Obscure cars that influence those who build real cars.

[Jester]

Ok so we've been covering cars that have influenced history and the changes to the "sport". I hate using that word "sport" cause to me this is more a way of life but that is another discussion for another day. Reading the two threads that have been proposed I noticed that the majority are "High Profile", from "High Profile" people. This is my question "What about the cars that haven't made main stream, cars that have ultimatily influence the production of cars built by the Alaxander Bro., Boyd Coddington, Barris bro., Ed Roth, ect.? What about the cars that I may never have seen that influenced you where you are or where you have lived, i.e. the guy down the block with a kick ass 56 chevy done the way he wanted and to hell with anyone else's opionion of it?" Its the little things done by little people that have contributed to the change not so much a few radicle things. Hit me with what you think.

[Elrusto]

Pat Barnharts Ford Coupe/Convertible. It was a beater in every way, but it was cool. Inspired me to build my 41 Chevy coupe "The Elrustorod". Now I'm getting pieces together to build another one

[Elrusto]

This is my 41

[Anderson]

Good post...I honestly have to say this truck is what got me started on so called "rat rods" and into the whole style of cars I love today. A guy name Suse (I can't even spell his name...mike?) owns it and ever since I saw it at the local cruise night years ago, I've been hooked.
http://www.angelfire.com/retro/ericskars/rattruck3.jpg

[Deyomatic]

K & R, is that the one with the flip up roof that was at the Round Up last year?

[Fat Hack]

The Eastwood & Barakat 32 Ford sedan from 1982 is what "pushed me over the edge" into the realm of rough, tough, down-n-dirty hot rods...and Fat Jack's bad-ass fat fendered flyers solidified my love for fat fendered rides along about the same time!

What I liked about the E&B sedan was that it was covered in primer at a time when multi-colored psychadellic paint jobs were still the rule, left over from the 70s! In fact, the red oxide primered sedan appears on a 1982 cover of HOT ROD magazine alongside of a rainbow colored Cuda!

The E&B car was also a PURPOSE-built rod...made to go fast and screwed together from parts that Pete Eastwood litterally had laying around! True, he DID have some cool stuff "just laying around", such as the Halibrand wheels and a chopped 32 tudor body...but the car came together quickly with going fast as the primary goal!

Later...still heavily under the influence of that rough and ready rod, I built several model cars in similar fashion. In 1994-95, I took them to a model car show and contest at a 1:1 car show.

I was tossed into the "street rod" catagory and slammed for having the nerve to show up with "rusty" old heaps that looked like some back-alley jalopy freak had built them! "Rat Rods" weren't "cool" yet, so I just left and gave up showing my models!

BUT...on the way back to my car at that very same show, I spotted a crude, rusty, home-built Model A roadster in the parking lot with "For Sale" signs hung on the windshield. The car was rough, but it was an all-steel driver! It had a greasy, junkyard 302 Ford with a two barrel carb and a C4 auto tranny hooked to an 8-inch axle with a dropped front beam and F100 brakes. Hell, all it needed was MY name on the registration to be complete in my eyes!

The owner walked up and we got to talking about the car. He began by APOLOGIZING for the crude condition of the car, and told me that he had moved it out into the main parking lot after being scoffed at by other rodders who had their typical crap rods on display or in the car sale area! I just blurted out "Fuck THEM!" and showed him my models. He lit up and we got to talking about the E&B sedan, which had been one of HIS faves, too!

He said that his car was sort of "unfinished, but done enough to drive". I agreed, but said that I really wouldn't change a whole lot, either! I have no idea what became of that car, but I hope that whoever bought it didn't "ruin" it by turning it into some sort of goldchainer trailer queen!

That car, lost in obscurity, kept the Faith alive inside of me...just knowing that there were at least a FEW other like-minded individuals out there who dug less-than-perfect old heaps, too! Kinda funny to see everyone jumping on the bandwagon now!

The only thing that sucked about that day...was that I couldn't swing the asking price on that nasty little junkyard roadster...$1650!!!

[50Fraud]

Great question. All of these are from the neighborhood (West LA), 1952-'57:

Dick Walker's '49 Ford convert -- shiny black, lowered, twice pipes. Just enough.

