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History The Other Moonglow

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by Ryan, Jan 15, 2010.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. hugh m
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 2,143

    hugh m
    Member
    from ct.

    It always makes me chuckle when a 25 year old makes a comment about a car being not traditional if they deem it to be too low....
     
  3. WhoDoYouFink
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 391

    WhoDoYouFink
    Member

    I love this car. And the way the side glass goes in is kind of cool. I had never really thought of making a hard top that way. The stance is nice and as mentioned already goes to show they drove them that low before "bags". I laughed at the "We defy anyone to lower a car more," comment in the mag.
     
  4. ironandsteele
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 5,918

    ironandsteele
    Member

    that's awesome. thanks for sharing that.
     

  5. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    We always talk about this car and just how low that thing is. I may have missed it but I did not see how the adjustable suspension worked....air shocks????

    I wanted to run a small tank in my '54 eventually with lines connecting to the airs shocks and a schrader valve on the tank so I can fill it up before I head out so that there were no compressors or air bags. Just something I can adjust the car's height in case I need to. Now I think the car is going to be up a bit higher so I won't have to worry about it.

    Back to the Hoffman car, I love the idea of the home made hard top and the slide in glass quarter windows. And I can't help to think just how awesom-er the car would look with the lid 2.5 lower and the same treatment used.
     
  6. that is a killer looking ride...Ryan you always seem to find some of the coolest shit. Thanks for the H.A.M.B. and all you do.
     
  7. froghawk
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 857

    froghawk
    Member

    Kind of a neat car! Terrific engine, and I'm a sucker for just about anything that low with Lancers. The stark drag car interior is sure a surprise, given the exterior look!

    I can't help wondering what it would look like with the greenhouse shortened up closer to club coupe, rather than those l-o-n-g two door sedan, proportions. And, maybe, as JeffreyJames suggests, a little chop...
     
  8. I love the look of the hard top and it really sets it a part to this day from any other 53-4 Chevys that I have seen. You can also see from the bare interior that Duane wasn't trying to please anybody when he built this car but built it for his own pleasure, not caring as to what others thought.

    I am also curious as to what he was using for his "adjustable suspension." I am not an expert but wasn't it around '58 or '59 that guys started messing with hydraulic suspensions? Other wise without it I don't think he would have gone very far in Portland. But where is this car now?
     
  9. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    I think removing the post hurt the car rather than helped it. I guess messed up "hardtopped'' cars are traditional since they have been doing it for years
     
  10. ttarver
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 406

    ttarver
    Member
    from austin

    That is awesome!!!!
     
  11. We have had many a great talk about that car. It is one of the catylists that helped RwT come to be.

    Deep down I always wanted to clone it with my 54
     
  12. billbrown
    Joined: Dec 24, 2007
    Posts: 595

    billbrown
    BANNED

    Now a days this car would be some kind of a street freak/gasser with a blown & Injected big block chevy 13 feet off the ground and still run 75-80 mph through the traps. It seems that things are regressing.....
     
  13. DRUGASM
    Joined: Dec 16, 2008
    Posts: 2,817

    DRUGASM
    Member

    Doesn't the story go that he painted the original moonglow car with refridgerator industrial paint in his driveway with a vacuum cleaner borrowed from his mother?

    "Thanks for lettin me use the Hoover mom, that smell will go away."


    This car is HAMB before the HAMB was HAMB. I dig it.
     
  14. DrJ
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 9,419

    DrJ
    Member

    I was a teenager when I saw this article and I just figured he built it to pleasure himself, in! ;)

    At the time I was very confused by his intentions because he started building a nice custom, and everyone knows customs are to pick up girls with, but then he doesn't have a passenger seat?
    What's up with that?
    Maybe he "didn't like girls"?
    Did he get the racing bug that bad half way into the project?
    Was it just that it was set up for drags the day of the photo shoot and he actually did have a bench seat for it?

    I never liked the bent backwards "C" pillar on the factory hard top Chevy's and Pontiac's so I like the way he did the roof, a lot!.

    Really cool car, on the outside anyway.

    Thanks for the memories Ryan!
     
  15. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus

    Without doubt a beautiful car,but at the risk of getting my ass flamed to hell and back,proof that in my humble opinion they did 'too low' back in the day too.
    Paul
     
  16. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    You know damn well that engine's got my attention, but the whole package is real fine!
     
  17. I've always liked that car. If you suggested removing the post from a sedan, I'd say it'd look terrible....yet seeing the pics proved me wrong.

    HAMBer BadApple posted these pics of his killer '53 with the same roof treatment in another thread...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    I'm not sure...I think the side windows would end up looking out of proportion, too long and squashed.

    Bryan
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2010
  18. I have that same mag, just for that 53. I love the HT treatment with the exception of the top of the door is still attached. I also love the "full race" motor. As for the interior, remember, it is more drag car than kustom. (Vette intake, polished & ported head, slicks storage, tarp over the rear, fire extinguisher and fuel pump.
     
  19. froghawk
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 857

    froghawk
    Member

    Lil' lunchtime photoshop...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Chaz
    Joined: Feb 24, 2004
    Posts: 5,016

    Chaz
    Member Emeritus

    It'd be fun to see a movie of that low rider launching at a dragstrip!
     
  21. WhoDoYouFink
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 391

    WhoDoYouFink
    Member

    See I think I like the low stance and the full sized roof better. I'll probably be the odd-ball on this one. BadApple's car is muy sexy.
     
  22. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I think I am another one who has that same magazine stashed away in the archives and have always liked the car and the way he did it.
    Good pick Ryan.
     
  23. Pinstriper40
    Joined: Sep 24, 2007
    Posts: 3,602

    Pinstriper40
    Member

    I was just talking to a club member about how bitchin' Steck's car was a couple days ago. It looks so cool hardtopped- I'd be tempted to do that to a two door post if I had one. Thanks Ryan!
     
  24. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER


    At the time it was running a lot of guys didn't worry too much about "launching" just running hard and having fun.

    When I was about 10 we had a 52 Ford Vic that had run C gas at the drags and held the Ellensberg, Wa track record at the time and didn't sit much higher all around. The sky high for launching thing didn't really show up until Ramchargers built the jacked up sedan that they ran very successfully in the sixties.
     
  25. Strange Agent
    Joined: Sep 29, 2008
    Posts: 2,879

    Strange Agent
    Member
    from Ponder, TX

    Pretty cool car, I usually don't flip for Chevy's, but I like this one well enough. I like the roof treatment. I think it sits pretty nicely where it is. I'm not sure if it's been answered already, but how exactly does the "adjustable suspension" on this bad boy work?

    I also don't understand why he doesn't have a passenger seat. I guess he had another car to take the ladies out in?
     

  26. I think there is some confusion here.

    Duane Steck=Moonglow

    Bill Hoffman=hardtopped sedan

    2 separate cars and people
     
  27. Jay71
    Joined: Sep 15, 2007
    Posts: 857

    Jay71
    Member

    This car blew me away when I first came across it in my dads little mags! Still look it up occationally. I like the rounded look of the hardtopped sedan as aposed to the angular dog leg of the natural hard top. Bad ass car! Thanks for posting Ryan.
     
  28. JKerb
    Joined: Jun 5, 2008
    Posts: 91

    JKerb
    Member

    If i remember correctlly, the quarter windows slid out of the frames.
     
  29. THE CREEPER
    Joined: Dec 23, 2009
    Posts: 17

    THE CREEPER
    Member

    I think the gray one is bad ass gary
     
  30. I have always liked 54's. This one has the right look for sure!
     

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