1966 Ford Nearly Restored

“B-Unit” #83 is a tribute to Brian Storer. The lean, mean, Ford racing machine is being restored for one reason: It was Brian Storer’s dream to revive this this truck and make it his own.

Mark Storer, CEO and founder of Airport Towing started collecting antique tow trucks in 1997. Since then he has built up a collection of 13 classic trucks. One of them is a 1966 Ford F-350.

Shortly after purchasing the truck, Mark’s youngest son and employee Brian (driver #83) made known his interest in the truck. He immediately saw the potential, and he loved that the truck would rumble and roar when he stepped on the gas pedal. The truck had custom chrome exhaust stacks (though they were heavily rusted and in desperate need of replacement).

Its frame supported a Holmes 460 wrecker: One of the most celebrated tow units of it’s time; popular for it’s twin boom feature that would allow one side of the truck to anchor to a stable object and the other side to swing out and recover a vehicle. Even today, Holmes is known for producing some of the most unique towing equipment on the planet.

The company’s founder, Ernest Holmes, is famous for his most popular invention: The world’s first tow truck! Holmes originally mounted a chain and pulley to the frame of a 1913 Cadillac and went to work as the first ever tow truck operator in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Nearly 100 years later, Brian Storer found himself inspired by a beat up old Holmes unit. He loved everything about the truck and vowed to restore it. He even collected a few parts along the way. The find he was most proud of was a red bench seat in near perfect condition, brought in to replace the previous upholstery which was torn and tattered. A couple of years went by as the truck sat in Mark’s warehouse awaiting restoration and eventually, the unthinkable happened. Mark and Brian died in a sudden plane crash. One of Brian’s dreams would never come true. He would not get the opportunity to tear the Ford truck to the ground and build it back up again in all the glory of it’s hay-day.

The Storer family has spent the past year-and-a-half recovering from the tremendous loss in their family. As the days continue to go by, family members have come up with ways to pay homage to their loved one’s who have moved on into eternity. The greatest of which was most likely an idea that was produced by Lynette Storer, Brian’s mother and Mark’s wife. Lynette is now the President/CEO of Airport Towing and has been helping run the day-to-day operations of the company for nearly 22 years.

As you may have guessed, her vision was to restore the 66 Ford, exactly as Brian would have wanted it done. Even though it has proven to be an expensive and time consuming project, Lynette has pressed forward with the restoration. Despite a depressed economy, the love she has for her son is far beyond any monetary value. With the help of Lynette’s staff, she is determined to complete this project.

With the help of several employees and antique specialist Rocky Willis, the project has moved forward with great success. The truck was stripped down and sandblasted earlier this year.

Shortly after, individual pieces of the truck were sent to Huddleson’s Auto Color World to be painted red and white. Finally, the cab and chassis were sprayed and returned to be refitted with the original parts. Fresh paint on the old truck in traditional Airport Towing red and white have made it look better than ever. Meanwhile, custom chrome exhaust stacks were special ordered and the motor was removed for steam-cleaning and repainting.

The paint is now dry and piece by piece, the truck is being meticulously reassembled. Nearly every part on the truck needs to be reinstalled; from the hood to the fenders, the bumper, wheels and rims, doors, windshield, seat, motor, exhaust stacks, lugs, lights, mirrors, and much more. One challenge that complicates the project more than the average pickup restoration is the assembly of the Holmes tow unit on the back end. The unit requires technical expertise because it operates off of a power take off system that utilizes the transmission to engage and enable the boom and winch cables to operate. The old gear driven technology has been replaced with hydraulics in more modern equipment. The wrecker must be assembled accurately to maintain structural integrity if it is ever to be used as a working tow truck. To date, each piece has been sanded, painted, and some are awaiting reassembly. Some of the electrical wiring throughout the truck is still being completed.

The headers have been chrome dipped, enhancing the popular “Powered by Ford” slogan stamped into the metal. Afterward, the freshly painted motor was placed back into the truck.

The motor was repainted factory Ford blue and the tips of the fan have been painted red. The cab was also remounted onto the frame.

Much of the detail work is now being finished. The truck has been refitted with its hood, grille, bumper, beacon, marker lights, headlights, and windshield. After several months of work, it is starting to look like a truck again.

