Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: The John Athan '29 A Roadster Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Saw that several times when in SoCal at the NHRA Museum while visiting family. It sat a few cars away from Ed's roadster. A real treat to see! On one occasion I asked the receptionist if Greg Sharp and Tony Thacker where around. In about 5 minutes both of them showed up and we had a brief conversation. Greg is a walking Hot Rod encyclopedia. Then a hop over to the SoCal shop and a chat with Jimmy Shine. I have since seen on TV both rods in Wayne Carini's shop in Connecticut.
475K for a hotrod. Cool. But Jay @Jive-Bomber it sounds like you’re saying it didn’t sell, the family thought 475 was too low? Well you’ve got to love how high they’re setting the bar, good luck to them.
I remember seeing that car in the movie when I was a very little kid, thinking "What is up with that windshield?" I still feel the same today. Nice car, cool history, but that windshield is just plain ugly.
What a treat this is, I have loved that car forever. It was one of the coolest hot rods in the movies. It is done in a wonderful color keying combinations - red includes, motor, grille shell insert, red wires, nice big red roll around the seatback. Black -body, and trim touches, really tasty. I am shocked to learn what that unusual windshield was, it has grown into it is so ugly it is cool and I certainly had decided it was just custom glass cut and handmade frame. some very nice chrome work throughout as well. Thank you so much for presenting this.
I’ve always thought that this car was very special in an ocean of A/V8s. While the windshield is unusual, it’s well done and defines the car as the Athan Roadster. It just wouldn’t be the same with a conventional A windshield. The red and black color scheme was hugely popular back then according to my Dad. What I noticed was the unusual steering box placement and the angle of the steering column. Cross steering no doubt, but I wonder what box he used and why? He was definitely an independent thinker. I sure don’t see 500k - 1 Mil there though. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
On the windshield thing, IMHO, remember, John Athan built the car in the late '30s. Think of pre WW II and airplanes and lakes racing, and I believe Southern California car culture. Nobody knew or cared if there was really a difference between a Rod and a Kustom. I believe John himself built that windshield out of the rear window of a '39 Chrysler. It's one of one, you'll never see another. Way rarer than say a Duval. It is believed to be the first '28 Ford on a '32 frame, a big deal in '37! (Corrected) Thanks Jimmy B! Same with the awesome shaped headers into under car mufflers. These are early days one off stuff, and still unique today. That car hasn't changed hardly at all since at least 1957 and the Elvis movie, "Loving You" That car was, is, and always will be, unique! Haven't said this in a while but just my $.02
great car, great history, at the time a great windshield … give me a hallock or duvall any day... the movie must have starred a skinny elvis...
Car was built in 1937, hundreds of A's on '32 frames had been built by 1947. Car was auctioned by Kruse GWS in 2019 @ the Hard Rock Cafe. I have been trying to find the auction results to see if it sold.
Hey Jimmy B, I fixed a few more details when I looked back. I fixed them all....I think! Thanks for the head-up!
I have shared images of this roadster many times and with that Provenance I can seriously see the Dollar Value Potential...I have not the money but as This Historical Hotrod with so many firsts in that Genre of Hotrod which is Huge even today as a Style, owned until and maybe still by the Family. Then take into consideration Elvis and his chasing the Vehicle after the fact as a Want...This Puppy Has Serious Soul...Athan was a Creator of Something Big...Too Cool...Thanks for sharing @Jive-Bomber
What do you mean? It looks like it's straight up and down, any forward lean is because the car has a rake. Although there are no radiator support rods, so it may droop forward? Hard to say from photographs.
I've seen the car in person ... it's slight ... but it does lean forward: Pretty sure it's leaning forward for fan clearance (i.e., it just needs a shorter fan spacer):
No Rad Supports as eluded...obviously the Rad Hoses are the Support and Positioners in this case...mind you there is a possibility the builder beefed up the lower supports to take on a more supporting role...I have a 29 Ford that relies on this support structure and have the Rad buck left and right with those rods present depending on road condition so I have a vision of my rad being ejected without those supports in place... That said it obviously worked for John and my situation is slightly different in that I have a Smallblock with only one rad hose which would unquestionably change dynamics...but I still wonder how that performed for him.
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