i don't know when i first heard it, have used the expression my whole life. a live cat, if swung would probably scream like a siren,.......... that could be handy. i am guessing it has something to do with the old whips called cat-o-nine tails?
I have gotten to know Neal since buying the Coleman Coupe. All I can say is he is a real gentleman, and a pleasure to talk with. Thanks for the vid.
The magic of 1932 in the hot rod world has lasted for decades beyond belief. There have been many songs, many stories, many movies, but the love affair remains the same with an un-measureable amount of people. They were not perfect. Who decides what the perfect hot rod is?
I have owned over 30 Deuces in my 78 years starting with my Dad's sedan when I was 14. I have moved on to other year Fords but now have roadster which could not be mentioned on this site. Brookville made the Deuce brand new again and every shop/garage I visit has one or two under construction. The scream Hot Rod for many of us old guys and many new guys. Hard not to have one in your garage.
Probably more than they actually made. Even with there being so many of them now, I’ll never own one. Not even a bad glass copy. I can own two or three other rods for the money most 32’s go for. I like them, but they’re above my pay grade......
I have your back. I've lived here in central Canada my whole life (47ish years) and have also heard that saying forever. I've also heard and used the saying "it has a big enough hole I could kick a cat through it". I use that when talking about rusty cars.
in an article done by old cars weekly the production numbers of ford passenger cars built in 32, varied depending on which ford archive was used. some where between 258000 and 287,285. doesn't sound like that many.....
They call them Henry 32's. They should call them Edsel 32's! There used to be lots of fad T's. Now there are lots of fad B's!
If you want to see a “shitload” of 32’s(in Texas of course) show up Sept 14-15 outside of Bastrop at the Lost Pines(Hyatt) Resort for the 42nd Deuce Reunion. I have attended the last two years in my 32 cabriolet and has been close to 100 Deuces each year. The man who started the Texas Deuce Reunion(Charlie Duran)has owned over a HUNDRED 32 Fords. Flatheads Forever!
There are a lot of other cars besides the 32 Ford...personally I feel we get too hung up on them. Nobody else gives 2 farts...and I own a roadster.
Read recently that there's more 32's now both steel and plastic than there was ever produced.. I think the artical was in Hemmings motor news
I believe Henry didn't appreciate the brilliance of Edsel's designs and was a bit jealous of the attention garnered by the Deuce. Edsel was a visionary and Henry rejected Edsel's gift. ESPECIALLY if you are in a room filled with Deuces ! ! ! LOL Go get 'em, HRP .
Is the Neal East who we all love the same Neal on the HAMB whose avatar name is something like "nealinla", the one who has a super Deuce moredoor plus other rides ? He seems to be very knowledgeable about hotrods like Neal East.
I agree with you totally about what the Deuce should rightly be called, a boner. Many rodders didn't know that the '58-'59 Edsels had the beefy, narrow, 9" rearend so sought after by everybody. I ran one in my '34 sedan in early '70. I'll never figure out why the Edsel was rejected by people. It was a cross between a Merc and Ford with a very "unique" grille.
They will always be a perennial favourite. I recently watched a documentary about 32’s on Youtube. It was extraordinary to see all the efforts that Ford and the salesmen went to, to promote them at the height of the depression. There was even a nonstop endurance run to show how tough the new V8s were. The fact they were only made them for a year arguably made them the most expensive of the pre WW 2 Fords in later years. As for my experience with 32s it’s a recent one. I own a commercial grill and roadster pickup cowl, rough front fenders and even rougher running boards, along with an original hood top and repro sides and firewall. The long term goal would be to fabricate some doors, rear cab and pickup bed.
The first big issue of R&C is August of 1961, I think. It has two ‘32 roadsters on the cover. The famous gold one that came from California to Maryland and A black flathead powered one with Kelsey’s.
The the 32 Ford was one of least produced Fords and the nicest looking IMO! The 32 V8 was not perfected and Henry should of factory developed it for another year before release to the public. Ford dealers did many warranty rebuilds.
Interesting. Any idea who wrote that? I've heard that as speculation, but never seen it satisfactorily confirmed as fact.
I Have Never Had Anyone Twist My Arm Behind My Back To Like 32 Fords..My Eyes Make Me Like Them...Simple.....
For myself and probably others it had something to do with magazines like Rod & Custom and seeing them as kids, my addiction came early in life and after the first one I moved one to other Fords, 7 - Model A's & 8 - 40 Fords but the Deuce was still a car that I loved the design and it was a itch I had to scratch again. It's not a car everybody want's and they have never been the most reasonable priced car to buy, I have owned 10 and if I never own another one I still have my old sedan which makes me happy. HRP And Ted, us Southerns like to skin cats! HRP
No, different guy, Neal East has an automobile related bookstore in Denver. Link to HAMB thread. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/whats-neal-east-doing-these-days.31429/
I don't recall what magazine I saw Gary Kessler's car in the first time but it was a defining moment for me in regards to what I thought a hot rod should look like.
The Jalopy Journal
