Doing them Justice

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, life was especially rough in the heavily agrarian state of Kansas. The region obviously offered few opportunities for fanatics of high-performance automobiles. This led young motorsports enthusiast Ed Justice to hit Route 66 with his 1936 Ford at the end of the ’30s, toward the Promised Land – California. His brother Lawrence “Zeke” Justice would join him later on.

After service in World War II, Ed and Zeke returned to California, where both became employees of Kurtis-Kraft. The legendary company specialized in the construction of racecars, including around 500 midgets. During a wrenching session in Kurtis-Kraft’s workshop, Ed came up with a clever idea: why not use Dzus fasteners for easier assembly/disassembly of aluminum panels? Nobody had thought of it until then… It turns out that these quick-release, quarter-turn fasteners were commonly employed on military aircraft, which Ed had maintained during the war. Shortly after, many racing teams adopted these ingenious devices, and they are still seen used across a range of motorsports today.

At the same time, Ed and Zeke opened Justice Brothers Racecar Repair & Fabrication, a small workshop that kept them busy in the evenings after their long days at Kurtis-Kraft. Yet the world of automobile racing did not pay much in these days and, somewhat by chance, the two brothers branched out into another activity: the distribution of automobile lubricants.

Ed, Zeke and their families resettled in Florida in 1947, bringing along a third Justice brother who often remained in the shadows during their career, Gus. (He was involved in a car accident in 1938, which left him partially paralyzed.) The timing of the move proved ideal, with the Justice Brothers even participating in the formation of NASCAR, before heading back to California in 1956 to continue their successful venture.

Business grew during the next 10 years, until the Justice Brothers decided to strike out on their own – they continued to market lubricants, additives and car care products, but now under their own brand, Justice Brothers, Inc. Since 1988, Ed Junior (Ed’s son) has been the CEO of the company. Known for being a true car enthusiast, he earned a reputation as a talented automotive photographer during his youth.

Following in his father’s wheeltracks, Ed Justice Jr. has curated a vast range of racecars. Heck, even his “little” models are cool! Photo by Stephan Szantai

Vintage Motorsport had the honor of meeting Ed Jr., who opened the doors of the Justice Brothers’ headquarters to us. The building is located in the city of Duarte – appropriately, on the former Route 66. Racecars abound on site, reflecting the history of the Justice family, which sponsored a staggering number of them across various types of competitions. This fleet is grouped into three distinct areas: the company lobby and an adjacent building (open to the public), plus a private room (closed to the public) where Ed Jr. keeps several cars,

ready to hit the road.

If the Justice family has always been glad to exhibit its automobiles to the crowd, the idea of opening a museum came about somewhat by accident. For years, the company headquarters welcomed primarily cars loaned by race teams sponsored by Justice Brothers, Inc., but soon they were replaced by vehicles purchased by the family, either linked to its past or the history of motorsports in general. Midgets, sprint cars, drag racing cars, land speed record chasers, hotrods… Simply having such a breathtaking collection in its possession is what eventually led to the Justice family electing to put it on display for public viewing, starting back in 1985.

In the lobby, the high ceiling allows room for a 1933 Pitts aerial stunt plane, and then visitors can appreciate an imposing selection of midgets, mainly from the 1930s and ’40s, perhaps highlighted by the striking 1947 Kurtis-Kraft raced by Parnelli Jones and A.J. Foyt. An adjoining room hosts two well known drag cars from the mid-’80s, a Top Fuel and an Oldsmobile Funny Car driven by Gary Beck and Ed McCulloch, respectively.

However, most of the collection is located in the adjacent building. It houses a vast range of automobiles, from hotrods and vintage stockers (including a lineup of original Fords spanning from 1932 to ’39) to midgets and drag cars (Romeo Palamides’ Hemi-powered 1958 dragster comes to mind).

A separate structure accommodates Ed’s stunning personal lounge. The atmosphere is wonderful, with a bar, a lounge area, large historical photos adorning the walls, plus a mix of classic American cars, hot rods and racecars. Among them, the winner of the 1936 Grand Prix Midget race at Gilmore Stadium, parked next to a white ’33 Lewis Sprint Car. Ed could cram more vehicles into his collection, and although he does not plan to add to it going forward, there are the famous last words, “There’s always room for one more car, right?”

The Justice Brothers Museum is located 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles and 15 miles from Pomona, home of the NHRA Museum and its nearby drag strip. Swing by next time you’re in town and get ready for a truly memorable experience.