History Anyone know anything about this Special?

Browsing through another site and found this. It's listed as a '32 Plymouth but it has enough modifications to make it interesting. It's located in N. Central CA. Only info I have on it that it may have been one of seventeen built from plans from Mechanix Illustrated. There was a similar car built around a '32 Ford in a thread on here that was in the Nov. 1951 Mechanix Illustrated. Anybody know anything about this one?

 

I’d drive it

 

That is almost good looking.

 

I think @hudsonjoe49 owned it for a minute now @Sledge does?

 

I think it looks better with the windshield up. He also photoshopped it with the door dip removed. I think it has potential. Has a very
Go dog go vibe going on. I believe @titus may have seen it at auction yeasts ago in his neck of the woods

 

That me at the track most the time.

 

After you...

 

It'll grow on you...

 

Nice Ass...

It deserves to cross the finish lines...Is Thorne a known brand or does that reference the builder...or was it what it turned out to be a "Thorne in ones backside"...as the pressure mounted to get that dang jalopy out of the garage...

 

Very MG looking with door dip. I wonder what the name on the hood means “THORNE”?

 

THORNE
Too many hours..or..not enough

 

That look and mod was popular on those Jalopy Racers...probably for the oldies who couldn't jump up and in with the welded doors...



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I am glad it isn't close or affordable.....I don't need another car

 

start cutting up those worthless 32s

 

39 Ford Delux headlights might look better to me but I think it’s a pretty cool start …..

 

I guess jalopy racers subscibed to Mechanix Illustrated too......ahh the inspiration eh...

 

Man, A 365 caddy in there would be the poor man's Allard... B(.)(.)Bie's

 

Pretty cool IMHO. Also has enough lead to keep you in fishing sinkers for the rest of your life. Looks pretty well done.

 

I believe what Alan posted is the same Car just someone Hambed it up a bit...Uhh maybe not...I see rivets on the other between fenders and hood...funny the paint sure is similar...maybe there was 40 of them...Kinda like someone makes picnic benches and the whole neighborhood wants one...

https://barnfinds.com/mystery-car-1939-thorne-hot-rod-road-racer-barn-find/

...quoted from link above...

"The seller notes that the letters in the front spell out “THORNE”, and hypothesizes that it could stand for Joel Thorne, a famous (and rich) driver and owner of racing cars who owned the 1946 Indianapolis 500 winning car. Given the fact that Thorne hired Frank Kurtis (founder of Kurtis Kraft), Zeke Justice (Justice Brothers), and Art Sparks to build his road and street cars at various points in his life I seriously doubt that this car came from any of them given the “rough work” and “terrible welding” seen on this special, so I suspect this was a different Thorne."

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this seems that back in the 40s and 50s the 32 stock type of grill look was not appreciated by some. this actually is a pretty good looking car… but far lacking in the awesome look of the 32 look.


As it looks in these pictures I wouldn’t mind driving it with all the present patina… I think some of our generation could appreciate it as it is. Good or bad… part of our history.

 

I like the version Stogy posted better but I like both of them. Be fun to build as a road race car

 

...screengrab of one of the replies to the Barnfind Link...and yes our Hamber Friend @hudsonjoe49 definitely either still has it or has sent it on...Just another part of the BIG Picture in a very small world it is sometimes...

Hey Joe...hope all is well...did you have a Thread on this?

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...I'm with you there, Tom.

 

In Joe's response he mentions the found condition to have been a period upgrade to the original iteration...which took a 39/40 style Headlight...

 

I'm liking the "new" version, add a nice thin front bumper maybe a little shorter front tire along with a change in headlights. Going a step farther to a more finished project, I would add a roll to the the door dip and extend it around the entire passenger compartment. How about a '37 headlight, have to rebuild the one fender top, why not add a peak to it?

 

Me like, done as a 50s sports racer to frighten some Ferraris or Maseratis (and yourself too) on a track. Take it to the photoshop thread, they'll have ideas about how to smooth-out the rough edges.

 

I am thinking it is the same car by looking at the white paint above the grille area on the right side is the same on both cars.

I like the one that Alan posted over the Stogy posted version. I also agree I am glad it is on the other side of the country otherwise it might be in my stable because I go for weird things like this. Glad I don't know the price on it to avoid temptation. .

 

Umm, just out of curiosity, is there a price? If so, what is it?

 

But, I like the rough edges.