Its Mine if I Want It...But What Is It???

Soooo...I finally get the wake up call we all dream of..."Hey, Willy, Im rehabbing my mothers basement and I got this gangster car body i gotta get outta here! I think its a ford but Im not sure...If you want it, take it!!"
Well, I went and took a look...it isnt a ford (at least not one ive seen) and its in decent shape for being under a barn for decades. So i agreed to save it from the demise of a sawzall and I will be bringing it home later but now for the fun part!!
What the heck is this??

 

Rare...

 

Sorry but that looks like patch material for another project.

 

Weeellll...in New England if its that old and still here its a "complete" vehicle!!

 

So one made a pick-up so want you got is the leftovers. Look around the farm for the rest of it. The frame may now be a haywagon.

 

Willy; take a look up inside the front windshield header where a normal car has a rear view mirror.... there should be an aftermarket body builder tag right in the center.

What your "cellar find" is... a "California hardtop" conversion for a touring car IMO

Also called an All Weather Top.

Very rarely ever seen. One popular maker was REX C-Dan also REX Auto Top.

It would have had side curtains stored up inside the headliner for summer rains. They also came with winter door tops/windows made of wood. Maybe those are around the cellar?

 

nope the frame was wood and is now back in the earth...

 

Those curved pillars are wild looking. I want to see it outside in some clear pictures. Is there a firewall/cowl or is it just the back panel?

 

The question is what was it.

 

I didnt see a tag but i will look again, there was some sort of mirror mount there. the header rail is wood with a metal lower wrap on it. but it appears that its all "one piece"...doesnt seem like an add-on top, Would the coach maker go the extra mile to make it like that?
Also the building was a funeral home at the turn of the century and this could be left from then...mourning limo, perhaps??

 

Dont know what it is...

Could make an interesting start to an extended cab pickup, though.

 

That IS what it is! Only one I've ever seen in person was a mid-20s Studebaker Phaeton(Touring Car) with a California Top at an estate auction at a funeral home in Campwood TX. Neat piece, find the rest of the toruing car or get another one but don't lose that top!

 

Sorry bout the pics...cell phone, in a cellar...just the rear panel and roof and rear fenders

 

The inside pic you put up shows typical Touring car framing in the lower body. The back window is a ringer for a Rex top I had.

But you are probably right about it being a fancy funeral conversion. Those top conversions were spendy.

 

some pics of a REX top insides; shows the compartment for summer curtains in the headliner.

and a pic of what the winter doors and front looked like.....

 

I don't know what it is, but I'd be looking for a touring body to throw that kick ass roof on!!!

I'll be watching this!!!

 

..another REX but made for a big roadster. Look and compare the back window shape to yours

 

Thats the subframe for the body
under that there was a steelframe
no car that size and age had a wood-
frame and that have been a big car

 

Ahh, very true! There is nothing else there visible short of an archaeological expedition!!

 

Franklins had a wood frame.

 

Ever hear of a Franklin?

 

Hey...it was a funeral home...the diggin' in the cellar may turn up something else..

 

id probably dig around in there

 

With reference to the comment about wood frames, I just found this on the HH Franklin Owners Club web site.

1925 - 1929 DeCausse Styled Hood

Mid 1925-26 11A 21" tires, round headlight bar
1927 11B 20" tires, flat headlight bar
1928 12A 4 wheel brakes, some fender mirrors, rounded corners on hood front
1928 12B Like 12A, longer wheelbase cars have steel frame
1929 13 Most have Ryan lights, vertical hood louvers, all cars have steel frame.
Beginning of deluxe series cars​

 

Yes, but until 1928 most had wood frames.

 

Then if that car had a wooden frame the mystery is solved

 

F&J looks like he nailed it. Looks like a touring body with a custom top. As for the make, there are much more knowledgable folks here than me.

My only question is, did you get it yet? If nothing else, that would make a really neat template for the top. Although, that rear section doesn't look to be in bad shape.

 

This started out as just an oddball back half body that someone had hacked off of something, but possibly is ending up as a rare accessory. More than interesting. I am staying tuned.

 

My book shows a 25 Studebaker Duplex as being very close to that design.

 

Here is one....