The Pacific Gunsight Special

Maybe you know this car already, but maybe not? Here’s a genuine historic ’32 Roadster, that has flown pretty much under the HAMB radar for many years, despite having early Bonneville history, being invited to the 1999 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance hot rod gathering, the 2003 Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance, and listed as one of  the top Ken Gross ‘Hot Rod Milestones’. To make a long story shorter, the Pacific Gunsight Roadster has been hot rodding in the Northern California Bay Area since the late 40s, and is still driven regularly in the same area today. Here’s breakdown on the owners and changes along the way:

1946- 1951 Roy “Mack” MacKinney of Palo Alto built the car from a stocker after the War, building a fenderless highboy that he raced at Salinas and Redwood City, Ca.

1951-1961 Leo Juri was the man who really dialed the car in, installed a full bored & stroked Flathead, and got his employer, the Pacific Gunsight Company, to sponsor the car for his 1952 Bonneville run in the B Non-Fendered Roadster class (#533), where Juri hit 124.82mph. His timing plaque is still on the dash. The roadster was then used for daily transportation and to race tracks around the Bay Area.

1961-1966 Father and son team Al Reynal Sr. and Jr. transformed the ’32 into an early 60s street machine, chopping the windshield 4″, shaving the doors and deck, filling the cowl, and installing cycle fenders. The roadster was also skinned with white tock and roll naugahyde and chrome lake pipes were built.

1966-1969 Steve Lawson of Palo Alto bought the Gunsight and showed it at a few local car events, driving it regularly as well.

1969-1971 The car was owned for a short time by Jim Ladley of Santa Rosa, who also owned the Vic Eldelbrock/ Eddie Bosio ’32.

1971-1972 Jim Harvey purchased the car and installed a SBC before he decided he wanted a coupe instead.

1972-Present the last Jim bought the Pacific Gunsight Special- Jim Palmer, who still owns and drives this car today. Palmer has been the caretaker that put a Flathead back in the car, opting for a Elco twin plug, S.C.o.T blown version built by Paul Gommi (later swapped out to a 4 pot and then a more practical 2 pot Eddie Meyer intake). He also re-plated chrome parts, took the fenders back off, and began to return the car to the proper ‘Leo Juri era’  1952-53 look. The coming out party was the 1999 Oakland Roadster show, where the Gunsight took home 1st in the Vintage Racecar Class and Outstanding Overall Restored Antique Vehicle. From there, Jim has taken the roadster all over California, entering shows, garnering awards, and keeping the miles rolling up….

(All Pictures courtesy of “Hot Rod Milestones’ by Ken Gross and Robert Genat)