History MILESTONE CUSTOM CARS: Jesse Lopez '41 Ford

Absolutely beautiful car... And nice to see those spots in place too, ha ha...

 

Thanks for the kind words. She turned out just how I wanted, and someday I will get off my *** a finish her. The deuce has definitely shoved her to the back burner though. Thanks for the welcome as well. D.

 

Nice to have you on the board. Look through threads and posts of mine as well as The Frenz and Rikster to find loads of custom stuff.

 

I wonder if Rikster or anyone knows if this is the car that traveled with Bob Hirahita's Mercury across country for the Indianapolis and Detroit shows around 1953 or 1954. The trip was written up in one of the small magazines and I saw the two cars at the Detroit show. That was very impressive to see a car the was in magazines in person. Really impressed a 13 year old kid

 

HotRod1940. I have the October 1953 Issue of Rod & Custom in which the complete trip from Bob Hirohata is featured. And this article does not say anything about two customs going to the Indianapolis show. The article was written and photographed by BoB Hirohata... so there was also no other car that could act as photo car or something like that. I have never heard about the Lopez car driving to Indianapolis... but perhaps somebody else knows about it.

 

Perhaps it was Spencer Murrays Chevy that took the trip.

 

Earl Bruce is still driving this car, he says he bought it new in 1940. I see it at the original (not SLC) Throttlers car show in Burbank every year.
It is painted blue now and is on a hot rod rake with a blown flathead in it. He still lives in the LA area, in Silver Lake I think.
I really like the earlier version of it, don't care for it's look now. But I think it's really cool that he's still driving and modifying it after all this time (65 years!)

Great post Rikster and Frenz, as usual!

Tom

 

Thanks Rikster for the awesome (as usual) post. If anyone knows Kustom history, it's you. So is the Jack Stewart car still in Ohio?

 

Well it took me a bit longer to find this photo and article of the custom that is clamed to be the Bill DeCarr '41 Mercury.







Edited.

We now know this is the Bill De Carr Mercury, and that it has been sectioned many years ago.

More photos from the Barrys Mazza files.








And the Bill DeCarr's 41 Mercury to compaire it to.

 

I found this pic in my dad's photo collection from the detroit street rod nationals in '72. It's clearly Jack Steward's car. Dad said when he saw it at the show in '72, he remembered it from magazines when he was a kid. He thought it was a real shame the way it looked, with it's small 14" mustang wheels, heavy flake goldish/red paint looked real bad he said, and he recalled one side being a little wavy. Who knows if that one is still around. Maybe I'll start another post on it...

 

Great picture of the Stewart Ford. And yes... not really attractive with the small wheels and glold paint, but remember this was '72 and customs where totaly out... so it was amazing that Bob Drake of Indiana decided to restore it after it was hit by a train many years before that.

As far as I know Bob Drake still owns it. Here are a few more recent pictures taken in the 80's and 90's. More about the Stewart Ford can be found in the Ayala "SPOTLIGHT" post here:

Ayala SPOTLIGHT post

 

Dragnut
Very cool to see that you have joined the HAMB. I have been very impressed by your 41 since I first spotted it in HRDL a long time a go. Perfect car in every way!

 

A few new photo's of the Lopez Ford I found.

The first one is a similar photo as teh one where Jesse stands in fron tof his car taken at the Turf Club, but this time without Jesse.

The photo comes out of a 1977 custom car book and had a then high tech funky pattern added to it, hence the poor quality of the photo, but still a very intersting shot.




And I just recieved this great 1956 Parking lot show photo from Australians Paul Kelly. Thanks for sharing Paul.
Its amazing to see the Lopes car in 1956 looking basicly the same as when it was first built in 1948. 1949 Caddy Sombrero's and the Barris crest are the most obvious updates. A lot of the early customs cars where "updated" regular just to keep up with the latest custom car trends to be sure of getting points at the show to win those highly fallued trophy's. But not so with the Lopez Ford.... luckly. Wonder if it still won prizes in 1956.

 

a great thread on some of the greatest 41 fords custom thanks

 

found some pix of dragnut's ford and the choppers at Viva las vegas #2. I liked it gold, but the green version looks awesome too. Looks like a completely different car...

 

Bringing this back because it is a good read and a great study on some nice customs.

 

hi everyone i just joined up. cool site...im a truck driver just this week i have a stop i been going there for a year and a half now,well the guy had his 80 b-day and we started chat about his party and he said that barris was there,he was good friend with him he went is side his home can out with a big custom made kinda like a pic frame it had the 41 lopaz ford pic on it him and barris next to it. it said good time's and happy b- day good friend and he had some real photo's of the car.he's name is jesse lopaz...real cool guy he said the car was totalled to thr point that it could not be fix...i go there alot next time i go ill see if i can take a photo of his custom frame.

 

Man, I have never seen this car out, in broad daylight, only in Derons garage, with dust and kids toys all over it, but hell, I sure would appreciate seeing it going down the road. Beautiful car.

 

I read in this thread that the Lopez 41 is still around today ??? Anyone have any info on that.

 

Hi Jeff,

This is the latest info I have.... and it comes from a reliable source (Jesse Lopez himself)
Edited.... incorrect information, is removed now!!!

 

On that sad note--- Heros are remembered--Legends last forever--That car is a legend, as you can tell by this thread.

 

Hello Rik, Another sad story about our history. Almost all of my favorite kustoms are no longer around.

 

The Ayala bros '42 ford had a great chop,had a great slope at the rear.i have been building a '47 ford(in my avatar) to resemble the chop on that car.

 

That Ayala car is one of my favorites ever!!!!! I hope you get your roof to flow like that one. That is another car I would love to know where it ended up.

 

I have been in contact with a guy (Memo) who owned this 42 Ford from 58 till 61-62?
After he sold it he lost track.
When Memo got the car from Gil, he (Gil) had started working on it again and had grafter a set of Dual headlights to it. Memo finished the body work and had all the chrome redone... and finished it. Drove it for a few years, then sold it.

I'm trying to find out more info on it.

Killer roof line

 

A few more of Jesse's 41 Ford

Motor Trend article




Photo from www.BarrisKustomsCity.com

 

YES RIK !!!!! Great pics! I think the Ayala might of had a smoother flowing roof then Jesses car... but that is a hard one to call. Rik im confused ... that drawing that Memo did,it says that the car is a 46????? What a shame to put dual headlights in that beauty, but everybody wanted to keep up with the times back then. I dont know why but I have a hunch that the Ayala car might still be around. Who knows though,maybe im just wishful thinking.

 

What an amazing Custom!

Easily up in my top 5 favorite customs.

Craftsmanship, proportions and ideas are second to none!

Thanks for the pics Rikster and everyone else...........

HC.

 

Jeff, I have the same feeling... And I do hope one day it will be "found"

According to Memo the Pink slip says 1946 Ford. But he always thought it was a 42 as well. So perhaps its a 46 where they added a 42 Front to? (fenders, grille and hood). And then they customize it?

I think it was already amazing that the car was reworked at in 1958 with Dual headlights. The car was such a typical late 40's custom, and was really considered out of style by the later 50's. I think Gil just really loved that car.