Most recently, the Holmes tow unit was reinstalled and there are now wheels under the frame.

Although the project may look as though it is near completion, there is still a great amount of work to be done. The truck is still awaiting doors and several other interior parts along with wiring and other detail work. Custom lettering and final striping will be added after the truck has reacquired all of it’s necessary mechanical parts. Completion of the 1966 Ford F-350 tow truck is most likely Spring of 2010. Work being done on the truck is ongoing though it is not being rushed so mistakes can be minimized. Once the 66 Ford is completed, it will be one of the most popular and definitely the most powerful tow truck in the Storer Antique Tow Truck Collection and no one will be happier to see its final completion than Lynette.

1st Anniversary of Crash Hits Home

One year ago today (July 24th, 2008) the founder of Airport & Burien Towing died suddenly in an unexpected airplane crash along with his son who worked at the family business his entire life.

Mark Storer lived to be 51 years old. He founded Airport Towing and Burien Towing in 1988. His vision was to run his own company and be successful. His goal was to give his three children a good education. He accomplished both through his work ethic and faith. Mark consistently paid back every bit debt he incurred. Hard work and dedication were characteristics that he hoped would rub off on his kids. It was only a matter of time before Mark’s children were helping run the business.

Mark took on several roles within the company that he built from scratch. Some days he was a driver. Other days he was an auctioneer. His job description was ever-changing, which is a lifestyle that many small business owners grow accustomed to.

One role never changed. He was always the boss. Mark was like a father to his employees. Over time, he employed each of his three children. Family was always a part of Mark’s business and Airport Towing became a significant part of the Storer family.

Mark’s son Brian loved tow trucks since he was a little boy. He spent his summers and afternoons at the family towing company. He was picked up from school in a tow truck. He even had tow truck toys. If asked why he was fascinated with these modern day haulers, Brian would probably tell you it is because of the mechanics, the lights, the accident scenes, and the thrills. What he may have hesitated to admit is the true reason for his obsession; his father. More than anything in the world Brian wanted to be with his dad growing up. He wanted to go on every call and ride in the truck all day long. Brian fulfulled his dream. He spent most of his life with his parents and siblings at Airport Towing. At the end of his life he worked with his father, lived near his father, and died together with his father. Mark may not have approved of the way their lives ended so suddenly had he been given a choice, but one thing is certain: He wouldn’t trade a minute of the time they spent together for anything.

Mark is survived by his wife Lynette, son Jared, and daughter Teresa. Brian leaves behind his wife Christy and two sons, now ages 3 and 2. After two of the greatest people in their lives have gone, Brian’s children are learning to live life with only the memory of their father and grandfather. The boys cherished Mark and Brian. They continue to light up with joy when their names are mentioned. They have a passion for everything “tow truck”. The boys are already continuing the legacy left by their father and his father. A memorial fund has been established to assist Brian’s widow in raising the boys. The remaining Storer and Airport Towing families have also extended themselves to assist in caring for the young boys over the past year.

Brian enjoyed 24 years of life on earth. He was committed to his marraige and his children. He cherished the time that he spent together with his family. Just like his father, he wanted them to have a better life.

Although his time on earth was short by most standards, Brian did not waste it. He was full of life every day. He was unique and passionate. Brian never missed an opportunity to tell a joke, even if he was being reprimanded by his boss. He could lighten any mood. At times his humor was the only way to get Mark to smile when the stresses of work had begun to take a affect his demeanor. This photograph of Brian was mounted to the tow truck that led the procession from Airport Towing to the church on the day of the memorial. The photo accurately depicts Brian’s energy level and the way he dealt with the world around him.

After Mark and Brian died an abundance of support quickly came pouring in from all directions. A memorial was erected at Airport Towing. Flowers and cards flooded the office. Friends, family, churches, emergency service providers and towing companies from around the state called in to offer assistance. It was evident that Mark & Brian had made an impact that was wide spread. Hundreds gathered to attend the procession and memorial service.

Many people wanted one last chance to say goodbye to the two men. Others came to the service to offer their support to the surviving family. All were rewarded by a touching service of rememberance by Pastor Dennis Sawyer that spoke on the redemption of the two men through Christ. The congregation took comfort in the knowledge that both men are continuing to live their eternal lives in a place where there is no pain. 

