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History Bill Jerry & Ham Allen 1932 Roadsters 1950s Colour Photos

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Jimmy B, Dec 14, 2016.

  1. Recently I purchased some colour slides of a pair of Deuce roadsters in Maine taken during the 1950s, date unknown. I posted on Instagram and Jim @bubba67 directed me to the HOP UP annuals and I found the article in Annual No.2. After reading the article and looking over the images I have sure enough it's the same roadster. That roadster was owned by Bill Jerry and the second roadster owned by Bill's Chief Mechanic Ham Allen.

    Does anyone have photos of Bill Jerry's old Roadster since the Hop Up article?

    Bill Jerry Roadster
    bill-jerry-1.jpg
    bill-jerry-2.jpg
    bill-jerry-3.jpg

    Ham Allen roadster
    Ham-Allen-2.jpg
    Ham-Allen.jpg
     
  2. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
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    from BC

  3. Pete
    Joined: Mar 8, 2001
    Posts: 4,745

    Pete
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    Peter Bennett is the current owner of the jerry roadster. I had the opportunity to drove the car years ago, what a time capsule!
     
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  4. swifty
    Joined: Dec 25, 2005
    Posts: 2,217

    swifty
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    Now there's a couple of top quality and very nice East Coast roadsters. Can't beat a channelled 32 roadster and they must be very low even tho the grass is long.
    What is the set-up with the firewall in the blue car?
    Thanks for posting those Jimmy.
     
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  5. Rckt98
    Joined: Jun 7, 2005
    Posts: 1,132

    Rckt98
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    Cool pics. I wonder how the number plate issue was done in those days. 876B and 876D. (What was 876C?)
     
  6. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,388

    Squablow
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    Those are dealer plates, 876 was the dealer number, the same dealer would have had plate set A and C, D just means there were 4 sets (at least) issued to that dealer number.

    Very cool pics, those cars are low! And built to a very high standard considering the time. I like channeled cars.
     
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  7. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,174

    Jalopy Joker
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  8. Looks like a voltage regulator on the driver's side and possibly a horn relay on the other. if that is what you are referring to.
     
  9. swifty
    Joined: Dec 25, 2005
    Posts: 2,217

    swifty
    Member

    No I was referring to the sloping firewall where the voltage reg is mounted. Compare the firewalls on the 2 cars and they are very different. Usually cars built by mates have lots of similarities and in this case look at the identical windshields and lots of other features. On the blue car the firewall almost looks like a modified 33/34.
    BTW note the original windshield stanchions are still on the blue car. Wanted to make this show and no time to take them off and/or fill the holes left?
    Great to hear that the Jerry roadster is still around, what about the other car?
     
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  10. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
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    from BC

    I think he means the firewall itself. It could be an optical illusion, but it kind of looks like the firewall is stepped, like a 33/34 firewall?
     
  11. Not an illusion the firewall does step out like a '33 & later firewall. I wonder if Ham used a later chassis too, the engine placement looks to be further forward than a normal '32.

    Untitled-1.jpg
     
  12. gonzo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,876

    gonzo
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    There is a feature on that car in Magneto Magazine, I can look for it later tonight.
     
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  13. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,404

    alchemy
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    Looks like a '32 front frame rail to me. Both cars have post '35 front suspensions, so the axles are a bit farther back than non-easterners are used to seeing. But I can also see the front motor mount right where the stock front crossmember would sit. I wonder if he used a post-'35-ish crossmember that had the motor mount humps built in?
     
  14. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

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    Wow! True time capsules of true hot rods.
     
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  15. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
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    followed the jerry roadster to many a hot rod cookout after bonney eagle... i believe the bill jerry roadster is now
    at owls head auto museum, part of a MADE IN MAINE type display...
    ...cool car...
     
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  16. Column shift woo woo...
    Those cars are rad.
     
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  17. hammerd 31
    Joined: Sep 19, 2016
    Posts: 51

    hammerd 31

    As they say in maine ...wicked pissah...
     
  18. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
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    ayuh !
     
  19. swifty
    Joined: Dec 25, 2005
    Posts: 2,217

    swifty
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    A
    Any success with this gonzo?
     
  20. gonzo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,876

    gonzo
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    Yes. It's in issue five of Mag-Neto. @flash here on the HAMB does the magazine
    He may have some out takes or higher resolution photos.


    [​IMG]
     
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  21. thequietwon
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 600

    thequietwon
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    The firewall in that car looks alot like the one that was in my roadster, the one that caused so much drama a few years back. I'm not close to any pictues but it is unique in that the firewall was cut at the top and recontoured to fit the cowl, making it look alot like the one in this car. Really alot of the details on my roadster are really close to this one...body color, original stanchions, molded hinges, same suspension setup. Does anyone have any other pics of this car?
     
  22. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    "Rolls and Pleats" may have some pix...
    "Cool Cars / Square Roll bars" [shuman bros.] has a pre race pic of Ham Allen's sugared donuts roadster [see pic].
    call walt dupont 207-582 0703 ... he has some pix, i think he might have worked for ham... also COOL CARS / SQUARE ROLLBARS ...
     
  23. bones32blk
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 65

    bones32blk
    Member
    from maine

    IMG_0827.JPG Bill Jerry roadster as it looks today. 39 Merc motor, Winfield SU-1R cam, original Offy heads, original regular two carb intake, 97 carbs, period after market ignition, 39 trans Lincoln Zephyr gears, 46-52 Chris Craft runabout windshield, 40 deluxe dash, 39 banjo wheel, body frame & running gear original to car, never been stripped and green paint still evident on all areas originally painted. Both cars were of high finish, extremely fast and built in a period starting before WWII and being completed by 1951.
     
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  24. gonzo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,876

    gonzo
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    Doesn't get any better than that!
     
  25. swifty
    Joined: Dec 25, 2005
    Posts: 2,217

    swifty
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    Thanks for that gonzo, I've got some copies of Magneto mag and I'll dig them out and have a read.
    That pic that bones32blk posted is a ripper. It's great that the car still exists today in its original form.
     
  26. gonzo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,876

    gonzo
    Member

    No problem. The fella that owns the car today is probably the best possible caretaker you could ask for. If you weren't 1/2 way around the world I'm pretty sure he'd be happy to let you come on over and have a look at it... hell he let a couple of my hoodlum friends drive the thing!
     
  27. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    those in "HARDCORE". AUSTRALIA... google OWLS HEAD TRANSPORTATION ... MADE IN MAINE DISPLAY... been there about a year now...
     

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