washington. Photo courtesy of Tom Tufte.

An old photo of Vern LaCoursiere's 1953 Mercury displayed at the 2015 Northwest Rodarama in Pyallup, Washington. Photo courtesy of Tom Tufte.

Old club photos displayed at the 2015 Northwest Rodarama in Pyallup, Washington. Photo courtesy of Tom Tufte.

Old club photos displayed at the 2015 Northwest Rodarama in Pyallup, Washington. Photo courtesy of Tom Tufte.

A photo of club member Dick Page displayed at the 2015 Northwest Rodarama in Pyallup, Washington. Photo courtesy of Tom Tufte.

Joe Hammerschmith’s 1957 Chevrolet Nomad custom. The car was originally built as a dragster and painted in a two-tone red and white before Joe gave it a 1960s paintjob. Joe passed away on 01.18.2023. Photo courtesy of Doug Boneske.

Tacoma Toppers is a car club from Tacoma, Washington. The club was founded in 1951. In 2015 Joe Hammerschmith told The News Tribune that you had to work hard to get in the club; "They had strict rules and regulations; your car had to have three modifications custom-wise to get in. And you had to be a pretty nice guy. Some guys had the car, but their reputation wasn’t quite there."

According to Lance Lambert, there were about a dozen bigger, active car clubs in Tacoma in the 1960s; "They would put on dances and car shows, often to raise money for charities. The Toppers were Lincoln High School, The Steeds were Stadium and Wilson. All we did was cruise between Frisko Freeze and Kings Drive-In. It was see and be seen. Frisko was Stadium’s hangout, Kings was Wilson’s territory."

When Doug Boneske joined the club in the late 1960s, the Toppers met at Joe Hammerschmith's moms house on Puget Sound St. "I was recruited to help with set-up of chairs, refreshments and such," Doug told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in March of 2024. "I thought it quite an honor at 14 to be around all of those old-school motorheads with years of auto hobby-professional experience. The stories, films, crazy antics, never a dull moment." Doug's time in the club was short before he moved out of town in 1970, but he never forgot Joe's mom's driveway full of customized old-school rides from the '40s and 50's parked right next to a flashy big block Muscle Cars straight off a showroom floor on South Tacoma Way. "Sometimes there would be the "popping the hood" session with a flashlight in hand to see what the guy's new sleeper REALLY had under there."

Members

Chuck Johnson
Chuck Traaen
Danny Hall
Dick Page
Doug Boneske
Geno Ames
Jerry Harris
Joe Hammerschmith
John Grimm
Tom Richardson
Vern LaCoursiere

Club Cars

Geno Ames' 1932 Ford Roadster - Deuce of Spades
Danny Hall's 1940 Ford Coupe
Vern LaCoursiere's 1941 Chevrolet Convertible
Tom Richardson's 1949 Ford Convertible
Vern LaCoursiere's 1949 Ford Coupe
Chuck Traaen's 1949 Mercury
Vern LaCoursiere's 1950 Ford Convertible
Jerry Harris' 1950 Mercury
Chuck Johnson's 1952 Ford Victoria
Vern LaCoursiere's 1953 Mercury
Joe Hammerschmith’s 1957 Chevrolet Nomad