Customs Unearthed: 40s Custom Job - but who built it?

I was recently buying a cool 26 T Roadster from a guy in Georgia called Bill Bonbrake. We got to talking (flattened his phone battery twice) he's a really cool guy and I convinced him to sell me my first Flathead and so for hours we talked about my new T and near the end of the call I ask him what he's working on or really loves at the moment so he sends me three pictures of a car he's really p***ionate about. He gave me permission to post them on here in the hope someone might know the original builder.



I have the full details on what the car is but he played with me and only sent me this pic and said..."Try and guess what it is?"

So, before I give you the full story (and a shot of the front of the car which gives a lot away) I'd like you to enjoy the sensation of "what the...?"

How about that rear deck and interior?



and finally...the front. I gasped for a mixture of a dozen reasons. What's your reaction?



I "interviewed" Bill about the car knowing some of you would want to know a lot about it. I was typing the fastest I ever had while he rattled off all the facts he knows about his car. Forgive me if I get some of this wrong. I'll correct it later.

Try and guess what it is but if you can't wait the answer is here (further down in post #7)

I was just fascinated and wanted to saviour the puzzles for a while. He was surprised how close I got. He only showed me the back photo though. You guys get the full view.

 

I gasped because thats a Willys coupe!

 

Did you get Bills O.K. to post this car?

 

Uggggghhh.

 

Not only did I get his ok. He asked me to. He wants to know who built this. I told him he'd love the H.A.M.B. and to check it out. I offered to post on here pics of the car and he said "Great!...then send me the link". He's going to send us a few more photos once he scans them. I'm posting this for him. I'll make a note about it in the original post.

Markz'...it's not a Willy's coupe. (unless they go by another name).

Wicked' that front is a little funky isn't it...lol but the rear view and that rear deck is nice and works for me.

 

hey...32 FORD... yea it's called the scary mary, and it was built by HERMAN MUNSTER! naa i got nothing. call me POP...or the old FART!

 

Ok,

Here's the story so far....

Bill says the car is called "The Black Panther."

Purchased in 2004 by Bill Bonbrake from a friend of the guy who found it.

It's a 1941 Graham Hollywood which used to be a 4 door sedan apparently owned by Famous Stock Car Race Driver from the 40s in or near Pennsylvania. (Clue #1)

1n 1949 in Florida a tree fell on the car. So they decided to remover the roof all together and what you are seeing is a grafted on roof from a 1946 Buick Sedanette.

The car was found in a Ware house, concealed under junk and so dusty as to be unrecognisable as a car.

When Bill got the photo of the scene inside the ware house the photo was so old and crumpled and of such poor quality it was taken in for proper restoration.

The car used to have nerf bars front and rear. These have been lost but the pictures will allow a recreation.

The spears on rear deck are 59 Desoto Sportsman Adventurer convertible (very rare car!).

Tail lights are 49 Lincoln.

Windshield is from a Kris Craft boat from the late 40s.

Knock off wire wheels probably from a 55 Cadillac or similar.

65 Chevy Super Sport Bucket seats (which apparently fill the space perfectly).

100% metal body.

Alleged that when it was found it had a Nailhead in it (unproven).

Currently running a SBC but the plan was to install a Merc Flathead (which I bought - sorry about that). He'll find another one he said.

Car didn't stop well so Bill installed a dropped 49 Ford axle so he could convert it to Disc brakes (conversion from Speedway motors).

55 Pontiac stars on the hood.

So there it is.

Bill (the current owner) would like to know...who did all this work?

 

different-i like it

 

pretty cool, i like it!
all i know is the wheels are dayton or cheap chinese copies.
good luck on the search, ed

 

I told Bill I thought they looked like late 70s or early 80s aftermarket wheels.

 

wow,,,,neat car,,,

 

I knew YOU would like it Kustom'.

 

I think someone is yanking your chain. If I had any money, I would bet that car was built in the last ten years.

 

Cool story...

 

I agree, maybe the last 10-15.

 

those wheels are not from a '55 cadillac. or any other factory car. They are aftermarket daytons, mcleans or something.

 

I'm confused on this one....

 

Car didn't stop well so Bill installed a dropped 49 Ford axle so he could convert it to Disc brakes (conversion from Speedway motors).
Were there straight axles in 49? I thought they went to 46 unless it's a truck or something.

Edit, nevermind I see where you said you were typing fast and may have made a mistake...
nice car...

 

It looks like someone did a poor attempt at restoring an old custom. New body work and paint with modern gauges, stereo and wheels. Not everyone cares about authenticity and will use whatever is readily available. It's still a cool car but would be nicer if the correct parts were used to bring it back to it's glory years. IMHO

 

That was my immediate first impression too...

 

It sure looks like there is a Hollywood Graham under there.

 

Neat car but like some others have said, some of the modern replacement parts kill it for me. The two that hit me the hardest are the wanna-be Dayton wheels and the AutoZone exhaust tips. Steering wheel looks off to me too.

But with a few of those items swapped out for period correct stuff, and the SBC abandoned for the proper Nailhead engine, I'd say this would be a pretty neat car.

 

Don't know who built it........ but someone put a hell of a lot of work in it!

 

Are those flamethrowers on the back?

 

Bill sounds like a pretty genuine guy. I spent hours on the phone with him and not once did he give me causde to pause and doubt (unlike most humans I meet). I really doubt he's yanking my (or our) chain. I agree that someone has made some modern touces (wheels, exhaust tips, paint...etc) but he doesn't strike me as the sort of fellow who would make me post pics of his car and then give me false info about it's provenance. He's genuine in his desire to unearth the builder or any more info. This is a one of kind car. He doesn't believe Graham made a convertible in this year and model and the only reason this one hasn't got a roof is because of the tree.

I'll get some more info and maybe Bill himself will join us here at the H.A.M.B. to shed some more light onto the story.

 

It's kinda cool, but something looks off... I think the whole ****pit needs to be moved back (longer hood, shorter tail).

 

I always thought Hollywood Grahams were front wheel drive like Cords?

 

This doesn't make sense???

 

"65 Chevy Super Sport Bucket seats (which apparently fill the space perfectly)." Am I missing something?

 

The historians are not sure about the exact number but there were between 2 and 5 Hollywood Convertibles made. I would hope that they didn't cut one of those up. I'm 85% sure that it was made from a Hollywood but probably a sedan.