The Venus

[mcload]

Bob:

Thanks for reading the story. You're not the first to suggest making additional bodies from mine. Truth is, I think it would be an awful lot of work and an expensive venture just to find out that no one (except maybe you) is interested in buying. There are an awful lot of kit cars available these days, many of which are much better looking than the Venus. Personally, I'd have a good Cobra kit over a Venus any day of the week (if I had a choice). But I'm neither young nor am I rich, so I'm afraid the Venus will just have to stay in the realm of 50's kit cars.

Thanks.
Patrick

[fiat128]

Originally Posted by mcload

Just a note to thank you all for the kind remarks about the Venus and for visiting my site.

Patrick McLoad/Houston

I love your car and what you are doing, I'll be bookmarking the site to see your updates. This has to be the mother of all "father/son" projects!

Good luck on the project and I hope to get to see it someday.

[BLAKE]

Welcome to the HAMB, Patrick. I got yer email about the tranny and responded this morning - hope to see you (and the Venus!) very soon.

Hope it's OK if I bring my camera...?

[daddy-o63]

great story,i bookmarked your site also,what a read!wonderful history lesson and a great tribute to your dad with your restoration,congrats and keep up the good work.

[Nads]

Patrick, you are the man for keeping yout father's vision alive.

There used to be an antique car lot in Orlando called Rader's Relics, it was there for years, I bought my 1957 Chevy from there back in 1984. They had an awesome kit car thing in the back lot which they couldn't give away, it was like $1,000 o something. I think it was built on a 54 Chevy or Corvette frame, it had fairly big, but stylish tail fins on it and a wrap around boat style windshield. I shoulda bought the thing, oh well.

[mcload]

Thanks Nads. A Google search turned up Rader's Relics in Florida, but an article says that he sold the original (car) lot in year 2000 to make way for a gas station. Regardless, I sent an e-mail to Mr. Rader along with some Venus pics just to see if he remembers the one you mention as being a Venus. I got a reply and the car in question was a Zimmer (which doesn't look anything like a Venus). But many thanks for the tip....you just never know; could have been a Venus afterall!

Patrick McLoad
The Venus Project

PS: I hope that as the story of the Venus becomes known through great sites such as this, that more will "come out of the woodwork" so to speak.

[Flathead Youngin']

This is what made me decide to bring it to Ryan's attention (that and I knew the HAMB would appreciate it!). I thought- through all the connections here- that some may surface; or at least memories about the Venus....

Originally Posted by mcload

PS: I hope that as the story of the Venus becomes known through great sites such as this, that more will "come out of the woodwork" so to speak.

[mcload]

Originally Posted by pasadenahotrod

In the mid-70s there was a black Venus driving around the Eastside of Houston. Perhaps it is still around or it is the "Bellville" Venus? This car, according to the owner at the time, was based on a Lincoln chassis and had a Lincoln V8 in it. This guy lived around the Eastside in apartments in the Wayside, 69th, Polk, Harrisburg area.
We would often see the car parked under the apartment building off of Wayside as we went to work at Specialized Auto Parts on Adams St.

The only black Venus I know of was in a photo taken in front of the "shop" located on 75th St; very near the areas you mentioned. I must say this Venus looks quite snazzy! Here is the link to that photo: (copy and paste in header)

http://www.mcload.com/TwoTone Venus.jpg

Thanks for the personal tip...that car is probably in someone's garage covered with boxes and gettin' all moldy! At least it's not rusting! No, the Bellville Venus was not black.

Patrick McLoad

PS: Sorry, haven't learned how to insert pics into posts.

[BLAKE]

Here 'tis...