The Al Dal Porto roadster is probably most known today for its appearance on the cover of the July, 1952 issue of Hop Up Magazine. It was a fairly successful land speed and... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I know ive been staring at that car a good bit lately I dont know why more people dont build cars like this now days I'm trying to capture some of the same ideas with my newest one thanks for posting! Zach
The nose strikes me as a racecar nose with European flavor rather than the vertical sprintcar nose look of US racecars of 1951. The look is interesting and previes Indy car noses of a few years later.
I remember being really impressed by the car when I saw it in Hop Up (in '52). Looked like it was very well detailed. I think it was the first car I had seen -- certainly the first competition car -- with chrome wheels! The V8 logo in the grille is the fender logo from a '51 Ford.
Very smooth lines for a ford roadster. Quite streamlined,low profile, small grille, nothing "sticking out" except wheels and driver.
I talked to carl schmid from stockton cali to day he sold body parts from Dal porto roadster to Don Orosco. Don sold it to some ausie guy. he thinks the parts are in the mid west. The car was crashed driver killed. The drivers brother who lives a few miles from carl has the GRILL INSERT to this day. carl still has parts from this car. also from LEES STREAMLINER. RYAN GIVE CARL A CALL 1-209 931-3361 LET IT RING HE WOULD LIKE TO TALK.
I would like to do this car in scale. Anyone have anymore pics available of the "details" of this beauty? Would love to see 'em. I wonder if thsi car made it's way down to Mexico to sit in front of another adult bookstore like the latest Roth find. This car is too cool to let lay quietly somewhere and rust away unknown!
Dito the Bushwackers story. I almost bought it from Don about seven or so years ago. Not much left of the original car but some twisted metal. Hagerman, I believe, made the nose and the grill insert. A new grill insert may have been reproduced from the original. Don had assembled a lot of parts, body, engine etc to reproduce the car. My quandary was that it would be a "ReCreation" which there is nothing wrong with, just found it hard to justify then. Today, I would jump on it without hesitation. Its a beautiful car, one of my all time favorites and I would love to see it finished.
That is a very nice car! One of my all time faves! I am glad to see Carl Schmid received the credit for his part in that cars history. I remember hearing that Don Was going to restore it, but then it sold and never really heard more about it. Still waiting for Don to finish the Eddie Dye 29 track nosed car.
There was a picture of the crunched up nose I think in Hop Up a few years ago. I thought Don Orosco had it and was restoring it- doesn't sound like it anymore?
That was issue two. According to the piece it was acquired by Carl Schmid in the early 70s, Don Orosco bought it in 1993 and ownership passed to Kerry Horan 1999. Horan was restoring it.
Updates on the Al Dal Porto roadster?? Anyone know Kerry Horan or if in fact he is the current owner?? Any response would be very much appreciated!
HAH... as soon as I saw that picture I immediately thought of you and your work... scrolled down and sure enough... there you were. Where are you on your "A"... ever finish it? I haven't been on here very much as of late as "life issue's" have been taking a front seat to "fun stuff" Later on...
if you were talking to me... Zach has mad skillz... and could probably replicate most anything in metal by hand. see... http://www.suhrsc.com/19284130trackroadster if not... "Huh" is pretty dam'n vague man
It's a cool car, and I love the Chester Osgood roadster too... But mostly because it has THE nastiest ardun flatty in it.... Personally, I think horizontal grills belong on full-fendered cars... But that's just me... The history is cool, but I wonder ho much the History is clouding our aesthetic tastes...
Here is the whole spread on the roadster July 1952 HOP UP Somewhere I have pics of what was left after the crash and the parts put together to do the Restoration.
Any updates on the Dal Porto roadster? Been thinking of this car since hearing of Jack Hagemann's passing!
FYI, I just noticed a Gooding & Co. auction advert in the new issue of Vintage Motorsport mag. The photo shows a very nice car, so restoration must be completed. Save your beans... the car is to be auctioned at Pebble Beach in August without reserve. Gary
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