The family at Airport Towing has undoubtedly continued to suffer the loss of two of the greatest men they have ever known. Mark and Brian have now passed the torch to Lynette and Jared who will continue to improve the family towing business and help it reach its full potential. These two professionals have laid the ground work for the company to reach new heights in becoming one of the leaders of the towing and  transportation industry. The family has since added key staff, including Mark’s son-in-law Kenny Savage to move toward that goal. All other employees who worked under Mark at the time of the accident have remained loyal to the family and have stepped up their efforts to continue providing quality services amidst times of great hardship.

One year has passed since Mark and Brian Storer took their final flight together. Today is a day for rememberance and honor, tears and hugs. It is a time of gathering with family and celebrating life. Mark and Brian will forever be remembered. They were larger than life. They were father and son. They were and always will be great tow truck men.

Thanks to The B-Town Blog for remembering the lives of Mark and Brian.

National Publication Features Airport Towing

This months edition of Towing & Recovery Footnotes carried an article featuring the story of our company and the challenges we have faced as a family business. The focal point of the article “Good Men Down” is the sudden loss of our founder and his son last summer resulting from a plane crash. Mark Storer founded Airport Towing 21 years ago with one tow truck out of his house. He worked hard every day to create good customer relations and to create a good work environment for his employees. Brian Storer was one of those employees for most of his life. His playful attitude kept the atmosphere at the office fun and enjoyable. Both men were an integral part of our business and lives and it has been a tremendous challenge to try and fill their shoes. Fortunately our employees have stepped up to the task as the Footnotes Article so accurately described.

The tragic and unexpected loss of Mark & Brian sent a rift throughout the industry. Hundreds of professional tow truck operators knew them personally, as well as many local businesses who felt the pain, and several other friends and family members. Mark and Brian were very well connected throughout the industry and the community, which resulted in a Memorial Service of an estimated 800 people in attendance with less than 1 week of notice, several television news broadcasts, and many other articles written about the pair in the B-Town Blog and other publications.

One of Mark’s legacies will always be his Antique Tow Truck Collection. The fleet of classic trucks started as a simple hobby, but quickly grew into a passion. With just a small peek into Mark’s warehouse, it was evident that he had a certain obsession with the towing industry and it’s history. Mark has won a prize in just about every competition that he entered one of his trucks into. With seven fully restored, show quality trucks, he became quite busy with projects that were secondary to his full time job  and he never slowed down. After building up his antique collection, Mark turned to airplanes. He shared that passion with his family and grandsons whom he loved dearly. He would take his wife flying or out for a drive in one of the antique trucks on a sunny day. If the weather was poor, he was most likely working due to the increased work load in the towing industry. There was never a dull moment with Mark or his youngest son. We are glad that Footnotes found our story and offered to share it with their thousands of readers around the industry. It is our hope that the legacy of Mark and Brian continues to live on for many years so that the world can share in the joy that we experienced when they were here.

B-Town Blog Features Airport Towing

This month Janet Grella from The B-Town Blog came to our office in Burien to meet the Airport Towing family. The result of that meeting is our latest ad and an article which are now featured online. Janet stopped by as we were setting up to photograph some of our family members in front of the tow trucks for an article in a national towing publication. As we finished up the photo shoot, we offered to move the meeting with Janet to Elliott Bay Brewhouse in Burien since it is one of our favorite local places to eat lunch. We had a great time talking with Janet and telling her our story. In our conversation we spoke about the recent tragedy and loss of Mark and Brian Storer, which had been covered in an earlier story by the B-Town Blog as the news developed. Additionally, we talked about how our towing company of 21 years is a continuing success today and of course we discussed the importance of family in our business. Janet told us that our story was unique, as is our family. She said that as a new advertiser to the B-Town Blog, she would be happy to feature an article on Airport Towing. We are proud to be a part of B-Town’s growing clientele in the Burien / South Seattle area. The increasingly popular website also has two sister websites that we support: The Normandy Park Blog and The White Center Blog.

Thanks again to Scott, Janet, and all the contributors to the B-Town Blog for featuring us on your site!

