Hot Rods Old Hot Rod Roadster With A New Future As A TROG Racer...?

Just brought this one home. It's the remains of what was once a really nice Texas street rod. Anybody recognize it...?

 

Pretty nice.

 

I can seen the green under the primer. Interesting.

 

No doubt it's the same car, but who built it, where, when and what the hell happened to it!!!?

 

Dual side mounts on a Rodded Roadster would be very uncommon and may help someone recognize it (where did the half dozen 5 spokes go?).
What drivetrain was it running?

Looks like a 1970's blue/yellow California rear plate?

 

Yes, dual sidemounts are unusual on a street rod, and the fenders appear to be gennie on both sides. All the wheels were missing from the car when it was found, which explains the bare wheels the owner dug up to move the car from where it had slumbered on jack stands for so many years. Where the old 5-spokes went is anybody's guess.



The California plate has an '86 tag on it...but the windshield has a '99 Texas registration sticker. Evidence seems to suggest that it spent the last thirty years in Texas, but before that, who knows?

 

Those are really nice remains MDad. Personally I feel the transition it's taken was a preparation for Hambdom... You got yourself a great companion for your other project...Ya done real good.

 

Good looking project. You gonna bring it back to its former glory?

 

Very cool indeed. Hopefully you will keep us informed at you move ahead with this project.

Good luck. By the way is there a drivetrain in it now?

 

Honestly, I don't know what it's future will be. I initially went to look at it as a possible replacement body for my Arin Cee Roadster project (see link below). The Arin Cee Roadster now has a Brookville body, but it really needs a gennie Henry body to be "right".

But when I arrived on the scene and saw that this car is an old hot rod and how good condition it's in, the plan to part it out evaporated. On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of '70s-era full-fendered roadsters. We'll just have to see how this evolves...

 

life is full of decisions - make the one that is best for you

 

I think he (like I would be) got excited and forgot to put the link promised below on. So here's that.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-arin-cee-roadster.1025634/

Have fun MD- nice find


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

That's a nice one Missysdad1 . What engine and trans in it ? Thanks. Bob........

 

hmmm..what kind of wheels were on it when it was blue? kind of hard to tell in the picture

 

this is what people said of '50s then 60's rods (ie Im not a fan of channeled rods, not a fan of non fendered rods etc ) now everyone is hoping to find one in the condition of that one, '70's it may be but it was a nice car, it looks like a good project if not for you maybe someone else?

 

Real early 70's vibe to it in the old photos. I don't remember seeing it or seeing a photo of it but it might not be one that would have stuck in a guys memory for long.
I'd be tempted to build it with a full set of 35 wires, dropped in the front and leave the side mounts just to jack with the "restorers" who are quite found of those.

 

True enough. With wheels and tires in place it's easy to recognize the '70s "West Coast" vibe, especially the low front, high rear with tires sticking out past the fenders. Many of the Bay Area Roadsters, a well-publicized club during that time period kept the windshields unchopped and the seats at stock height as well. With shiny paint and a bit more chrome this roadster would have fit right in.

 

Keep in mind that in the '70s it was very stylish to use all sorts of original "gingerbread" on street rods, very different from today. Back then, chrome Buick Skylark wires were all the rage. I'm hoping some of our "historians" will jump in and show how cars were built back then. Hard to believe that was almost 40 years ago!!!

 

"Resto Rod" not HAMB friendly really but some looked pretty good

 

Sidemounts, step plates, & tall windshields on a 70's restorod was not uncommon. I personally would put it back to that era. Just watch, that timeframe of car is going to be the next big thing.

 

the best part of the 70's is that no one built turds like this:

 

Amen.

And...on a more positive note, everyone has asked about the motor in my newly acquired roadster. Well, it's a warmed-over 'banger of unknown condition. Most of it is still there, but has been garnished with rat poop and squirrel shells for many years so will have to be cleaned out before being started.

It's got an old Ansen intake with a Stromberg two barrel carb. Since the rods and levers to tweak the advance were removed long ago, my best guess is that the missing distributor was either a "B" or a Mallory. Anybody got one?



The good news is that I've located a used stock A engine from HAMBer / TROG Oiler "Elrod" (http://theraceofgentlemen.com/) which will be swapped in while this one gets triaged. With any luck this one'll be good and can be cleaned up and swapped right back in. Only time will tell.

Will it remain 'banger powered? Who knows. But at least it'll be drivable if only modestly...

 

Yep, this is where the roadster languished for many, many years. Crossways as a windbreak in a two-car carport that also served as a man cave. Nope, not kidding a bit...

 

Curiouser and curiouser... Found under the seat amid more rat poop than I've ever seen in a car...and I've seen a lot!

 

Saw it on CL too...wish it was a 30/31....looks like it was east....then west and back east again....glad it's in good hands !

 

Full fendered works for me. A friend's A built back in the 70's - 80's. He still has it.

 

There is a story here, that's for sure. I finally got to briefly meet the deceased owner's wife and hope to learn more from her as time goes on. Her memories don't seem to jive very well with the car's physical attributes or with the old photos. She's not a car person so I'm not really surprised.

The pieces of the car's history that I know now don't fit together very well, especially the California tags and now the entry materials from the 1975 NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Memphis, Tennessee.

What is certain is that the car I bought is the same car in the old photos. I'm sure it will all make sense when I am able to add more pieces to the puzzle...

 

neat car! Looks like it is in good condition sheet metal wise!

 

Contact the NSRA with this story. Just maybe they have the registration records from the '75 Nat's and will share with you who registered #1153 and where they hailed from.

 

They look like " Hollywood " wheels. I have a set like them.