History Romeo Palamides Lakes Modified?

So yesterday Steel Rebel posts about this great old guy he met and shows some pictures. A****st them is this car and I,m intrigued to say the least. I,ve never seen it before and yet I can,t believe that no information exists about it as I think it is just too cool to be an "also-ran" that disappears without trace. It was mentioned in the thread that it belonged to Romeo Palamides, founder of American Racing Equipment and as such I would presume that something would be known about it.
Look at that thing, chrome wheels, tube ch***is, quarter eliptics, friction shocks, damn short wheelbase, lots of louvres in the handmade bodywork, the steering relief in the cowl, details details details.
I,m hooked and seek more information.
Anyone?

 

Romeo always had some cool stuff....

 

Found this photo on another website, looks to be taken at the same time as the previous shot.

Has either a very strange exhaust or maybe tube frame in front of chrome grille shell.

Way cool little roadster!

Mick

 

too cool! hope some more info pops up. id like to know more about this car.

 

The more I look, the more I like !

 

I would like to hear and see more about it. I am really diggin the look of it.



CBB

 

Thanks for that picture Mick, I need a rear view now.
I wonder if it still exists......?

 

That is sweet, kinda looks like a prototype for the Dragmaster dragster kit.......

 

Bump.

 

What a neat little car, it's cars like that that allow a little creativity nowadays. Some where I have a photo of Romeo's jet at Dover, signed by Art Arfons, and Bob "Jet Car Smith". He built cars for quite a long time, and all were really nicely done.

 

The old guy Ron said he has more pictures. I'm not through with him. I think he might be a little afraid of my motives, so I don't want to push him too much. I'll keep you posted. A friend and I are going to visit another old Oakland hot rodder soon and see if he can confirm the cars really belonged to Palamedes. The Cadillac in background also belonged to Romeo according to Ron.

 

Thought I would bump this thread with this

 

The first photo is reported to be the same roadster the day Romeo bought it. The 32 roadster also belonged to Palamedes.
As I mentioned in another thread I rode in the modified in the late '50s. Unless there were two manufactured bodied roadsters with the flathead exhaust running through the tube frame rails running around Oakland at the time.
It was owned by a neighbor of mine Dave Green. He and his older brother Phil went to Catholic school and would both be pushing 70 now. Their father was a cop. We lived in the Oakland hills. Sterling Dr. I mention all this in hopes it might jog some memories. It would be great to get a lead on the old rod or at least some more stories.
Gary

 

The only picture I have ever seen of this car is in the April? '74 issue of ROD & CUSTOM. (the track roadster special) It was in a photo montage of track cars and modifieds. The caption mentioned the exhaust / frame rail configuration as an attempt at exhaust scavenging.

 

By the time I rode in it, maybe '59 it was pretty beat up. Painted green. I remember rusty exhaust headers welded to the tube frame. Not sure if it even had floorboards. It did ride two but tight. Maybe two bomber seats. Don't remember being too uncomfortable but I was maybe 14.
Ron or Chet if you are out there chime in. Chet raced cars for Vic Hubbard in the late 50s early 60s. Does this ring any bells for anybody?
Gary

 

couple more shots

 

A few images I have.

 

I remember seening Palamides run the jet car in Fremont in the early 60'S. We were racing motorcycles at that time. I also grew up in Oakland. Anybody remember "Lee's Speed Shop" on E14th and 13th ave.?

 

Went there many times in the '50s and '60s.

 

Come on don't let this die again.
Gary

 

No definitely not.
Great to see some more pics and get some more information. Thanks to all for posting.

 

We've got guys from England and Australia interested in this car. I gotta believe there is some old Bay Area guys out there that have something to say about this car. Somebody that saw it race or in a show.
Gary

 

Another picture of the Palamides roadster in January 1950 Hot Rod Mag.used to advertise the first Oakland Roadster Show January 19-22. I guess Ken Fuhrman was right when he told me the first Grand Nationals was in 1950 instead of '49 as a lot of people believe.
Gary

 

Does anybody know what happened to this car? Still around or lost?

Kevin

 

Used to hang out at Romeos shop in Chicago as a teenager. Quite inspiring. Hardly anybody TIG welded, I think hes the reason I had to learn that skill.All the touring drag racers stopped there while in town, we saw all the big names parked in front of his shop. Great memories, plus he built beautiful race cars. Red Sullivans Hemi Colt ProStocker one of my all time favorites.

 

Amazing!

 

Just saw this thread...the roadster was in HRM, mid-50s?? Ran an unblown DeSoto, that's the late Pete Ogden behind the wheel...

 

Another pic...

 

I have a set of Palemides wheels on my '55 F100...two piece 5-spoke, Kelsey-Hayes looking center, takes a 7.5" flat center hub cap. (they resemble E-T llls)

Chuck Turner was working with Romeo in 1960, these wheels were designed by Chuck, cast by Romeo, when Romeo was working on the Torque Thrust design (originally in magnesium)
Anyone interested in seeing a pic, email me: you can post the pic if you like.
(still haven't mastered posting pics, Photobucket is no help)

 

It was probably '57-'58 when I rode in the car and it had a flathead in it. It was the same car unless there were two custom body roadsters with frame exhaust running around Oakland at the time. As I remember it was pretty beat up and dirty at the time. The headers that connected the engine to the frame were rusty.

Gary