What happened to Bob Dofflow's '49 Ford custom

I've loved Bob Dofflow's chopped 1949 Ford coupe custom ever since I first saw a picture of it on the cover of the 1956 Motor Trend Custom Car Annual. A couple of posts here about old customs, got me thinking about this one. Does anyone know what ever happened to this car? It was built in 1954-5 by Valley Custom in CA for Bob Dofflow. The car graced the cover of the 1956 annual as described above and appeared in the on the cover of Car Craft magazine in 1956.

I'm attaching a photo for reference. I can't imagine anyone scrapping a cool Valley Custom coupe with a Gaylord interior and an 324 Olds, but weirder things have happened I guess.

Thanks

 

Anybody got an answer to this, or at least, more photos of this custom?

 

really, more photos, that front end treatment is "boss"

 

49Coupe, I agree with you that 49 For is absolutely gorgious and I also would love to know what happend to it. I have several photo's of it in my archive but unfortunately no info on its current whearabouts. But I sure hope it is still alive somewhere.

The Bob Dofflow's 1949 Ford however was not built by Valley Customs but trather by Bear's Custom Shop in Downey. (check out the name on the guy's shirt on the left)

The grille is made out of a 54 Ford grille with 52 parkinglights and 51 grille bullets placed at the ends of the shortened grille. Very attractive!.




photo of the 1956 Custom Cars annual... sorry for the poor image, my copy's cover was not in a very good condition when I bought it.






The scooped headlights with small teeth (repeated from the 54 Ford grille) are an extremely nice detail as well.




Gaylord interior

 

I have some additional information on Bob Dofflow's Ford, because he was my Dad. He passed away in September of 2005, but left us with many great memories, including his Ford. Here's a portion of the history as I know from my Dad. The build was started in 1950 shortly after he bought the brand new Ford, much to his mother's protests. A majority of the work was done by Don Roberts of Bears Custom Shop, a neighbor and friend. Don later went on to work for a chevrolet dealership in the area. The interior was done by Gaylords and I have talked with him about the car in the past during searching as well. The car won numerous show awards prior to being on the magazine covers. It was originally painted Maroon and White, but was repainted to Sapphire Blue and White prior to being sold in 1962. It was sold in Whittier, CA and we believe it went to someone in Fountain Valley. We have been looking for years for this car and hoping to find it before he was gone, but God had other plans. My Dad and his love of this car inspired me to become the car lover that I am. (Even though when my brother and I were both preschoolers we climbed up on the roof and used it as a trampoline) Needless to say, our butts were a little sore after that and maybe that's why I'm an Old Car Dr. now.....

If anyone has any information or ideas for searching, please let us know. You have no idea what this means to us. If anyone would like, we have some home snapshots of the car that are black and white (that's all they had then).

 

Wow! I've always wondered what happend to the car also..... do you happen to know who did the engine conversion? It seems to me there was an article by Barris putting the Olds in it. If I remember right, the right exhaust pipe was a bit crude, snaking throught the A-frame & frame.

 

Hello Car-dr

Thank you for sharing some of your fathers cars history with us here. And yes please post those old black and white photo's of the car. There are pleny of custom car enthusiast on the hamb who would love to see them, and hear more ot the stories.

If you have problems posting the photo's, please email them to me and I will post them for you. And add them to the folder I have for your fathers custom car on my Custom Car Photo Archive site.

My email address is: [email protected]

 

post like this one is what makes the hamb great!


car dr. thanks for the story and good luck hunting

 

Here is Bob Dofflow with his shoebox and a just won trophy next to Bob Hirohat's Merc.

 

Yes, please post them!

 

Thanks for posting pictures and history, very cool car. I have that magazine somewhere.

 

great car, great grill.

 

great car i always like the grille please post more pics

 

That has to be the baddest ever. It probably has Chrome Jackman wheels, white letter tires and tweed with a huge plexiglass sunroof and dingleballs!!! Oh the madness.....singin Night Fever, Night Fever.

 

Bob H is lookin kinda jealous!

What are the odds? I really hope that someone comes up with some info on this beautiful car.

 

No he is probably looking at George Barris in his Sombrero and clown shoes.

 

Does anyone have personal info about Bob Hirohata? Anyone ever find anything about his death??