History I JUST GOT THIS 1934 FORD ROADSTER CUSTOM...ANYONE RECOGNIZE IT?

Well, I didn't know who else to ask, so I thought I would go right to the Authorities!!!

I bought this Cool 1934 Ford Roadster Custom from a nice Gentleman who lives in a town close to mine, while I was looking at a compressor he had to sell!

The story he told me was that his Grandfather had owned it in the 1970's, and that had then given it to him in the 1980's!

He also said that his Grandfather had told him that it was Customized by "Barris Kustoms" in the 1950's, and was in a magazine sometime between 1958 through 1968, although he didn't know which one!

He only had one photo of it from back in the day, and it shows him and his sister, along with the car...and he guessed that it was taken probably in the late 1970's or early 1980's!

The photo (which I have attached), shows a side view of the car, and from what I can tell, it had a small-block Chevy in it with Ram's Horn exhaust!

When I got the car it was somewhat disassembled, so I bolted it back together, so that you can see how the front and rear of it looked (photos attached)!

The Body Tub itself is fairly unmodified...with the exception of three areas! 1.) The original Cowl Vent has been welded shut, and then filled! 2.) The area where the soft-top was attached to the body has been trimmed down, and then welded back! I've seen this done with other cars from that era, and the area was then usually covered with a piece of upholstery so that you couldn't see the weld! 3.) And apparently, from what the Seller told me, there used to be a pair of small fabricated fenders attached to the Body Tub, right above the rear tires! He told me that he had removed them not long after he got the car!

The Front-End of the car is something completely different and unique! It is made entirely of Flat Aluminum Sheeting, that has been rolled and formed! The Hood Top has been formed and rolled to match the Cowl and Front Nose piece! The Hood Sides have been cut and trimmed to match the Cowl, the Front Nose Piece, and the Frame...and then Louvered to give them a little style! But the real work of art is the Front Nose Piece! It looks like a "Track Nose", or "Bonneville Nose" from the 1950's or 1960's...but obviously whoever did it was a pro! From all of the rolls and compound angles used to make it, I figure that it must have been built in many pieces, and on an English Wheel! But when you look on the inside of it, you can't find any evidence of a weld or a grind mark...so whoever built it must have really knew what they were doing! The Grille piece itself is actually an Aluminum Casting, and the Nose-Piece has a recessed area formed into it to allow the Grille to sit flat with the adjacent material! It's some very nice workmanship! A pretty learned friend of mine thinks that it's an "Art Ingles / Kurtis Kraft" made nose!

The front of the car is finished off with a pair of original "Juice" Brakes on a stock I-Beam axle, and a pair of "motorcycle" style front fenders that were attached to the Backing Plates, so that they would turn with the front wheels! The front fenders themselves are actually made out of an original 1934 Ford Spare Tire Cover that has been trimmed down...something that was very common back in the 1950's and 1960's!

Then it looks like the whole car was finished off in a thick coat of Burgundy Lacquer...most of which is still on the car!

Add to that a white interior, a stock windshield and windshield frame, stock headlights mounted on a pair of vintage aluminum stanchions, and a set of "Baby Moon" Wheels, and you got this car!

So what's up??? Anybody recognize it? Did somebody famous build it or own it?

Thanks, Greg
Phone # (559) 333-6013

 

Well, I didn't know who else to ask, so I thought I would go right to the Authorities!!!

I bought this Cool 1934 Ford Roadster Custom from a nice Gentleman who lives in a town close to mine, while I was looking at a compressor he had to sell!

The story he told me was that his Grandfather had owned it in the 1970's, and that had then given it to him in the 1980's!

He also said that his Grandfather had told him that it was Customized by "Barris Kustoms" in the 1950's, and was in a magazine sometime between 1958 through 1968, although he didn't know which one!

He only had one photo of it from back in the day, and it shows him and his sister, along with the car...and he guessed that it was taken probably in the late 1970's or early 1980's!

The photo (which I have attached), shows a side view of the car, and from what I can tell, it had a small-block Chevy in it with Ram's Horn exhaust!

When I got the car it was somewhat disassembled, so I bolted it back together, so that you can see how the front and rear of it looked (photos attached)!

The Body Tub itself is fairly unmodified...with the exception of three areas! 1.) The original Cowl Vent has been welded shut, and then filled! 2.) The area where the soft-top was attached to the body has been trimmed down, and then welded back! I've seen this done with other cars from that era, and the area was then usually covered with a piece of upholstery so that you couldn't see the weld! 3.) And apparently, from what the Seller told me, there used to be a pair of small fabricated fenders attached to the Body Tub, right above the rear tires! He told me that he had removed them not long after he got the car!

