Featured Features The Black Dahlia

That thing probably sounds like an ocarina driving down the road with all of those holes in it. I had a bullet hole in the cab corner above the driver door for a long time, when I painted the truck I cut it out and saved it since I needed to fill in the area with new metal anyway.

 

Before it was painted black.

 

Big haired chick's okay, dude's hair leaves a lot to be desired, and it's a shame that a car as nice as that got turned into a sieve.

 

That’s AI. No one built fordor hot rods back then…

I love both versions!

 

I love that it’s a 4 door!

 

Fresno Cover Car.

 

I would restore it back to the R&C Cover version

 

Me too. First I thought "Cool!" but compared to the original version it is looking rather sad today.
I wonder if the chromed firewall is still there.

 

Gotta wonder if the movie, "Bonnie and Clyde" inspired shooting it up!!! Hey, 1967!

 

@Surfcityrocker highly polished aluminum panels are still in the car but very weathered.

 

Anyone have any proof that it’s the same car. Because from here it looks like someone just posted another 4 door hot rod 34

 

I tend to agree . . . both are Fresno based '34 Ford Fordor (circa '60s) Hot Rods . . . but have different 1963 California plates:

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I could see these two 34’s being the same….

 

Could you share more about this 34's history that you know of?

 

@earlyride -

Checkout @richard noble's post (right above your post).

Also checkout Gene "Clean Gene" Sadoian's 1934 Ford on Sondre @SuperFleye & Olaf @Kvipt 's KUSTOMRAMA site.
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- Todd @HEMI32

 

That’s information on the red car. None of which makes any ties to this black car.

so far the similarities are it’s a 34 4 door that was black in the 60’s and it has similar headlights/stands. And they are built in the same
Time period.

based on the kustorama timeline this car with black with flames was parked possibly before the red car got painted black and olds swapped. The interiors are totaly different colors and designs. I’ve still seen nothing to connect the two

 

@Tim -

As I stated above, I’m convinced they are NOT the same ‘34 Fordor (from Fresno) … I only posted the link to the Wiki article on the KUSTOMRAMA site (which includes dozens of photos of the “Clean Gene” ‘34 Fordor) to further illustrate that they are different cars.

Perhaps Kevan @Sledge will chime in with some more history of The Black Dahlia ‘34 Fordor.
​

- Todd @HEMI32

 

How about remnants of red carpet and chrome garnish moldings.
Kevan Sledge received the car from Jim Crowder whom found the car both are my long time friends Jim is my school mate.

 

The chrome molding is what I was waiting to see. It also has hanging peddles, so it could very well be the same car. You can always ask Sondre over at Kustomrama, he is a friend of Gene and has been to his house in Fresno. The only red fIag I see is the inside door handle on Gene’s car is in the middle, indicating a deluxe model. Whereas the black car has the handle at the front of the door ( standard model). The door may have been replaced at one time. The molding is deluxe.

 

Not too likely the black flamed car is the same as either.
The inner door latches on the Stockman car are in the center - a later ‘34. On the black car at the front - a early ‘34.
Sandoian’s ‘34 had more custom stuff - ‘39 tail lights, custom grille with no filler, custom hood and was a deluxe.
Of course few of these remain the same.

 

Anyone have photos of the engine/under hood?

I guess if it was done in this black and yellow version in the last 30 years after the corpse of the red car was found with barely anything remaining it could in theory be the same car. Jist seems like a huge stretch to ***ume based on some red carpet and garnish moldings.

If it continued being changed and updated after it got the olds engine. Got a name, got a different interior, and then was left for dead it could explain the wrong door and interior . Are they the same on both sides maybe they were trashed and it needed replaced?

with the old paint being obviously painted right over I would ***ume
We’d see some rusty remains of the chromed fire wall and lots of motor mount scars. Someone who sprays black right over everything isn’t going to put a ton of effort into cleaning up the clues I would imagine.

I think sometimes we forget that very very nice cars ended up left for dead and rotten more often than not. So I’ll allow that it could be. I just don’t see enough to connect any dots.

 

Man I love this kind of historical archeology even if I am wrong so great keeping dialog of traditional Hot Rodding.
Only my opinion, the Olds engine car is not the Phil Stockman's a totally different car.
The black car I have seen in person before Kevan owned it.

 

Me too! That might be a good start point how long ago can you recall this car looking like it does? Any idea if it’s change at all since he owned it? I’d love an under hood shot if we can find one of the current car

 

Zooming in on the interior photos looking for clues I thought “I wish too tall was still here he’d know!”

when it pings my brain. This feels like maybe it was in one of his lost hot rod books? I’ll have to look.

 

Okay, if you want more clues, take a look at the right front door inside handle location. If it’s located at the front of the door, it’s a standard vehicle. Then look inside the cowl for cowl light holes that have been welded up. Also look in the inside header to see if it had a right hand wiper, also hole welded. If the car is standard it won’t have these holes filled, Gene’s car was without a doubt a deluxe Ford.

 

That is all I got guys been fun while it lasted thank you Joey for the thread.

 

I mean lets be honest someone could have built that last week and it would still be pretty dang cool.

 

The red car is in Pats’ hot rod gallery 2 but not with much new information. I however did notice that the master cylinders on the red car are level mounted 40’ ford style masters where the black car has staggered units that are not matched. I believe this came from a 50’s ford donor car - can’t recall what they are from?- but it’s a very common donor set up to see on early
Hot rods for swinging pedals.

I think the drives side firewall in the area closer to the cowl side/ cowl wing also looks a little differently shaped.

Not any ground shaking info but thought it worth adding.