That's the claim. I've passed this local car several times the past few years but never really gave it much thought. Just sort of glanced as I passed by. It looks like a survivor from the 70's and just not the look I go for but last summer it pulled me in for a little closer look and I'm glad it did. An old photograph is what really got my attention, an old photograph of a way cool 32 roadster taken in 1951. It just looked right, stance, tires hubcaps and the top. To top it off it was given away Indy. What a prize that would have been. So then I read the sign leaning against the grille and it's claiming to be the same car. Not only the same car but a Dick Kraft car. Well a lot has changed since 1951 and the car is really starting to draw me in now. Since I'm right up front looking at this picture I go ahead and look under the front fender. Time has worked on it but clues remain that this was a really nice car. Somebody but in some time and spent some money at the chrome shop, backing plates, shocks, spring and a few more odds and ends received a dipping. Now if I were building a full fendered car I'm not sure I would of spent the money on chrome but if it was done as a hi-boy I could understand. Attached to the dash I found an SCTA tag from 1948. It's a little hard to read, but it Dick Kraft ran in the car in C. Merc. Rdstr. class turning 7.44 at 120.96 mph at El Mirage in 1948. Well if all of this is true there is some real history hidden in this car. The rest of the interior may have had a few updates years ago but there is nothing here screaming modern street rod. I don't know flatheads very well so I'll leave that up to the viewers but it looks pretty good to me. I'm guessing the owner was caught up in the times and updated the look to the current trend. I bet if you removed the 70's resto rod parts, pulled the fenders and changed the wheels we would be close to that 1951 photo. No matter how you look at it, it is a survivor so enjoy the pics.
Despite the 80's resto rod look, that is one killer deuce. It's just itchin to be a bad ass again.... Drop the fenders, bumpers, spare, cowl lights, horn, wire wheels, etc. It could be an honest hot rod with history in a matter of a few hours. Where is it Rich
The car is in Tipton, Indiana. He also has a blown Ardun equipped 47 Mercury convertable along with a number of other cars and parts. Also a front engine dragster that was probably the first one in Indiana, powered by an old Hemi, built in the early 50's. It was in the Cacklefest at Bowling Green the past 2 years. The collection was started by his grandfather, passed to his dad who added to the collection, and now passed on to the grandson.
bdrake : THANX a LOT for sharing those pix Excellent car & cool story!!! Klaz btw .. It still has the radio-antenna from the `51 pic
It looks like a 70's resto-rod but I am pretty sure the grandfather put the wheels and fenders on the car. That probably would have been in the 50's or very early 60's. I do know that the fenders and boards were NOS parts when they were put on. Same with the wheels. They have the original Chrysler chrome. If I remember right the car had US Royal Masters on it. I can't remember what they looked like so I can't tell if it still has them. I know the car has history with Dick Kraft but it still has a lot of Indiana history. I like it the way it is. I would hate see it restored back to another California car and all of the Indiana history disappear. I think Bill is happy with the car the way it is and does not plan on changing it. I hope he does not fall to temptation and sell it for some amount of crazy money. I would like to see him pass it on to his children.
Beautiful Car. Anybody know what the heck those spark plug thingies are. Never seen anything like that. SOme kind of Insulator or strange Plug End??
1950's JC Whitney dressup piece--chrome tin can around the plug. Probably gives a good light show in lieu of starting after a rain storm. Now rare because all that stuff had grade Z chrome and turned into a block of rust within 2 days of installation.
In some ways, it's as much a trip back to 1949 and starting with a stocker as it is a trip to the 1970's...an afternoon tossing excess bric a brac and wheels, and it would be real again...and try finding an Auburn dash and panel now! That is clearly the dash that was meant to be in these cars.
1) It is just another 32 ... 2) I like Model A's better 3) Who is Dick Kraft 4) It would make a neat rat rod ... Of course ... I am kidding ... I just said this things because that's the things that always said when a cool/neat 32 is mentioned here ... I really dig the roadster ... and it's cars like this one that helped make 32 roadsters in high demand for 50 years. Thank you for posting it
I think they ruined a very cool hot rod form the 50's. That 70's early 80's look is not becoming of that old salt runner. I like it in the 1951 pic better. That said I sure wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crackers. If I had it I would try to get it back to looking like the 50's hot rod it was.
It's also only an afternoon's work from being a really nice fendered car. One garbage can full of excess chrome doodads, almost any other wheels...
Very cool car, very cool history. So... gramps got "caught up in the times" and added the fenders etc. at some point a long time ago and the car has worn them for 3 generations, probably more than 40 years. Getting "caught up in the times" today and whacking the fenders off doesn't strike me as the right thing to do. Sounds like it's still in good hands.
