Customs Sugar Daddy, Lincolnland Kustoms, Dave Losen history??

Recently I purchased a 1955 Ford named Sugar Daddy . It is a mild custom and was built by F. David Losen from Chillicothe, IL. My research so far has gotten some information but nothing prior to the early 80"s. Dave cofounded and was president of the Lincolnland Kustoms club. Dave died way too early in !999 at the age of 55. It is believed that his son stored the car for perhaps ten years and it was then sold. A memorial piece which was published in the KKOA publication said that Dave had owned Sugar Daddy for 18 years but my gut feeling is that he may have acquired this car in the 70's or even earlier. Just a hunch! I am trying to produce a tribute board to display with the car and would love to learn more about Dave, Sugar Daddy and the LLK. I learned about the H.A.M.B. when I bought Sugar Daddy and the folks have been great. Did anyone know Dave? Please tell me about him

 

. Here`s what I have on Dave. It appeared in the KKOA publication.

 

Hey @Allyn Smith, wish I knew more about the Lincoln Land Kustoms and had more information to share, but I am still learning a lot about the customs and clubs of the 80s and early 90s.
For more Lincoln Land Kustoms information, one thing that can be done is for one of you guys that go to the CCR this year is to talk to Ed Lepold. He was a member of Lincoln Land Kustoms and he attends the CCR every year and he is still an avid customs fan and still cruises around in his AWESOME Merc. I'm sure he would have a wealth of information to share!



Couldn't mention Ed's Merc without posting this beautiful picture of it taken by @Dan Greenberg.

Also, Jim (@stanlow69) suggested that I post a picture of my Lincoln Land Kustoms plaque on this thread to help inspire you @Allyn Smith.
I have to make clear I was never a member, but I was lucky enough to find one of their plaques on Ebay many years ago. I display it proudly in my little garage to show respect to a great custom club and the many great members they had..........E

 

Thank You. That would be really helpful. Hope someone is able to talk to Mr Lepold. Buiclboy was an LLK member but didn't know Dave or the car. AL

 

I also scored a Lincoln Land plaque from ebay. I feel really lucky that I got it as it also included a belt buckle.

 

The belt buckle is cool. You don't see many people wearing unique belt buckles anymore. I'm sure it has to be fairly rare. E

 

How awesome is that?? I know better than to ask if either is for sale. I actually have a phone # and address for Dave's son but have made 9 phone calls and sent a letter with return envelope and have gotten no response. Since he left the car untouched for 12-15 years maybe there is a part of this story I am not supposed to know. Where and when is the CCR? Maybe that could be my major trip this summer. AL

 

The CCR is in Indy, and happens June 8 - 10 this year.

Yuo might also want to get intouch with @showrod . He is a wealth of info on the custom / hotrod / show car history of the midwest, especially Illinois and Wisconsin.

 

@Allyn Smith I sent you a message.

 

My Dad was David Losens best friend... I seen Sugar Daddy up for sale on ebay (a good cry for me) but I can tell you about the car & Lincoln Land. I can even tell you who did the tuck & roll interior. - Sugar Daddy use to have a wandrers of Iowa plaque on the back David use to "spark" when dragging... He was an Iowan. I was 6 yrs when I met David (neighbors) and my Dad was his best until he died when I was in high school. We car showed together and my Dad was a head of Lincoln Land as well for a while & my Dad was a colonel for KKOA (so I know Ed... Mr.Merc)

 

Oh... proof...

 

This is Sugar Daddy in display with the Predicta...when it was blue...

 

This is the big 3 pic for me.... George West owner of the "Crown Princess, my Dad, & David... 3 of my favorite men! This is how I remember them... all have passed on.

 

Unfortunately Allyn Smith hasn't even logged in here since April 20. I was talking to him at the time via PM's and then nothing...... I sure hope all is well with him.

 

Sugar Daddy was on EBay for sale in May/June I think it was I seen.

