Hot Rods Ferrari-powered hot rods at The Quail.

Flicking through the latest email update from Ultimatecarpage.com, I spotted a pic of a Ferrari-powered '32 roadster. This one...



It looked OK, but it wasn't quite doing it for me. Bit too busy in the engine bay and I thought it would've looked better with hood sides. Googled 'Ferrari hot rod the quail' in search of some more pics.

Found THIS!



Same event, parked right next to each other. No idea if there's any relationship between the two cars, but this one works for me.

Ryan? You diggin' it?

 

Those things would be pretty cool if it weren't for the god awful tops and big disk brake system. I actually sort kinda like the vibe on that bottom one. It reminds be if a Doan Spenser met Carol SHelby and by some sort of lab experiment they had a child.....and he built this.

 

Those builds are so extremely similar, I am sure that they were done by the same builder. That being said I really like both, especially the second only change i would do would be that roof and brakes, maybe something to tone down that red i the engine compartment, but would love either of them!

 

O/T; Anyone see the new 458 on Top Gear? GIMME!

p.s. Those tops make me ache jus' lookin'. I'm gettin' more K.T.Keller everyday.

 

Yep, it aired on Tuesday night.

It did pretty good skids.

 

THESE CARS LOOK AWESOME! not crazy about the side mirrors tho. too coddington looking

 

I'd grin like a Chessie Cat with either parked in my garage but would make a few subtle changes such as on the mirrors. If the first one is a Moal car you can bet there is a very attractive pair of hood sides sitting in the owners garage that should be on the car.

 

that's almost traditional, "Magoo" won the GNRS in '79 with the Deucari

remove the top and swap the wheels/tires and it's damn near the same car..

 

My initial purist response was I don't like the tops. But the second car with the more modern top actually looks good.

 

I haven't got my book from TRJ yet, otherwise I may have known that.

That's why the second one looks better then, because it's got a Ford in it.

 

I like to look at vintage sports cars, and appreciate the craftsmanship and fabrication that went into them, but this kinda rubs me the wrong way. I guess it was bound to happen sooner than later, I mean when you have guys putting 32 valve Lexus engines into streetrods, ya gotta expect this right? Moal has done another car with a Ferrari engine as well. A Gurney/Westlake Ford is more palatable to me, but I just wonder about the real motives behind these constructions.

 

It's BOB Morris.

EDIT: Actually... it's Bob Morris.

The 'Nickel 32'.



... or is it?

Different hairpins, soft top etc...

NOPE! Different car...

This one has a Yenko Weslake (???) Chev(?) in it...



OK... I'm confused...

 

Come to think of it... both cars are at a Ferrari display at the Quail. They wouldn't let it in if there wasn't some kind of Ferrari connection.

I think you might be mistaken, McKee.

Badge on the grille give any clues?

 

EDIT #52... (It's midnight, why aren't I in bed...?)

Anyway, found this here...

Go to Page 5 - http://www.yearofthedeuce.com/pr/deucediary3.pdf

BOB MORRIS ROADSTER
Sometimes called “The Nickel Roadster” for the brushed finish on parts such as the DuValle
windshield, this Doane Spenser-inspired beauty heralded “The New Trend—Beyond Billet: Back
to Basics” when it appeared on the R&C cover in April ’93. A Gurney-Weslake Ford hides under
the solid hood, Steve Davis made the aluminum top, Covell rolled the pan, and Allen Johnson
and Pete Eastwood fabbed the chassis on this masterpiece that now resides in actor Tim
Allen’s garage.

 

Well, when you have that engine (Yenko Westlake) in a slick car you get invited to and get to park it just about anywhere you want to go in my way of thinking.
The car looks a lot better with the soft top though.

 

that's the Nickel 2, not the original Nickel Roadster that Bob had built.

 

the roof has to go

 

If the wheels were oxidized to shit they would not have the sheen that I see in the pix. My oxidized Halibrands are all dull and don't have the reflectivity that the ones on the second car have.

Roo

 

How many good looking roofs have there been on roadsters with Du Val windshields? Can't say I've seen many, if any. It seems to be a bit of a square peg in a round hole excercise. That said, these two hard tops are pretty good efforts.

 

I kinda like the 2nd one, but have to agree the roof's don't cut it i'm afraid.

 

I like em both. I like the roof and can appreciate the reason/style behind em.

 

Tah-may-toes...tah-mah-toes! I don't care, I like both of these deuces, including the tops and DuVall windshields. If I had the kind of money it takes to build one of these beauties, I'd do it in a heart beat. But, I don't so I'll just appreciate what others can do...

 

I do burnouts in either.

 

I like the tops. Maybe the idea behind the open sides showing the motor is that the exotic sports cars do the same and its a mix of both worlds. I would have to say if there has ever been a mix of both these are the best examples.

I dig both cars.

 

You guys possibly have any pictures of the traditional duece in the background off this picture =)???

 

That all black in the second shot is bad.

 

Both are awesome roadsters. The one owned by Tim Allen (black wheels),was built in the early 80's by some of the best builders of the time. Steve Davis did the top and much of the metal work. It is incredible. One of the best of all times. Certainly above and beyond traditional, and definitely not contemporary.

 

To be correct the credit for the first Nickel Roadster goes to Don Thelan of Buffalo Motor cars. Don was a contemporary and good friend to Jim "Jake" Jacobs, Pete Chapouris, Eric Vaughn and Pete Eastwood when they were all just young hot rodders. The core group of Don, Jake and Eric were all fresh out of high school members of the Early Times car club each owning very nice hot rods in a time when most young guys were driving fifties cars or brand new muscle cars. These guys actually brought back excitement to hot rods the same way the Choppers and Shifters would to later generations. Each would go on to make their mark in the hot rod world with Pete & Jake's, Real Wheels and Buffalo Motor Cars. Don was taken unepectedly at an early age in the 90's after creating many high end hot rods (including many woodies) like the "Buffalo Nickel" Roadster as it was originally called. Don also built another car known to most people- The ZZTop Eliminator Coupe.

Don't get why so many people have trouble with the top- it's actally almost an EXACT copy of the top off the car that completely inspired both cars- The Doane Spancer Roadster. It's rarely seen with the top, but Doane had Valley Custom help create a hardtop for his Roadter using the top from a '36 Ford Coupe. The classic lines of his car are totally represented by both of these cars shown.

The second Nickel Roadster was built by Steve Moal.

 

I love the tops !!...they are better than any loose fitting bob top Ive ever seen.....best of both worlds,,,,,