@Sancho post the pic of the sectioned shoebox you posted in the GNRS show coverage. It was one Ed spotlighted it earlier in this thread. I think.The one with the Classic And Custom magazine in front of it. Thanks.
That's awesome Sancho! I didn't post on your GNRS thread, but I'll say it here, great pics. Thanks a ton for posting! I had a question, is the Chevy in this picture a new version of McPhail's old Chevy? If it is, it looks like it's still in the Beatnik family. I tried to find a picture of it from the driver's side when it was freshly chopped when McPhail owned it, but I had no luck. E
What Ever Happened To..........? number 100. 1954 Chevy Bel Air Convertible Owners: Dick and Kathy Hatfield Springfield, Ohio This week's W.E.H.T. is a car that screams 50s. The subtle color combination along with the style of scallops makes this car look like it could have been featured in Rod & Custom back in '59. From what I've read, and you will too, that is what the original builder/owner Dick Hatfield had in mind. This car was built as a copy of a car that he cruised in around his hometown of Springfield, Ohio from 1957 to 1960. There are a lot of subtle tricks to the car, and it definitely fits the time frame that Dick was building the car to represent. One of the things I like best about the car is the pinstriped Alfred E. Neuman on the gas door. This style reminds me of the crazy type of art and striping that guys like Von Dutch and Jeffries were doing so much of in the 50s and early 60s. Something else that a lot of people may have missed on this car is that it's a real convertible with a "Carson" top added for style points. The Hatfields seemed to attend many KKOA events from what I've read, but the video tape trail was very lean. I only saw their car on the 1993 Leadsled Spectacular video that was filmed right in their hometown of Springfield, Ohio. I also spotted their car on the 2001 Spectacular video that was also shot in Ohio, but this time the town was Lancaster. I had no luck finding any photos of this car online, but as far as printed material goes, I found a few good articles. There was a small picture of it in the April '95 issue of Rod & Custom on page 106. Thanks to @rudestude for scanning this picture. This '54 Chevy was also featured in the first KKOA book from 1993 on page 104. There was also a small picture and write up on it in the January/February 1999 issue of the KOA Styleline on page 6. Incidentally, the write-ups were identical in each publication, but the pictures were slightly different. I just scanned the KOA article since they were so similar. Now, here's where the story starts to drift a little. The car was featured in the second KKOA book printed in 2003 on page 140. This time the owner was listed as Dallas L. Sapp. Apparently the Hatfields sold the car sometime prior to 2003. I don't know where Mr. Sapp lived, so its whereabouts at that time are unknown to me. These are the only color pictures I could find of the car. Sorry about the scan quality. My little scanner and the size of this book make scanning a little difficult. So that's all I have on this one. After 2003 this great Chevy seemed to fade away. Have you seen it? Let us know if you have! Until next Tuesday, take care out there! E
All I can add for #100 is, Dallas owned the 53 a couple years ago. I haven't seen it much which is funny cause I live within 10 miles of him. He is low50merc's brother in law. I haven't seen him, I think his name is Jerry, for 3 or for years either which is even funnier cause he drove the wheels off that merc. It wasn't uncommon to see it anywhere within 50 miles of home on any day of the week. I do know that the merc was sold about 3 years back and I haven' seen either car or gentlemen since. They were good people, hope all is well.
Thanks for the pictures @John B and @DANSLED! Great color shots with recent history. I didn't make it to the Spectacular in 2017, but I was there in 2016, and so was the awesome Merc mentioned above. Here's a few pictures taken by yours truly. E
Looks like the Merc is in South Dakota these days. I tried to call Jerry Welsh (Dallas' Brother-In-Law and looks like former owner of the Mercury) but the number I had for him doesn't work anymore.
The Low Down Merc was eventually sold to a gentleman in Council Bluffs Iowa. Then put up for auction and was bought by the guy from South Dakota who owned this Merc(which was featured earlier in this thread) which was wrecked after hitting a bridge. It is his new replacement as of 3 or so years ago. The Low Down Merc was also in Salina about 6 or 7 years ago with a different owner, possibly the guy from Ohio.
Here is a side view of the Low Down Merc. I took this pic about 6 or so years ago in Salina when it was from Ohio. He was a member on the HAMB back then. In about 2001, I took a pic of the Hatfield/Sapp car at a KKOA event in Lancaster Ohio. I have always liked this car very much soo. I was glad I got to see it again after seeing it in 83 in Springfield Ohio KKOA event. There was a dance Saturday night(Party Doll was sitting by the dance floor) and a girl came up and asked me to dance for a competition they were having. We did the twist and got 2nd runner up. Won a poster of James Dean. I could of sworn her last name was Hatfield and was in a 54 Chevy from Springfield. But I was only 13 at the time. Her brother apologized for her talking so much, so I ditched her and headed to the parking lot to see more of the cool cars. The 54 was in the classified section of the KKOA Gazette a few years ago, I`ll try and dig it up.
stanlow69 that is it. That brings back memories seeing that go down the street. We lived about 1/2 a mile away from each other and almost on same street.
Speaking of What Ever Happened To....dunno if you all saw it, but the guy who owns the Forcasta and the Ultimus posted on the Forcasta thread the other day that they will be on American Pickers this week.... Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Is that Doug Thompsons Scorpion to the left in the middle shot? Sent from my SM-G935V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yes, The pic`s were taken in Holland Michigan(about 91 or so)KKOA show when about 5 or 6 of Doug Thompsons creations showed up. They were all featured in a book back then taken at the airport across the road. Might of been the year they unveiled Richard Ratty`s Packard--Evening Shadow. You can see it above the roof. The grounds were dry and dusty.
Hey, post the pic of the car in #7950 of Kustom Blues thread that @rudestude posted. . I think it`s the same car.
We never missed a KKOA show in Holland!! Most of my stuff from then was video Sent from my SM-G935V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I agree. I tried to find it but gave up because I can't see the post #'s on the phone even though I go through the browser.
@Sancho--@OG lil E ---wingless vent window and a high back window. Could it be LaBamba. Remember, Richie Valenz passed away in the crash on Feb 3rd 1959. Todays the 4th.
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