The missing..1932 Roadster Highboy Hotrod find from 1959

Amazing how close these finds are to us and they go unknown for so long.....the part that KILLS me is that these people are out there and we dont get to know them....RIP Bud Groome.
Great story...have fun and resist the urge to 'improve' it.

 

Great find and story!!!! Would love to see more pics.

 

Great find!!! NOW LETS SEE MORE PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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Great find, but don't think it is the only one you'll ever find. Sounds like you have your foot in the door and access to all the other stuff. The midget race cars are great investments, get EVERYTHING. You won't know untill you assemble all the bits if you have a car with good race history or just an unknown unfinished project.

 

This looks like Franks car ? The owner that passed away.......if it is.....Please just do the car justice, this car was his baby it outlasted everyone of his divorces it was his everything...He was an excellent racer in the day..In the last couple of years his health went down hill....When I first saw the car long ago, if this is the same one, I offered to trade him my wife for the car, and told him jokingly that she was in her early twenties and I garenteeded that she still squealed...he laughed and said no thanks, but said he had never been offered that before with a great big smile.........and my wife just looked at me a shook ed her head..............well I had to try....The car was at his house when I met him at the Canton swap-meet, he took me home to show me his stuff and to drop off the early Hemi stuff that he had just bought off of me, I remember the tour he gave me as if it was yesterday, it left an impression on me along with him......Littleman

 

Littleman, Yes this was Franks car. Later, Bill

 

SON OF A BITCH PILE OF MONKEY NUTS!!! Man i wish that would happen to me, some guys got all the luck. maybe some day ill get lucky.
well anyway, congrats on one hell of perfect barn find.

 

congrats

 

This post has to be the record for most views, or at least close., more pics please.

 

Not to worry Megan....

I was as excited about my '38 coupe & Deuce Fordor body as I was about the Deuce 5wd I drug out of a barn in '88.

You may never steal another Deuce roadster again but I imagine that a Deuce roadster isn't the only car on your list of "must-haves".

Now get us an update with pics...

JH

 

Congrats!!!

 

Awesome story. And thanks Littleman for sharing this little piece of Dave. RIP to the guy and long live his roadster..

PS - Please don't put a Y-block in it.

 

Hell yeah put a Y block in it!!!!

 

Megan,
That is one fine piece you got there. A friend in Maine found an even older '32 lowboy, and built a 59A flathead engine w/offy heads for it.
The car drives magnificently! If I had to choose a motor, you've got much to consider here. The flatty was the icing on our friend's cake.
Best of luck, Pitman

 

You may have already said.....I didn't go back through..

What trans is in it now? Is the rear end a closed banjo?

 

The trans in it now (which rotates and appears to be in good working condition) is out of a '56 Ford Fairlane which did have a Y-block in it. Yes, it is a closed banjo.
And yes, one week later I am still in love with it!

 

Bet you still keep popping out,just for no reason other than to look at it too hey
Wow,great story,great car/history,gone to the right kinda people,its' a feelgood thread right here!.........always remember,do it justice,we aint the owners of special cars like that just the present keepers as it were......good luck to you

 

I 'drove' it for the first time Sunday night. Nevermind two people were pushing it, but I drove it

I am going to spend sometime with her tonight. After I get the intake changed on the '37 truck. It is finally getting nice enough to do stuff outside in Ohio!

 

Awesome find!

Post up some more nice clear daylight pictures and detail photos!!!

 

Great story,even better find as they are still out there & always will be. We just have an even greater appreciation for them.
Good luck & put the flathead in it!!!! There is some cool speed equip out there!!!!

 

I know EXACTLY how you feel finding a vintage 32 Ford roadster that has been squirreled away for decades. Don't worry, it's not all downhill from here. Everytime I drive my roadster I thoroughly enjoy the experience. Eventhough a 32 roadster has been my dream car since I was a snot nosed little kid, I still have other cars on my "gotta have someday" list and I've bought 3 more projects since I scored the roadster (one of those stories was even more incredible than my deuce find).

 

my dad knew the guy who had that car and tried to just see it for years but the old dude didn't let anyone in. however fortune smiled on pops cuz he ended up with a 33 5window that has been in his buddys basement since 1958 you and matt know him well. thanks for all the help you have given him. franks son john

 

Two months of work. Still alot do do but we at least had it on the road for the Dearborn show. Whiskeyrunner (Matt) wanted to install a T-5 in this. the missing doors were replaced with Brookvilles.
This car was totally gone over. Replacement crossmembers were needed because of the re-installation of a flathead from the 1959 installed hemi.
The date set for completion was this Thursday for the Dearborn 75th.With many many setbacks we finally fired it Thursday at 2 pm drove it for 10 miles and left for Dearborn a few hours later.
The car ran perfectly. Heres a few build and some finish pictures before leaving. I am sure there will be more added at a later time.
The shiny paint you see is the actual laquer paninted back in the 50's
The interior seat cover was removed to find a worn leather sewn seat that cant be replaced.
the only changes made to the car since the 50's was the T-5 and the black firewall. Yuk... they even had bad taste in the 50's.

We have some pictures with all these cars together from the 50's that need scanned to show later.
We intend to take all three cars now and replicate the same setting.

 

very friggin' nice, congrats!
Not only a deuce, not only historical but also it looks like it's in pretty damn good shape. Can't wait to see more!

 

BEAUTIFUL.... great to see it taken back to its previous glory (if not nicer)...

 

Great thread, & car, & pics. Awesome

 

Very Cool!!

 

So whos car is it?

 

This is Matt's (whiskeyrunner)
as indicated at the beginning of the post a long long time ago.
As far as everyone is concerned....
It will always be "Franks"
The young 17 year old who brought this back from California in 1959 and dreamed of always having a "hotrod"
to you Frank and Bill !
Bill, the other fellow who also came home with a roadster, helped us with the build on this car.
His help, insight and irreplacable 32 parts and 32 roadster knowledge allowed us to bring this dream to a reality.