I have been looking at the web site for some time, but Monday I saw my old roadster, the lost 27 T. My heart about jumped thru my shirt. I called my wife over to look at it because she and I dated in that car. I knew it would show up some time. I last saw it in 1988 when I sold it at Antique Automotive. I owned it from 1980-1988 and it was a really cool to own a former Hod Rod cover car. When I bought it Carl Burnett was having his Christmas party and the car was laying in the gravel out back, rusty and pretty looking pretty sad. A friend that had been around since the fifty's told me what the car was and I bought it for $800.00. I tracked down all the former owners I could find and bought most of the missing parts. One guy had the Evens 4 pot manifold and chrome carbs and the original tires and rims from the cover days and they were like new, he also sold me the yellow and black letter license plates (like new with 1962 tags). The same guy also had the original engine, but it was frozen solid. One thing I thought was interesting was all the magazines told how hot the engine was, it was a stock 1940 engine, painted hammer tone blue like the frame was. When we removed the chrome oil pan the crank was hammer tone blue on the bottom and rust on the top! it never rotated since it was built. I meet Bob Smith and his wife Bonnie, the nicest people you ever meet. And he was very helpful with information and pictures. He gave me a large picture of the engine and there were no fuel lines coming from the carbs. Bob said that it didn't run he push it on and off the trailer.I guess that's show biz. When Bob sold it in 1960 he said it went for $1,600.00 to an artist named Clemo and I think that guy was the one that did the damage. I have pictures that show he cut the doors down and had aluminum shock bumpers and other really stupid stuff on it. Bob saw it once and said the chrome was turning green. When I got it the chrome was flaking off. I still have the license plates and a whole bunch of pics if the new owner is interested. I hope I didnt bore you with all this Im just excited that the car is found and in good hands. Id love to see it in person.
Thanks guys. If i can figure out how I have pictures of when I found it, and the 1st time I drove it. It was hard to sell but I wanted to buy a house and start my machine shop, same story that's been told by many.
The Jalopy Journal
