Here is a pic from 1960. The owner is a rodder that lived in Rapid City for a few years. His name for the record is Bob Shanks. I hope I dont offend anyone by posting this info, I just gave the HAMB addy to his son who is building a neat A coupe( and really should speak up if you are reading this! ) Bob and his son live out of the area now, he sold the car many years ago, it is somewhere in Colorado, or if you suscribe to TRJ you can find it on your coffee table, TRJ #10 Page 21. It is also shown on page 86 in the December 1962 issue of HOTROD along with coverage of our local club, The Counts of The Cobblestone. It is virtually in the same shape as when it hit the streets 60 years ago. I have a nice write-up on the car but will just hit the highlights for now. This is the history as told to me. Two young brothers, Mike and Jerry Farmer of Santa Monica built the car starting in 1942. It raced on the dry lakes in 1945 and later. Apparently it held a gas record for 2 years at 125.5. It was sold to a friend who switched it over to street use, adding the solid wheels in place of the wires it had run. In 1951, it was bought by John Morrison whose dad owned the Studie Dealership here in Rapid City. There is some argument about the truck during this time. I have heard talk of it with an Ardun Conversion. But a couple guys around here dont think the truck ever ran on the street due to Johns probs with said Ardun. Anyway, Shanks bought the car nin 1959 after years of lusting after and dealing on teh car as a teenager. The price? $600!!!!! He owned the car until the early 60s when he sold it. Like I said, it is still around in this condition. If you happen to know any more info on this truck feel free to add it or correct me in my details.
Is this the same Bob Shanks that used to do louvers, possibly in Rapid? Last I knew he lived in Greeley, CO, did louvers back in the '70's out of his garage in Greeley...I don't recall the RPU around then... R-
Thanks T-man. Nice story, that would be a killer find today. I have a couple of pals that are building an A v8 rpu. Should be done real soon, no history, but real cool.
Hey, I'm fairly new to the board, but I had to comment on this one. I just happen to know the owner of this pickup. It's still the same after all these years. One of my favorite pickups of all time. I also know Bob Shanks, the previous owner. I've been trying to buy it off of him for years now. Maybe someday I'll get the deal done. Until then I just enjoy looking at a great piece of hot rod history.
That RPU has serious history in this area alone. I have a pile of pics of the truck as it looks today thanks to Bob. I knew someone from Colorado would chime in here!
well maybe something like this gives some people a reaction they dont know how to post?,im very well depressed with the take apart and toss it world we live in today.I go to many shows and rod runs with a very old rodder, and he starts telling us about cars we see, and most the time it is a car he built or helped build and drove all over, just living to build cars and run them.he still has his 35 2 door ford that he did in 51, having a pickup like that one is very much history, I hope people don't become jaded hearing about some old hotrod I appreciate these stories
Bob is still a hotrodder, he is building a 34 sedan. He stops in every couiple months when he is in town. You still see a gleam in his eye when it comes to cars.
Post has nothing to do with me............I just cant believe there arent more comments on this car? Anyone that was at the salt last summer saw it with a new top and tonneau out of tan canvas.
man, i SOOOO wanna go to b'ville once... i used to drive past it on i-80 going to sacramento or reno, i'd pull the truck over on the shoulder and just listen to the screaming of the engines echo across the salt, the sound bouncing off the mountains after they shut em down. . . it used to drive my partner ******* "what the hell is it about a noisy engine that makes you want to sit on the shoulder for an hour. ya cant even see the car!?!?" "i dont need to see em, to know they are going fast" someday T
Cool bit of history, thanks for posting it, Tman. It's great to see a survivor, especially one built as early as this one. Hot rodding history does mean a lot, at least to me. I enjoy hearing about how things started even more than I like hearing about the people keeping them alive today. Do you have any more info on the RPU? Any more pics, perhaps? I'd love to see it in lakes trim, when it was still running the wires.
Wow, thanks for sharing this gem with us, T-handle...These survivors are so few and far between anymore...And someone posted today, asking if any RPUs used to run the lakes or salt - here's an answer for ya... Do you know who does his hair?
I forgot the Gossons had "hair envy". Bob still has more hair on his head than you and Rocky have on your collective backs!
Oh yeah? Have you seen Rockys back lately? I mean, uh, Bob's a lucky guy...His hair is just as well preserved as his car, and that's saying something, mister! Hair envy...why I oughta..................stupid kids anyway...
aight,,, you gents are beginnin to worry me,,, whatcha dewin lookin at rocky's back ? ? ? Low-odd hay-of muh-see! LMAO
I saw this one a Bonneville last summer. Might not be the same one, but it is running with Model A splash aprons like in the pic of the one you posted Tman.
I think I saw and took pictures of that truck in 92 when I went to the salt. Neat piece. Rolling history. Pat.
Just think how neat it will be for someone to fine a car we built today some 50-60 years from now.. I wonder if they will be curious and excited like we are or will they just haul it to the s**** yard for a few bucks. I'm sure there were some significant cars that got parted out and lost with no regard to history or rare parts that might have been on them. It's sad to think about, but if no one educates the next generation it won't be their fault for not carrying the torch. Frank
A lot more than we realize. Pick up any old stack of magazines and see how many cars you recognize still on the scene. Maybe one percent or less are hiding in hibernation- but most were parted, wrecked or s****ped years ago. And most of the customs were junked and crushed once the craze ended in the late sixties. Sad stuff.
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