History Impossible Optimist Quest: Help Me Find Dad's 32.

Right. It's impossible. I know. I'll never find it. I know. There are things in life however, that you just have to try for the man who has given his life to do everything for you, the most selfless and amazing man I've ever known. Please take a moment to review and let me know if anything sounds familiar and see super-cool pic of car:

1932 roadster sold in 1966, Redlands CA
Oldsmobile engine
'39 Le Salle transmission
Channeled
Tube axel (dropped) that broke, but was sold with the car
4" drop ibeam axel replaced it
1950 pontiac tail lights
Last known plate: CA HTS890
Last seen (possibly) Yucaipa, CA, circa 1990s

My dad? Amazing guy. Played surf music, lived a bit wild as a kid, and at 15 years old in late 1960 (yes, 15) he bought his first car with the proceeds of his first album. A 1932 Roadster, that he promptly set about terrorizing the city of Redlands, CA in. My grandfather confiscated it in 1965 or 66 and sold it off, and broke my dad's heart (but probably saved his life). We had been told it stayed in the area but was mostly stored until the 90s in Yucaipa, CA. We have no vin, no old bill of sale, but a good description of the setup and it's always worth an ask. My dad is the most amazing guy in the world, I love him to no end. As he says, he's not getting any younger, and I would love to find out the fate of this car. Super cool pic includes a host of great guys just returning from their national guard duty at the Watts Riots in 1965. Please, just keep an ear out, I would DIE happy to be able to surprise him with its fate.

 

No help here but wanted to say it's a real neat car and cool photo! Best of luck.

 

Is that a '64 GTO sedan in the background?

 

Sure looks like it. You can just see the emblem on the front fender.

 

Thank you! I appreciate it!! I'm biased, but pretty sure my dad was about the coolest guy around.
Oh, just for kicks - the first album he cut at 13 years old can be heard here:

He's a modest guy who never talks about his past, or how incredibly cool he was. He's worth it =)

 

I think it is, and I believe it belonged to his best friend who passed a few years ago - he was a very gifted special effects guy and car collector, so his sons probably still have it!

 

So, I was 15 in August of '60 so your Dad and I are the same age, and I have a daughter named Wendy, born in'71. I hope you are able to find out the history of the car from then until now. Would be really cool to know. The car is very cool. You'd think someone would know it's whereabouts. The ninety's weren't really that long ago, I hope. Let us know how it goes. Tim

 

Just for kicks....... Some of the older 6 dig plates,if out of the system here in "wonderful" CA,got re-issued to motorcycles...... Have you tried running the plate yet? Might turn up a few leads...... We gotta walk before we run.....
Would be GREAT if you found your pop's car!

 

It may be possible to cross reference his name and the last year it was registered to him to find out the VIN, then cross reference the VIN to the current person it is registered to.

 

Sounds like you need a friend in the DMV.

 

You'll need more than that. Privacy laws prevent them from telling you anything about current owners. The old license number is probably out of the system anyway

 

I hope you can find your dads car.

 

Good luck with your search.
Please continue to update your progress.

 

I sure hope you do find it! Please keep us posted on your search - sometimes the long shots pay off!

 

Oh man thats a cool car. I cant help but I think what your doing is very cool and I wish you the best of luck.

 

You might want to make a poster size copy of the picture with a note that you are looking for the car and display it at hot rod events in your area.

Charlie Stephens

 

That would be the old Stater Bros parking in Mentone this Saturday morning, across the street from the new one.
And the Packing House Church Fourth of July car ahow
That is where the old time Redlands Hot Rodders meet

 

Oh and the Clem Brothers invite only Christmas Morning Breakfast on University next to the offramp
And old man Clem can be found at the Elks Lodge... a member of the El Mirage Dirty Two Club

 

rare car. Pretty neat.

 

Best of luck with your search.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

BTTT - I'd really like to see this one work out.

 

I was on the same path as you 6 years ago. I was lucky and found my Dads old car. Funny my father was in a band in the early 60's also never made a record though. Good luck hope you find it.

