What was the car you wish for that burnt its image in your brain ?

When I was 9 my dad stopped at a gas station and there sat this 37 Ford taildragger , the packard grille caught my attention as well as the chopped top, it was painted in a maroon color. I told my dad I'd like a hot rod like that one , he said you'll never afford a car like that. Years later i was 16 and seen the same 37 at the local junk yard out front for sale, by then it was black primer with spots of maroon paint showing through. No longer a taildragger it sat higher in back and the full flathead was replaced by a 303 Olds. The price was $600 bucks ,to much for me at the time. Then in 1959 was working in a local factory and while on a lunch break one of the guys said hear your looking for a old Ford to fix up. It turned out 2 blocks from the factory in a old garage was this 37 Ford coupe , Packard grille , chopped top and all apart a real basket case. I was almost afraid to ask how much, the owner said he was going in the Navy soon and had to sell it. He asked $75 bucks without the Olds mill. I took it and next day also bought the Olds. mill which still ran and didn't even smoke. Today that old Hot Rod is still with me but has a full house Caddy in it. Sometimes I'd swear that Ford listens to me when I talk to it, we been through a lot together.

 

I took this picture at a body shop near my Gramma's house in Hillyard, Spokane (with my Kodak 110) when I was about 8 years old. I loved EVERYTHING about it. The stance, The sound, Chrome wheels, and no front bumper. This car also introduced me to my favorite color... American Racing Red. There were other Hot Rods at the shop as you can tell, like a '57 Chevy with a tunnel rammed big block sitting almost under the dash, and a chopped '56 wagon hidden in the weeds out back.
This car led to my first car... a '55 Chevy 2 door BelAir worth every penny of the $200.oo I paid for it. But it was a hardtop, and didn't have the TOUGH look of the post. Years later I did build my '56 Delray sedan, but I traded it in on a daughter. I'll have a '55 sedan again SOMEDAY, with Nomad rear wheel wells, etc, etc,etc...

 

When I was in high school I saw a 1929 Model A closed cab in a magazine. Stock height with full fenders and a shortened bed. It was white maybe light gray. Always wanted one. Sat in one a few years ago. I doubt that I could drive it! Oh well guess I should have stopped growing earlier.

Bill

 

this car

 

beat all get all is an early 70's cuda. there is a huge variety from 32 ford to 71 chevelle ss after that. but, if it got down to only one and the last one ever it would be a cuda or a challenger from between 71 and 73.

 

Mine is a '57 Ford of any style...I love them!

 

Mondello / Matsubara AA/FA Fiat Topolino

 

Oh God there are so many but I think the one that moved my sole was the two lane black top 55 so much that I just finished building my version recently. Hardtop vrs post but thats ok I'm like Jesus Crist I love them all. YRUHOT

 

Willys coupe...stone woods and cook.......
Every time I see A Willys coupe, it still get's me bad!
Im 61 ......maybe someday. (not a street car,no way, A nose-bleed race car!!)
hope santa can read!
unky-d

 

somewhere around 1975 my mom and I went car shopping in Marlow, Oklahoma. I was about six years old. She found this low mileage 1955 Chevy 150 two door post, 235/3 on the tree on a small car lot near where Love's south is today.



she fell in love with the car (partly because she had graduated high school in 1955) but we left in the crapped out '63 Nova we were trying to upgrade out of. I asked why we didn't buy the '55 since she really seemed to like it. she teared up a bit and said, "baby, I loved it but $200 is just too much for a twenty year old car".

the car was purchased by an older lady in Marlow and she owned it from about 1975 until about 1992. The car became a common sight on the first block of Marlow's main street, just east of 81 Highway, though I never knew exactly where the lady worked. I snapped this pic about 1991.

when the lady died her estate was auctioned off. the car was purchased by my third grade teacher who sanded it down, left it bare and out in the elements for about six years and finally pushed it under a shed in a pasture where I'm sure the field mice have munched the wiring, the black widows have infested the frame and the dirt daubers have daubed dirt into every open orifice. It is not for sale and mom passed in '09 but that doesn't stop me from wanting it.

 

Yes, yes and yes............

There was one guy in town, parents had money he had a new 63 split window, next new 64 442, got to ride in all of them.........

One car my brother-in-law had, 4 door hard top 57 Oldsmobile, white with black interior, I got to drive once, come around a corner, nailed it, peeled out down the street and he wouldn't let me drive it anymore........

