I took this picture at the LSSRA run at Waco in 98 or 99. I was wondering what ever happened to it. Anyone have any info?
Since I am the self-appointed resident Waco hot rod history expert, I guess I should fill you in here a little bit. This car was built in California in the early-mid 40's. The guy who built had the last name of Oren. I can't recall his first name. He was a machinist/ inventor and pretty much an all around mechanical wiz. He cast some of his own parts for this and future cars he was involved in, including some pretty wild go karts. The car is based on a channeled '28 roadster body & frame and has front and rear suspension from a '39 ford. The hubs were changed to '40-up style so that the 5x5.5" bolt pattern could be used. The motor is a 59AB if I remember correctly. After he got out of the military, Oren drove it back to Texas all the way from California....pretty much just like you see it here. (the rear wheels/ tires being the exception) It has no fan, and relies solely on the water pump and radiator for cooling. The guy that owns it now says it stays cool just fine on the highway. He only drives it a couple times a year. This guy (I'm going to withhold his name here) that now has possession of it was left the car by Oren when he died. Along with an original Halibrand Culver City quick change and some other neat stuff, some of which is speed equip. that Oren cast his name into. The car is not for sale and never will be to my understanding.....and it will remain unrestored. -Brian
Forgot to mention...the car had a pretty hot 'A' banger motor in it when he drove it from California to Texas. He also made his on multicarb intakes and had a couple of different heads for it, including a Miller. The flathead was swapped in after he got back to TX. One of my buddies now has the banger that came out of this car as well as the extras, but he's not sure what he's going to do with it yet.
Mal Ord was the name of the guy who made Hop Up parts. At some point he lived near my dad while he was growing up in Hermosa Beach, CA. My dad knew the guys daughter.
Now that you mention it Jim, the guy's name was Oren. I got his name and Ord's mixed up in my noggin. I'm going to go back into the post and edit it to get rid of the confusion. Thanks for jogging my memory.
B***, correct me if I'm wrong, but when I spoke w/ the current owner of this freakin amazing piece of history who this car was left to after Oren p***ed away, I thought he said when Oren drove it back from Cal and put the flatty in it, it was the fastest car in central Texas area when it came to street racing. Couldn't be beat, until the o/h V-8's came out and when he finally got beat, he parked it in the back of the garage never to be driven again. Supposedly stored for over 40 years until he p***ed and it was left to the current owner. We met at the Temple track a few years back after he first inherited the car and brought it out to the nostalgia drags. Hopefully it will be at the Drags this weekend. This roadster will give you chicken skin !!!
Walter Oren and he is originally from Midland, Texas. In fact, there is still a machine shop there with his name on it - "Oren Machine" - long closed now. If we are speaking of the same guy (and would be hella weird if we weren't), he moved to Cali with family just prior to the war and moved back to Texas afterwards. I know all of this as there is a biography on him in the drivers den of Penwell raceway outside of Midland... I guess he was a regular there. Ohh and btw Austin boys, how do you like these apples? Oklahoma - 65 Texas - 13
Ask and you shall receive. I appreciate the info. I only saw that one time and just thought it was bithin'. I was just hoping that it was still in that same condition and prettied up and billetized(?). I hope he is at the drags this weekend, I'd love to see it again Thanks again, Mike
[ QUOTE ] Ohh and btw Austin boys, how do you like these apples? Oklahoma - 65 Texas - 13 [/ QUOTE ] yeah yeah, I was wondering when you we're gonna start gloating. Took ya long anough. Oh well Basketball is right around the corner. Longhorns ranked #3. Good luck the rest of the way to them Damn Okies.
Steve, that sounds like it the rest of the story as best as I can remember it. I've sat behind the wheel in this car, and I have to say it isn't the most comfortable roadster I've ever been in...but man it will definitely give you goosebumps. Ryan, this has to be the same guy...the next time I talk to the guy that inherited the car, I'll ask him about it. I'll try to find out if it's going to be at the drags this weekend or not....I'd imagine the chances are going to be slim if the weather doesn't cooperate.
Stay tuned to TRJ # 27 and whole story will be told. All your questions will be answered. I know this is an old post, but it just got life breathed back into it. Hey B***, do you still know where the old mill and other parts that came off this car live? If you can find out I would be very interested in them. If you don't subscribe to TRJ, you should start now.....the story on this car and Tom Orren(he was the original owner/builder) is like reading a hot rod primer.
Yes that's the one.. I saw it at the last RoundUp and I stood there for a good 30 minuets looking at it,,, its really frozen in time... and the eire(Sp?) picture of it coverd in boxes... I had to give it extra special love on the DVD.. Check it out on the Round Up section it's about 3 minutes and I added what the letter on the windshild said..its a crazy little story... evel
Just got the new issue today. The article is great. Proves once again that the cars are definitely still out there to be found.
Really is a good story. Maybe my favorite story alltime in TRJ. I sat down at Border's last night and read it twice. It was pretty cool imagining this car coming to Texas,being built up and racing the streets of Waco. The comments from the guys who had raced the Waco scene in the 50's were pretty cool. And then the car sitting untouched there for 50 years. Normally, I like to see rods like this returned to their former glory. I like the fact though that El Jefe has seen fit to leave her alone.
I just like that fact that someone cool owns it and will take care of it period. Now for a half joking question...can I sit in it? Please? (lol) I keep trying to find a 29 to sit in to see if I can take owning one and that one would be a good one. BTW, does this mean the gold car is on the driveway?
No Byron, he owns the other half of your parking garage. I can only imagine the chaos when you and El Jefe are looking for your car keys.
It's channeled so you won't fit too well. I sat in it a few years ago and I didn't fit worth a ****...I'm betting it's a tight fit for El Jefe as well. You'll have to do deuce rails if you do an A. And the guy that had it before (Cotter) is pretty cool too...just for the record.
He would of have to been cool to have gotten that car from the sounds of it...cool story, I just read it again. That issue is cool all around...the A, the car Cole is building, and that gold 32 I saw last summer at the roadster show...that car has to be seen to believe. What a color on that thing!
It will be at the Round Up again this year and of course you can sit in it Byron. It will surprise you once you figure out how to get in, (and there's only one way if you're a big un), how much room there is in there even though its chopped and channelled. The driving shot in the TRJ article is yours truly speeding by.....I look pretty comfortable in that shot. Don't worry about Old Goldie....she and the Waco Kid sit nose to nose in a single car slot in the garage.....and the door still closes. I am getting ready to build a new space next to the house(if the city lets me) that will consolidate everything and they won't be on top of each other.
Suse Harper is wanting to bring his roadster (the bare metal 32 roadster from 2 years ago) just so he can get a picture of his car next to that one.
Man, how long is it till the Round Up? This makes the wait even worse...not like the wait was not killing me already! Thanks in advance man!
It is great that someone such as Steve now owns the car. 100's - 1000's will be able to see it and appreciate this great piece of hot rodding history! if i have kids one day? i hope this car will still be around for them to see. i also hope that the bare steel32 flathead powered roadster that looked barn fresh is there this year also. it was at the second roundup and had an Ediie Meyer intake and heads. johnny
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