Continuing Joey's thoughts on a Car's History. Transcribed from a story written in 2004 By 409 Bob I am the owner of the ‘Legendary Schithead Bros 409 Powered ’31 A Coupe’. It is a kinda famous car I have been drag racing at all the local tracks for the last 24 years. It is a Midnight Blue, normal configuration five window coupe. While feather-edging a fairly large chip in the paint on the right rear quarter panel, I discovered five different paint jobs under the Midnight blue, which was fresh when I bought the car back in 1980. It was, in descending order, Metallic Green, Orange, Red, White and a weird green over the original (all you get is Black) Henry Ford paint! Lots of adventures, this car. This reminded me of a strange encounter that happened at Fremont Drag Strip around 1985. There was an old guy looking at the Coupe for the longest time. I was running the valves or changing a rocker on the Stroker 409 when he said, “I know this car, we built it years ago.” I humored him, being quite proud of my new frame, 409, and new suspension, and didn’t say anything. (Heard it before). He continued, “It used to be a center seat Gasser with a Chrome straight axle with 12 spokes”. The loudspeakers called out my class, “Hot Rod One to the Lanes!”. This guy was describing exactly how the Coupe was configured when I bought it, five years before! As I fired it up to go racing, he followed after saying, “It was metallic Green, even the steering wheel when I drove it at Half Moon Bay!” Not realizing what history of the car meant and hurrying to the lanes, I roared off never to see him again. Wow. The chrome straight axle, 12 spoke Americans and the Green Metallic steering wheel were on it when bought, and sold off to make the car the way I wanted. In my defense, the rearend was welded to the channel-iron rails and brakeless front end, not too good for a street rod. No floor, firewall or drivetrain. Can you imagine the tales and info he had? Maybe even pictures. Missed opportunity. With the focus on restoring old race cars and famous show cars especially in The Rodder’s Journal, brings us to the quandary of what is the real version of the Coupe. What color? What engine? Imagine if you will, an article in the TRJ ‘RJ Times’ garage section of a five window coupe up on jack stands, around 2010. “Joe Schmo has recently discovered the original 409 A Coupe, which disappeared, when Bob Ballew sold it to some ‘old rich guy’ back in 1993. It was found at an estate sale where it had been turned into a center seat gasser and painted green by the last owner. Joe also found the 409 Stroker motor and over-sized headers in a shed in So. San Francisco. More updates as this history-filled car is restored.” I call it “Rod Twilight Zone”! (Cue music theme) Bob Ballew As Bought 1980. If anybody has any pictures of this car from Half Moon Bay Dragstrip, please post 'em. Could be any color mentioned. Bob
The Jalopy Journal
