History Even if you dont like Hot Rods...you might like this story

Tom Fulton (pictured here with his wife) owned my hot rod from 1961 to nov. of 08 when I bought it off of him (well its not my hot rod...im just its caretaker). He dated his wife in this car, they married in 1965. His wife called it there "date car". Tom also took the car to Ohio University when he went to college and had it down there his senior year... before getting married to his wife. Tom had not seen the car in person since nov. of 08 ...when I dragged it out of his barn where it had been sitting since 1973. He was excited to see it on the road again after all these years. When I was getting ready to leave he leaned over and said "ya know, she does sound pretty good..." He built the 383 big block mopar with a huge isky cam and 2x4's for the car in 1963. And thats the same engine thats in it today. He also told me some info I had not known about the engine... that was it was actually a factory long ram engine, he took it out of a car he had.....I did a huge burnout for him when I left. And before I took that picture, his wife said "this car was Toms pride and joy" Tom Replied to his wife "your my pride and joy"

The other picture is of Boyd Spencer, he built the car For the original owner Stephen Warling in 1959. Stephen also dated his wife in this car, whome he married in 1960. In this picture Boyd Spencer had not seen the car since 1961. He filled me in alot of details that I didnt know about the car. Including the night he painted it in 1959, him and Stephen were up late painting the car. Boyd's wife came out mad at him because he wasnt in the house with her, and started throwing beer bottles at the young Boyd and Stephen....all they were saying was " DONT HIT THE CAR!!!" with its fresh 15 coates of Laquer. (in the pic with boyd, this was prior to me relocating the rear axle a few inches forward to center it more in the wheel openings)

 

That's pretty cool! How did you meet them?

 

awesome story man. If only we were all so lucky as to find the original owners

 

Well, bought the car off of Tom, and Tom told me about Stephen Warling and Boyd Spencer...after some checking and alittle Zaba search i found there telephone numbers and called and asked them "this is a wierd question...but did you have a hot rod in the 50's?"

 

Ha, it would have been funny if they were named John Doe and Joe Smith. 3,200 calls later "Hi, so it has been a long day for me so please answer truthfully and quickly. Did you used to own a hot rod? Red-ish? Back in the fifties?" Them "Actually, now that I think about it... yeah." "Thank god, you have no idea the day I had trying to find you." So on and so forth.

 

That is definitely a cool story and thanks for sharing. Nice to know the car still has its actual history around it and the people are still here to enjoy and live it. And seems like the car is still in good hands.

 

Great story. That Model A in the background looks pretty fearsome.

 

It`s always neat to meet the past owners, you always hear neat stories and learn interesting facts. I met one of the previous owners of my current car who owned it from 77 to 83, 24 years after I bought it.

 

I know how you felt when you got to meet and talk with those guys...I bet you wish you had a tape recorder, but didn't cause you didn't even want the distraction of turning it on. Nice to get pictures of them with the car. Did they drive it?

 

Very cool story.

 

I offered, he declined...may have declined for health reasons. It was spectacular conversation...wish it would have been recorded. He knows alot of the hot rodding history around the area.

 

That's awesome dude! You really can't beat a car with some good hometown history.

 

He said that his friend Stephen Warling had one of the first hot rods in that area of the miami vally north of dayton. He said it was a 37 Chevy sedan with an olds rocket in it. I have a picture of the car from 1957

 

Cool Stories man!

 

very cool stories , and a cool car

 

Great story, great car... be cool to see some fresh paint on it though!

 

I love painted finished clean cars...but painting this car is a touchy subject.

 

Great story Stephen, thank you for taking the time to research the background. It is really great to give the recognition to these hot rod pioneers. Fast forward 50 years.... In 2060 there will be a thread about the Spencer-Warling- Fulton- Fields roadster and hopefully it will look exactly as shown here today! I love stories like this, keep up the great work.

 

That's really neat you were able to meet both of those guys and chat about the history of the car. There are many hot rodders of our generation that wish they could have that conversation with their previous owners. I'm sure they are happy to see that you own it and are taking good care of it.

And the part about him telling his wife that she is his 'pride and joy' is too sweet!

 

Great stories thanks for sharing.

 

what a great find.

 

Dude, you always have the coolest stories about your hot rod stuff

And...the car does not need new paint...but you already new that..

 

Great story. It would be cool if each car's owner would keep a "diary" or write up the continuing history of their car while they own it.

 

I'll bet that both of those guys have charged up their memory banks and have recalled many more stories of when they owned the car since seeing it again. thanks for sharing.

Frank

 

.....on a side note....I owe you a pinstripe job. I havent forgot. Hit me up for it anytime.