 

That's a great looking car and photo! I agree with the idea of asking old Hot Rodder's around the area.
What color was it?
When it was seen in the 90's, was it as pictured? Here's to hoping it sits as pictured (possibly disassembled) in a garage. Hope it wasn't unchanneled and built into a nondescript billet laden Rod.
Another distinction of the car that would involve some work to "hide" is the notched and aluminum sheeted firewall. Grille shell is not sectioned, but dropped between the frame rails. Headlights look to be King Bees. Interior looks to be unfinished (bare plywood?).

I bet the info is within the DMV. You just can't easily get to it. (That's why Tim stated you need a "friend" at the DMV). I'd bet if the FBI were working a cold case involving the car, they'd locate it.

 

You guys are amazing. Really, thank you for the ideas and help. I have a friend who is an attorney and investigator, he tried running the plates but (sadly) nothing came up. We've had some folks nosing around for the last few years here locally, and I've gone with my dad to the LA Roadster show every father's day for the last 9 years hoping we'd maybe see it. Now I might want to see if I can post a "Have you seen me??" sign!!

My dad chortled when I asked what color it was, he said primer black. And yes on the King Bees and other details, that's amazing observation. Bare plywood for sure. Dad did say after that pic he put bucket seats from an MGB. At one point it had plastic chairs from the local high school bolted in it.

Apparently, I found out today from talking to my aunt that my grandpa sold it BACK to the guy he got it from in 66. Dad came home from school, car was gone. My dad thinks he might remember the address, so I'm going to the county records to try to pull old parcel maps from that street to see. He even thinks the kid's name was Townsend, probably born around 1940. I'm a bit of a genealogist so I'm trying to look from that angle too. Anyone know a Townsend that was a hot rod guy that got my dad's roadster back?

 

HOLY SMOKES.

Ok, i just have to share because I'm so excited. I've been looking at old digitized telephone books on ancestry.com, and found a possible match for the family name Townsend (I can't believe my dad remembers his name) on the street he remembered. BUT, the address didn't match up right. I took note of the name anyway as sometimes addresses change, and that area of yucaipa wasn't incorporated until the late 50s. THEN I find an article (thank you newspapers.com) from the mid 50s that names the father Harry B. Townsend I was looking at, who was a contractor. The article shows their lovely home on that street, and also names... a young son named Dean! Ok, now I'm chasing a Dean. Poor Dean, he has no idea he has a roadster-internet stalker.

I find a birth record for Dean that verifies against his mother's maiden name. Now I have a middle name and birth date. Now I'm on a mission. Just now? I find an article from 1959 that lists the family again --- but now the address matches the house my dad pointed out. They must have re-numbered the street, which is why they weren't showing up on property records on the county site. Dad has some killer memory, to just point out a house to my mom and I, and arbitrarily remember the guy's last name from 1966?? This car really HAS been haunting him.

SO! Right name, right house, now all I need to do is internet stalk the poor guy who apparently moved to Vegas some 30 years ago. Maybe he knows the VIN, or still has it! Dean! Come out come out wherever you are! Vegas is not far enough to hide from a daughter on a mission! I'll keep you posted =D

 

................I'm diggin' that 45. Kinda has a Duane Eddy/ Link Wray vibe about it. Good luck in the search for your Dad's car.....................Don.

 

Your dad is very lucky to have you.
You are living a quest many of us have been
on in one way or another.
I will make one more suggestion.
Put an ad on CL, use the picture but don't use any names.
Put it locall and in Vegas.
Don't put it in "wanted"
Put it in "cars for sale"
Great story, continued good luck!

 

Great idea from Tony Martino! Your dad and you are really fortunate to have each other in your lives! Too often we see parents and kids who are estranged (and often it is for goofy reasons!). On top of that, you are going thru a lot of hard work to hopefully give him a wonderful gift. Not too many kids would do that. Good luck. Looks like everyone on HAMB is wishing you the best of success.

 

Cool story,I'm wishing you the best! HRP

 

Good Luck, Miss Wendy. This a great quest/ story, you were raised right!