Whatever Happened To Ruth? -- Drag-Racing Legend Combines Best Of Old And New

The combination - Jerry Ruth and his refurbished 1946 Ford sedan - couldn't be more appropriate for the occasion.

The answer to the question of whatever happened to Ruth, who was the "king" of Northwest drag racing for about 20 years, is being provided this weekend at an exhibit of refurbished automobiles at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.

Called the Goodguys Pacific Northwest Nationals, the show features exhibits of more than 1,500 cars - hot rods, street rods, customs and classics.

"All of the above" seems to be the most appropriate category for Ruth's '46 Ford, a fat-fendered two-door that was two years in the remaking and is being shown publicly for the first time.

"I wanted it to look like something you could build in the '40s but drive like the '90s. And it does," said Ruth, 52.

Underneath the glossy, black exterior, the "drive like the '90s" package includes a 407-cubic-inch Chevrolet engine, air conditioning, power windows, an up-to-date stereo sound system complete with two of those "thump, thump" rear speakers and tweed upholstery.

The modern extras, said Ruth, helped satisfy his desire for an individual look.

"I wanted my car to look like I built it, not like it came from a catalog," he said.

Although Ruth might have tampered with 1946 integrity, he maintained attention to restoration detail. An example is a bottom piece of the front grill that he discovered on a '46 Ford, one of several cars that had been abandoned in a river near Flathead, Mont.

"The car was on its side and just far enough down in the water that I could reach the door with my hand," Ruth said.

"I knew the grill piece would be fairly easy to get because it was just held on with snaps . . . it wasn't bolted on."

Ruth's companion retrieved it.

"Not only did he get it, but it was in perfect condition," Ruth said.

Ruth said he bought the car from a friend, Marty Burke, in Kent. He said he has spent "from $15,000 to $20,000, not counting labor" in restoring it.

The car is not for sale.

Ruth, who is involved with his brother in real-estate development, said the restoration project was started as a way to rekindle involvement in motor sports. His drag-racing career ended in 1984, when he was convicted on a drug charge and spent more than two years in prison.

"I don't need to elaborate on that," Ruth said. "I'd like to outlive it."

Although many of his drag-racing contemporaries, including Don Prudhomme and Ed McCulloch, still are competing, Ruth said "not really" in response to a question about whether he would like to get back into it.

"Not only because of it's so expensive now, but because of the effort you have to put into it," Ruth said.

"This (restoring cars) is kind of a fun thing. With this we can go have cheeseburgers, hang around, listen to rock 'n' roll, and go home. Drag racing isn't like that. When you're drag racing, that's all you do; that's all you think about."

The "Goodguys" show at Puyallup will be open today until 6 p.m., from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8 and $4 (for youths 6-11 and adults 60 and over). Children under 6 get in free.