In 1971, David Reher and his late partner Buddy Morrison started a modest engine-building business in the back of an auto parts store in Mansfield, Texas, scouring junkyards for blocks, cranks, and cylinder heads.
With big dreams but very little money, the pair learned how to make the most of their limited funds, choosing components and developing combinations carefully to get the best bang for their buck.
As the years went by and the business grew, Reher and Morrison made a decision that would forever solidify their company’s reputation among the elite of the sport. They hired the late Lee Shepherd to drive for them and in 1974 the trio won Modified Eliminator at the1974 Winternationals with a Chevy-powered Maverick. They eventually moved up to Pro Stock and in 1980 Shepherd went on to win six times and place runner-up three times in 10 national events behind the wheel of what became his trademark red, white and blue Camaro.
The following season, Shepherd won six more times and rambled to his first of four straight NHRA championships. In the five years from 1980 to 1984, a Reher-Morrison car reached the finals in 44 out of 56 NHRA national events. In 1983 and 1984, Lee swept the NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock titles. He won every race on the NHRA tour at least once, and compiled a 173-47 win-loss record.
The on-track power and reliability delivered by engines designed and built by Reher-Morrison continues to this day, with many of the best and most successful drag racers in the sport listed among the ranks of their customers.
“The racing world has changed dramatically since Buddy and I bolted together our first small block at Mansfield Auto Supply,” said Reher. “What hasn’t changed is the importance of doing the job right: selecting the best parts, preparing them properly, and assembling them correctly. That’s still what we work to do today for both our Pro and Sportsman engines.
“Our priorities are quality, performance, and service. We have a highly qualified and experienced staff, and we have the in-house resources for every phase of developing, building, testing, and maintaining race engines. Our goal is to provide exceptional customer service and support along with the knowledge to help every customer get what they really need.
“We are pleased to be involved with the PDRA this season,” said Reher. “We are sponsoring a contingency program for Reher-Morrison customers who run in Pro Nitrous, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. We will be offering a No. 1 qualifier bonus as well. I definitely hope that Jason Scruggs and his team at the PDRA are highly successful and I hope that the organization is well supported, because there are a good group of racers who need some continuity and a good place to race. I really hope it happens. I’m looking forward to the first race at Rockingham to see how everything goes.”
Speaking for the PDRA was Race Director Bob Harris, who had this to say: “As more and more mainstream companies get behind the PDRA heading into our inaugural season, I can’t tell you how important Reher-Morrison is to our program. Their reputation is huge and the quality of their race-proven equipment is outstanding. We are very pleased to welcome them to the PDRA.”
This story was originally published on March 19, 2014. 
