Customs Half of the fun of owning and restoring the Car Craft Dream Rod

WAY TO MUCH TALENT FRIEND !!!!

 

I saw the Silhouette in this condition in a paint stripping shop in Bakersfield CA in probably 1980 0r so. Was just sitting in the back of the shop under junk. I had taken a dinner table in to get it stripped. This photo had to have been taken at that time, that is Kern County land in the background. I was too poor to even think of offering to buy it but in retrospect I should have. It disappeared soon after and has never resurfaced as far as I know.

 

I agree that the journey is as satisfying as the destination. During my Mysterion reproduction the people I came in contact with and the treasures I found associated with the car were invaluable. That's why I wrote the book to document that marvelous journey.

 

Mark, I'm tickled you have the means, skills and deep pockets to preserve this history for everyone else! Thank You for sharing here and all you do on HAMB!

 

Mark, there is one dream rod car you own I haven’t seen since you bought it only a few years ago. Might you know the car I’m referring to? I didn’t see it on your list of threads.

 

The model almost looks like ‘99’ (Barbara Feldon) from the Get Smart series.

John

 

Thanks for this. I never knew the Dream Rod was Jowett based, hardly what one would think to use in the US. I was aware of Jowett's own Javelin study (as way out there as the Dream Rod) and some sports car prototypes in the UK but this totally stumped me.

 

I love it. We need more stuff like this. The little details that you usually would only see in person.

It's what makes Kustoms, Customs, and other "ustoms" so exciting to me. pouring over the little details that make you go "oh that's rad".

 

Did any part the headlight pod come from another car or was/is it totally hand formed?

I like the Dream Rod by far the best, but the Tiger Shark is kind of neat in its own right. It'd be cool if someone built one.

 

Oh no... a six bolt block?!

 

Excellent job, Mark. A fun thread to follow. Mart.

 

What's the story behind the leftover piece? Was the Dream Rod's frame/wheelbase shortened at some point for that later version? Did you have to do frame repair as well? Since the cut piece had the gold flake paint on it, it must have been part of the frame under the original build??
So many questions!! But this is some way cool stuff you're posting here. Thanks!

 

Thanks, yeah now that you say that I do remember the frame deal from an earlier post but like a lot of stuff lately it didn't stick! I'll have to re-read the thread.
Somehow, I think the world will survive just fine with two fewer Jowetts around. They were sacrificed for a great cause.

 

It kind of surprises me that the guy who had it didn't think to try selling the frame instead of chopping it up. Of course maybe he did and didn't get any takers. It just seems such a waste.

 

With your connections and detective skills, it looks like you had a great deal of reference material.
You've mentioned the model was invaluable in the restoration. How often did the model and the photos match and how often did you have to choose one or the other for the path you followed?

 

Case in point. I remember when @Moriarity posted this in a thread a few years ago.

 

Just think, with no food in the house, there's nothing to attract mice or any other pest that might ruin his cars.

 

Third place down in the standings ... Jerry Nimz ...23 T.
Formerly "Punks Pickup that we built in Hamilton, Ontario.
I wonder what ever became of it.