An eagle-eyed (female) reader with a sense of Los Angeles history spotted a paid obit in the Times for Big John Mazmanian, a legend of Southern California car culture. (No editorial obit in the LAT, but the Whittier Daily News had one.) Mazmanian, who died Friday at age 80, paid $25 for his first automobile (a 1930 Model A coupe) in junior high and began customizing. Later in life he bought, souped up and and raced a 1961 Corvette that has been preserved in a museum somewhere. His preference for candy apple red was apparently well-known in the racing world and even rated mention in his family's obituary, along with his seat in the National Hot Rod Hall of Fame. Big John, who was born in East Los Angeles, stood six-foot-five. Photos and bio here.