Just went to Sacramento and back and this flowed me home. I am going to use the motor in a 29 rpu pickup I am building. Sunday I was on the hamb as usual killing time And I stumbled across this add for a 1929 roadster PU this hamber has posted for a friend with out a computer. Turns out it belong to the friends sister in law Her husband pass away 5 years ago. The brother in law didn't know much about the car except it had a 409 that his brother in law was very proud of. The brother in law has his wife e-mail more pictures. After a long discussion with Dave on the phone we plan a road trip and here it is. This guy liked camping and was using and styled it after a dune buggy. Looks like it may have been an old gasser at some point in time. It has a torque flyte push button trans and I believe Pontiac or Olds rear end. My Grandson wants to race at Eagle Field. I told him If he dose the work I will be the crew chief. But I think that job may also come with sum financial responsibility but not to much lol. what do you guys think. jim
Gasser!!! Awesome score, and a W engine to boot! Guess if you left it like that you might hear "nice dune buggy''.
Nix on the gasser thing. Make it a hot rod instead. Like Neal's: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=624594
Gassers (G, GS) were coupes and sedans. Roadsters were Street Roadsters (SR). Well until the bitter end when they combined the classes.
Gasser is NOT the word to describe that car. What you have is the makings of a badass drag roadster style RPU. I.m not saying that is a race car , looks like a street car but a guy could easily change it to have a great 60's drag car look. With the right parts changes that thing could be wicked. Sure wish I had found it. I hope it doesn't get changed too much or parted out. Notice these cars raced in the street roadster class. Calling it a gasser is like calling T bucket a dune buggy.
Forget "gassers"! It's, as pointed out above, an altered without fenders, a SR with. I'd build it as a Street Roadster with some tiny fenders and keep it pretty much as it is. The whole" gasser" fad is silly, it's a 60's SR survivor, don't ruin it!
Kewe Kev. You are right sorry. Street roadster it is. It was late when I wrote this but still high from this score funny you use the dune buggy term when my buddy and I got in the truck after tying it down with much interruption I looked back and told Lionel some one stole the lights off the role bar.Yea it really looks like a dune buggy but we can fix that. This will be my grandsons first build thread keep a look out. his mane is AJ he is 19 and loves hot rods and racing and has been a big help to me. We will get him sign in and Introduced but don' be two hard on him. This car was located in old town Sacramento and this couple had lived the same house since 1976 and it seems no one knew it was there till we pushed it out to load. We had it loaded at 6:00 pm but couldn't get away till almost 8:00 pm.
It looks very familiar to me. I think I have seen a pic of it in an old magazine. Maybe at a rod run with a canoe on top. Maybe a Rod & Custom mag from the early 70's. Yosemite maybe? I see it has some old dash plaques on the firewall. I will look through my magazines when I get a chance.
If it doesn't get fenders and a roof it is going to run altered or dragster class. Even with fenders it is going to fall in street roadster class. But is is a neat starting place for a rod or 1320 basher.
Kiwi Kev You are the Man. Diana told us how they would put there canoe on top and go camping when they got there they would sleep in the canoe. If any body has more info let me know. It was last registered in 1988. Seems the norm for me the car in my avatar last registered in 1989. Ok I have been holding out a little the motor is a 409 is an original 1963 425 Hp 2X4 engine with the 690 heads and she threw in an extra set of 690 heads. Also came with original pink listed as a 29 roadster pickup.
I did some more digging 1962 had 409 Hp and 1963 had 425 Hp. haven't taken the pad number down yet just the casting numbers. block #3788068, heads #3814690, intake #3814881. thanks jim
I believe that's the block casting for 61/62 409s. So it is probably a 62 engine. The extra 690 heads are worth a bunch, don't just give them away (unless you give them to me!) You can probably sell them for enough to buy some new aluminum heads if you want.
The owner's name was Daryl, he made every Lodi rod run with this car. Three years in a row, Daryl WON the Streetkhana with this R/PU, WITH the canoe on top! Somebody besides me must remember this... seemed like everybody with a hot rod made that 3-day affair... I want to say 1976, '77, and '78...I remember the day Andy Southard drove his new Magoo-assembled red '32 Highboy up from L.A., was stopped outside the grounds talking with Daryl.
Atwater Mike. Yes his name was Darrell I didn't know he took the canoe to the rod runs I thought it was just camping. Darrell sounds like a cool dude doing what he liked to do. Hope he will be happy I am passing it down to a new generation of hot roder. We should all try to help pass the sport down. Son, grand son, neighbor kid ect. thanks for sharing. Jim
Very cool car/truck, and would be even better with some skinny front tires and a nice pair of front fenders!
I looked through some magazines but couldn't find the picture. I see it clear as day in my head though. Maybe start a thread asking if anyone remembers an A rpu with a canoe on top from the 70's and I bet something will show up.
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