Long story short... I found this Deuce coupe 10 years ago when I saw an advert for it in the Recycler paper in Los Angeles! I called the guy and he says... "It was my fathers car...its pretty wild man...my dad had 2 brothers who were famous at the time to handle all of the body work in the mid 1950s...The car is here at my shop in the Valley right near Burbank but you have to be quick I leave at 1pm." Long story short...I get the car and my su****ions of Valley Customs doing the work is just dead ends with people I contact. But today I see the cover of the new Hot Rod Deluxe magazine and there is a picture of my coupe that Eric Rickman took on February 9th 1956 and Neil and Clay are doing all of the work on the car in the photo!! At the time I got it my dad lent me half the money to buy it because I didn't have enough. Last year he decided to sell it so I put an advert on this very website and eBay...Im so glad I decided to beg, borrow and steal to buy him out and keep the car from leaving the family. I'm also glad I didn't listen to the countless people who told me "The first thing would do is cut those disgusting fenders off and un-Channel it." Luckily for me the car was rust free and all of the beautiful Valley Customs metal work was excellent and un changed. The chop, channel, bobbed and molded rear fenders, rolled rear pan, smoothed bottom belt line etc...all metal finished and leaded. It looks pretty much the same except it runs a 283 and stock length grille shell since the pics. Anyone with any more information or photos please email me!! dean@dicemagazine.com
DAMN!!! that is awesome, I was just looking at that picture in HRD thinking what a cool car!! I LOVE it!
Thanks guys!! Yeah I nearly fainted when I saw it on the cover!! haha I knew it was done professionally back in the day and I was sure it wasn't the Barris Brothers because the guy I got it from said it wasn't them. In his own words...he said "It was 2 brothers who were famous back in the mid 50s for their metal work.." Wow Im stoked even though it took me 10 years to find out!
haha...the color is only temporary and so I wouldn't have to drive it in red primer. Kennedy Bros painted it for me for $200 because they had some paint left over from a Roadster they had built years ago.
Right on Dean! I knew there was something special about that car! Aren't you glad you didn't sell it now. hahaha
Kevan! Yes mate! Remember when were drinking beers and fitting the chrome reverse that night in OC?! You were one of the few who told me not to mess with it!!
HOLY ****!!!! That's awesome!!! What's not so awesome is that I begged my wife to let me buy that car when it was for sale but I couldn't get her to budge. Man that's gotta be a good feeling to know you didn't let it out of your grasps. Great looking car with immeasurable worth seeing how it's part of history.
Yes it look like it to me too because it swoops up ahead of the firewall in that photo. I got the car and the body was sitting on a kicked up 32 frame and it had an after market dropped axle and a truck rear end! I don't even know if this car ever really got finished either??
Nice, that's a very sweet car. Would love to have something like that. Glad you didn't "undo" it as well. That is nice looking as is regardless of who did it. The temp. purple isn't half bad either actually.
This is a strange story. I was looking at your ad here pretty hard when it was for sale. Odd how years later you (we) learn it's history.
Yeah man. I been using it a lot recently too because my truck was having some work done and my 3 window was off the road. Its at my friends house in Burbank right now. I need more garage space!!
awsome car. i actually really like the fenders. they look cl***y and different is always something nice to see thanks for posting the photo of it painted...thats the exact color we have in our heads for our car. its nice to see it on something!
Who said listen to your parents, there always right? Maybe that old saying isn't always right. Better be glad you didn't listen. I'd keep that thing forever and drive the living dog**** out of it.
Dean, That car is incredible ! I have admired it since I saw it in the cl***ifieds. Congratulations on the discovery !