Ike's history goes way back to Muroc in 1931, winning one of the first speed trails held there in his Riley-headed '29 roadster.
As far as I know, this is its current state. Its incredible that it still exists and it's largely unchanged.
I believe you are right... I saw it just prior to Covid I think? And it looked just like that. What an amazing survivor to own man...
It is amazing really. Such a cool car. It sounds like Ike raised the boy right. He was probably the **** cruisin the streets in that thing and then running 123 mph on the dry lakes. Too cool.
With a track nose, there are two critical points where things can go to hell fast: where the hood meets the cowl and, further along, where it meets the nose. So many cars in our history have these elements clashing like stubborn drunks, refusing to align. But this car? It actually comes closer to getting it right than most… though not quite perfect. In my opinion at least...
Looking at the side shot of the black car it appears that the nose would be way too large if the hood followed the line of the cowl.
The coupe is in good hands, its not owned by Bill Carey anymore. I believe the owner is here on the hamb but ill let him post if he wants. Its a really neat car and so cool it is intact. Jeff
Agree. If the line at which the hood top met the side panels paralleled the body line (along with the louvers), it seems like it would flow better. Still, kudos to the builder for his vision.
I've seen many cars besides track nosed cars with wonky cowl/hood/radiator shell interactions over the years, first thing I think is man, that guy must have a narrow shop or never pushed the car outside to get a "stand back" look. It would be so easy to reference with a photo of Jim Ewings' Super Bell coupe, but I won't mainly because it was/is in a category of its own and I've always felt that the track nose genre was a great way to ****e up the same ol look that (I still dig) on early cars, same goes with turtle decks on T bucket roadsters, still refreshing.
The current owner just sent these pics, he said i could add them here, he said “As you can see in the photos, the car gets out pretty often and it’s driven like a hot rod is supposed to be! Quite a few years back I took lacquer thinner and took all of the gray primer off of the nose. What you see on the hood and nose now is the original paint that was underneath”
And addressing the hood/nose, not all hot rods were perfect, thats what gives them charactor, all this cookie cutter **** nowadays is boring, everyone trys to make their car “perfect”. everyone has what they like and thats cool. i see a killer survivor hot rod with killer history and i love it.
pretty cool that it has survived all those years. Might be time to put it back in black like it was. Also cool with patina! got to love it.
Maybe not the style you are refering to Ryan, but the late Jim Ewings Superbell coupe has always tripped my trigger. HRP
Great story, great hotrod and a history of respecting past excellence. Tough call on whether to blow in the bare metal...I think I would...and call it respectfully touching up...without robbing it's present ambience. @***us good on you for bringing it back to near it's last painted livery...and yes the photoshoot captured the money shots of this Hotrod very well...especially the overhead 3/4 shot...wow!!
Not really a track T nose guy..But that thing is just right...Really neat it stayed the same all these years.
Funny how the Rex drawing got the hood right. I'd have liked to see the nose at the hood line angled up, then the 1st inch or so on the hood rolled into it. Just a wee bit on both nails it. Keeps the character too, nose just a but lower than the cowl. Can u see it?
The Jalopy Journal
