Anybody know this old Skool 47 Ford???

Since I am new here I will introduce myself once more.
My name is Todd, I live in the Minneapolis Minnesota area.
Have been around cars my whole life.

My stepfather owns a 1947 Ford custom. We have figured out alot of the history of the car but we are hoping to fill in some of the mystery history of this car. The car is a 47 ford that was originally a convertible. It has been chopped, channeled, has a carson top, 47 olds grille, 58 ford quad headlights, plymouth bumpers, buick taillights, currently a 327 chev, but in the cars original custom glory it once had an olds V8 with 6 strombergs, has dummy lake pipes, real spots, cadillac tilt and telescopic, and frenched double antenna. I am sure there are more details I have left out.

This car when first customized spent it's early custom life in Colorado, and we have contacted and know the second and third owners of the car during it's customized state. We know the name of the first owner/(builder??) I believe the name is Jim Teighton (spelling?) I do not have the info in front of me at this time so I am going off of memory. The car supposedly spent some time on the west coast and we do not have any info on that part of this cars life. we would like to fill in those blanks of west coast ownership and who did the paint change etc.

The car first made an appearance in Hot Rod Magazine in July of 1963.
the car was then burgundy with gold scallops, and at this point had the olds V8 with the 6 strombergs, chrome reverse and 8 inch slicks in back.

next magazine appearance was Street Rodder April, 1976 the car still resided in Colorado but was changed to a 1974 VW green and then received the 327 chev small block, and a gold diamond tuck velour interior. the inside of the car looked like a coffin. even the inside of the carson was diamond tuck. the car now had 4-bar flipper caps with the wide whites.

Fast forward to 1982. Hot Rod put out a special "Custom Cars" issue, and the car wa on the cover and now has fender skirts, and the name "Gangreen" lettered on the skirts. if memory serves me correctly the car at this point is now in California. the car was also pictured in the December 1984 issue of Hot Rod.

If anybody can fill in some of the blanks and history that would be great.
The car has been in Minnesota for quite some time and we still know the previous Minnesota owner. We do not know who had done the color change to the copper brown color that exists on the car now. My step father Bill had the upholstery redone in an off white Leather tuck and pleat. The car still had the Gold velour interior when he purchased the car. the only other updates have been for safety, the car now has a mustang II front end and disc brakes. We have tried to maintain the original 50's custom with out detracting from the cars custom roots. Some other neat details are the Dagger handle dipstick, and a silver dollar brazed as the gas pedal.

If anybody knows the car or history please help us out, it would be appreciated. Would also like to find any old photos of this car if they exist.
There were a ton of car show trophies that belong to this car that have dissappeared over the years as well.

Check out the pics and see if it rattles any brain cells.

Thanks, Todd

 

I have no idea but that car is perfect

 

I saw some photos of your stepfathers car in a obscure car magazine in the 80's and ever since I have loved that car. I even tried to duplicate the quad headlight treatment on one of my model car 46-48 Fords I built when I was a kid.

Its good to know the car is still around today.. .I have always wondered what happend to it.

Unfortunately I do not have any historic information about it.. .but hopefully somebody here on the HAMB will have some more... all I have are a few more photos

 

That's a classic old custom. It reminds me of this one only in a little better condition.

 

That's the one that was at Hidden Valley Wrecking. I looked at that car for a long time and tried to think if it had any old roots that I would recognise. Even checked out the price at $500 but a little steep for a bare, very bare body and frame with no running gear.
But it's gone now, gone to the great wrecking yard in the sky and will soon be lurking on our streets as a Kia or Nissan.

 

Yes, That's where I took that picture. I didn't think that they scrapped anything. Are you sure it won't be at Barrett-Jackson next year?

Tom

 

This car looks like a car built by Dick Grace of Loveland, Colorado in about 1957. I watched it being built. It was dark red (candy apple?) with gold scallops on the front fenders. It won the sweepstakes award at the Denver show two years in a row.

 

This is definately that car. it had the paint job you are describing when it had a small photo in the 1963 July Hot Rod Magazine. Do you know Dick Grace or anybody that might. we have talked to the gentleman that owned the car probably after Dick, and we have also contacted and spoke to the gentleman that re-did the car in the mid 70's when it was repainted (green), and reupholstered. We would love to hear any stories or info that anybody can provide. there are a lot of wholes in the history of this custom. I am sorry that I don't have the magazines that the car had been in, in front of me, otherwise I could have named most of the previous owners by name.
Bill (my stepfather) absolutely loves the car and drives it everywhere when the weather permits. He will be very excited to know anything new he can find out about the car.

