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History Icon: The Bob McGee '32 Roadster

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Jive-Bomber, Sep 2, 2014.

  1. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,754

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

    Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

    Icon: The Bob McGee '32 Roadster

    [​IMG]

    Continue reading the Original Blog Post
     
    kidcampbell71 and lothiandon1940 like this.
  2. jeta12
    Joined: Oct 14, 2012
    Posts: 235

    jeta12
    Member

    Great car!!.....Thank you to the caretakers of these Icons.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  3. Yep! Bob got the formula right and created an icon, as much as I like the Spencer '32 I am a bigger fan of the McGee roadster. The McGee '32 wasn't the first street driven roadster on a HRM cover Keith Landrigan Cad powered '32 has that honour February 1948.
     
    kidcampbell71 and lothiandon1940 like this.
  4. I believe the new USPS stamp was modeled after the iconic McGee Roadster. 06042014.jpg
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.

  5. That's a cool video.. Geez Jay Leno! How hard was he driving it to get the brakes to smoke and the radiator to puke!
     
  6. Deuce Daddy Don
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,544

    Deuce Daddy Don
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Too bad you guys don't give credit to Dick Scritchfield for all his contribution with the roadster in the street rod years that he owned it BEFORE ol' Bruce bought it!
     
  7. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Brake shoes were probably not arced when installed...(aftermarket shoes are now 'cam ground', to ensure that brake arcing machines never get used in places like CA.! Subsequently, a 'dragging' of shoes is common with the first adjustment, heating up until they 'wear in') Jay remarked that the Deuce has 15 miles on it???
    I still arc new shoes, purely an 'outlaw move'...

    Engine warming is a 'bug' that will be worked out, fresh engine... Not much info on Federal Mogul heads
    Bruce Meyer is noted for mechanical perfection on his cars, wish we had a pipeline to some of the details on his 'builds'!
    The Mason Peters '32 Coupe and the Doane Spencer roadster would be subjects I'd like to see in detail.

    Dick Scritchfield did wonders in preserving/updating/earmarking this car's fame. It was immortalized on the Los Angeles Roadsters club plaque, and is copyrighted in the club's annals. An 'early bird' to get a Chevy V8, too.
    As Jay mentioned, Scritch rented it out to the A-I studios, where it starred in a few hot rod movies...actor/director John Ashley beat the baldy hubcaps to pancake status against Tony's channeled '32 in some street racing, and 'ran the curbs' with that original 'Dago' axle.
    Hot rodding got lots of exposure from those black-and-white screenings...
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2014
  8. I'd be interested in seeing pics of the car as it evolved through the years when Scritchfield had it... any pics out there? Post 'em up!
     
  9. flamingokid
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 2,200

    flamingokid
    Member

    If somebody breaks into Bruce Meyers garage,it wasn't me. ;) He owns 3 of my all time Top 10 cars
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  10. Pewsplace
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 2,795

    Pewsplace
    Member

    The McGee roadster is my favorite in Bruce's collection. I have several photos of the early years, Scritchfield's years and current photos. I will post them later. Dick owned the streets with his version just as Bob did and Bruce does today. The video was great of Jay doing his thing with Bruce's car. Two great guys and Dick Scritchfield is an Icon in my mind. I grew up reading his articles.
    Here is a starter!
    bmscta.jpg
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  11. Gotgas
    Joined: Jul 22, 2004
    Posts: 7,175

    Gotgas
    Member
    from DFW USA

    Tom Medley in the passenger seat while Dick Scritchfield drives - 1965.

    [​IMG]
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  12. [​IMG]
    1960 LA Roadster Show
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  13. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,401

    catdad49
    Member

  14. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    I'm sorry, it's not iconic, it's way beyond that!
    This car is simply THE ARCHETYPE.
     
    lothiandon1940 and Dan Hay like this.
  15. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,367

    31Apickup
    Member

    It should be called the McGee/Scritchfield roadster, Dick Scritchfield owned for years and I believe he even set some records with it

    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  16. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,754

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

    Right you are Jimmy! Maybe I meant "the first street driven roadster with a hood"? :rolleyes:
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  17. @lothiandon1940 & @Deuce Daddy Don -

    I guess neither of you actually read the Blog and/or watched the episode of "Jay Leno's Garage" linked in the Blog? :rolleyes:

    The U.S. Postmaster General and the "digital artist" that created the artwork for the two HOT ROD stamps are interviewed (and the stamps are shown) in the episode of "Jay Leno's Garage".

