Features Ron Dunn Ford restoration has begun!

Some of you may have already heard that we here at Steve's Auto Restorations have officially begun restoration on the 1950 Ford custom coupe once owned by Ron Dunn. The car had originally debuted in 1952 and was the styling handiwork of known customizers Neil Emory and Clayton Jensen of Valley Custom Shop located in Burbank, California. There is already plenty of information online concerning the car and Valley Custom shop so I won't get into any of that right now. We have set out to restore this very influential custom as accurately as possible. We have many photos and images from several sources as well as correspondence between Steve and Ron's late nephew from whom Steve purchased the car in 2005. However, there are several areas that we are still trying to research and so we are reaching out to the Hot Rod community for help. If any of you have any information, pictures etc. that would be beneficial to this project, please contact us here or you are welcome to call or email us at the shop. Some items we are looking for include,

Detailed pictures of the trunk area, engine compartment and interior.

Pictures of the car when it was wrecked which led to the re-styling of the car in 1958.

Any photos of the car being rebuilt at Valley Custom Shop after the wreck.

Any random snapshots from Valley Custom Shop that may include the Ron Dunn Ford.

Trophies and awards.

Any in-process photos of the first or second version.

We would also love to hear any of your stories if you knew Ron Dunn personally or had any interaction with Valley Custom Shop while Ron's car was there being customized.

Thanks in advance!
Steve's Auto Restorations

 

awesome that you guys are going to bring this beauty back to it's former glory!! I must admit to a tinge of sadness because ...well... they're only old once..

That said...onward and upward!! Bring it on guys!

 

I'll be watching this thread... Good luck on the restoration !

 

I'm really glad to see this finally happening. I've always loved this car, and it deserves to be seen again.

I have to say that I'd much prefer to see it in its original, earlier form, but I completely understand the reasons for restoring the later version. No doubt somebody has suggested that you should clone the original when you're finished with the real one.

 

I am exited go see this getting started.

 

Thought you guys started this years ago ?

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3900170&postcount=17

 

I look forward to seeing the resto.

 

You are most likely already aware of this but just in case...
Neil Emory's grandson has a FB site dedicated to Valley Customs. He may have some unpublished pics.
Good luck on the restore. It's always great to see an old timer brought back to life.
Torchie.

 

I couldn't find this as Valley Custom (or Customs or Custom Cars). Do you know what else it might be called?

 

x2...

 

Valley Custom Shop

 

Valley Custom Shop!

Here is the LINK to the FB page

 

Cloning the first version has always been on the drawing board. After the car is stripped we will photograph and document all of the cuts and section lines so that we can accurately section a first version clone.

 

True, we have tried to start this project a couple of times, but paying projects always come first. We are finally all in now and there is no turning back.

 

Bravo! I look forward to the day when both cars are displayed together.

 

Whooo hooo !!i thought I was the only one with projects measured in decades.
.7 decades sounds better than 7 years.

 

GREAT NEWS !!! Valley Custom Dunn Ford has been one one of the best kustoms ever made !! I will follow this thread !

 

Awesome, to say the least.

 

I had some pleasant dealings with a man in the Pacific Northwest, who once donated a vintage Ford Six toward this project (but I can't recall his name.)

I'll bet a lot of you assumed it was V8 powered!

 

Cant wait to see this!!!!!

 

I had certainly always supposed that it was a V8!

 

I always thought of that Ford as a game changer of that era. Anybody have any pics of it in all its glory?



Fryguy

 

Straight six... And stock as a stone!

 

We have been busy getting things together for GNRS, but we did find some time to get the body and chassis separated. This is the first time the body and chassis have been apart.

 

There are several threads on here that have many different images of the car. Here's just a couple of the more popular shots. First version (Photo shoot for cover of Hop Up - Feb. 1953) and the second version in '58.

 

ya Steve let me know if I can help, see you a gnrs

 

Hey Mike Kilger any chance you could send me my refund for the 32 K-Member I paid you for over 2 years ago that you never shipped and won't reply to my phone calls or emails ???

 

Looks like Corey from Pawn Stars bought the car in '58?

Seriously; looking forward to following the resto.

 

Do you know what the wheelcovers are in the 2nd version? Quite like them..

 

Fleet-master, those 15" beauties are from a 1954 CHEVROLET BEL AIR...DYNO DAVE