Don Orosco's Pebble Beach Winner

I would like to get the history of this car and more pictures please. Any help would be appreciated.

 

It first appeared in the November 1956 issue of Rod & Custom in powder blue with fully bobbed rear fenders, baby moons, and a chromed, 4-carb-topped Hemi built by John Geraghty when it was owned by 22-year-old Lloyd Bakan of Eagle Rock, CA. It pulled 103mph in the quarter.

A year later Bakan had it painted metallic Tahitian Red, added nerf bars, full fenders in back and cycle fenders in front, with ’50 Merc hubcaps and whitewalls. It then appeared on the cover of the October 1957 issue of Hot Rod.

In the early ‘60s Bakan sold the car to Richard Strock, who installed a 6-carb Lincoln engine and had Dean Jeffries lay on gold scallops.

After another redesign in the ‘80s it disappeared until it ended up in Don Orosco’s garage, where it underwent a complete restoration back to its Hot Rod magazine cover configuration.

-Info from Pat Ganahl

 

I bought parts on Ebay a few years ago from a guy who said he was the son of the owner (Strock?) and was gonna restore this car. Evidently he didn't follow through.

 

In case you were wondering.

 

It's incredible in person. Simply stunning all around.

 

Not sure how accurate the restoration is with that paint. Sure looks like a modern base coat, clear coat job to me, and very out of place on that car.

 

Dunno, at Pebble Beach Lloyd Bakan said it looked pretty good.

 

I'm sure it was. Orosco does 'em right.

 

Word I got from insider is that Andy Southard saw the car at Orosco's and remembered the current paint-job to be exactly as it was in '57.

 

The original frame for that car belongs to a friend of mine, he's a pretty private guy and not computer friendly. If I ever get out to his place again with my camera I'll get some pics.

 

The Bakan car was surprisingly close to the '32 three-window built by Eagle Rock rodder Alan Johnson in 1955. Alan painted his expertly built Deuce pale yellow and enjoyed it for several months before selling it to another Eagle Rocker when he, Alan, went into the USAF for several years to satisfy his ROTC obligation. It's interesting that two essentially identical coupes would be built in the same community, one a year in advance of the other, and the first one and its author are lost to us. Curious . . .

Mike

 

Guess I shouldn't be judging from online pictures. Anyone have photos of the other cars that were there (hot rod types)?

 

There's a couple on THIS THREAD

 

What is the silver colored object (with the sweeping curve) that appears to run from the driver's side frame rail to the upper firewall area? Probably something quite obvious, but I've yet to figure it out?

-Ryan

 

It looked like a tach or speedo drive cable. I didn't investigate though.

 

I have seen it also and passed on it at Pamona for you know who to buy it (no names). But does that mean the frame is aftermarket?

 

Here ya' go,......

( I also love the chop on this 3/W, canted "A" pillars look great. )

 

Missing from the history of this '32 is a huge Northwest connection. A couple names that need to be added are Jim Donovan and Doug Luzan (sp?) I will correct the spelling of his name if someone has it. Both of them have passed away. There was a post long long ago (maybe 8 years ago?) in regards to this when the car was 'found'. After the blast-fest his post created, it was the last time this particular person posted here.
Jim Donovan owned it from at least the 80's, or possibly before til around '92-'93 when Doug acquired it, around the time of Jim's passing. I don't know whom Jim acquired it from or how. Jim had a large and complete collection of really cool and significant cars - like the Coleman Brothers Dragster, and one of the nicest unrestored '36 Ford 3W taildraggers to ever prowl the earth. Jim took the '32 to nearly every Northwest show he could, even raced it at SIR, and other places. There is a picture made into a poster by a couple folks of the car 'tossing' the quick change rear to the back of the car under launch at Seattle International Raceway. (if someone has it please post it!) I have seen it on a garge/shop wall, but I have not been able to get a copy. Jim was I believe the kingpin of a NW group called the Road Agents. Jim is a figure worthy of a story of his own.
Doug was a builder of some of the finest flatheads in the world. His engines set records at Bonneville and other places. At least one of the coolest Ardun headed engines around passed through Doug's capable hands. The '32 was running a bitchin' flattie when Don bought it from him. And I mean BITCHIN'! Again - a person worhty of their own story!
A friend of mine has pics of the car at an event in Portland called Portland Transmission. This was 7 years ago. The car was Tahitian red, cycle fenders, bobbed rears, and save for the flathead, was as far as I can tell nearly as it was in '57. This car was nice enough to show at Pebble Beach as an unrestored car. I will scan and post those pics when I/we find them. The car had not deteriorated, it was well kept, well preserved, and both of these gentlemen understood the historical importance of this car, at a time when many others did not.
Not to dish on Pat whatsoever, as I respect his info, and love to read what he writes and documents - but the car never disappeared, maybe he never knew about this portion of ownership. It was known to anyone (who cared) in the NW, and we knew exactly the whereabouts of it, until Mr. Orosco purchased it. There are other cars still stashed away here. Remember during the 80's and early 90's - cars like this weren't sought out like they are today. Lots of us were into mini trucks, VWs, Pro Street, Street Rods, Camaros and such. It should be known that Doug really never wanted to sell the car, but a briefcase from which a rather large amount of money in increasing increments was presented to him, and at that time in his life, he didn't have a lot of other choices. May he rest in peace. Cars of this significance, aren't just 'found', people know where they are, some people just choose to keep the info to themselves, some sell it, some will give it to the right person, others hope that someday it could become theirs.
As a footnote - the whereabouts (name, phone # etc) of the car were 'traded', or sold to Don in exchange for a set of Divco wheels, we were there when they were brought to the Portland Swap Meet to give to the kid who gave him this info, they had brought them up from Cali to deliver to him. He still has 'em - he about got his a@@ kicked when what he did was found out. As NW rodders, we were always proud that this car had been one of 'our own' for 20 years plus, and were bummed when it went away. Yes - there actually ARE cool cars in the NW! Possibly some other NW Hot Rodders can add to this info, and fill in some much deserved blanks in this car's history. I, for one, feel that Jim and Doug deserve to be in that lineage. Tim

