History What happened to the Roy Desbrow '32

Does anyone know the history of the truck after it’s 52’ cover on Hot Rod?

 

I did see this searching for your newly acquired Pickup...Didn't really make that connection mainly due to the grill and frame cover area but yeah...that would really be something eh...

Even if its not I'm not aware and Hamber @edwardlloyd reproduced quite convincingly...

The lower cowl of the Desbrow Pickup follows the fender/frame sweep I believe...

 

I was just looking @edwardlloyds truck. Beautiful truck.

 

Found this,,,,
http://www.edsrodshop.de/1932_Pickup.htm

 

I reserve judgement on this statement as I looked again at the pics and its hard to tell whats going on with the cowl due to the fender on...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...copy-of-the-nov-1957-r-c.697255/#post-7756152

 

Quoted from TRJ below;

"Roy Desbrow Pickup
Chosen as one of the 75 Most Significant Deuces of all time for the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford celebration in 2007, the Roy Desbrow pickup is another of Rex’s more detailed pieces. Depicting things like brake and fuel lines, pedal assembly and shift linkage as well as detailed aftermarket speed equipment. At the time Rex penned this piece Desbrow’s pickup hadn’t received it’s fully equipped flathead powerplant, but Burnett obviously couldn’t help himself. Painted a conservative 1950 Mercury cream, Desbrow’s body modifications were anything but. Channeled 5 ½ inches and chopped a full 4 by Tom Noel; it was one little low hauler. Before moving on to start his own Muffler business alongside Frank “Duff” Livingston and campaigning the famous “Eliminator” T roadster, Roy was employed by Dave Mitchell, proprietor of Mitchell’s Muffler who also had his own hot rod pickup that still exists today. Unfortunately the current whereabouts of the Desbrow pickup are unknown."

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...from-trj-rex-burnett-print-collection.532126/

 

Don't know if this is it but it was at our Deuces show in 2020, owned by someone from Sweden

 

Toni and Sandra Steiger from Switzerland now own that pickup

 

That would be Ed's Tribute to the Desbrow Pickup just to be clear the originals location is not known?

 

Joey, sorry I didn't page you but perhaps David and a number of connections in your circle might be able to connect some dottage. I've been snooping but man some of these Hotrods are hard to find ink or anything visual on...

 

yes. I’ve had the same thought until I got under the truck today. The chassis is completely different underneath. Don’s truck still has most of the original x-member in the transmission area while Desbrow’s truck was completely cut to fit the mercury overdrive trans. His transmission crossmember was behind the original x-member.

What doesn’t make sense is the running boards have been cut in the same spot that Desbrow’s crossmember would have been but the chassis has no holes drilled for a mount.

Don’s truck

Desbrow’s truck


Don’s truck also has what appears to be hole patches welded on the passenger cowl area like it had several variations of antennas.



Very confusing.

 

But it does have yellow everywhere..







and most of the chassis was red at one time.

 

Better picture of the running board cut out for a crossmember.

Roy’s truck

 

One more pic of Roy’s crossmember vs Don’s running board cut out.

 

Man!!, have you got some deadly surgical pics of the Desbrow pickup...

Car and Truck Frames are the same in 32?

 

I believe they are pretty much identical.

 

So a chassis swap is totally plausible...and straight forward...build a hop up and swap when done...

 

Thanks John, I knew it was over there somewhere, the people from Sweden won the blanket.

 

All of the interior and exterior door handles/cranks are wrong in comparison to Desbrow’s truck as well.

 

What is everyone’s opinion regarding the yellow paint, lower cowl area hole patches and the running boards trimmed for a non existent crossmember on this 32 that Don Hudson built?

 

I’d drive it
Just like it is

 

I think I feel there was a parting out of major components possibly due to the accident you referenced leading to a pretty revered Hotrod Pickup to be transformed into an equally interesting Hotrod Pickup that had some equally notable movers and shakers involved in that rebirth...yeah that's a lot of movement...

Surly there may have have been money involved and trades to put the stones in place to make it happen...is this fact or fiction...dunno but the Individuals involved if involved were right in the thick of the heart of the Culture in the Mecca of Hotrod...California...

 

Is the engine free?...as in unstuck...

If it is the Desbrow Components some were held back in the transaction making your finding non matching Components plausible...

Regardless of provenance, channeled/ chopped Pickups of this year aren't exactly fitting for everyone.

Have you tried to sit in it...I'm 5'11...I doubt it would be a fit for me...

I've seen pics of Racers in these...it's challenging...but I'm only making assumptions thinking from 3000 miles away...

As Anthony says, my goal as a lover of Vintage Hotrod would be to drive it...

Gojo...I keep getting on different tangents as there's two Threads on this beauty...

 

Love that truck. True story: In about the early 80's I was walking the Pomona swap meet and stopped to browse at a back issue car magazine space. Picked up a mint Jan 52 Hot Rod (a back issue I didn't yet have) off a table and was looking at it. Some guy behind me said "are you going to buy that" ? I glanced back and said Yeah. He said, "darn, I've been looking for that issue, that's my truck". I said for real? That's you and your truck? I handed it to him and said it's yours! Another guy there browsing said oh hell yeah, good move, you have to give him that issue. Talked to him for a minute and he told me details about the truck. I'm sure I probably asked him the whereabouts of the truck but I don't recall what he shared!

Looked him up and it looks as though he and two business partners started Go-Kart Manufacturing Co. in Azusa Ca. around 1957 at the beginning of the Cart craze.
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/a-short-history-of-go-kart-racing-125891.html

 

@anthony myrick,

that’s the plan. Just got in from working on the front brakes. The plan is to get the brakes safe and working again, get it running and drive the piss out of it.

 

I was reading about that last night also! That’s a crazy story about meeting him at Pomona. I wish we could get ahold of family of these guys. Bet they have pictures and possibly stories to tell. We are loosing these guys and gals at a fast last lately it seems like.

I was sitting down looking at the truck tonight thinking how crazy it is this thing was built and painted around the same time my dad graduated high school in 57’ in Turlock. He’s 83 now.

 

Stogy,

The motor is not stuck. I’m fact it’s pretty clean under the valve covers. I had it turning over a few days ago. The only thing stuck is the clutch but that should be a simple fix. Hopefully I don’t have to pull the transmission.

As soon as I get at least the front brakes working I’m turning my attention to getting it running then converting it to street use. I talked to Roger at Joe Hunt magnetos today and he’s going to rebuild an old mag for me but keep the patina on the outside so it fits the truck. I’m also getting a Harman Collins from another gentleman so if it ever needs to be converted back to how it was I can do that also.

you’re correct about the two threads. I’ll keep all the new updates in the original.