 

This one still gives me a hard on and I usually can't stand tri-five chevies. Just wish I acted faster and could have bought it...still kicking my self!

 

59 dodge coronet 4 door.
One day I will have one

 

Great story Hank, I dig hearing about you and your "soul mate".

 

"32" 3 window with a blown flatty and no fenders. Something very close to the Robt. Williams coupe. The other one is the 56 chev wagon that I had in the early 70's. I have recurring dreams that I have that car stored away and routinely get it out and drive it in my dreams.

 

These two do it for me.........

 

To this day I start Hunching when I see a 40-41 Willys Coupe gasser

 

This brought back some memories, my Grandfather had a 55 the exact same colors and hub caps, he passed away in 1970 and I really don't know what happened to that car?

 

It wasn't a hot rod at all.
It was this...

then cooler heads prevailed.

 

Hre is the one that did it for me.

 

The car was burnt into my mind many years ago,,but as time passed and I grew up the image faded,,and other cars and trucks became a reality,I thought about that car ever now and then.

Back in 1962 we had a neighbor that lived behind us on a corner lot,,Mr.Burton was his name,,never knew his first name and from the time I was 11 years old I cut his grass during the summer.

He drove a 53/56 Ford truck to work and had had some kind of accident and walked with a bad limp that's probably why I cut his grass.
Anyway,I would go to his barn and get what I needed to do his yard work and there half covered with a old canvas army tent was a 32 Ford 5-window coupe,

I always looked forward to entering that sacred tomb each summer until that day in early June he told me that my services were no longer needed,,,he explained that he was moving up north to live with his sister,,,he ask me did I want the lawnmower to go into business cutting other folks yards,,,I gladly went to the shed to retrieve the mower and gaze one last time at the coupe,,which had not moved the whole time we lived next to him.

I ask him was he gonna drive the old car to his sisters or pull it,,,His answer was,,No,son,I'm gonna have to sell the old gal,,,with that reply,,I fired back how much?

His answer was already established because 75 bucks came back as quick as I ask.,,,I'll buy it,I said.
He looked at me and said we need to talk to your dad,,,not wanting my dad to say no,,,I told Mr. Burton I would talk to dad tonight when he gets home from work,,,

Next dad I sat outside Mr. Burton's front door,,it seemed to be forever,,but I knew he worked second shift and I didn't dare wake him up,,It just might screw things up.

Around noon he exited his house and ask how long had I been there and if I had discussed the sale with my dad,,I told him I just came over a few minutes ago and dad said it was OK with him,,,,

BTW,,I never once said a word to my dad,,I really didn't need the money,,I robbed my cigar box and with my grass cutting money,birthday money and my entire life savings I had enough money and some change,,enough money to buy the coupe and fix it up,,,Hey ,I was 12 years old,,,I didn't know what I do today.

So,,I handed Mr. Burton my hard earned cash and we proceed to unearth the coupe,,man,That car was nice,,original black paint,flathead V8,and all 4 tires were shot and rotten,,,but I had the biggest grin on my face as I fought with all my might trying to guide it as Mr. Burton pulled it behind his truck across his yard into my parents side yard.

I was the happiest kid in the world for about three hours,,,,

That was when my dad got home,,,,the first words out of his mouth was what was that junk car doing in our yard?,,,from there it got ugly,,,he called Mr. Burton,,,woke him up,,remember,,2nd shift,,he was a little more than annoyed,,he and dad got into a debate about not clearing it with him first and that I was 12 years old and had no business with a car and for him to come and get it out of his yard,,and if he wanted to,,,keep the money Danny gave you for lying to us both,,,and he would take care of me,,I knew what was gonna happen,,they don't call this part of the country the Bible Belt for nothing.

Heavy on the belt,,,,long story coming to a end,,,Mr. Burton gave me my money back and had a big laugh,,,a few days later both he and the car were gone,, never to be seen again,,,,

Many years later my dad and I talked about what had now become known as the ol' ford coupe incident and how he never dreamed that I would ever be able to restore and build cars from the ground up and how badly I wanted that car,,,,and how he was proud of me when people would stop by our business and ask about the different cars that
I would drive to work,,,,,,,,

At that time the 32 Ford coupes were already reaching unheard of prices,,and he just couldn't believe it.

A few weeks before he passed away the subject came up again,,he said I sure hope you find a old coupe like that one someday,,,,I told him,,it was probably a good thing he didn't let me keep it,,I would have tried to made a hot rod out of it and gotten myself killed ,,he smiled and said,,Nobody will ever know son,,we can't go back,,but if I could,,,I you would let to keep that car.

