Doane Spencer,... Rolling Bones,.... And a Grumpy Ol' Man

Well said Dennis.

 

WOW !..........

You guys are really p***ionate !,......

I just got home from Branson...... (Still trying to get the show tunes out of my head).... Well here's the way I look at it...

Regardless of the fact you never knew about Doane Spencer and his amazing Roadster before you knew about the Rolling Bones crew,.... The Rolling Bones guys did indeed made the connection and admitted it was the inspiration for "there style".

As far as Hot Rod history records it,... The Doane Spencer roadster was the first Deuce roadster I have ever known of that had this specific front suspension,... And in fact Doane "Mr. Fabrication" Spencer built this unique front suspension to overcome clearance problems for his Roadster,.... Specifically for racing it ( I believe in the Pan-American race) in which he was hoping to be a pioneer in.....

Now some of you guys need to go back and read my original "sleep deprived" post and the posts made after that........ I appreciate you all trying to protect and defend the RB guys..... But I NEVER SAID ANYTHING DISPARAGING ABOUT THEM !!!!!! .....

And as far as I see it,.... "Hot Rod history" and "form follows function" not to mention "necessity is the mother of invention" and the Rolling Bones guys themselves admit it was the inspiration for there front ends.... all points to Doane Spencer being the originator of this truly unique and signature look.......


It's sooooooo good to be home from Branson !

 

Was the time in history recorded when Doane Spencer added this "Signature" front end to his already famous Roadster? Futhermore isn't the car restored to a timeframe that predates this front end? I don't want to see this thread end. Bob


Posted from my keyboard, I'm not into the cell phone deal

 

The time frame for the front end is down to the very early fifties. They ran the last PanAmerica Carrera race in '53 I believe, and from what I have been told the car was torn down to go to racing spec in late '51. That came directly from a s**** book that belonged to Neal East that I held in my hands about year ago, so I would call that a pretty accurate do***ent.

As far as the car restored to a look that predates the front end? Well, I could see that both ways, 'cause the reality as far as I know is that he never really got the car back together as a street car after the Carrera was canceled due to "negative population impact in the effected areas". I know that Lynn Wineland ended up with the car in the late fifties, and Neal East in the mid to late sixties. So is the car restored incorrectly for the front end? It kinda is restored to a period that it was a part of in the late forties and early fifties, ya, but Neal did the same thing in his redo as well. So basically, it has pretty much always looked the same with changes in drivetrain and rolling stock and such (and if you go back way early, a couple different axles, I might add). Neal was ging a bit crazy with updates in the early nineties with a redo (which most of the photographs in this s****book were from) with things such as a Motorcycle flip up fuel filler in the panel in front of the deck, but Bruce reeled it all in with the PC3 resto.

 

Thanks for the updates, was the plan to run the Carrera with flathead power or something else? Bob

 

Hi all.Love these kinds of threads.All"family`s"have their little disagreements.
And is not this a"family"?These discussions bring out the history of our hobby.
Me?I`m very unknowing of the early iron.But this is why I joined the HAMB.TO LEARN.Every one here will learn from everyone who posts.Weather they are a newbie like me,or weather they have been involved in it since about the after Noah grounded the Ark.Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Agreed!
The car we worship today is a combination of the parts (and castoffs!) Doane supplied and what Lynn and Neil had available.
Blended together it became the "Spencer Roadster" of today...which is a good bit different than the car Doane had intended in its aborted last rebuild, but perhaps better than any configuration it had seen previously!

If plans had gone as intended and Neil and Lynn hadn't been involved the car as it sits wouldn't exist!!!

Much respect to Doane of course, but also Lynn and Neil for having the vision to see it thru to THIS final configuration...by reeling it back!

The three of them are responsible for the final result that mostly showcases Doanes skills, while their influence and restraint goes unnoticed for the most part.

 

You all make a good point ,.... here's a picture of the car with the signature front end,... but it looks like there getting ready to make up the mounts for the "Y" Block engine attached via adapter to the early Ford trans,.. that he was going to run in the Carrera......




And here's an earlier picture..... unsure of the date..... but it looks like the spring is over the axle.... maybe the dropped tube that was on it.


And this looks like a 37 tube.


However ,... this picture was reported to have been taken in 1946 or 47.... And you can see the hairpins and a beam axle under it..... The only beam I have ever seen pictures of him having on this car was the 32 Heavy.... other than that he ran a 37 Tube as well as a different tube (That I can't find the picture of.)

 

Here it is with the weird tube....

 

This is the photo that nobody seams to have an answer for. Look at the "Z'ed" front, not drastic but it must drop the front an inch or better. Is this feature on the frame of the restored Doane Spencer car today? Have the Bones ever used this feature? Lastly, was this ch***is ever under the Spencer car, or was it built for another? Bob

 

Actually I have an answer for you Bob... I was lucky enough to have had a day at the PC3 Shop with Bruce Meyer when the roadster was undergoing restoration.... this "Z" was indeed on the car un-restored..... and all pictures I have ever seen of it after the frame horns were removed show this "Z"... And without question that original ch***is is still under the car today.

 

In all fairness,..... Here it is with the hairpins and a dropped I-Beam... anybody know what year that license plate is ?........

 

I've seen that picture dated as 1948 before.

 

Ok, If that "Z'ed" front frame section is part of the Doane Spencer front end, and the "Bones" front ends DON"T have the "Z" are their front ends a "Spencer" front end? I'm off to Hershey and hope this helps keep this thread alive. Hope to sell enough stuff to afford some '34 bones. Bob

 

The axle looks like the one in Paul Schiefer's lakes roadster.
Manufactured by Chrysler. Then Ford I beam dropped ends
were added. One of a kind for sure.
Here's a picture of Paul's axle....http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?***le=File:Paul-schiefer-1925-ford.jpg

 

That axle is in Don Oroscos roadster now .... so he says

But the ends don’t look the same to me …. They are either recently made or Okie Adams ends

 

Oops!!!!

 

A little off the subject, but the man that owns more history making Deuces than anyone and current keeper of the "Spencer" car drove another history making car that copied some of Doane's ideas from his earlier build. Bruce can tell you in detail about all of his cars, each with a different style that was often duplicated. In my humble opinion the Rolling Bones style cars are their own style with some thoughts given to "how it was done", but I give them credit for doing it their way and setting a trend that is still growing today.

Don Thelan created the "Nickel Roadster" with the help of some of the best craftsman around and copied some of the "Spencer" car ideas but in the end it was the builder who made the car a true masterpiece, just as the RB's have done in their shop. Time will tell, but my bet is they will be remembered as innovators, not copiers.

I love them all regardless of style and hope the trend continues and will be improved upon in the coming years. Henry's deuce tudor sedan that is a work of art shows yet another direction with some modern flare. Lets keep the flame burning.