Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Icon: The Bob McGee '32 Roadster Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Yep! Bob got the formula right and created an icon, as much as I like the Spencer '32 I am a bigger fan of the McGee roadster. The McGee '32 wasn't the first street driven roadster on a HRM cover Keith Landrigan Cad powered '32 has that honour February 1948.
That's a cool video.. Geez Jay Leno! How hard was he driving it to get the brakes to smoke and the radiator to puke!
Too bad you guys don't give credit to Dick Scritchfield for all his contribution with the roadster in the street rod years that he owned it BEFORE ol' Bruce bought it!
Brake shoes were probably not arced when installed...(aftermarket shoes are now 'cam ground', to ensure that brake arcing machines never get used in places like CA.! Subsequently, a 'dragging' of shoes is common with the first adjustment, heating up until they 'wear in') Jay remarked that the Deuce has 15 miles on it??? I still arc new shoes, purely an 'outlaw move'... Engine warming is a 'bug' that will be worked out, fresh engine... Not much info on Federal Mogul heads Bruce Meyer is noted for mechanical perfection on his cars, wish we had a pipeline to some of the details on his 'builds'! The Mason Peters '32 Coupe and the Doane Spencer roadster would be subjects I'd like to see in detail. Dick Scritchfield did wonders in preserving/updating/earmarking this car's fame. It was immortalized on the Los Angeles Roadsters club plaque, and is copyrighted in the club's annals. An 'early bird' to get a Chevy V8, too. As Jay mentioned, Scritch rented it out to the A-I studios, where it starred in a few hot rod movies...actor/director John Ashley beat the baldy hubcaps to pancake status against Tony's channeled '32 in some street racing, and 'ran the curbs' with that original 'Dago' axle. Hot rodding got lots of exposure from those black-and-white screenings...
I'd be interested in seeing pics of the car as it evolved through the years when Scritchfield had it... any pics out there? Post 'em up!
The McGee roadster is my favorite in Bruce's collection. I have several photos of the early years, Scritchfield's years and current photos. I will post them later. Dick owned the streets with his version just as Bob did and Bruce does today. The video was great of Jay doing his thing with Bruce's car. Two great guys and Dick Scritchfield is an Icon in my mind. I grew up reading his articles. Here is a starter!
It should be called the McGee/Scritchfield roadster, Dick Scritchfield owned for years and I believe he even set some records with it Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
@lothiandon1940 & @Deuce Daddy Don - I guess neither of you actually read the Blog and/or watched the episode of "Jay Leno's Garage" linked in the Blog? The U.S. Postmaster General and the "digital artist" that created the artwork for the two HOT ROD stamps are interviewed (and the stamps are shown) in the episode of "Jay Leno's Garage". As for Dick Scritchfield's ownership of this ICONIC roadster, @Jive-Bomber (Jay Ward) mentioned Scritch in the Blog: ... and @Deuce Bruce (Bruce Meyer) also mentioned Scritch in the in the episode of "Jay Leno's Garage". For those who don't like to click on links, here's the YouTube version of the "Jay Leno's Garage" episode: Scritch's contributions to the history of the car are mentioned starting at the 6:28 mark. The HOT ROD postage stamp discussion starts at the 6:53 mark.
One of my all time favorites. I was never too hot about about bobbed front fame horns but watching the car in motion it looks pretty cool. If I started a thread today outlining my plans to build a 32 Roadster, bright red, three piece hood, no hinges, filled cowl and a one piece tailpan and decklid, it would raise some brows. All the little changes and the stance just really work well together.
Why in this picture does the grill shell look flat like a 30/31 Model A? It has the 32 crank hole though. Must be something funny with the picture. I saw this car when it was undergoing the restoration at SoCal, and later when it was finished. Just an outstanding car!
Here's some (circa 1974) pics of the Bob McGee ... err, I mean Dick Scritchfield '32 Roadster on the salt: all images by @cheap-n-dirty
When my brother and I worked on the Duece 75th Show Bruce Meyer let us use the McGee Roadster as part of our display the year before the show. We were trying to locate the 75 at that point. It's an amazing car that is even more impressive in person. Somewhere I have pictures of me sitting in it. The following year, the last night of the show, they were going to store the roadster at the NHRA museum for the night until it could be picked up. We had got to know some of the guys from the museum while we were there. When one of the guys was getting into the roadster to drive it over to the museum, I asked if I could ride shotgun. He said, "you'll have to walk back". Small price to pay for even a short ride across the Pomona FairPlex.
When Stritch sold the roadster for his move to Hawaii one of the LaBonge brothers bought it and kept it for years. The LaBonge boys were related to numerous hot rods legends including Don Francisco and Ray Brock. Stritch was a close family friend. Bob Everet (spl) bought the car and sold it to Myers. The restoration is a reincarnation of the car when McGee built it. So Cal did a great job on the restoration. So many of the early iconic hot rods went through multiple incarnations and owners. The above video is a tribute to the roadster and covers most of it's history. Great job!!!