It would be something if it was one of these pickups. I don’t think it’s Roy’s truck. It has some similarities but to many differences right now. The yellow overspray got me excited though.
I’m wondering if Don’s truck was painted the same color as the Kookie T. It looks very similar in my opinion. I know Dean painted the Kookie Kar originally according to Tom Cotten’s book on Dean Jeffries. Thoughts?
What I know as of today… The truck has had side pipes that came through the running boards at some point in its life. They exited at the rear of the running board and most likely ran up the bed and back like a red truck @Stogy posted a while back on the cover of a magazine. The chassis was a bright red before the yellow was painted before it’s current blue. Roy Desbrow’s chassis from the 52 hot rod is completely different then Don’s truck….BUT…. Don’s truck has the running boards clearanced for a crossmember that doesn’t exist….in the same location as Desbrow’s. The truck is covered in yellow overspray and has a repair for an antenna on the passenger cowl.
So chassis swaps weren't unheard of an were probably quite common in Hotrod in the 50s...plausible ends to one livery to another...and the dash went with the other...
@GoJoMoJo, is there any evidence of that frame horn shroud the Desbrow Truck had on the grillshell? Maybe wear marks...that was a pretty obvious detail that stood out...
I’ll look tomorrow but I believe the Desbrow truck was a smoothed shell. Don’s truck has filled cap and emblem
I don’t see any evidence on the body of any red but I’ll look closer today. I was looking at a small paint chip that came off the fender last night. The yellow is very thick in comparison to the blue. If you look at the chip from a side profile it’s many mills thicker than the blue. I’ll try and get a picture of that as well. Under coating is peeling off from beneath the fenders and its shiny black below the undercoating. I believe this is factory ford black. This picture is the underside of the passenger front fender. here is the red center section with the chrome bells.
So here is what we know so far. The truck was painted some time around 1958 by Dean Jeffries. The body used to be yellow with belly burners at one time. The chassis used to be highly detailed red and is probably from a different truck?
That’s all correct. I won’t be able to verify if the body was ever red or not until later tonight. I didn’t really see any indication it was but I could be wrong. I know the front fenders where never red. The paint is chipping down to black factory paint and it’s only yellow and current blue.
Back in those days these were 500 to 1000 deals for whole vehicles some running, some minus engine/trans, some quite revered, some less...So parting out was just as much part of it as well and you did say there was a rear ender snuck in too, beginning the chain of events...
Does anyone have the July 62 Car Craft handy that they can scan? This is all I have until I get the magazine in the mail but in the upper left corner the article is talking about all of Don’s cars.
Worked on the front brakes tonight. The plan is to get it running and drive it as much as possible. I’m replacing the front brake hoses, master cylinder and front brake cylinders. After I get it running and stopping so it’s easier to move around I’ll tackle the rear brakes. hopefully I can find my dads rear drum puller for early fords, if not wish me luck. Interesting side note. The master cylinder is from 55-60 ford Thunderbird. Not sure about the pedal assembly. I’ll figure that out later. The motor turns free and is relatively clean inside. I should have a mag from Joe Hunt in the next few weeks but in the mean time I’ll put some kits in the carbs, block off the moon cover and dig through my parts to find exhaust manifolds and a starter. I believe I have both in my piles of parts from my olds obsession 15-20 years ago. I also made a deal on a Harmon Collins so if it ever needs to go back to OG we can make that happen. Oh, the clutch is stuck so that’s good. Once it fires, runs, doesn’t kick a rod out of the block or bend a pushrod I’ll find a radiator and a era correct V-Drive boat water pump to run off the Cam in place of the original Harmon Collins mag. Next I’ll build some headers from a set of olds exhaust flanges I bought 15+ years ago off FleaBay (back when it didn’t suck) and figure out the pulley situation. Also, tonight I noticed some interesting markings under some chipping undercoat. Not sure if this is some cryptic message from the Hot Rod gods or ford assembly plant markings. I’m almost positive we are looking at factory ford black paint in this photo but what is the white writing? Looks like a paint marker to me??And is the green on the chassis rail a factory deal or do we have yet another truck to look for? As Derek from Vice Grip Garage would say Greeeeaatt……..
Jeeze...right around Halloween too...perfect time for connecting with the spirits swirling around in that Hotrod...there's at least a 1/4ton... Seriously though those details may all help hone that story that's individual to each of these survivors...
Original 32 Ford fenders and frames were all black. Actually dipped in the paint, not sprayed. Sometimes you can even see a little run on an inside edge. That green looks like a stock 32 color, it’s just in the wrong place.
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/1949-50-Chevy-Car-Tail-Light-Assembly,491542.html Good eye @Okie Pete...I thought they were aftermarket ie. JC Whitney or something...I couldn't find anything MC... I didn't realize there was a good angle on it to aid but there it is...all good
Bttt...how's it going @GoJoMoJo...no pressure just thinking of the blast from the past, the mystery and how some Hotrods are beyond elusive...how something so visibly wild can be void of any captures that could have survived...
Hey Stogy, Not much to report. Been busy with work. I did get the magneto back from Joe Hunt a week ago so that’s one item checked off the box. The brakes are 75% done and still need to clean up the inside of the block before I start it. I was just looking at how I’m going to run the exhaust in this thing. Wish I had at least one picture to figure out if he was running headers or lake pipes. so that’s the question of the day. Do I go headers or lake pipes? Either one I’ll have to fab. what’s everyone’s thoughts?
I think headers and those short lakes pipes like Moriarity runs on his Vette towards the back of your running boards... Short goes with the overall look which is overall a shortened sporty look... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...i-41-shop-truck.1112750/page-61#post-14920768 ...Here they are on @Bandit Billy's Pickup... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...anyone-still-producing.1218179/#post-13911399 ...Here they are on @Moriarity's vette... Credit to Photographers, Owners
...My thoughts are with lakes headers out the side exiting beside the cowl might look more drag race but would how would they work with the full fenders exhaust wise...would it fume you out?...if you cap them can you run pipes between the frame and back? If not I'm sure cutting a hole in the fender isn't a thing you'd consider...neither would I...
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