Features "Snoopy" Model A Hot Rod Survivor

Freaking awesome!
That engine ran so nice! And smooth!

I frem like doing a Victoriy Dance! What the hell, it's 4.30 AM, and Wife and kid is asleep




Now thats done, keep at it!

 

If your seats and door panels have any mildew on them, spray some Simple Green cleaner on them, let it set for a little bit then wipe it off. It cleaned the vinyl interior of an old Camaro I bought from a lady that had a hole in the roof of her garage, and mildew had set up as the windows were opened a little bit. If it's leather, I'd just try some on a rag first. So happy for you. Love the story, and your video, and the big grin say it all. Enjoy it man.

 

This old Hot Rod has a soul and who could argue that it waited . . waited . . waited, and chose you. You think you found it. I think it found you. Great stuff.

 

Hahaha...!

Nice save on the engine... I hope the block isn't cracked and be sure to clean out the cooling passages
so it doesn't overheat.

Rust and mice love sitting cars!

 

That whole thing is SUPER! Do not forget all the other fluids before you move it! Gary

 

Just loved the look on your face when it turned over and sounded like a back fire. That picture is worth a thousand words. Good for you and your find on a cool ol' hot rod.

 

Thought I would do one big quote & reply post, hope I caught all the inquiry's that people have made or ones that I had a response for, thanks everyone for the feedback, I really enjoy sharing the story, isn't the story a big part of this hobby / lifestyle ?

I agree, I'm actually nervous about making any changes, I'm very aware of what I have as I told the lady I purchased from, I have a big responsibility & want to honour this car properly & will do the best I can.

I will only touch what is needed to make it safe, I want people to see this car & take them back to the early 60's by actually touching the same parts that were installed in the early 60's, the original builder went over the photo's & said the fan shroud (already removed) & knife handle dipstick were the only alterations, He think's it still had the same tires he put on when it first went on the road!

The widow is a very close family friend & you are right, I was entrusted with a big responsibility & ready for it !

The widow will be one if the first to go for a ride when it's road worthy I promise you that !

Silly me I had it up on the hoist & neglected to get underside pics, I will do that this weekend & post, I think the wood floor in the garage saved the underside, it's a mix of red oxide primer, black paint & surface rust with a good smattering of crude but sturdy welding / steel work - but not rot to be found yet !
Yes missing the master cylinder & pushrod (would have been from the 47 Merc donor car) Barke lines are just hanging there.
Roof is a removable naugahide that snaps over the opening, the cover is in great shape, was neatly folded on the shelf behind the seats.
"Snoopy" came from the widow & her husband, she had a favorite shirt with Snoopy on it & wore it all the time back in the late 60's & the car got nicknamed as such, I don't mind the name & I'm a bit superstitious to change it regardless !

Requests for old photos have been placed & all believe they have some photos that I can copy, original builder will be visiting Snoopy in a couple weeks (he is out of town right now) & I will ask if I can record the visit, group photo for sure !!- I hope to let the original builder take his wife for a spin once it's back on the road & I will be writing / recording any story's

Agreed if it hadn't been parked it would have likely been updated like every other hot rod, ya I think I might have found the only survivor hot rod in the Soo! ha ha don't see many around here.

I wish I could describe what it feels like to sit behind the wheel... ya it's special, gives me chills just thinking about it...

One thing the widow remembered destinctly was her husband draining the coolant religiously every fall, I found the block drain petcock sitting on the intake, looks like she was bone dry all these years.

Ya a synchro upgrade may happen in the future, I plan on driving the wheels off this car, after all isn't that what cars were made for ?

hee hee I just may have to do that, yep quite a journey !

Looks like a stock crossmember, basically sitting ontop of the frame rails, I will try to get better pictures.

I like that term "no rewriting of this cars history", you got it, I'm just a caretaker & a damn proud one ! ;-)

very happy to have a living example of how they did em' back in the day & I'm pumped to share this time capsule!

agreed can only be unrestored once - & I will always keep that thinking !

I'm located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Ya I think it ran pretty smooth eh ? ha ha not a single new part, everything is at least 1970 or older - exceeded my expectations ! I hope you did a good dance !

 

Great thread. Congrats on such a cool find!
I can't believe it even runs...
X2 on the simple green for the interior vinyl. Use a soft nylon brush

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

What a terrific story!!!! Thanks for sharing.

Anytime you read something like this, you wonder if a helping hand from above may have played a role. She didn't trust the others that came knocking. But with your respect, sincerity, and patience towards her, the deal could be struck. Congratulations!

It sounds like you are compiling a fair amount of information and pictures. I know that here in the states, Costco offers a picture book service. You can include the history in text along with your photos. This would make a cool item to keep with the car and maybe make one up for the widow so she can remember the car and her late husband by.

Just a thought.

 

Very cool. That is so cool how you approached the owner of the car. That is way classy. Nice car

 

this is probably the neatest story about an old hot rod I have ever heard. it is every hotrodders dream. keep on doing what you are doing and keep us informed tom

 

Regarting my Dance, I did my level Best. ;-)

I belive this is the first thread I see, where no-one dare say the word "change".
I really dig all the small details that pops out every time I look at the pictures.
It's odd, the instruments looks like the one out a VW 1600 non-bug.

