Snub-Nose

Karl Zipf’s Model ‘A’ coupe was like a snub-nosed revolver — compact, powerful and short up front. Rather than loading brass cartridges filled with lead and powder, Zipf’s ammunition took the form of a potent mill built for quarter mile attacks.

A San Francisco resident, Mr. Zipf began building the 1930 coupe around 1958. Starting with a pair of Model ‘A’ rails, he welded a tubular crossmember up front to support the 1937 Ford axle setup. Out back, a ’39 Ford rear — equipped with a Halibrand quickchange — was solid-mounted to the frame. With safety in mind, Zipf fabricated a simple rectangular rollbar with upholstered padding.

Originally, a hot Flathead was the coupe’s centerpiece. It wasn’t long before the three-carb fuel burner was exchanged for a 1957 Chevy 283. The combination of Forged-true pistons, Isky cam, Hunt-Scintilla mag and high performance heads pushed the motor to more than 300 horsepower.

When it was time for bodywork, Karl called Hal Hutchins of San Rafael, Ca. to give the ‘A’ its distinctive look. Keeping with competition convention, Hutchins chopped the top four inches and channeled the body five. He added custom flavor by smoothing the rear fenderwells as well as the rain gutters. A rolled rear pan, with a cove for the quickchange, was incorporated into the coupe’s backside.

So what about that nose? The one piece assembly mashed the grill shell and hood into a diminutive package. According to the feature in the October 1959 issue of Hot Rod magazine, it’s “Blunt but to the point.” At first, I wasn’t fond of it. It gave off the impression that the machine was mid-engined and Karl should have been butted against the windshield, Christman Bros. Coupe-style. But after viewing the car from the three-quarters rear shot, the stubby look grew on me. It was like an optical illusion that distorted an old favorite in a new way.

By the mid-’60s, engine builder Fred Bailey took possession of the ‘A’ and updated it to compete in the B/Competition ranks. The steelies and Moon discs were swapped for American Racing mags and a spun-aluminum fuel tank was perched atop the front crossmember. Although the bodywork remained the same, the car was painted yellow and “Bailey Brothers, Napa” was lettered on the doors.

More than half a century later, the car’s fate is unknown. You’d figure with all of its unique bodywork, it would stand out in people’s minds. Either way, you can be sure that the snub-nosed special would command just as much attention now as it did when it first hit the California asphalt. Who’s ready to throw another round in the cylinder?

-Joey Ukrop 

Photos by Franklin Pierce, Hot Rod, October 1959. Color photo by John House.