mule today as it sits before restoration.....I'm thinking I gotta get rid of the 4 link sit it back down put the lasalle back in with a banjo? old hubs? roll bar like one of the pics kid37 sent. machine shop has the hemi and setting it up to be blown. by the way thanks again kid37! Suggestions anyone?
Mule Roadster, Glad you like the photos! Being new here most people will want to know were your are, at least what state. HAMB people LOVE photos, and the more stories you have to go with them the better. Question #1 what happened to Don's ARDUN? Bob
Just starting to work on the history here. I'm in Maryland. Roadster was just transferred from ny last week. Great story as it passed from Don Noyes to Butch Volpp (early 80's trades for a vet) then over 30 years later Butch passes and Stan the Man Devore (Iconic Street Rod guy for like a thousand years) buys it from Volpps window in 2015. Stan the Man Devore was my very very close Uncle who sadly and suddenly passes November 2016. This results in me getting this remarkable car thru iconic men who were passionate about these things. Sorry if that was winded.
She'd look great in any of her previous livery. A very cool chunk of east coast history ,you've got there!
Is that Ardun in your collection of parts? Looks like a Chrysler Hemi, sort of...but plugs are spaced in pairs, rather than equally spaced... Look along the skirts of the block. Does it have 2-bolt caps attached in rows? Three per side?
Car deserves the look. By the way. Sent RR of GM Texas information about this roadster. I was surprised to get an immediate response. He replied where and how much, but that's all he said. I knew I had something unique at that point. East coast and West Coast (PIC) care of 37! ! Thanks again 37.
I've always liked the look of that door top ever since Tom gave me these photos. Sort of predates the Rolling Bones look, only it is the real deal from back in the day. Bob
please don't put a round roll bar in it.......part of the real "hot rod" was the square corners roll bar. don was a farmer and lived in valley falls about 20 miles north east of Albany,ny........the farm was probably 1/4 of the main dirt road....his driveway was a farm driveway used for tractors,wagons etc. when he drove down to troy the word spread like wild fire and we'd all go try to find where he was......noisey was the man
I don't want to mess up this thread on the MULE but here is a link with it racing against other famous Dover Drag Strip cars. That is the U.S. Mule II when it saw light for the first time, my plan was to restore it back to the square roll bar days in that color photo. Bob http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...e-any-pictures-out-there.134113/#post-1500821
I talked with Don Noyes a few times about the history of U.S. Mule II , the 392 HEMI from the '32 went into the MG. Don was friends with the local Chrysler dealership service manager, and got the call when a station wagon came in with a 392 with rod problems. The motor was warranted and replaced, Don got the old one for $50.00, replaced the rods and went racing. Same engine in the MG won AA/MSP at the U.S. Nationals in 1965, only 8 cars were faster than him all the way up to Top Fuel. Bob
37 where is Smokey Stover? RidgeRunner? They both had informative Noyes threads in 2010. Hoping for the best.
I don't know them, but remember a few Don Noyes stories here on the HAMB. Was that photo with the ARDUN and four wheel snow chains taken before the 392 HEMI went in the car? Bob
Title was.....Does anyone have any pics of the us mule from the 60's Hokey ass message board started by smokey stover Jan 2 2010. Member search? Those tail lights? Gotta have them right?
I'm still here on the ridge in Western MA busy helping get a land speed rig ready for the May Loring meet. I don't think I have any better photos of the Mule than what have been already posted here but will keep an eye out as I sort my old "stuff", an ongoing process which is taking awhile. Send me a PM with your contact info and I'll try to fill you in as best I can with what I know about the car and Don. I hate to question '37 as he has a far sharper eye and memory for details than I but somehow the tail lights, although close, don't look quite exactly like '54 Fords to me [I had 2 Customline 2 doors back between '60 and '68]. Maybe it's the angle of the photo but the center looks smaller in diameter and protrudes further. Ed
Good luck at Loring Ed! I was just guessing at the tail lights on Don's Roadster. He was good at picking parts, like the Studebaker box he used to switch the MG to right hand drive. Bob
I'm searching for that old school v belt blower set up for the 392 Hemi. Referred to as a GM Supercharger 471? Motor is out of the machine shop within a few weeks. Guess I should open a project thread at this point. Ridgerunner, glad your still in the loop.
Had just got my license when I first saw the Mule at Orange, the list on the cowl of strips raced at made a big impression on me which I never forgot. Didn't know where he lived then not that it would have made much difference, Orange was quite a safari and anything West of North Adams/Williamstown was pretty much a whole 'nuther world to me back then. Remember seeing them pulled over at the turn out at the top of Greenfield mountain on Rt 2 returning from Orange once. Didn't appear to be having mechanical troubles, more like a tree irrigation stop, so I drove on by for home. Must have been quite the interesting flat tows over Florida mountain for them! More warning signs up now but Deadman's and Hairpin turns remain pretty much the same, both capable of grabbing the unaware or those who have lost brakes. An old school buddy moved to NY ~'61 and later ran South Glens Falls with a 409 in his '55 Chevy. After I caught up with him via email a few years ago he mentioned having known Don and being down to his place back in the day. Sadly he has since passed taking what I am sure is good history of Don and his Mules with him. I should be seeing Tom Shea and other Stroker's at their reunion May 13th. I plan on picking all the brains I can for any more information on Don and the Mule. I keep looking at those tail lights and still can't say for certain, 37 might have nailed 'em. My Dad had a couple of '52 4 doors [don't remember the models] at different times, mine were both 2 door Customlines [2nd one had '56 Olds tail lights already in it when I bought it in '66], and I can't remember if the '53's or different models from that era had any subtle differences. Where is Hot Rod Primer with his '54 wagon on this? Maybe he or someone else can school us on the finer points. Ed
They appear to be the '53 Ford tail lights,the 52/54 lens are similar but the '53 had the chrome ring around the inner part of the lens.HRP
Thanks HRP whole lotta help! Ed I appreciate any added information you can get at the May reunion. Today's computer wonders enables me the ability to replicate and apply that cowl strip history to the car. I believe I have these exact drag pipes also in this pic.
I will have to find the picture I have of it from the early 80s, but I remember the original Hemi Valve Covers; Plug Wire Covers were drilled so the wires would come out individually. I remember that unusual touch and I see it in the early pictures with the hemi in it.
Thanks HRP! I knew 37 was close if he didn't actually nail them but I also had a nagging doubt everything was exactly the same, you have explained it all now. I can rest easy tonight having learned something today. Questioning my own memory starts to get a bit spooky at my spot on the yardstick of life............ Ed
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