History Anyone recognize this roadster pickup?

I tried this several months ago with no luck, but maybe this time will be the charm. I bought this 29 Model A roadster pickup about 6 months ago. The guy I bought it from owned it since 1993, but couldn't give me much history except to tell me it was built in the 80's, and the builder died shortly after completing it. The widow had a friend in Sacramento sell it for her. It has a 327 Chevy, 350 turbo trans, 10 bolt Chevy rear end. The chassis is stock Model A, fully boxed, with 4-bar suspension front and rear, coil-overs in the rear, and a dropped I beam axle with a rack & pinion steering. The license plate (black & yellow CA) reads EIN 515, and looking at an info sheet on CA plates, these were issued in Fresno, probably around 64 or so. The body and fenders are all steel.

Does anyone remember this truck? I guess it doesn't matter...it is what it is as they say, but I'd sure like to get whatever history on it I can.

 

Those wheels remind me of fluffy haired blonde women in spandex...

 

Had to of been a fairly high end build for back then. Hope someone checks in with the information your looking for. Surely someone must remember it.

Frank

 

It is a beauty, that's for sure.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean...the wheels and the interior are sort of Disco era stuff, and they've gotta go, for sure.

I just finished swapping out the front axle set up for a new dropped I beam with a cross steer Vega box, installed a rear pan hard bar, and a bunch of other stuff to make it mechanically right. New wheels and tires are on order from Coker, so that look will change soon, and as soon as I can afford it, the interior will get changed.

It looks to me like the guy who built this did everything himself, from suspension, to body & paint, and maybe even the interior. It's not a high end build; rather, it looks like it was done by someone who knew what they were doing, but didn't do it for a living. The original builder made or repurposed stuff instead of buying ready-made hot rod bracketry, etc. It's a fairly distinctive looking hot rod, and I figure SOMEONE must have seen it or knows something about who built it and where.

As for the wheels, I don't care for 'em, and they'll be for sale soon, but I am kind of a sicko for fluffy haired blonde women in Spandex...

 

I think I responded the last time around. I can't provide any history (like last time), but I can tell you that I was able to track my rpu, from the lic plate (I aslo had a 63-issue black & yellow plate). I believe you will need a little help from a good friend within the dmv, and maybe some good luck. I did the majority of my search from public records on the net, but also had some helpful advice. Your search will be about the opposite of mine - I was searching 'forward', and you will be searching 'back'. Good luck. JMO
(Obviously, best, easiest results would be from someone saying.. 'I know that car')

 

Thanks...I haven't tried the DMV route yet. I've heard that for a fee, they will do a search of previous owners, and if so, that may be my best bet.

 

back to the top

 

Anyone? I figure someone had to have seen this truck at one time, or known the guy who built it. Looking for any history at all.

 

Back to the top

 

Still very recognizable, say, if your neighbor back in the 80's was the guy who built this truck. Someone has to have known about it besides the guy who built it and died shortly after completing it.

Here's how it looks today, after changing the wheels/tires and the seat. I've done a bunch of mechanical changes, none of which changed the look. Search your memories...anyone have any history on this?

 

Can't help with the history, but it sure looks bitchin' now...

 

Your couple changes are sure dialing in the "look". Neat RP. Good luck with your search. Now about those door panels...

 

Door panels and carpet are on the list, for sure. I'll finish replacing the brake lines today, and I want to re-wire the whole truck. It's getting there.

 

No history for you, but I agree that all of your changes so far are right on the money. Any plans for a different steering column?

 

Unfortunately, I'll probably keep this column and rebuild it with new turn signal, ignition, and neutral safety switches. Roadster pickups are so small, it's hard to get in and out...even more so if you're an old fat guy (I am), so the tilt column thing is kind of a necessity. Also, since the truck has a 350 turbo trans, and a floor shifter is out due to space limitations, a column shift is about the only alternative. Where to put the ignition switch? I hate to see a column ign switch in a hot rod, but dammit, the gas tank is still in the stock location, and I think I'll leave it there, so the cowl area is a no-drill-bit zone, which doesn't leave a lot of alternatives.

I'd like to spring for a new Ididit column, but those babies are expensive, and I already have this one.

 

You'd have to hope that the original builder/owner got out and about a lot with the RPU; participated in rod runs such as NSRA Western Nats, etc. or was a member of a car club. This would give you a better chance of finding someone that knew the car/owner. It's the sort of car you'd see in a group shot at Andy's picnic in a Street Rodder event feature.

Have you contacted any Bay area/Norcal clubs such as Bay Area Roadsters? Most long standing clubs have a historian that keeps all the photo albums, etc.
Unless he was a recluse, some old timer knows him and the RPU.
Neat RPU. Updates look great!

 

Thanks...I wasn't able to get any info at all on the guy who built the truck, other than he did it sometime in the 80's, and died shortly after completing it. The guy I bought it from owned it for the last 20 years... bought it from a friend of the widow, and he has no recollection at all of who that guy even was other than he lived in or near Sacramento. What sketchy info I got was that the guy who built it was in Kansas City, but the black and yellow CA plates were issued around 63-64 in Fresno, CA, and the fellow who sold it for the widow (I assume she must have sat on it for about 10 years after the builder died) was the Sacramento guy.

I'm pretty active in the hot rod scene in the North Bay area, but so far, no one's recognized it. Like you pointed out, the old boy might have been a recluse, or he might have died before having a chance to get it out. there's a chance he might have died before completing it, and the family friend or someone else might have finished it. You don't build something like that without anyone noticing unless you live in a cave in some desolate area. Now that I've got it road-worthy, I'll get it out and take it to some of the Bay Area hot rod gatherings, where, hopefully, someone will see and recognize it.

 

Have you had any luck finding out anything about its past?

 

Thanks for asking, but no, I haven't found out any further history on the truck. It's original Henry Ford steel except for the sill plates which were missing when I got it, and the running boards, which I replaced with Rootlieb reproductions. The ones that were on the truck were original 28-29 running boards, but from a car, so I put on new truck running boards. Someone must've seen a neighbor, a friend, or just that weird guy on the other side of town putting this truck together back in the day, but I haven't found anything yet. Here's what the truck looks like now.

 

What the hell...it's late, nothing good on TV, and I haven't tried this for a while so why not try again. Anyone out there know anything about the history of this 29 roadster pickup?

 

I really liked it and still do, however I can't stand the cheesy stuff painted on the doors. Too bad, very nice otherwise.

 

X2

 

Very nice, great updates

 

Man I really dig that! Hey @KCTA Chris this look familiar to you or any of the other KC guys?

If the builder came from KC and the car wasn't finished until just before death there is a good chance it was running around KC before it went to a garage in Cali to be finished?

 

Or @sodbuster ?

 

I'm not sure how this works...did you send a message to the two KC guys, or should I contact them? In any case, thanks for the help.

 

It gives them a notification to look at this post so they can comment right here

 

Thanks! You young guys know all the hi-tech tricks...

 

No clue from me.......I can drag this post over to FB when I get a chance.

Chris Nelson
Kansas