Customs History of the Custom display ~ GNRS ~ OFFICIAL thread info & photo's

huh?^^^^

 

X2. maybe U-235 needs to put down the pipe for the night.

 

Well if you look at the pictures of this car when it was hitting the shows in the 50's you will se those caps are very close if not the same as what he had back then.So it wouldn't be right to change em to something different at this point,we want these cars to look like they did when they were in their show years or as close as we can get them.

 

I have to agree with the guys above as well. The hubcaps on the car now look really cheesy.... Its really hard to tell from the old photos I have on the car. The one that it a bit blurry shows something that could look like a patterned center piece like the aftermarket versions shown on the car now. But the photo showing the car from the higher point of view show hubcaps that look very much like stock 1956 Oldmobile hubcaps to me.

Aftermarket hubcaps now on the car.




1956 Olds hubcaps.





But perhaps there was some sort of aftermarket hubcap on the car... there where several versions of this type of hubcap available back then.

Perhaps Bill Hines know!

 

I agree ,im not a fan of those caps myself,I was just under the impression that they restored it back to the way it was and yes there were many different types of this cap out by this time.

 

If you look at the old show photo of the car they really don't look like the caps that are on the car now. Def more like the lower photo here.

Amazing car....I would love to see how it would look with caddy caps.

 

I think those caps are the reason it only got 3rd in the show. They look cheap. Takes away from the profile.

 

IMO it would look better with any set of early olds caps than it does with the repops that are on it now. With the amount of cash that has to be invested in that car it seems strange that they would op for a set of cheap caps, at least pony up a few hundred more bucks and find a nice set of originals....

 

I guess that was my point.....the real deal Starfires are about $500-600 dollars around here...certainly not cheap ....but with the value of this car
it does seem to cheapen it ...and I do imagine thats its one of the factors
for the 3rd place showing....
incidently I have repop Starfires on one of my cars, but they are old repops from the 50's....
The big differenece between then and now is the new repops stick out from the cap like on a Roman chariot or something, while the originals are sunk
in to the cap.....then theres that waffle pattern thing.....

 

Hi Guys,
3 Dog Garage owns some serious machines. The Tony LaMesa Deuce Roadster, The Highland Plating Special 25 T, The Larry Shinoda Deuce, The Avenger Deuce, The Ford Steel Deuce, The Don Ferguson 34 coupe, The Dreamboat 36 Roadster, and a bunch of others. A lot of us weren't around in the 50's and i'm betting that some of those guys swapped hupcaps around on a regular basis back then. I'm also sure 3 Dog Garage knows the history on the cars they own and wouldn't have shown that car at Pebble Beach if those caps weren't run for a period of time way back when. Lets all enjoy this historic vehicle , be honored to have it, and feel lucky to see it come from so far away. We have some other surprises in store that Rik will announce very soon. It will truly be the largest display of historic customs ever !
Thanks very much, Axle

 

My pants are wet and sticky too!

I spilled my Pepsi. Not the same, I know...

 

I cant wait to see this one. Real chunk of history here,one of the first chops in Los Angeles area,ran at the lakebed back in the early days also.

 

Has anyone that sent the green in for the drive in received notification yet!?

 

Don Brown of Livonia had the car back in the 70's,.... It almost slipped through the cracks,... and in fact was "Lost" for a number of years,...
Harry McAllufe of Redford Mi. kept tabs on it, He bought the car and did the Restoration on it,... It had already recieved the invitation to Pebble Beach when Ross Myers contacted Harry about the car.

Ross Myers did a painstaking re restoration on it, removing the blue glass (that was added in the late 50's, as so I'm told). to ready it for Pebble,....
The Club plate on the front that reads "RKAC",... Stands for,
"Road Knights Auto Club" Detroit,... Harry is the longest active member joining the club in 1951. and still active today.

Another member of our club was Frank Mack, Bruce Meyer received a original RKAC plate with the Roadster, and displays it on the car most of the time.

As a side note,... The picture of Romango taken by American Rodder posted above,... it was the same time Frank Mack's roadster was photographed for American Rodder,... And that old wood garage behind Romango, is Frank Mack's garage at 8 Mi. & Randall

 

Here is a picture of Romango in front of Frank Taubitz's 36 Ford at the first Detroit Autorama in 1953 when Dick Reeam owned the Merc.,.... These two cars went all the way across country together the next summer.


And here it is at the 50th Detroit Autorama, while Harry owned it,... next to Goldbrick and across the Isle from Frank Macks Roadster,... Both wearing the RKAC plate.

 

Many thanks for the additional information about this great surviver.

 

the best part about this car, out of all the cars here, is it is the current owners only car and it was his daily for the most part. now he has a few chopped triumphs and harleys but that's it-oh and the newest bike is from 1960. dig on that one true believers. this car just floats down the street like a girl in a pool of caramel, slow and sweet.

cant wait to see this deal Axle.

 

Man, I'm exiting to go.. booked the ticket!!! Flying in from the Netherlands!!

Great opportunity to see all my dreamcars in reallife..

Good work guys

 

Only 28 Days to "Custom induced Euphoria"!

 

This will be my first GNRS as well - I've been dying to see it (and of course photograph it) for years.

 

Here are a couple of photos I took of the Yatch Merc back in the 50's and you can clearly see the hubcaps are the "real" Olds Starfire caps. I have photos of the car after harry mcAuliffe restored it and it was at the "Eyes on Design" show with the cheaper aftermarket caps on it. I suspect the current owners are unaware that they have the wrong caps if they want to be preiod correct.

 

Interesting to see it with the Lakes Pipes, as well! That's a cool shot Keith.

 

At the 1958 Autorama, which is the last time I saw the Romango, it had blue glass and lake pipes. I remember that because it really made an impression on me. In fact, I never saw the car without blue glass, that I remember. I also remember it with the Caddy hubcaps.

 

25 Days...

 

Glad you finally made contact and all is well that the car will be there.

 

For all of those who asked about pre-purchasing tickets. Not only can you buy them but you can get them at a discounted rate:

Discounted tickets are now on sale!
Don't wait in line! Head to your nearest Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts Store to pick up discounted tickets for the 62nd Annual Grand National Roadster Show.
Adults: $18 | Kids 12 and Under, $8.

 

I am way too far to consider it, but this would have the best value for $18 this year... or last year, or next year!

 

Axle, what an exciting event this will be. I was abe to see Joyo's 36 and Steve's 41 Merc at The Revolution and was knocked out by the classic pair. So pleased they will be in So Cal for all to enjoy. Best wishes for a giant undertaking, all you do is greatly appreciated. ~sololobo~

 

This might be a stupid question, but are those only available in california locations or across the country?

 

There are no stupid questions . As far as i know all Kragen / O'Reily Auto parts stores have them .