    As for Dick Scritchfield's ownership of this ICONIC roadster, @Jive-Bomber (Jay Ward) mentioned Scritch in the Blog:
    ... and @Deuce Bruce (Bruce Meyer) also mentioned Scritch in the in the episode of "Jay Leno's Garage".​

    For those who don't like to click on links, here's the YouTube version of the "Jay Leno's Garage" episode:


    Scritch's contributions to the history of the car are mentioned starting at the 6:28 mark.
    The HOT ROD postage stamp discussion starts at the 6:53 mark.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2014
    kidcampbell71 and lothiandon1940 like this.
  18. 3wLarry
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 12,804

    3wLarry
    Member Emeritus
    from Owasso, Ok

    Bruce emailed me the Youtube link yesterday...cool video.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  19. One of the faves........nothing to be added here. Only in my dreams......z..z.z.z.z.zzzz
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  20.  
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  21. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,123

    autobilly
    Member

    Superb Hot Rod! I'd smile more if I drove it though.:D
    [​IMG]
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  22. One of my all time favorites. I was never too hot about about bobbed front fame horns but watching the car in motion it looks pretty cool.
    If I started a thread today outlining my plans to build a 32 Roadster, bright red, three piece hood, no hinges, filled cowl and a one piece tailpan and decklid, it would raise some brows. All the little changes and the stance just really work well together.
     
  23. Pewsplace
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 2,795

    Pewsplace
    Member

    The car has been copied and was shown at this years LARS.
    IMG_2228.jpg IMG_2236.jpg IMG_2227.jpg
     
    lothiandon1940 and kidcampbell71 like this.
  24. Why in this picture does the grill shell look flat like a 30/31 Model A? It has the 32 crank hole though. Must be something funny with the picture. I saw this car when it was undergoing the restoration at SoCal, and later when it was finished. Just an outstanding car!
     
  25. Here's some (circa 1974) pics of the Bob McGee ... err, I mean Dick Scritchfield :D '32 Roadster on the salt:

    Dick Scritchfield #32 C - Street Roadster on the salt (1).jpg
    Dick Scritchfield #32 C - Street Roadster on the salt (2).jpg
    Dick Scritchfield #32 C - Street Roadster on the salt (3).jpg
    Dick Scritchfield #32 C - Street Roadster on the salt (4).jpg
    Dick Scritchfield #32 C - Street Roadster on the salt (5).jpg
    Dick Scritchfield #32 C - Street Roadster on the salt (6).jpg
    Dick Scritchfield #32 C - Street Roadster on the salt (7).jpg
    all images by @cheap-n-dirty
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2014
  26. York 2014 Hot Rod stamps.jpg stamp release ceremony York 2014 Hot Rod stamps.jpg
     
    Hamtown Al and kidcampbell71 like this.
  27. F-6Garagerat
    Joined: Apr 12, 2008
    Posts: 2,652

    F-6Garagerat
    Member

    When my brother and I worked on the Duece 75th Show Bruce Meyer let us use the McGee Roadster as part of our display the year before the show. We were trying to locate the 75 at that point. It's an amazing car that is even more impressive in person. Somewhere I have pictures of me sitting in it.

    The following year, the last night of the show, they were going to store the roadster at the NHRA museum for the night until it could be picked up. We had got to know some of the guys from the museum while we were there. When one of the guys was getting into the roadster to drive it over to the museum, I asked if I could ride shotgun. He said, "you'll have to walk back". Small price to pay for even a short ride across the Pomona FairPlex.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  28. Fogger
    Joined: Aug 18, 2007
    Posts: 1,804

    Fogger
    Member

    When Stritch sold the roadster for his move to Hawaii one of the LaBonge brothers bought it and kept it for years. The LaBonge boys were related to numerous hot rods legends including Don Francisco and Ray Brock. Stritch was a close family friend. Bob Everet (spl) bought the car and sold it to Myers. The restoration is a reincarnation of the car when McGee built it. So Cal did a great job on the restoration. So many of the early iconic hot rods went through multiple incarnations and owners. The above video is a tribute to the roadster and covers most of it's history. Great job!!!
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2017
    1935streetrod likes this.

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