I've never met Dave Simard, but I've always admired him from afar. His wonderfully eclectic collection is only matched by his reputation for being a down-to-earth, regular ole hot rodder. In issue #2 of The Jalopy Journal, we featured his Valley Cust... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I've never been a thunderchicken guy. The '57 my Dad owned proved to be hard for a 6'4'' galoot like me to fit in, but I would gladly squeeze into this masterpiece. Utterly Brilliant!
It is an amazing car to see in person. I saw the car for the first time four or five years ago in a sea of '32, '33,'34 fords, willys, etc, at the Ty-rods show in Lancaster, MA. The car demanded your attention. Grace, style, and class. Still to this day, one of my favorite cars ever. Love the Merc Wagon tailights...
Super T-Bird with timeless look. Dave is just a super nice guy, perhaps one of the most talanted "Hot Rod builders" ever. Just google his name & admire his work, his work is second to no one!!!
All of the above comments times 2. I am working my Sunbeam over with hints of this car cause it is so cool (this and the Doane Spencer Sunbeam). It is one of the iconic T-birds.
I would like to thank Chuck Vranas personally for putting us in contact with Dave to show this beauty to the hotrod and Custom masses. A very truly beautiful cah.
Damnit Ryan! Just when I thought I could live with out the Jalopy Journal in print you have to go and drop contents like this on me?! this 'Bird and the couple that Doane Spencer put together are like major Hot Buttons in my DNA! Yes early birds are terribly uncomfortable to drive if your over 4' tall, but talk about glamor when your driving them! So how cool is evil glamor...
I've had a thing for this car since I saw it in the TRJ (#48 or 49 also has Rex Burnett story) with Jimmy Kings '39 that Dave built. There is a good photo of it along with some of Dave's other cars in front of Dave's shop in the front of that issue. There is also that Purple '34 coupe that I would like to see more of. Anyway, it was a real nice surprise to see the t-bird in JJ#2. And this behind the scenes video is really nice. This is a great car and I can only imagine what it must have been like driving it around Burbank.
I have been out to Daves place once, early in the build of my 40 pickup. I bought a truck body from him. He was a very nice guy and a gentleman. I met him again just a couple years ago at the monthly Amherst NH swap. I was surprised that he remembered me!
Just finished reading JJ#2 and this interview w/ pics are a perfect addition. Wish I could put them together. Thanks again, things like this keep the fire burning. Cat
I had the pleasure of filming Dave for "A Sweet Sickness" (the flathead movie I shot, for those who don't know) and he is one of the most modest, yet highly talented guys I have ever met. I was looking at the work going in his shop with my mouth open. I'm talking about chopped cars in bare metal where everything from the bracing, to the welds inside, where no one would ever see, were perfect. The cars I saw didn't look like somebody chopped them, they looked like they came from the factory with a lower roof line. Truely a master of his craft, and a really nice guy.
Just reading a little R&C this morning, showing Valley Custom putting the licsence plate surround in the front bumper.
Yeah that Bird is bad ass! If I ever get my hands on one it would look a lot like that one. Thanks for history.
The Bird is nice and Dave is one of the best if not the best metal men in the country. He has the eye for perfection and the talent for execution.
I have had that car in my screen saver rotation for a few years now. It's the only t-bird I have ever liked. Im not a t-bird guy at all. Now I know the story behind it. Thanks.
First met up with Dave in '71, he had built a 30-31 2-door w/a SBC. Nice straight build it was. We cruised the Fitchburg area of northern MA, many good memories of those early days.
A favorite! However, the text in JJ #2 is wrong concerning the taillights. They are from a Mercury wagon, not a Ford. Merc wagon taillights is a classic use on custom 55-56 Ford's and T-bird's...