 

I saw that think at the Goodguys show... freakin' amazing....

Sam.

 

houseofhotrods,
thats an amazing addition to an already great story. cant wait for the other photos to surface.
Al.


Wanted... Pines winter front for a Deuce.

 

I have known the car since 1959. It was '56 Buick Titan red or Honduras Maroon lacquer when we towed it behind Richard Strock's Titan red '57 Ranchero to the Trident's car show in Long Beach.. I had heard the car was in the Oregon area a few years ago. I saw a picture posted on the HAMB about a year ago. I got the impression That Cunha or something like that had the car. I also heard a crybaby from Colorado bitch about Don getting the car. The blue car had bobbed rear fenders and the red version had exactly what Mr. Orosco put back on it. Hot Rod called the car maroon.

 

glad to see it back........

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I don't want to start a shitstorm but wouldn't you say the car looks over restored? They were never finished to such a high quality degree, I think that's relatively recent phenomena. Were there are any cars at Pebble Beach that didn't go this far?

It's still a beautiful car, but I think sometimes a bit of a survivor's spirit disappears when every little piece is more pristine than how even the factory made it.

 

Never was really crazy about Merc wheels & caps until I saw them on this car. Really well done and just looks right.

 

Yeah, was Tim Cunha? How does that guy fit into the history?

I think its always VERY interesting to learn how these old cars get around. Better than a mystery novel.

 

There was a thread about the car getting a restoration and a picture of the rear of it in a normal looking garage about a year ago,maybe longer. It was suppose to be Tim Cunha's. I studied the picture long enough to be convinced it was the car. I tried to e-mail Cunha to no avail. I tried to search the HAMB but I guess the thread is gone. I read about the car being seen on a Jalpoy Jounal thread in a magazine but I don't remember where. I really think this restoration has been quite a while in the works. Better than a mystery novel ? Dam right!

 

The post in reference may have been the one my friend posted on, but this particular one dealt with the car being 'found', and the enormity of it, instead of it being acquired, as actually happened. Talk about a shitstorm. I believe that some of the posts on the HAMB from long ago got 'vaporized' or lost at some point, I can't remember what happened to the posts, but I remember reading about it. He had made some comments that weren't taken well, and was offended by it, I DO remember WHAT he said, and can't disagree. I told him get over it, but he never has. So it goes.
I know that not too long after Don bought the car, Doug passed away, it's been several years since. I don't have an exact date as to when Mr. Orosco obtained it. I know there were some pics of it, a bit dusty, just pulled out of Doug's garage, making it look all the more like a 'find', and I believe that Doug was asked to step out of the pictures. It would be cool to see them, but even cooler if Doug was in 'em. Not sure where Mr. Cunha fits in, but I would be surprised if Don had ever sold it after obtaining it.

 

The car was actually in the Vancouver, Washington area and a little further north before that - Just across the river from Portland, but in WA nonetheless. It was always cool to see the car sitting in the parking lot at the swap meets and assorted events. It was a driver. A REALLY COOL driver - but still a driver.

 

Shhhhh..........

Good info there House of Hotrods.......I think I've seen this car in person before,,, now that ya mention it.........
Looks better with cycle fenders too......


Your right Nads........but it's the same with high end Musclecars too......guys want to "out restore" the next guy for more "points".... whadaya gonna do...???