History Life of Riley Roadster - before McMullen

A customer came in the other day trying to gather information before starting a new roadster build. He explained that his dad helped a high-school buddy build the Life of Riley roadster which eventually became the famous McMullen roadster. When he told me he had his dad's pictures from 1956 as well as an article on the car from the high-school paper, I thought you guys might be as interested in it as I was!

 

Very cool.

 

As much as I like the McMullen roadster I like this better!!

Cool story and pics.

$1200 YIKES!!!!

Bill

 

it was also in "L***ie"

 

Yea $1200

William Bendix, Cl***ic.

 

Very nice! Nothing worth changing with that car.

 

I remember that. Like LongT said, I like it better in that config than the McMullen.

I'm curious tho, what's a chopped flywheel?

 

That is a great story and photos. Really a perfect '50s Hot Rod.

 

So-cal - Thanks for sharing this amazing story and photos.

 

It's what we used to say for a Lightened flywheel, as versus buying a light flywheel. Old Dude lingo

 

Now that's period perfect, thanks for the story and photos.

 

Yes, that is William Bendix holding the wrench. Remember him in "The Life of Riley" TV show.

 

Perfection! That is one righteous roadster. Thanks for sharing the pics and story.

 

i know, $1200 ... right?! i told him if he still had it i would give him $3600 and he could triple his money!!

my favorite part is the story from the high school newspaper!

 

What a neat story, thanks So-Cal. Sure sounds like a Ray Brown
built Mill....

 

if the "Life of Riley" car is a 32 then why is William Bendix standing over a 34? Plus the aricle says the 32 is (was) featured in Life as in Life magazine not the "Life of Riley".
Just wondering

 

Wow, AMAZING pictures, thanks for sharing !!!







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great car, dig this early version!

 

I remember the show, watched it live, I was born in 51, so you can see it was an early influence on me. My cousin took a 32 roadster from Grandpa's farm up in upper state SC back to his dad's shop, he was around 16 at the time. I can remember asking him why he worked so hard on such an old rusty car and he told me..."I'm going to have a car like I saw on Life of Riley"... He did build it, never saw it black, but my dad, uncle's and cousins worked on that roadster many a saturday. Yep, I was small, but I can still remember some cold autumn days walking around that car, getting in the way, asking them if I could help. That was when they started calling me "Screwdriver" since I always walked around with one trying to do something to that rusty old car. Thanks for this memory, Dad, Uncle and cousin gone now, but I know why I love this habbit of mine so much.

 

It never looked better.

 

OMFG! I just NOTICED!! The rear bones are split!! Its gonna break!! ITS GONNA BREAK!!!DEATH!!! CARNAGE!!!!! MAYHEM!!!!

 

Awesome

 

Great stuff !!! thanks for sharing... Heck I would give him $4800.. lol

 

If you ever wondered what the term "TIMELESS" means just take a good look at the pictures...................no other explanation necessary.

Frank

 

cool.... like.... daddy-o....

 

McMullen who? That first incarnation was the best!

 

Agreed!!!

 

What a simply beautiful car.

Think of the vision to build it THEN - when there weren't thousands of examples and lots of magazines, internet, etc to see what WAS around. Awesome.

 

I remember the show, watching it as a kid. I aso remember the magazine cover & storey also. It was a neat car. Had no idea it would become the McMullen roadster!

 

That was one great looking car when it was in that form.