Chuck Boyle's '50 Ford convert -- big rake, side pipes, tonneau cover, wire wheels. Badass.

Some guy's '50 Olds coupe -- shaved, pretty Titian red paint, louvered hood, LaSalle, Fiestas, big rake. Fast and nasty.

Steve Luckman's '50 Chev fastback -- shaved, low rake, US Royal Masters, white primer, blanket interior. Fierce GMC engine and thunderous exhaust system.

John Glaser's '50 Merc coupe -- low and level, shaved, louvers (I think),'53 Olds grille bar, iris blue paint, Fiestas.

Bill Marshall's '29 roadster, homebuilt with his dad. Chopped windshield, '40 flathead, big & littles, white primer.

Dennis Brand's '29 roadster -- built BY his dad, shiny black, Kelseys & WWW, warm flathead.

Larry Keels' Deuce Tudor -- ex-lakes racer body with mailslot chop, full fenders, hot flathead. The only one I've got a picture of.

Bill Hadley's Deuce 3W -- channeled with full fenders but stock top, bright yellow paint, sheet metal interior, hot flathead later replaced with nailhead.

All of these cars except Marshall's had whitewalls, usually big & litte.

There were others, but these are the ones that came to mind first and influenced what I've done with my own cars. Too bad I didn't take more pictures, back in the day!

[Jester]

hell ya! I dig most of the main stream stuff but these pics are what its about.

[4woody]

I think for a few people in L.A. around 1950 it might be this one: Tom Glavas' (Glavis'?) 146mph.

[4woody]

Glavas again:

[Anderson]

[ QUOTE ]
K & R, is that the one with the flip up roof that was at the Round Up last year?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup

[Farmer]

I love the rpu on the cover of "hotrods of the 50's" by: Andy Southard Jr. That 27 rpu is the inspiration for what I plan to build in the future, only it'll be a 30-31 A rpu intstead. but the style, stance, it's what I'm goin for.

I also am really inspired by the SWANX car "the batmobile",
a 55 Olds hardtop that has been chopped shaved, etc. etc. It may not be a major award winner, and it's not in cherry condition these days, but it is still my alltime favorite custom, and it inspires the hell out of me to go nuts on the 55 Buick.

[Byron Crump]

Pat Barnhart is the rodders rodder...his car has always stuck with me and was a huge influence on homegrown rodders and fat fender cars.

Some other Dallas guys with cars the have stuck with me and influenced many are James Crawfords Merc that goes freaking everywhere and our very own Deuces car.

Daniel/Deuce was working on his green unchopped 32 5 window highboy when that was so out of style is was not even funny...the car was started around the time my merc was and I always was in awe because he was the only guy in the DFW area I saw that was building a car like that...I was in my big hair rockabilly young dork state of mind and he was a GOD to me for building a trad rod.

The cars of the Robert Williams posters (real or not) have been in my mind since I was a very little kid.

That lavender purple unchopped five window with the six twos that lives in MN now is another one that I will always love.

The generic everyman black 32 roadster with red rims and wide whites...be it shinny black or flat black!

The

[tommy]

Sonny Willets 34 Chevy master. He took the knee action out and put in a dropped Ford axle. 394 Olds w/hydro black as coal and as straight as an arrow. Show winning quality from the guy up the street. 1962ish http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I have to blame AMT model cars. The 32 roadster with 6 97's on a 392 Hemi lit a fire I'll never extinguish. It should be in the other most influential car post.

[Anderson]

[ QUOTE ]

Daniel/Deuce was working on his green unchopped 32 5 window highboy when that was so out of style is was not even funny...the car was started around the time my merc was and I always was in awe because he was the only guy in the DFW area I saw that was building a car like that...I was in my big hair rockabilly young dork state of mind and he was a GOD to me for building a trad rod.


[/ QUOTE ]

I remember going to Daniel's house with my dad when I was a kid one time (early 90's). I remember the Deuce, I loved it even though I have no idea what the hell it was. Though I think his model cars were more impressive at the time.

[ray]

the obscure cars are the real cars.