Daryl Wilson Named 2008 Tow Person of the Year

Our General Manager earned Washington State’s Tow Person of the Year Award, presented by the Towing and Recovery Association of Washington. Airport Towing GM Daryl Wilson has been an integral part of the company for nearly 9 years, dedicating himself and his time to the family business. He began his career in towing as an entry level driver with no prior experience in the industry and is now key to the success of our day to day operations. We applaud Daryl for his achievement and thank all TRAW members for recognizing him as an exemplary person within the towing industry.

 

2008 Tow Person of the Year Letter of Nomination for the Towing & Recovery Association of Washington

I would like to nominate Daryl Wilson of Airport Towing for the 2008 Tow Person of the Year award. Daryl’s strength and determination are the reasons why our business has been able to remain successful in the wake of the deaths of our CEO, Mark Storer, and his son Brian. 

Mark founded Airport Towing 20 years ago, and always had trouble finding drivers that could meet his expectations. Never has any employee exceeded those high standards as Daryl has. 

Over the past eight years Daryl has become a member of the Storer family. He is our hardest working driver, willing to run calls all day and night, never complaining and always learning. He earned the position of Driver Manager a few years ago, but never slowed down. 

For most of 2008 Daryl was running two drivers shorthanded, which included the help of Mark and Brian. When Daryl learned of their plane crash and sudden deaths, he knew what he had to do. He did everything possible to fill their roles and keep the company afloat. He took on new responsibilities given to him by Mark’s wife and co-owner, Lynette. He was determined to honor the memory of Mark and Brian and to save the family business from the void that was left by his two best drivers, and boss. He was motivated to ensure financial stability for the suffering Storer family, including Brian’s one and two year old sons. Daryl worked tirelessly to handle calls, maintain facilities, service the trucks, run the auctions, and step in wherever necessary. There is no task that Daryl refused to take on. 

Daryl is now our General Manager. Since the crash, he has successfully hired and trained three new drivers, sent four to TRAW towing classes, and has kept our facilities and equipment properly maintained. Without Daryl, these accomplishments would not have been possible. I would like TRAW to honor Daryl for his outstanding dedication to Airport Towing and to our industry. His selfless acts have been our saving grace. 

Thank you,

Jared Storer

Airport Towing

2009 Calendars are here!

The Airport Towing 2009 memorial edition calendars have arrived. To get your copy choose one of the following options:

• Visit our office at 817 SW 149th St. Burien, WA 98166
• Submit a request on our Contact Page
• Call us at 206-243-6252 to request that we drop one off or mail it to you

Remembering and honoring Mark and Brian Storer are the focus of this years calendar. The father and son of Airport Towing who were killed this year in an airplane accident are our inspiration and our reason for 20 years of success in the towing industry.

Since 2006 Airport Towing has created custom calendars featuring the Storer Antique Tow Truck Museum. Our museum has now grown to include 13 vehicles. Eight of the trucks are show quality, four are awaiting restoration, and one is currently being restored. Visit our Museum Page for more information on our antique collection. Most of these beautiful trucks have been the highlight of our calendar for the past four years.

Also featured are some of our specialty tow trucks. Over the years Airport Towing has grown to provide many types of service including small aircraft transport, fire engines towing, heavy duty towing and recovery, and more. Airport Towing has a versatile fleet of working tow trucks and is happy to feature some of them in our calendar.

We would like to thank those who helped produce this years calendars, including Jinky Inc. and Ron Storer Photography.

Tow Truck Museum Now Online!

The Storer Tow Truck Museum is now online at BurienTow.com/Museum with the most currently updated photos of our entire antique collection.  Each truck has it’s own story, which you can read about by simply clicking on the listing for each truck. We will continue to update the museum with accurate information about the trucks, new photos, and the history of the vehicles. We are still in the process of looking through records to gather a more complete history of each piece of equipment in the museum and will update the website as information becomes available.

Please visit the museum again to see what additions we have made. Our current projects in the museum include the production of our 2009 Mark & Brian Storer Memorial Edition Calendar that we will release in December of 2008. We are also working on a Restoration Page with pictures and details concerning the restoration of our 4 biggest antique truck restoration projects. Finally, we and gathering together all photographs of our antique collection from past events, tow shows, and moments in the trucks history to post online.

The Storer Tow Truck Museum is a significant branch to Airport & Burien Towing. It represents the hard work Mark and Brian Storer put into the company for many years. Mark’s love for towing, antique trucks, and quality workmanship are prominent in each and every truck within the museum. Although every truck is not fully restored, Mark was planning to continue restoration efforts. Our family will remain committed to following through on Mark’s dream of improving the tow trucks to show quality.