It's so cool that it has bucket seats, instead of bench. And the roof seams like a good ideer.

I get all the, not change a thing! And I applaud it.

 

Subscribed....joined just to follow this story.
We are also the custodians of a special all original 'garage find'.
This really hits home.....

 

great story ! and a******in car!!

 

Thought I would share a bit more detail on my discovery of the previous owners, since I first heard of this hot rod, one particular last name was always mentioned (I won't share the name here as you will see my reasoning in a couple more lines below) but never a first name, as I said earlier my buddy's dad also mentioned the same name but gave me a first name as well, he just wasn't sure if they guy he told me to see was the 2nd owner or brother of the 2nd owner... he owns a shop here in town so 2 days after picking the car up, I stop there after work, introduce myself to the lady at the counter & she is the wife of the guy I'm looking for, he had stepped out for a bit so she told me to wait around or come back, as it's right near work I said I would come back the next day - she asked if she could help & I said I was told he might have owned an old hot rod I just bought, she said "he sold an old hot rod shortly after we got married, you have a picture ?" I show her a small picture on my phone & she says it looks similiar but can't be sure, but her husband will know in a second, I head home to print out some pictures to put in a book, the next day I show up & she says that he's there but with a customer & will be up front shortly,a couple minutes later he comes strolling up the isle gives me a studying look and says "whatcha got ?" I open the album to the side shot photo & say "I was told you might know something about this car", he plants his face in the album & says "son of a @#! " I look over to his wife & say " I think I found the right guy" she laughs & he nods at me, then goes right back to the pictures, tells me he bought the car in 1966, paying $1000.00 at the time, bought from the original builder (& told me his name) & he watched the car being built as it was built in the same area he lived, said he didn't change anything on it, just drove it in the summer, parked in a garage in the winter, always ran good, gearbox worked but was "noisy as hell" brought it to a local car dealer to sell a couple years later (think 1968) & told them to sell it for what they could get as he was recently married & wanted money. He reminices a bit more, telling me he also tried to buy it back a long time ago in the 1980's & then this is where our visit went south... he asked me what I paid for the car I responded "I gave my word to the widow that I wouldn't disclose that", he looks at me with discust & says "who cares, you own the car now, what does it matter ?", I stated "I'm sorry, it matters because I gave her my word" & with that he gets up from his chair, waves his hand at me & walks away like I wasn't even there ! Rather uncomfortable... so I get up, thank his wife for their time & she tells me to come by in a couple months as they just moved & she will need some time to try & find some old pictures, I thank her again & walk out thinking " well he owned it for 2 years, didn't change anything & gave me the name of the original builder, wish he would still want to keep in touch, hopefully he will calm down in time" Yikes !

I will share my discovery & meeting of the original builder later, time to go to work !

Here is a build sheet I have started, hope it will open okay & please chime in on errors I know I have made

 

Are you related to John, who worked for PUC at one time?

 

Such a great story - congrats on finally having the hot rod you've always wanted!

Malcolm

 

Man!! Awesome. You're alright in my book sir.

 

I certainly am related ! That would be my late father & who might you be ?

 

And here are before & after videos of Snoopy's first bath in over 40 years.. I think being untouched helped preserve the paint !

 

I did some thermal imaging of substations for him, when he was in charge of line gang. I had relatives that worked PUC and Great Lakes that he knew. I seem to remember him buying, or thinking of buying, a project car out of a barn in Bar River.
PM me for more if you like.

 

What an amazing find and story. I am really happy for you and I am really enjoying your threads on the find and bringing Snoopy back to life.

I also really appreciated Jim Galli's quote:

I too believe you were chosen to bring this car back from its long hibernation. Do her proud!

Thor

 

Ah ha......there's the seats !! Man, that looks great ! Sure it's lacquer.....but, you're probably saving that for the next update. Should be fun finding the shine. Rub, rub, rub......get those elbows flyin'!!

 

There's no call for that fellow to act that way.

I'm going to say this...be careful in who you tell local, you know friends of friends. There is no telling what that car would go for in an auction. If advertised well, and a bidding war ensues...100 Grand easy just for what it is. It ain't fake, it ain't a repro it ain't a resto it's the real deal.
Due to the potential high value of that car I would keep under lock and key.

 

Cool.

 

You are doing everything right, cleaning and polishing what is there illustrates how well preserved the coupe is, it is also a sign of respect.

 

Here's a good page on reviving the paint without*******ing it up:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...w-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html

Love the story, the car, and your efforts to preserve it so far.
Ralph

 

I gotta say this site is the best! Where else can you go and read a story like this,where a man find his dream car and shares his story with us.To find "your car" is awesome in itself but one that's that cool just blow's the roof off.So congratulations,enjoy and keep up the good work,I believe I'm with the rest here happy for you and craving more pictures!

 

This is gold right here, awesome.
Do her good!

 

Jealousy is such an ulgy emotion, but yet I'm filled with it right now.... congratulations on finding your (and my) dream car....