The Front-End of the car is something completely different and unique! It is made entirely of Flat Aluminum Sheeting, that has been rolled and formed! The Hood Top has been formed and rolled to match the Cowl and Front Nose piece! The Hood Sides have been cut and trimmed to match the Cowl, the Front Nose Piece, and the Frame...and then Louvered to give them a little style! But the real work of art is the Front Nose Piece! It looks like a "Track Nose", or "Bonneville Nose" from the 1950's or 1960's...but obviously whoever did it was a pro! From all of the rolls and compound angles used to make it, I figure that it must have been built in many pieces, and on an English Wheel! But when you look on the inside of it, you can't find any evidence of a weld or a grind mark...so whoever built it must have really knew what they were doing! The Grille piece itself is actually an Aluminum Casting, and the Nose-Piece has a recessed area formed into it to allow the Grille to sit flat with the adjacent material! It's some very nice workmanship! A pretty learned friend of mine thinks that it's an "Art Ingles / Kurtis Kraft" made nose!

The front of the car is finished off with a pair of original "Juice" Brakes on a stock I-Beam axle, and a pair of "motorcycle" style front fenders that were attached to the Backing Plates, so that they would turn with the front wheels! The front fenders themselves are actually made out of an original 1934 Ford Spare Tire Cover that has been trimmed down...something that was very common back in the 1950's and 1960's!

Then it looks like the whole car was finished off in a thick coat of Burgundy Lacquer...most of which is still on the car!

Add to that a white interior, a stock windshield and windshield frame, stock headlights mounted on a pair of vintage aluminum stanchions, and a set of "Baby Moon" Wheels, and you got this car!

So what's up??? Anybody recognize it? Did somebody famous build it or own it?

Thanks, Greg
Phone # (559) 333-6013

 

I remember the car, believe it was built in Southern Calif., recall some magazine coverage.
But I think when it was magazine-featured it still had a flathead V8.

 

Unreal! I believe there was a magazine that had that car on the cover? I can't recall the name.

 

Greg, I have also seen this car before, just have to do some digging. The first photo
looks like it was taken in front of Porterville High School. The windshield is probably
a 32, flat on top. 34's are round. The nose could have been formed on a buck, or it
might be a WW11 bomber nose. Rich

 

What a nice find!Like to see more of the metal work.

 

No, they didn't get a curve until 35/36. I recognize the grille, it looks like Navarro's. Maybe they used the same casting?



Do you have the chassis?

 

I'm trusting my memory here, I think the nose of Barny's car was made by Art Engles. He mostly did race car stuff. There is a '32 Roadster in Washington that got restored recently that has a similar nose.

 

Great roadster, that is definitely an Art Ingles grille and probably the grille shell too. This car I don't recall seeing, but it likely was featured in a mag at some point.

 

No idea but that is a very neat find! Doesit still have the wood in the doors and cowl? I see the floor is gone from channeling, is ther any sort of floor in it at all?

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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Sorry, cool car.


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Greg: Great find!! Definitely a roadster body and not a coupster. The windshield posts are for sure 33-34 (one piece--no swivel). I had a channeled one years ago but wasn't as nice as yours. Keep us posted on what you do with it. Tim

 

No idea but that is one interesting car.

 

Yep......it sure is coooooool. Damn. Drats........er'.....congrats'. x 2

 

what a find......good for you!

 

interesting car... don't have any info on it... I'm sure someone will shed some light on this car for sure.

 

very nice find!

 

Yep, the wood in the doors is very nice, although I didn't notice any in the cowl!

 

Thanks for all of the kind words! And yes, it is a Cool Car...I just wish I knew who built it!

 

Rich, I thought the photo was local too, but the Seller told me that it was taken in Southern California, back when he was a teenager! But I am starting to think that the nose might be off of some kind of a WWII plane too...that would explain a lot!

 

Yes, I have the Frame! It's been modified pretty heavy in the back, but the rails still show the Original V.I.N. Number in two places! I checked them, and they are 1934 Ford V-8 Numbers!

 

What a great find on a historic 34. I'm confident someone will provide some history on it and look forward to watching this thread..
Greg, What are your plans for the car?
I know you're excited. I think you ended every sentence with an exclamation mark!

 

Awesome! I understand and support if you get some history and build it back to at least inspired by its former life. But I won't tattletale on you if it winds up like Nivarro's.


"I need my mirror boy"

 

Certainly a high standard of work I would love to own it.

 

congrats on the find!

 

Very cool car! That nose looks really well-crafted.
Wonder if this thread might be better placed in the "Traditional Hot Rods" section?

 

Well, if I found that I'd use a lot of exclamation marks too!

 

Very nice find,.....I like the wooden front crossmember and clear frame!.....(joke)...seriously ....that must have a history that somebody knows


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