Projects I Just Bought a Hot Rod Model A Roadster That Was Built In 1959...

Dudeeeee.....whoa! Nice score indeed.

 

cool.....congrats...

 

Congratulations . Fell into the right hands

 

Congradulations @cactus1 your family is growing......now you have something to haul your dirt tracker around......in style. Thats a nice one...

 

Congrats.
I am sure the seller is happy knowing it will be preserved, just switch out those 58 tail lights.

 

Umm, umm.... WOW!

 

Very cool. I like every period piece on it. Congratulations!

 

Salina Kansas

 

Most Model As were built from 1928 thru 1931?

 

good find! what's the plan?

 

Thanks everyone! I'm super pumped about the old girl!
I'll address a couple questions and then get back to the story!

Yes Rock! 3" pipe. He had a complete tube frame built for fear that the stock frame would not handle the torque of the 303 Olds! The color is a special mix. He has the formula somewhere.

They are! They are popped over standard 15" Ford wheels! I've never seen anything like them before!

 

I always thought they were neat, I have an old rusty one hanging on the wall. Moon was repopping them years ago. Like, porta-walls they have an endearing vintage cheese factor. Way cool.


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that alternator is post 62 the earley ones have a more fins

 

So after pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming I did the usual and asked my wife if I could have it. She did her usual and said no.... I sent it to a pal to try to get him to buy it so I could at least get a ride in it and live vicariously but he really has way too many projects going right now so that was a no go. It was late. I went to bed. I did not sleep...

The next morning off to work. I send the link to a few more close friends and told them all that someone needs to buy this! I kept refreshing the ad hoping it would be gone and stop haunting me. It remained...

We are heavy into a house project right now. We just spent a bunch of dough getting the flat roof portions of our house re-roofed so Saturday was spent fixing wood rot, reinstalling siding, and dreaming about the little blue roadster. I emailed the seller to say that I would really love to at least come see the car and hear it's story. I also asked for more pics.

Saturday night while working in the shop on one of my many other (car) projects and texting with close friends about the car it became apparent that I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least try to buy this car. This was "once in a lifetime" shit right here! I started making a list of all the parts and stuff I have collected over the years for future projects and what that stuff might be worth. It would take some time but there was some hope! I emailed the seller (again) at about midnight to see if I could come see the car the next day.

Sunday, back to work on the house, no response but the ad was still up. I called and left a message. Finally around lunchtime I got a call back and I figured he was going to tell me it was sold...but it wasn't sold. Uh oh. The car was parked in his son's garage (for the last 17 years) about an hour away from me. We met over there at around 4pm. I walked in the garage and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. This gentleman built this car starting in 1958 in Salina, Kansas when he was still in high school. That's almost 60 years ago...

*I did not really intend to tell this whole drawn out story but I see no way around it, ha! Sorry not sorry! More later!*

 

He started to "update" a few things over the years and fortunately (as far as I'm concerned) didn't get too far. I think he said it had a tach drive gen on it originally. I'm still gathering info from him at this point.

 

Short story long, after visiting with Lanny and his wife Sally and their son I told Lanny I would like to buy his car but that would need some time to get all the funds together. I gave him a deposit, he gave me a receipt and I went home to figure out the rest. I called in a few favors and started selling some stuff and went to pick up the car the next weekend (Memorial Day weekend.)


This is Lanny and his wife of almost 60 years Sally. She told me that when Lanny started building the car he was single...it is named "The Bachelor Button" (Love it!)

I had to spend the morning shuffling stuff around in the shop to try to fit 3 cars in a 2-car garage but we're car guys right? That's what we do! Anyway here are some shots after we pushed it off the trailer.






No problem!

 

OHV Olds with tripower and a chrome firewall to boot. A true time capsule! I can't imagine how he felt seeing it go but can imagine your joy in being able to resurrect it. Love it!

 

Very cool find.

 

Amazing story. Cool building (dairy barn?) nice shop.


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Survivors are the BEST!!

 

so how did you get your wife to approve this

 

very nice!

 

So stoked for you. Love the story.
And be extra nice to Emily for a long while.

 

Saw the FB posts on this. What a hell of a nice score. Great piece of history


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GM introduced the alternator in late 1962 (I have one)

 

Amazing story and obviously in good hands! Good for all involved.
This picture is absolutely bitchin'.

 

Hell, that story just made my whole day!

 

You should have him over when you get it driving again

 

What dreams are made of! Nice score, enjoy it.

 

I saw the Craigslist ad and thought about checking it out but I just bought another roadster body and couldn't afford it. I knew somebody would love to find it.