Family History Behind Airport Towing

Mark Storer started Airport Towing 20 years ago with a loan from his father, a single tow truck, and a supportive wife. While running a day care out of her home, Lynette answered the phones for the business 24 hours a day. Both were hard working and committed themselves to providing a better life for their children.

Brian, the youngest child of three quickly developed an interest in the towing company. He was always the first to volunteer to ride with his dad when Mark was called to assist the police at an accident scene, or when he had to go up to Canada to pick up a rental car. Brian always wanted to work with his dad. He loved watching his father pick up cars from the cab of the tow truck, and occasionally work the controls when Mark thought the situation was safe for his youngest boy.

When Mark & Lynette acquired first acquired property in Burien to use for the business, all three children found themselves to be a part of the company. The entire family spent their evenings and summers at the office. Everyone in the family worked when needed. Everyone worked hard, including Brian who started driving a tow truck full time as soon as he turned 18; right out of high school.

Since 1988 our family has committed to providing quality towing services to the greater Seattle area, and we will continue serving our customers with the same values that Mark and Brian worked hard to establish.

Ron Storer, Mark’s brother, along with his family created a slide show as a tribute to Mark and Brian. It contains photographs from throughout their lives. Many thanks to Ron, Denise, & Jenny for putting together this excellent video for the memorial service.

Supporting the Next Generation

Airport Towing is moving forward amidst the tragic loss of two family members in a recent plane crash. For 20 years, our company has been committed to excellence and quality service and promises to retain such goals in an effort to honor the memory of our dedicated founder and his son, Mark and Brian Storer. We will now focus on how we can better serve our customers, our employees, and the next generation of our family.

Burien and Airport Towing will continue to progress in the Seattle area. We remain committed to keeping the business within our family and would like to let our customers know that we aren’t going anywhere. As a well established, customer service oriented towing business celebrating our 20th Anniversary, we look forward to another 20 years. Many thanks to our loyal customers who have remained by our side during this difficult time.

Our committment to our reputation:

Airport Towing - Prompt, Courteous, Dependable.  Since 1988.

-photos by Ron Storer

The Memorial Fund to benefit the family of Brian Storer is at Sterling Savings Bank. Brian’s sons are ages 2 and 1.

Understanding Mark’s Flying Habits

Misconceptions about the crash:
There are some discrepancies as to what happened when Mark and Brian were on Lake Nahwatzel moments before the crash. Some witnesses stated they were inspecting the airplane before takeoff. Some say they made several attempts at taking off. Some have said that the motor was unusually loud, and one even said they were looking at the engine.

More information & facts about the crash:
Mark Storer, the pilot, always follows proper protocol when performing a water take off. When there is no wind, it is common procedure to run the plane up and down the lake to create a wake and allow the pontoons to lift out of the water more easily. Mark also performs a 360 degree circle before takeoff, so that he gets a visual of all boats and swimmers in the water for safety reasons. If there is any wind, every pilot knows it is most beneficial to position the plane so that it takes off into the wind. I have flown with Mark in his Cessna 185 many times and he always runs through his preflight checklist item by item before his assent. This particular motor has about 400 horse power and is louder than most Cessna engines. We have been given official word by the NTSB that the prop was not turning at the time of the crash, so it is possible that without warning or signs of a problem, the motor stalled or the prop failed shortly after takeoff. The coroner ruled the crash an accident and stated that Mark and Brian were killed on impact, not as a result of the fire which burned hot and fast because of the aviation fuel which is located in the wings.

We also know that Mark and Brian traveled to Lake Nahwatzel for fun. Mark likes to take his family on short trips around the Puget Sound area. He leaves from his hanger at Auburn, lands on a lake, picks a nice spot to sit and have lunch, turns off the motor, and we usually sit on the pontoons and talk until we decide to leave. Mark has a crossover wire toward the front of the plane so that we can walk back and forth between the pontoons. I always grab the prop when I am crossing over as to avoid falling in the lake, and it could easily appear to onlookers as though I am looking at the engine, when I am not actually doing so. Everything Mark and Brian did before the crash was normal and there was never any indication of a problem with the aircraft.

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