Thanks alot for your response, I hope to hear more from you.

Todd

 

WOW, Fantastic, we have definately not ever seen those pictures of the car before. Really exciting to see. Do you know what magazine those are from and is there any possible way the pictures could be reproduced in a fairly high resolution to make a small print? We would be happy to reimburse you if there as a way. Thanks for your input on the subject of the car. every little bit is fun to see and helps figure out this cars history.

Thanks, Todd

 

That car was in Cincinnati and was in Cincy Street Rods at the time. We're talking late 70's to early 80's. The second picture posted by Rikster shows the Ohio plates of that era. He moved to Florida and then onto California.

I put a call into the 'club historian' and will get you more info when I hear back. I was little at the time, but I remember the car and should have some more pictures of it.
Lou

 

Hey Lou, thanks, Never knew about the Ohio or Florida history on this car.
Thought the car went straight to the west coast from Colorado. That gives me some more place to try and dig up some info. If you have pictures of the car, we would love to see them if you have time to look for them.

much appreciated.
Todd

 

In about 1957 or 1958, Dick Grace belonged to the Revs of Ft. Collins, which was our county seat. Some of the members of the Revs were Darrel Greenwalt, Del Wiesner, Dean Sievers, and my brother in law; Melvin Perry, who now lives in Phoenix. I used to hang around their shop/clubhouse when I was 15 and 16 years old. Dick's dad owned a junkyard in Loveland. I used to see the car run around town when it was in primer with the hood off showing the Olds engine.

One who could help you find out more information would be Harold Owens, who works for NHRA. He now lives in Ridgecrest, California. I have been in touch with him sporadically over the last few years. He was a partner in the Wiesner, Sievers and Owens 34 Willys AGS car which ran in the 64 nationals at Indy. He could probably tell you how to get in touch with Dick. I know Dick was at one of the CHRRs I was at, but I failed to meet up with him.

I will get in touch with my brother in law and find out what he knows about the car.

 

The man that had it here in Cincinnati was Dean Gilliard (last name spelling might not be right) He wasn't in the club long, but he did leave here for Florida and then went to California.

The last we heard is that he was now living in Hawaii. My dad tried to find him on a old club phone list to get an idea of the dates, but no luck. Our other member was going to look through his archives. I'm still trying to find if I have any pictures. The club used to do a small display at the local mall then and I thought I had a picture of it in front of a Sears! Let you know if I find them.
Lou

 

Lou,
The Name Dean Gilliard sounds familiar to me. I think that was a name mentioned in*one of the magazines. I think I tried to search that name once before but came up empty handed. It would be very cool if you find those pictures, But take your time, if your pictures are organized like mine it would take me awhile.

Todd

 

wow. that car is just awesome!

 

Hi all
What a small world.
I always wondered what ever happened to Gang Green or now Gang brown. I sold the car back in 84 to a guy in the Valley that worked with the studios and he was forced to paint it a different color as everywhere he went people said isn’t that Dean’s car, it really bothered him. The story is I bought the car in Memphis at the NSRA Nationals in 79 I believe and was living in Indiana at the time. I had several street rods and wanted a full custom so I bought the car from a guy from Grand Junction Colorado ; he told me it was an old custom car that he rebuilt and painted it VW and anniversary candy green. I drove the car back to Indiana and had to fix the motor mounts on the way home. I then started locating real Appleton spot lights, one I found in pieces in Indianapolis and one I found in Hershey along with real steel 48 Ford fender skirts. I rebuilt the spot lights and fixed and painted the fender skirts the same color. I also added a full torero cover for the days that I left the Carson top at home. I then moved to Thousand Oaks CA in 81 with my street rods and my 55 T-bird. In 85 I sold everything and moved to Bangkok Thailand and started a Jewelry factory and still live over here. I started riding and building Harleys over here and five years ago rebuilt a C3 Corvette and now am finishing up my second 1981 C3 Vette.

