Yesterday I was hanging out at work - we are having ****py weather so it is a little blasé around here. I was feeling unmotivated until this email comes: Me and my dad finished our 10 year long project. Thought you guys might want to see some pics. 1928 Model A Engine is 1946-1948 Ford Flathead V8. Its an old stock car race engine with the all the goodies still in it. We added new bearings and Rings. 1950's all the way. 6 volt charging system and old cloth covered wiring, Bias Ply tires. Now I have to tell my side of the story because he is far too modest: I have this friend that I worked with several years ago - it feels like a lifetime ago. He is probably one of the best people you could ever meet. We worked for a Speed Shop that was focused on late model performance. It evolved into a ch***is fabrication but no one there understood Hot Rods or wanted to for that matter. When we worked together he came in one day with an article about a Model A Roadster. This was probably some of the earliest stuff of the so-called Rat Rod. He also scrounged up some old Rod & Custom magazines his dad had the little books. A few days later Tommy came in and said he talked his dad into letting him use the '28 Roadster body that was behind the garage to make a Rat Rod. I was amazed at the parts they were coming up with.... it is a who's who list from the "day". A true Mor-Drop axle from a guy in South Omaha, found an early Flat Head that was full race(literally from a stock car in the '50's), Columbia 2 speed rear end, steel wheels, juice brakes, 2x2 intake........ I kept telling my dad the stuff they were coming up with and he was amazed. Felt like old home week for him too. Over the years we talked at shows and other events. I always asked how the Roadster was. So through getting married, buying a house, building a nice big garage, having a beautiful baby girl he has stayed on target. The only thing that really happened is they figured out it was a far better car than any of the so-called Rat Rods. This thing is traditional through and through...right down to the cloth covered wiring & 6V electrical. If I can figure out the video I will post it too. It sounds incredible!! There are no guys more deserving of such a great car...Tom and his dad are upstanding people that know what it takes. They had a vision of what the car should be - they stayed true to that vision and have one outstanding ride. My photo album with his pics: http://public.fotki.com/tstoggie/hot_rod_albums/tommys-28-roadster/ Tommy has a 33 3 window looming in the wings that thing should be down right crazy when it gets finished. His dad drives a 32 Cabriolet(most of the time!!) and has a 32 coupe. The Cabriolet is in my 32 album: http://public.fotki.com/tstoggie/hot_rod_albums/32_ford_album/p7070184.html Hope everyone else finds a little motivation in this...
Great story ... and great little car. Thanks for posting. Having spent over 6 years building a `29 rpu I can relate to the competing demands of job, family, and hot rods. And the `30 coupe I'm now working on has been in progress for just over two years. I don't know how those people who "build" a car in a month -- or some similarly short period -- do it. Apparently they've got more money, more talent, more tools, more time, and more friends than the rest of us!
Great story and cool car - thanks for sharing it with us! Does Tommy live in the Omaha/C.B. area? I see his dad (Tom Secora? SP?) driving the '32 Cabriolet all the time! Malcolm
Tommy is a South O boy. He is lurking - His dad's '32 does get driven everywhere - the way it should be - he enjoy's hell out of it. Oh there is always their OT stuff too Convert Mustang GLX, Pantera, Street legal Saleen Race car, Go karts, motorcycles...I actually think I am jealous. I have had my touring body for more years than I care to remember. It is time to find some storage and get it going next spring.
Malcolm - This is the car / buddy I was telling you about awhile back...they were trying to get it done to take out to World of Speed to do the 130 club. He pulled up in front of my shop with it a few weeks ago when they got it on the road...sounds incredible!! Tom & Tom are great guys - I'll have to get you guys together so you can talk Fords and play grab-***.
When I saw these photos and story I was wondering if it was who you had told me about! Yeah, it'd be great to get together with those guys... except the 'grab-***' part. haha...
that is a very cool roadster. I am glad that the Omaha area will be having such a cool roadster runnin the streets, there isnt enough great hotrods on the road in this area. I love his dads cabrio, it is an old hotrod survivor...
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