My father built this 1931 Ford Roadster when he was a teenager in the mid to late 50's. The car has been in storage for the better part of the last 4 decades. Dad and I sold our Ford delaership a couple of years ago, and he retired from the business. He has been spending the past couple of years taking the car to local shows, and has been having the time of his life! All that has been done to the car since it's long nap, have been new tires, hub caps, trim rings, a good tune up, and fluid changes. The paint has had some minor touch up done, but for the most part has been un-touched. Also, had to have the seats patched in a couple of areas that mice got to. The steering wheel in it now is not the wheel dad put in the car originaly. That wheel was out of a mid 50's Ford that was way too big for the car. We're looking for something vintage, yet small enough to be useable. Here are some pictures I would like to share with all of you.
Here are a few more pix of our car. That's Dad with best of show at LaSalle Show last year. I'm the one on the left in the family picture.
killer car and story. As for the steering wheel, maybe consider having the original cut down. There are a number of companies that can do it for you. When you get it back, it looks totally recondition, but smaller a diameter.
If my Dad was into this internet thing, he would try to come through the monitor and kick your a** for calling his car "East Coast Styled"! He is proud to tell everyone it is "Mid-West Syle"! He was born and raised in rural central Illinois. One thing I forgot. He bought the car off a farmer on his paper route. It started out as a wrecked coupe that sat behind a barn after the roof was flattened by a Big Ol tree! Thanks for all the replies. Can't wait for my Dad to come over and read them.
That's really cool that your father is able to kick back enjoy it now after hard years of work. It looks like a really nice car, and I like the east coast flavor it's showing.
Great pics, Great story. Hope your Dad has many retirement years to now enjoy the car all over again.
That car is fantastic.... I've sat and stared at old pictures of it for hours.... see if your dad remembers this one... it's completely different, but similar to yours. It was also from the northern illinois area (northfield, winnetka, glenview)... my dad got it mostly finished in 62. The history before that is unknown... but someone told me it was built in 55 for a guy by the name of pete haas. The grill, headlight treatment... tail lights, and the upside down license plate light are the same.... from a distance away, they look similar.
for a steering wheel, you could try an old boat wheel. most of them are much smaller than a car wheel and use a ford key. usually find all kinds of em if you look around.
JonnyCola, Thank You so Much! When I saw the picture you posted of Dad's car at an old car show, It brought tears to my eyes! The picture was taken at Bennet's Go-Cart Track, in what was at the time, the outskirts of Utica, IL just off I-80. The track is gone, and the area has been turned into industrial/commercial use, and incorporated into the city of LaSalle, IL. If any of you have been to the JC Whitney Distribution Center in LaSalle, this is about a mile north-east of it. Someone must have flipped the negative of the picture you posted...Steering wheel is on the wrong side. Can you email a better copy of the picture? It will make a great framed gift for Dad for Christmas. My email address is [email protected]. My dad wasn't big into taking alot of pictures of his car back then. In fact, we only have a couple of pictures he saved. If anyone out there has any pictures of it from the early days let me know. Thank You, Harold
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