Funny thing is the following winter after I had installed the spots and fender skirts I enter the car in the Cincinnati cavalcade of customs along with my 34 Plymouth and there was a really nice 39 ford chopped custom from Detroit that had never been beat in his class in the ISCA Great Lakes division and the 47 beat him in class and took best Custom. He was really happy I did not want to show in any other shows. The 34 also won best of class.

When I owned the car I had bought a spare Olds grill just in case I crashed the nose but when I sold the car I gave the grill to a friend In Semi Valley (JR Washburn) and he installed it on later model chopped Olds and painted the car orange and that s\car is still in CA as often see pictures of the car on line with the Rolling Relics car club.

When I moved over here I left all my car pictures and paper work in a rented storage place and there was a fire so I lost all my pictures and magazines of my cars. Is there any way you could scan the pictures and article on the gang green and Email them to me I would really like to see them again.

BTW, with those magzine pictures I was asked to make a couple of TV adds one for Wendy’s and one for ATT. The Wendy’s add I was in it along with the car and received royalties for about a year as the ad ran in different cities, Custom Burgers.

 

WOW! Welcome Dean! And thanks to the thread starter, I have those 80s magazines and read them often as a kid!

 

Todd, Hello my name is Rob Graese. Im the son of Dick Graese, who built the 47. Please e mail any questions about the car.

 

Rob, this great. we have always wanted to know about the builder and the build up of this car. This car has a really fantastic history and we think that the history and stories should be with the car for all to see. Bill (the owner of the car) shows the car during the summers. this car is is his pride and joy. The reason Bill bought this originally is beacause it reminded him of his youth, this is what was cool when he was a young pup. He used to have a chopped carson topped 40 Merc when he was in high school.

Rob, i also sent you an e-mail.
thanks for your reply, hope to talk more with you.
Todd Nelson

 

WOW! The power of the Hamb,it's amazing. Cool thread.

 

It IS a small world

 

Those almost look like Checker front fender extensions....

 

I can only hope to find an interesting story or two about the car I am working on. Great story.

Hamb rules!!!!

BC

 

Wow!! this is amazing. Sorry I misspelled your last name. I remember the car well and it was my earliest influence. I remember it as candy apple with gold scallops. Is that correct? Is you dad still alive? He was a real hero to me and I used to travel to Continental Divide Raceway with my bother in law, Melvin Perry, to help with your dad's Competition C/S and others of the Revs.

 

As always the HAMB rules !!!!

 

Many thanks 'Mo!
all contributions to finding people or info on this car has been tremedous.
We will now be seeking at least one more owner of this car maybe two.
I do not have the name of the guy who bought the car from Dean. But as dean mentions he worked for one of the studios in california. if anybody can help out with this it would really solve a big piece of the puzzle. Actually now that I think of it, there was another sale of this car in the late 60's or possibly early 70's that is a mystery. there were a lot of trophies that belonged to this car that dissappeared at that point in history.
The car is in storage right now but there are a lot of dash plaques in the car from different car shows the previous owners had attended. Maybe, if I were to post some of the events and dates in the future, somebody else might have photos from the events. or remember more on the car.
I really couldn't be happier, The HAMB has proven to be an incredible group of people and enthusiasts who have helped with a huge amount of information in a very short time.
Thanks TO ALL!!

Todd

 

WOW! What a story! And in the space of a few days the original builder's son and other owners are here on the HAMB. Truly amazing the resouces that come forward in that short time period.

 

Yes he is still alive and kicking. The 47 won the Sabers auto show in Denver in 1960, Best of Show I believe. Yes, you are correct about the color. This weekend he is in Albuquerque at the Super Nationals showing his 41 Ford radical custom. Will let you know the results later. The car took 9 awards at the World of Wheels show in Phx., a couple of weeks ago.

 

I just missed seeing him at the California Hot Rod Reunion a few years ago. Of course, he wouldn't remember me. I was barely more than a rug rat in 1960 (I was born in 1942). I do believe Dean Sievers might remember be, however. I traveled to Indy in 1964 with my sister and brother in law, Melvin Perry. I helped Harold Owens change the transmission the Dean's '34 Willys A/GS.

Your father and others of the Revs were my heroes from 1955 till 1964.

 

You forgot to mention that my Father made the skirts! (Classic Auto body) Ring a bell!!! I have pixs of that car,and the skirts were made out of a VW roof. You made my Mother a ring for the labor, and she still has it. I will post pix's If I can find them..Lou I'm sure you're dad remembers....