Hey everybody ! My brother and I built this car back in the late 50's. After I sold the car, it went through a couple of other owners, who I've tracked down, but I've hit a wall on the last known owner, who p***ed away in August last year. However, his brother recalls that the car was sold to someone who was stationed or worked at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico in about 1967 or 1968. Of course, it could be another color now, or further modified various ways. It has/had a 1958 Pontiac 370 c.i. engine and a Pontiac "Single Coupling" Hydra-Matic, which was slightly unusual, in that the Pontiac case was rotated a few degrees, making the drain pan, when removed, slanted on the top. The body trim came from a 1955 Dodge Lancer. It had a stock rear end. Coincidentally, I saw a picture of a green shoebox (with the same side trim and stance) that Brian Cochran posted as a "sample" of the traditional hot rods on this board. I have tried to contact him, to no avail to see if there was any information on the green shoebox (a real long shot) that may indicate it is/was the same car. So here's the thing. If anybody out there knows of a 1949 Ford Coupe, with or without that side trim that has a Pontiac Engine and a Hydra-Matic, that was bought around Truth or Consequences/Holloman AFB in about 1967 or 1968, I would be GRATEFULLY thankful !
The green car is an early photo of LeRoy Goulart's famous Winfield custom, which went on to look like this.
Kustomrama has some info as to the ultimate fate of the Goulart car. HERE: http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?***le=LeRoy_Goulart's_1951_Ford
Well, guess what, fella's......I sent the picture and link to my older brother who built most of the car, and when he read the article about Goulart's car, he said it rang a bell and the pictures did too. He believes that car was his inspiration on his car (the Honduras Maroon - mid fifties Corvette color). The article mentions zee'd rear end and reversed spindles in the front which is what he did to lower it (pretty funky steering geometry, though), not to mention the '55 Dodge Lancer side trim AND the Plymouth hub caps. So, though I have not gotten any leads to locate "our" car, some interesting information surfaced by jogging his memory !!! http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?***le=LeRoy_Goulart's_1951_Ford
'49 Ford Coupe... That's really a GREAT looking '49 ! I realize we all sell some of our "inventory" of rides, and sometimes "seller's remorse" sets-in. Hope it's still "alive" and turns-up somewhere ! Best, Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
Thanks, Johnny.... AND the car was featured in the May 1957 issue of Car Craft, so I did a search and found a virtually new copy of the magazine, so I just ordered it.......just for the heck of it...
49 Ford Coupe... The 49 Coupe you and your brother build back then looks absolutely fanastic. Just the right amount of customizing. I do hope you find some more info on your old car and what happened to it. As for the LeRoy Goulart Ford... I guess by now you have already found out it is not the same car. Some time ago I did a two part article on the car with photos from the Goulart Collection. Here is a link to part ONE on the Custom Car Chronicle, and here is part TWO. This shares the full story on the car as we know it with many rare photos.
OH WOW ! Rickster... THANKS.... just sent your response along to my brother...Will never know if I find the "original" until I do..............ahahaha In the mean time, did ya take a glance at my "second '49" website? http://49fordcoupe.smugmug.com/
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