Hi all. I've met to do this for months, and just never got to it. A few months ago, one of my buddy's from our club caught wind of a Roadster sitting in a local garage. After some looking, and searching, him and another buddy found it. Turns out the original builder still owned it, and it had not seen the light of day for the past 38 years!!! He built it in the same garage we found it in, starting in 1958. When he was just dating his wife, the same wife who greeted us when we all showed up. The car was originally done green flake with red and white interior, then 2 years later, it was repainted red. That's the red you see on it now. It also had a crazy Olds motor with multi-carbs. That motor was replaced in the mid-60's with a then-new SBC. BUT, the Olds motor was still sitting in his garage, covered up. It now wears a crager blower and dual 4's. Bruce has had that Olds motor completely gone through, and that's what will be in the car when it comes back out. Blower and dual 4's. Until he finds a 6x2 intake. Speaking of the 6x2's, all 6 CHROME strombergs were also in the guys garage, covered up on the bench. Just need an intake now Bruce is putting it back to the origianl green flake, with red and white guts. The interior is painted black now, but you can see the read&white peeking through in places. Good patterns. The pic you see of it outside of all our club guys around it, Well, that's the very first time that car has been in daylight for 38 years. I had goosebumps when we rolled it outside. And to know it was the same guy who built it, in that same garage all those years ago, made it one of those moments you'll never forget, and never be able to repeat. If you look, the old guy in the middle of that group shot is the builder, previous owner. Bruce told him that he's the first one going for a ride when the car is finished. And he comes over every now and then to check on it. So, here's pics of history. Stuff you can't fake. I felt during the whole thing, that it felt like a story I should be reading in TRJ. It was that exciting, and that special. I know I have alot more details I should be telling, but I'll add if I remember things.
Yes.. Great story! Thanks for sharing. Make sure we see the re-build and especially pics of the first trip with the previous owner in the new version of his old ride.
This is amazing, what a find! The builder and the car, This is Isky stuff! Find out all you can and write it down. This is the history of our lifestyle. The green version is awesome. A blown Olds in an A roadster, hang on!!! Keep us posted. There's a book here!
wow, that whole story is awesome, the car the builder,the time lapse everything. Thanks for sharing it. Just shows to go ya"they are still out there somewhere"
very cool story.,,awesome. i may have missed it,but did the old man sell it to one of your club memebers? is bruce the original owner? or your friend?
Hey Grump! Great story! Maybe TRK or TRJ will let me shoot it when its done! By the way, tell Bruce (Bunker I'm ***uming) that the '61 Buick was sold again by the guy who bought it from me...i heard 2K was the price...See ya, Spike
Bruce is my buddy, from our club. He's pictured sitting in the roadster for the first time in that group shot. He bought it from the builder. And I know his name, but it's slipping my mind right now. Him and his wife were shocked when bruce called to say he was on the way to get it, and 10 old hotrods showed up on the street, following Bruce in his truck/trailer. We have pics of all that too, just not on the computer yet. I can update as this goes. It was almost a magical day, not to sound gay.
Yeah, Spike, I'm sure Bruce would be cool with you shooting it. And the 57 Pontiac wagon he plans to pull it with on long trips BTW, brett sold your old coupe too, just a couple weeks ago. He's getting married, needed the cheddar. For much more than 2K too
that's one sweet lookin engine blown or not!!! i would never of thought of that color combo, but i do like it ...... keep the pics comin
Hey Grump, How ****in' cool is that? Is it commin' back out scooter fenders and all? Just curious I guess. Exceptional story exceptional find my friend.
It will be re-done exactly how it was origianlly done. Green flake paint, cycle fenders and red&white guts. Except it'll have the blower and dual fours. He's hoping to have a 6x2 set-up with the chrome 97s to switch out. The motor work is done already, and the body and frame are apart, the frame has been redone, body still the same so far. My wife said I have a disc full of pics from that day, so i need to figure how to transfer them onto the computer, then to here.
I like to see stuff like this. Great story, and I'll be watching the rest unfold. Question though. Whats up with these Headers? Are those sleeves of some sort on the primarys?
It's surprising how many old original rods are still out there waiting to be brought out of hibernation. Great find!
awesome find , indiana jones can keep his temple of doom , i will take barn fulla vintage tin anyday ,
I thought it was some kind of asbestos insulation. Couldn't figure out what he wanted it on there for. Angel Hair didn't even cross my mind....