I did enter this car in the Grand National Roadster Show in the AMBR competition in 2003......as far as I can determine the first " historic hot rod" to be entered........they gave me a big fat Zero on the undercarriage because of the belly pan.....go figure....a few weeks later at the Oakland Roadster Show the judges got underneath with flashlights to see the bottom was just as good as the top......... My friend Ken Gross might be engaged to help Mr. Buck improve the judging standards for the AMBR...........let's hope so. Mark
Thanks Ryan and thanks to Bob Bleed for the article.. What a great day to remember. ( I am a gray beard)
Wow Thanks Mark for posting! The car is amazing..... I need to get back to work..... more pics later.....
This car has always been in my top 10 cars of all time. Years ago I contacted Mark via his webpage and he graciously shared a few pics. Today is the first time I've seen pics of the the pre Dave Simmard rebuild. Thanks for sharing Mark. My son Chris introduced me to Mark at the 75. Mark walked us around the car a few times and his passion for this car was easy to see. I was very surprised to hear that he had parted with it. Great car! REALLY nice to see it here, and being driven!!!!!
Man, THAT is a great story. I really love the way that car sits, it just looks right. I have always liked the look of the belly pan and cover for the center of the frame rails. Tell me what does the front spring look like under all the metal? I mean the images you have taken are pretty unreal but it looks like the perch molds around the axel. I guess I would have to see it to understand, but it would be great if you can explain. In any case you are one lucky guy to get to drive it. I am envious. Mark thanks for taking the time to post too!
Dr. Mark (Lakester32) ... thanks for creating that album ... I find it really amazing what you (and Dave Simard) started out with: click any thumbnail to open Lakester32's "the Khougaz Roadster" album
Very cool stuff....on April 25th you were driving the Khougaz roadster with a smile on your face and I was driving my car out of Bakersfield with a smile on mine....good day all around!..........Thanks for the post!....... History and Hot Rods that's the best!
Looking at this car and seeing it gets me all worked up. Its more than a car, more than a hot rod even, its mystical, and real all at the same time. The car was created by a guy just like us with a vision, a dream, and determination. It did amazing things for its time, and anchored itself in both history and thousands of hearts. I remember first seeing a picture of this car a while ago in a magazine sitting at a work bench in the shop eating lunch, and pointed to it and said to one of the guys "thats a NICE car"-not knowing a thing about it. I was then told that it was actually at the shop one time for something or another, a little fix or a small repair or something, I don't remember. Boy, I wish I could see this car in person. GREAT post guys, really good stuff!
Thats 'kick-arse in a tuxedo'.....RoCk On!! Great read, awesome car, and still living at speed... Cheers, Drewfus
Hey Bob, great read! Now you have some idea how much fun I had drivin' that blue bullet on the Colorado Grand thru the Rockie mountains and around central CA and the Monterey peninsula on the California Mille and around the track at Laguna Seca! I really would like to contact the new owner sometime....would you ask him if he's agreeable to that...I have alot of photos and copies of timing tags etc. Hopefully he'll continue to drive it like me, you , and Jim Khougaz did! Cheers, Mark. [email protected]
I had no clue up to now that Don Prieto's roadster used to be Dawson Hadley's "Barlow Muffler" car...would be neat to see it restored back to Barlow days, but it is also great that it continues to be raced...good luck at B'ville...
Thanks, Bob, for making this available, and thanks, Mark, for your care of the iconic roadster. There was a time not too long ago when channeled cars were out of fashion, but I have been one of the few who appreciated the proportion. I was at the Petersen in LA for the 75th in 2007, and the Khougaz car, while one of the 75 Most, was sitting on the roof among a long lineup of cars that had driven in for the day on Saturday, with no special signage or posting telling that it was one of the 75. The car's proportion spoke for it, and I was blown away again, although it was in some book I had seen with the 75 in it. So naturally when I heard it was in Big A, I had to make another pilgrimage... It really is a great looking car, and I'm so incredibly jealous of Bleed I'm ashamed! Fearless
Superb car. Fantastic thread. You guys really gotta check out Lakester32's album (only 36 visiters so far). http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=17088
Bob Bleed; Stunt driver, poet, and part time hot rod fan-dangler.... Straight to the top of my fav. video list. I watched it like 7 or 8 times at first, but only 10 or 12 more since yesterday.
Bob, if this is the reason I haven't seen my tires hit the front porch yet, then all is o.k. That is a once in a lifetime experience would have love to seen your shit eatin grin. Great read by the way.
i just now saw this thread. What a badass video! Bob, you are one lucky dude! I've always loved that car. And those pics with Ryan's cars. Totally rad!