There was an ad in the local craigslist for a 28 roadster. The ad claimed that the roadster was a Vern Tardel build. The gentleman that owned it is 95 years old and used to road race, ie. Laguna Seca and other tracks throughout the states. He raced a 550hp 65 Corvette, 356 Porsche and a 31 roadster with a Riley 4 port. At the age of 93, just a couple years ago, he had open heart surgery. The person that placed the ad was an old family friend. His father had been friends with the elderly gentleman for over 50 years and they had raced together. I called the person that had placed the ad and he is quite a character, in a good way. We made arrangements to meet the following morning at the owners house to take a look at the car. Met the owner, who is a super nice guy. After the surgery he has slowed down quite a bit but is still on the ball. He told me he had acquired the car from the Flying A museum located in Winnemucca, Nv. About 5 years ago or so. Prior to going out to see the car I had sent an email to Vern Tardel shop with the VIN# of the car to see if he had actually built the car or remembered it. After seeing the car you could tell it was a really quality build. Really nice flatty, that had a really nice lope to it, which you could tell this was no stock flathead. Well short story long I ended up buying the car. I wanted to get everything in my name before I drove it home. Went down to a private registration service that is ***ociated with a hot rod/cl***ic car dealer here not far from my house and got everything done and got insurance on it. I was making the arrangements for the following morning to pick up the car and the family friend was nice enough to come over in the morning, yesterday, to give me a ride to get the car. The owner lives about 20 miles away. Drove it home on the freeway, tracked straight and true. There was some popping out the carb for awhile but it was probably dirt or sediment in the carbs that finally worked its way out because it eventually cleared up. Vern Tardel was kind enough to call me yesterday afternoon and he told me that he remembers building the car and driving it, his shop is in Northern California, down to the Fathers Day LA Roadster show, around 2000, and selling it to a guy from Nevada that just had to have it. When he took it down there he didn’t have any intention of selling it but he said the guy from Nevada really wanted it and offered a respectable amount for it. Vern said that he still has pictures do***enting the build and that he will put together a package or a "birth certificate" as he called it and send it to me. It looks like a lot of AV8’s but the quality of the build is just so outstanding.
One of those perfect days, Brandon, except you forgot your baseball hat on the ride home. Congrats on great hot rod find!
Brandon, Congrats. on getting the roadster. The man who sold you the car is one of the coolest cats in the world. His hot rod roots go back to the early 1940s. After crashing his 32 roadster into the gl*** front of a nursery, he had to sell the car. It was 1942, he was 14 years old, and he sold the 32 to Harry Westergard. This is Mike and the roadster from Aug. 2023.
Great rod, nice find & buy. Lucky guy. If it was mine I would flush, clean gas tank, radiator, brake lines, & oil change. Do u know last time driven before purchase? Might also check age quality of tires. What interior? Time for leather treatment? Then drive & enjoy
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