Beautiful car with incredible history. Love the look, it's just right. Wonder if the current owner has done some improvements. There are numerous differences, the steering wheel was mentioned, looks to me like the rear fenders have been rebuilt and improved. The originals had little to no crown in them and the current versions do have a nice amount along with a more gradual taper to the bottom and a smaller radius turn into the bottom edge of the body. Maybe it's like doing two stage paint in the rebuild instead of lacquer? Nothing escapes the sharp eyes of the HAMB....
The rear fenders were the first things I would have changed. I think the newer versions fit the car much better.
Happy to say that I was able to research the history of the car since it arrived in the UK in the early Sixties in the hands of English 'Beat' artist Gerald Laing who bought it from Adam Coffee. Believed to be the first hot rod imported into the UK. I penned the article in both the UK Custom Car magazine above, and Car Kulture Deluxe magazine, some years ago. You can read all about it in the latest issue of Hop Up, Special Number 8. I'm glad the rod is now getting the recognition it deserves stateside as although it lives over here, it's an important and iconic example of a cool East coast hot rod. (By the way, the steering wheel was originally from a '50's German DKW Sedan, it was replaced with a VW Karmann Ghia wheel during the restoration.)
The Jalopy Journal
