Hot Rods Ohio Rodders, need to ID roadster photo from 1959

Attention Ohio rodders and car freaks with a LONG history in the hobby.... I need help identifying the old hot road roadster in the attached photo. I believe I took this photo myself, back in 1959, when I was just a kid. It was taken in Wilmington, Ohio. The roadster has an early Olds V8 with aftermarket 3X2 carbs. It apparently showed up at an antique car tour which I would have been attending with my parents in their Hupmobile. The driver looks familiar, somehow, and I would love to identify both him and his hot rod. Any clues?

 

I found these old photos years ago, among the thousands of photos from antique car events my parents had. I THINK I remember snapping these photos myself, when mom trusted 5-year old me with the camera for a few minutes.

 

The sign on the building in background helped me to ID the location of the event. It reads, "Bailey-Murphy Real Estate, Auctions, Farm Loans." Some friends of mine traced that business to Wilmington, Ohio.

 

Here is the second photo I took that day; more from a front angle. Does anyone recognize the car or the driver?

 

You're talking about the hot rod aren't you.

I looked just because I was curious and was going to say its a '22/'23 T.

Like the old hot rod, hope someone has info on it.

 

Well done Jim.
Glenn

 

The T Roadster to the left is a 1915. Bob

 

Thanks, Glenn.
To everyone, YES, I am trying to ID the hot rod roadster and its driver. Thanks.

 

I have blown up the pics, but I don't recognise anything about the body - it's almost got a home-made look to it.

The windshield looks like it was made from a 37-39 Ford windshield frame.

 

Looking at the original photo under magnifying glass, it appears to have chromed front axle, spring, backing plates, and steering link. So someone had some time and money in that street rod.

 

Well I was close I knew it was a Ford.

 

Yes, the sloped cowl, electric headlights with brass rims, and the kerosene cowl lamps with brass rims are all good clues to help ID the model year of the restored Model T at left.

But right now I am trying my best to ID the hot rod roadster and driver...presumably from Wilmington, Ohio. August, 1959.

Thanks everyone, for trying to help.

 

bump

 

You could try an ad in the News Journal down there. Ohio license numbers generally started with a letter back then. X usually came from Athens County, Y from Hocking & Fairfield Counties and so on.

 

Well this will keep you on top and that T probably was not restored. In '70 I looked at a one owner T in way better condition that that one. Those old Ts held up way better than we give them credit for.

Oh check your messages you whistle head.

 

That thing is pretty cool, so as a former fellow Buckeye, I will bump it up too, from time to time, with some occasional comments. If that car is from Wilmington, you can bet someone will remember it.

 

The hot rod has a 26-27 Ford roadster cowl. Hard to see the body behind the driver, but might be a regular roadster body.

 

If someone had the time to go through stacks of "Little Page" hot rod magazines I bet that car was featured at some time. Nice build for the day. Bob

 

Possibly a Coupe with the roof hacked off. The interior is rolled over the entire body edge (including the windshield base/A post area?). Later model frame, no grille shell.
Nice period piece.

 

Oh it is a neat little car for sure, and this puts it back on top.

 

License looks like U721M, or H721M.

 

Maybe check with someone on this site http://www.middletownpacemakers.com/, Middletown doesn't look to be that far away. Maybe an oldtimer there knows of it.

 

Hmmm... good idea to try rod clubs around the area. I plan to blow up the photo and post it on the walls of the big spring swap meet that I run in Springfield, Ohio, on Memorial Day weekend in May.

 

Any luck yet?

 

Not yet. I plan to try and contact the local Wilmington, Ohio newspaper, and see if they will reprint the photo for me, and then ask if any of their readers recognize/remember the car.

 

As an aside, with all that chrome, he may have had a friend, or worked in a place that did some chroming. We had Vanadium Tool (now part of Cornwell) in Athens, and everything went into thier tanks from chisels and wrenches, to valve covers, air cleaners, shotguns and table lamps, at no charge. Unfortunately, they weren't large enough for bumpers.

 

Yeah, I will try to follow up that lead on platers. Good idea.

 

No new clues yet. I sent a copy of the photo to the Wilmington newspaper, asking if they might want to publish it. But no reply yet. I will contact them again this week.

 

Alchemy take a closer look for me and tell me if I am mistaken, it looks like it could be a roadster pickup to me. A second set of eyes may help mine.

 

I can't tell what's back there. The short panel behind the door is the same on roadsters and roadster-pickups. But this car looks like it is really long back there. The wheelbase looks stretched more toward the back.