I saw this at the Cecil County Dragway nostalgia event a few weeks ago. Does anyone remember it from back in the day? Boot Hill Express comes to mind. I did hear that several clones were commissioned by Ray Fahrner, could this be one? Owner was not around to talk to.
Can't speak to its' history, but it makes me think of the Hurst Hemi Under Glass Barracuda for some strange reason.
According to this article, Fahrner built three of them: https://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/boothillexpress.html The original is in Speedy Bill's museum, it's not clear where the other two are. The one you saw is similar, but it's not identical to the one in the museum (but then I don't know if all three of the ones Fahrner built were identical either.)
I dunno...I find that whole "Show Car era" kinda stupid. Seemed like the goal was to build something more outrageous and impractical than the next guy. Kinda like the rat rod guys do, except they used chrome and metalflake instead of skulls and spikes.
And those “kinda stupid” car builders launched a whole new dimension and imagination to car building that never previously existed. And in one way or another, we ALL benefited from it. Even to this day. The boundaries were opened like never before with paint, plating, fabrication, interiors, showmanship, displays, and concepts that keeps the hot rod scene alive and constantly changing. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude, like them or not. And I like them. A lot.
You got to be kidding. Those "Themed Show Vehicles" (can't even call them cars) are the antithesis of traditional hot rods and customs. All those "boundaries" that were opened up brought us the Coddingtons and the Alloways of the world...Street Rodding at it's best. I thought the HAMB existed because most of us rejected all those glitzy "constantly changing" trend/styles and were more concerned about the history of Traditional Hot Rods and Customs. I find it funny that we can't discuss/show a nicely built '39 Chevy low-rider because it has air-bags, but a hot rod Stage Coach, or a V8 powered Bathtub is a beloved icon
LOL, I didn’t foresee a pissin match. I just wanted to know more about it. I’m a child of the 60s and those types of cars got more kids into hotrods and cars in general than anything on the planet. I’m glad a bunch of them are still around, brings back great memories. World of Wheels, four engine exhibition drag cars, twin engine FEDs, motorcycles with small blocks, lowriders and all the over the top cars on TV shows…..all excessive?….you bet!… I guess I’m still a kid.
LOL. You know me...I'm always up for a little OOG (Opinionated Old Guy) skirmish...(wanna talk about Wheel vs Rim?). Yeah, you're right, those ridiculously stupid vehicles, and the resulting model cars, probably got thousands of kids interested in hot rods...so i guess they do have THAT redeeming quality. But, as an adult, I look back at them as a sort of a "wrong turn" in hot rodding...kind of like the billet, pastel street rods of the 80s/90s. Other than lining a show promoter's pockets, or fascinating some 10 year old kid, I don't see ANY reason for these to have ever existed
Jack - I see your point, and yes, show rods quickly jumped the shark. But I was a kid in the late '60s/early '70s. Show rods, Roth, Evel, Snake & Prudome, all the over the top stuff hooked me.
Foul! Use of the wrong search engine! 10 yard penalty and still fourth down. They all weren’t toilets, tubs and beds.
It's Cool that we all have different likes. I fall into the over the top group also. As a kid I wanted to drive one of Ed Roths tee shirt creations. And I also built and loved the Crazy show rod model cars. I really fell in love with the little Zinger rods too, and ya couldn't even drive' em. Jack sometimes you just got to put on your little kid glasses. lol Roth once told me. If he had to explain it, that I wouldn't understand anyway. That was the first time I remember ever hearing that saying. I built my grandson a little corvette zinger. {But it's the poor mans verison.} Ron.....
I have no problem with ANY of those above show cars (except maybe the Red Baron). They all represent somebody's idea of what hot rods or customs might be in the future. Using design and style to create the wildest hot rod/custom you can imagine is a lot different than building a chassis and sticking some ridiculous non-automotive crap on top of it.
There sure are a lot of old farm implements around here. I was thinking of maybe building a Hemi COMBINE. Just to dismay Jack. Oh... how you doing, Jack... didn't see you standing there.
You really have to have a good imagination to build something odd or over the top, like these cars , What amazes me is how much they effected my life. Im a fan of anything with wheels.
LOL... Ed Roth once told my wife (long story) that "after 30 years, he didn't think I had gotten any smarter"...perhaps he was right.
Jack, I didn't like them all either. Like the bath tub rod, the guitar rod, bunk beds, and a lot of others too. They were just goofy. While I'm confessing, I even like some of rr's too. Just not the goofy stuff also. Now I'll be banned fur life. lol
The Jalopy Journal
