Projects January '58 Hot Rod feature car rebuild! Updated photos 7-1-13

This is really cool. I heard this car was being rebuilt by the original builder and finally tracked the garage down where it is going together.
Willie built this car in the late 50's. It was featured in January 58 Hot Rod, making the car local lore. I don't have a scan of the magazine, if somebody does and could attach it that would be appreciated. He sold the car in the late 60's, purchased it back several years ago when it was at the Back to the Fifties swap meet, and though it had changed owners many times it was virtually untouched from its original incarnation.

The 32 body is mated to a heavily modified 46 Merc frame. The rails were cut at the firewall and moved inboard to clear the channel, It was shortened about 14" and heavily Z'd in the rear. Here's an overall picture.


Here's a rear shot. Note the exhaust exit in the body and the neat bumper treatment. Also the rubber skirting around the rear axle. This is Willie at work. He was pretty much nose to the grindstone while I was checking it out.


Beautiful resto. on the original Merc. motor. He had to fabricate new headers. The down pipe is original the first build. He did convert it to 12V. He sent the carbs, fuel lines, oil lines out for plating. The edmunds intake air cleaners etc are all part of the original build.



Hard to see here but the water pumps are plated, the original 46 Merc column and column shifter were used.



Other side of the motor. Hard to beat the looks of a dressed up flathead.


Check out the homemade dropped axle.



Here is a shot of the chassis. Note the shortened torque tube. Engineering and fabrication was actually pretty good for the time.


Close up of the exhaust exit


There's alot going on here, and again this is pretty good engineering for the era. You can see the fuel tank that straddled the torque tube. Also note the spare tire mount, theres a tire wrench mounted out of this view. Also note the exhaust routing to exit the body.


Here's a picture of the Merc. column, gauges, e-brake, Everything was used including the wiring and parts of the floor.


Exhaust detail:


Close up of the Cut-out.


Original door panels. The headliner and other details used a material called unborn calfskin ( he is trying to find a match to this.) Window moldings are plated.


In talking with him it sounds like he drove the wheels off the car, hitting events in Indianapolis, Wichita. He said that's why the gas tank was so large and the spare tire mounted in the trunk.

He's going to fire the car up in the next few weeks, and hopes to have it finished this summer.

 

Very Cool, lotsa of cool early styling.

 

keep up the good work!

 

This is the stuff I like!

 

The only thing he is missing from the original build is a set of 54 studebaker hubcaps. If anybody has one or a set please PM me!
Thanks
Eric

 

Man, i remember that car and know i have the magazine but its still packed from when i moved. Thats is just the koolest...I had a clean set of Studes...I'll see if i can dig up some others for you!

 

WoW! That is sooo cool!

 

They reproduce those caps, I have a set for my 51 Chevy. The company is in Florida, I want to say McVeys Cadillac, but I can't remember. I will have to look for the address in the morning. If someone dosen't post the place, I will try to do it tomorrow! They are a first class repro made out of stainless steel with the centers painted gold. I remember this car in my old mags. I love when somebody brings one back like this.

 

Im happy now

 

now, this is what the hamb is all about,,(or is supposed to be),,,,not some rambler/ferrari street rod with 20" wheels winning the ridler award......,,,,,,,,VERY cool...especially the fact that he drove the hell out of the car,,,,,,,,,,

 

awesome! contact Chopolds here on the HAMB...the Kopper Kart has unborn calfskin inserts, im sure he can give you some information!

 

Customcory. We discussed that the caps were reproduced. I did some searching and came up empty. I found the Caddy site you mentioned and checked a few others.

Thesupersized. I'll PM Chopolds. Thanks for the information.

 

wow! love it!

 

I can't wait to see how it looks complete. It always looked to me that Ak Miller tried to hide the IFS on his builds. I'm interested in seeing how this one looks with the control arms and all of that hanging out in the breeze. The car looks great so far, and has a great history too. I also completely agree with Kustom 7777's comment.

 

Great story! A piece of hot rodding history saved and brought back for all to enjoy and by the original builder as well. Thanks for sharing.

 

pg 48 Rags to Riches Rod found it but dont have a scaner.

 

Here you go.
hemiDeuce.

 

Thanks...Now how cool is that! To be so unmolested after all these years is amazing.

 

Wow, what a cool story - and even better, since the original builder is restoring it! Thanks for sharing this with us.

Malcolm

 

The place I got my hubcaps was Stephen Allens Studebaker Parts in Newberry Florida. Well. I checked the website and they are no longer in business. From what I hear , the company Studebaker West has bought him out. I don't think they have a website but the phone number is 650-366-8787. I hope this isn't a wild goose chase, but its a start!

 

This is great! I'm getting ready to put a '30 - '31 A on a '48 chassis. Heavily modified chassis that is.

 

I had a REAL hard time finding this stuff, but it's possible. You may have to wait a long time and get a couple pieces at a time, until you have enough of the right color, but it's possible.
I'll PM you.

 

dammit looks like another trip to Minnesota....hahahaha

those headers RULE!!!


I'll crash at Moriaritys....

 

My father and I still have the 1931 Ford Roadster he built in the mid 50's. We have kept it pretty much un-molested over the years. I can appreciate what he is doing!

 

Cool car. Looks like it a mate for this '32!

Thanks for the tip. I'll check them out.

Thanks for the PM. PETA would want our heads on a stick if they knew hot rodders wanted to upholster cars with unborn calf's skins!

 

You can see a picture of this car in the latest Rodders Journal in the Car and Clubs article on page 125...
I'll up load some pics of the car today.

 

Some pics from today other than the alternator and electric fan, it's pretty much the same car.

 

Yummmmmm!

 

Looks Bitchin'

 

That answered that question! I was going to ask if it was the 3W from New Ulm that was in Cars & Clubs! That one can be added to the list of feature cars that are still around!