 

Pretty sure Allyn bought in March or a little before. I know at the time it was on Craigslist and may have been on ebay as well. I didn't see that it was listed AFTER Allyn bought it. If it was I wonder where it is now.....

 

Here are a couple pictures of George Wests car. Sancho, give her a link to the WEHT thread. She will remember a few cars on that thread. @CamaroGirl. Who was your dad.

 

If Im not mistaken Sugar Daddy was in the St Louis metro area with its previous owner. I saw it at some shows a couple times. Then saw it on craiglist St Louis area.

 

Yep, and Allyn Smith bought it Feb 14th and it went to Newell, South Dakota.

@CamaroGirl have a look at the customs discussed in this thread @stanlow69 mentioned above: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-ever-happened-to.1016572/

 

That is one of my favorite fords. It's perfect in humble opinion.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

My Dad was past Illinois KKOA cololnel - Ken Krider. omg! I can't believe you have the Crown Princess pics... I rode in the back of that car & Sugar Daddy so many times!!!! My phone's wet from tears now!!!!! WE ALL MISSED OUR "OLD MAN OF THE WOODS" George West. He took a piece our hearts when he passed away.

 

Hello, I bought the Sugar Daddy in may of 2008 from Dave's son, Nic. We have been business partners since 2004. I've known Nic for quite a few years before that so, I knew about Dave's Toybox (garage). Nic had the Sugar Daddy in storage from 1999 until I bought it. It stayed in the Peoria area for the next 8 years storing it in Dave's toybox on occasion. I did a basic tune up. Changed the water pump, new gas tank, new Coker wide whites...etc. I took it to a few local shows and Hunnert Car Pile-up in 2008. I had fun with it while I owned it. I sold it in the summer of 2016 to a guy named Chris down around St.Louis. So that fills in the gap. Actually Dave's son Nic is talking to me as I write this.
Thanks, Kris
I added some Pictures of the Sugar Daddy and one of my '50 Merc

 

Hello! I was a member of Lincolnland Kustoms for several years along with a bunch of guys from the ford-Mercury Club of St. Louis. Weattended every event they had for quite a few years. My 53 Ford was on the event t-shirt in 1988. I dropped out right before Jon Gullet was killed in a motorcycle accident and Dave passed away. they were main leaders of the club. I still see Ed at car cruises in our area. He's getting up in years like the rest of us and isn't in the best of health. He still has his Merc which I'm sure he will never get rid of. I don't know when he built the Mercx but I've had my 53 for 44 years and he's had his a lot longer than that. The members of the Lincolnland club were some of the best car guys you woulds ever want to meet!

 

Thanks for chiming in @ jerry martin. Always nice to hear stories about those days from the people who were there.
I was saddened when I read that Jon Gullet's life was cut short in a motorcycle accident. When did this happen?
I went back and re-read some posts in the "What Ever Happened To..........E" thread after I did a write-up on Jon's awesome '50 Ford business coupe (W.E.H.T. #11), https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-ever-happened-to.1016572/page-6
and I thought someone mentioned that Jon was still around and recently attended the CCR show in Indy. I might have Jon confused with another guy from the old days in the KKOA.
So sorry to hear Jon left us way too early. Rest in peace..........E

 

Thankfully the past of Sugar Daddy is becoming less murky with the information you, flathead286 and Camaro Girl , have provided. I can now begin my tribute board to be shown with Sugar nest summer. I will be using a lot of your pictures as well as Dave's obituary, the 'Dave's 55" dash plaque given to me by Delray 54, and my LLK plaque to try to convey the history of this car and its owner/builder. Sugar Daddy itself is going to come out of the shop today after a several month stay. The transmission has been pulled and rebuilt; new wheel bearings had to be installed; The front end has been completely rebuilt and aligned. Am trying to maintain it's originality as much as possible but we did convert to 12 volt and install electric wipers. Thanks again for all the help

 

I knew Dave, he was a Great Guy! I was a member of Lincoln Land Kustoms. Still have my plaque and belt buckle and my jacket.