Rocky Mountain Roadster Found

Hot rodding will never get old. At least, I don’t think it will, as long as cars like this keep resurfacing. “They’re still out there,” people will say. I’ll listen (and mostly believe them). I’m an optimist, you see, but whenever another real-deal survivor pops up, part of me wonders if it’ll be the last. No way. There’s treasure to be found—gold to be struck. And, in the case of this Model A roadster, it’s far better than I ever could have imagined.

Last month, Whittier George posted on Instagram that he had unearthed an old Colorado hot rod. He shared a few teaser photos of this 1928 AR I was immediately hooked. I wanted to shoot it for a full feature, but I didn’t know when I could make it happen.

Last week, I was scrolling through Los Angeles Craigslist when I stumbled upon the car again. It’s been living rent-free in my head since I first saw it, and seeing the detail photos in the ad has only made me even more obsessed.

Originally hot rodded in the 1950s in Colorado Springs, the car appears to have been well-built. Every detail is period perfect, from the molded spreader bar cover and filled commercial grille shell to the 1940 Ford dash and high-riding top with side curtains. The wild pinstriping looks like it’s straight out of a Monogram model kit, and the tuck-n-roll upholstery is as era-correct as it gets. Bonus points for the turquoise ’40 Ford front suspension and matching banjo, complete with more ’striping.

Although I can’t say for sure, I’m under the impression that the car was originally flathead powered. By the early-’60s, it had been outfitted with a 265 Chevy. It’s all there, untouched since it was parked in 1965.

I would love to own this Model A. I would restore it mechanically and enjoy every moment with it. The roadster is an honest time capsule—a true survivor—and I hope to see it back on the street soon.

As of yesterday, the car is up for sale at the L.A. Roadster Show Swap meet. If you buy it, let me know. I’d love to hear about (and write about) its next chapter.

—Joey Ukrop

Photos by Whittier George