A neat piece even as a Resto-rod. I have a similar set of spark plug covers in the attic. Bought a whole sack full of them at a swap meet from a guy who had no idea what they were. Sold all but one set. Mine have chrome caps on top with a rubber boot that mounts on the spark wire and goes through the cap. They are illustrated on the labels on original boxes of chromed spark wire loom sets by Cal-Custom, I believe. The illustration also shows the chrome generator cover band and coils cover, plus some flavor of air cleaners.
I am new to Jalopy Journal and don't know what the expiration date is on a thread but stumbled across this and thought I would add some history. First off thank you to BDrake for noticing my families roadster and taking the time to starting this thread. Also thank you to all of your for your comments above. Yes I know I am a VERY LUCKY Grandson. I had recently added many of these details to another string looking for old salt flats cars then and now but since this string is dedicated to the roadster I will add it again. As far as changing the car I do appreciate all of your comments above. I have recently put WWW BP tires as the tires on the Chrysler wires were from 1968 and getting very unsafe. I will keep the fenders on it for now. With no disrespect intended to Mr. Kraft who is a TERRIFIC MAN that I have had the pleasure to speak with on several occations, it has alot of centimental value as much for being my late Grandfathers car as for being Mr. Krafts, so changing anything is alot for me. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Kraft on several occations about the car and the story goes something like this. Pre-Bronson History Dick was friends with Ralph Potter. Ralph and his wife worked at Long Beach Douglas Aircraft during WWII. Later, they would own Potters Muffler shop on Pennsylvanie Ave in Indy. Ralph was a big car show promoter in the Midwest in the early 1950's. Potter contacted Kraft about locating a 'nice' car to give away to promote his 2nd annual Indianapolis Auto Show. While the first annual had gone well, he thought a give away car would be a way to bring more success to the event. Kraft locate a 32 Roadster in the LA times Antiquest and Classifieds section for sale and recognized it as one he had raced in 1948 with a Winfield Cam. While Dick could not remember the owners name, he did recall that he worked for the then infant Hot Rod magazine. Dick recalled that this was the last 32 he raced (he preferred 24 T's due to their lower weight). A deal was struck for $2500 for the car and Mr. Potters son, Jr. Potter, drove the car back to Indiana. Bronson History The car was won by a gentleman in Kokomo, IN. My Grandfather pursued the car heavily and was able to purchase it in October of 1953. He did very little to change the car until 1966 when the car was painted, fenders and Chrysler wire wheels were added. A new upholstery was inserted in 1973. While he picked out the material for the interior and for the lining of the Carson Top, sadly he died suddenly before being able to see it completed. After my Grandfathers passing, my father did little to no updates on the car. He just enjoyed taking it to local car shows in the midwest. Some of my earliest memories are riding with my sister in the rumble seat. It was always a family event for us to go to shows. After my fathers passing in 1992, the only updates I have completed are to replace the copper fuel line with safer steel line and putting a newer Mallory distributor for better reliablity. The laquer paint is over 40 years old and is starting to show its age with a few chips here and there, but I have no plans on updating it any time soon. It simply draws too much of a crowd the way it is and I dont want to loose that. Photo used as my avatar is of my late father Larry at age 12 at my late grandfather, Bill. August - 1957. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o></o> Photo I had made. Note SCTA tag on dash. Mr. Kraft swears that there were 2 tags on the dash when it was given away, but I have been unable to locate the 2nd tag. If you are interested, I have created public albums with photos of the Roadster, Mercury and Dragster. BTW, the spark plug covers are hemi tubes with wheel cylinder rubber caps. Hope you enjoy. Bill Bronson Tipton, IN
Thanks for the info..great to see it unchanged http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=4683 cc
3rd Gen Hot Rodder ... IMO there's never an expiration date on a H.A.M.B. thread ... your post and the pics in your album are a perfect example why ... thanks for sharing ... and welcome to the H.A.M.B.!
ProEnfo, Thanks for adding link to my album. As I previously stated, I am a little new at this. Thanks again to all above for the nice comments on the Roadster. I know my Father and Grandfather are looking down with smiles to know that the car is still appreciated.
Blackout, I speak with Dick about 1 / month or so. When I spoke with him last week, he was not doing well, but his spirits were great. I have posted on a seperate link with additional detail. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=307543&highlight=dick+kraft Please note: This also includes his address if anyone would like to send a card to him. In my last conversation with him, he was very happy to receive all the cards and letters. If the link does not go through, if you search for Dick Kraft, you will find the string concerning his health.
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