All you guys got is my word on this ,,,all the players are deceased,except me,,,nobody knows what happened to that 32 coupe,,,but I'm willing to bet the owner ain't 12 years old!

After many years I have been fortunate enough to have had a bunch of Hot Rods but I now have a 1932 Ford 5-window coupe to bring that original almost forgotten dream to reality and it only took about 40 years! HRP

 

The one that got away from me, because at the time I was looking for a '28-29 roadster, was a very buildable 1929 Ford oval window business coupe. In 1963, I could have had that business coupe for free or almost free from a friend of my dads who had a small hillside "junkyard" filled with old cars. i did not want it then, but I still remember that one more than any other car I never had.

Four years later I lusted for a 1967 Dodge R/T with a hemi and was determined to buy one once I graduated from college. ...but in '68, Dodge dropped the hemi, I graduated, was drafted, and in the Army before the year ended.

 

The Niekamp Car, the Lynn Yakel 32 5W Coupe, and the fenderless 32 5W Coupe which sat in the parking lot of Eisenhower Jr.-Sr. High School in Lawton OK in the late summer of 1963 with a For Sale sign in the window.

 

My parents had a two car garage in the early to mid 60's and only 1 car. A kid in the neighborhood by the name of Rick Haefner stored his car in the other side for 3 winters. The deal was he had to give me and my brother a ride in the car each spring when he came and got the car out. Oh yeah , almost forgot this car was a 1932 Ford chopped coupe with a 392 hemi and scarred the hell out of me and my brother at the time. But hey I was only around 7 years old and that car has been in my head ever since.

 

December 1972, My older brother and I went to Cal Worthington's Chrysler/Plymouth to look at the Dusters.
He had a '64 Grand Prix at the time. Wanted a 6 cyl Duster. (GP had about 35,000 miles on it)
While big bro was sifting thru the ocean of Dusters looking for that 6 banger 3 speed econo box. I was strolling thru the used stuff. I was 15 at the time. I came upon a triple black Dart GT. It was a four speed car. Damn, That thing was beautiful. $1,895...
The sales guy came out and told me to start it up.. Sounded as good as it looked. Then he asked if I knew how to drive a stick. I said yes, He said... Take it for a spin.. Never asked for a license. It was a different world back then.
No way could I afford that car. To this day, I can close my eyes and feel that 10 min. ride.

 

thats a kick ass story!!

 

34 years ago, while hanging in my street with a local Maori boy, the air started screaming, and the ground seemed to be shaking.
The two of us 11 year olds went to investagate. There was a large shed around the corner, and id seen the hairy scary lookin hot rodders going in and out for a few months.
We walked down the driveway to the back of said shed, where there was a large door that was open. Peering in the doorway of this dark shed that was screaming and rattling, we saw a crazy hairy hot rodder, who was leaning over a very healthy 383 Chrysler powered model A tub hot rod, reving the engine with uncapped headers. We had never seen such a weapon: shiney black, with flames painted down the sides, full moon caps, and a moon style tank up front.
When we had satisfied ourselves that we werent going to be blown into little pieces of flesh, we plucked up the courage to go inside. The freaky man spoke to us just like a normal person, hell, he was even friendly.
This was the start of my sickness, and over the next few months, i was asked to clean it a few times. Payment was a trip around the block, with the owner, Rick, keeping his foot in it all the way.
This car is still on the road, although its now down south, and is a moroon colour, and the front tank is gone. Its one car, that id love to own, and id put it back the way i first saw it. I've shown it here before, and i'll proberbly show it again sometime. The builder is a very talented hot rod builder, and hard case.

 

The image burnt in my mind was a 1955 Chevy belair 2dr hardtop. There is nothing better in the whole wide world I told my father 30 years ago. He was a Ford man and that got his goat. I knew I wouls never own one so it was a dream that just lingered. It was years later on vacation I was driving back home that a little shop became visible out the corner of my eye, there it was sitting on a hill. The price 35.00 11 months later I was riding and have been riding ever since. I love this car.Two tone, 350 roll and tuck. Chuck Berry on the tape deck......Heaven

 

Had a black 55 chevy about 10 months after American Graffiti was realeased,age sixteen,had a lot of fun in that one.Three other cars that make me restless,
Eastwood & Barakat tudor,Mooneyham & Sharp 554 coupe and the SWC willys.Life is short...

 

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