According to George he pulled up to the beach in front of the locals pulled the motorboard out of the truck... Fired it up did a few laps brought it back on the beach loaded it up in the truck and took off... he said no one could figure out what just happend.. who knows?? hahahahahaa Same girl on the cover BTW..
No kidding, man thats some serious sectioning! Is that a shoebox Ford? Can't really tell but the front end looks kinda like one. You ought to section your '51 Chevy like that Jason!
I'm sure there is a photo of that car in the proofs I have at the shop.. theres probally 20 + sheets of photos... I'll have to look next time Im there..
No way. I didn't even realize that thing actually worked. I thought it was just for show / prop! I can only imagine what everyone was thinking when they saw that thing do a couple of laps. That pic is taken in the lagoon in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki. BTW...Where is she now? Section the Chevy? I don't think I have the eggs or the skills to pull that one off! Whatever that is behind that Dragster, it looks like it's had a lot of work done to it. Every old photo I've come across from Hawaii is of Hot Rods. Have not seen any Kustom stuff! And I know they were as big a deal as the Rods were. Anybody else come across anything, please post. Please dig those up, would love to see them! Mahalo!
Bummer news I just found out. This black Roadster that won the 1957 Honolulu Autorama and was featured in Hot Rod Mag is pretty much missing-in-action. The builder, Gene Urasugi just happens to be a co-worker of John Figueroa. He sold the car years ago and after passing through a few hands ended up with an owner who had some mechanical problems and end result of that was the car basically sat in his yard, in the elements for about 30 years! It was pretty much toast, but someone from Kailua ended up with the remnants and rebuilt it the best he could. It was last seen on the road sporting a V6 (Yikes). Car was again sold and is rumored to still be stashed away in some ones garage in Saint Louis Heights, Honolulu. It's disappeared again.
That must be the "Tweety Bird". Nice car. I've been to Austin a couple of times and I think the Aloha Spirit exists there as well. Great place and nice people makes for similarly cool cars!
This thread is awesome. Guess I'll need to stop by Oahu for a few days the next time we're over there! Dennis
Since this is becoming the "All Thing's Hawaiian Hot Rod" thread, I thought I'd add this information about the Haruo Morishige Roadster here. You can get the full and pretty amazing story here from the online magazine, Honolulu Streets. http://www.honolulustreetsmagazine.com/streetnews_morishigedeuce_dec05.htm This car is still owned by Mr. Stanley Kong and in California. I would love for this 50's built, Hawaiian Roadster to make its way back to Honolulu and more specifically...into my garage. If Mr. Kong is on the HAMB, please put those custom bent tubing bumpers back on with the "H" for Haruo back on!
I missed you the last time you were here. See you next time! Eli, when you "talk story" with some of the old timers, you get a picture of how huge the automotive scene was here. Circle Track, Road Racing, Drag Racing, cruising the boulevard in a Hot Rod or Kustom, Drive-Ins....it was serious business. There were a lot of really talented mechanics and metal fabricators here, professional and back yard. I've heard that Maui also had a huge scene. The dirt track there was a full quarter mile long (the track here at Stadium Park in Moiliili was only an 8th mile track) and heard some neat stories about the speeds on the straightaways. Glad you like! I dig.
I was lucky enough today to talk with the current owner of this black channelled Roadster. Thanks to Layne for letting me poke around his shop and see the awesome collection of cars and memorabilia he's accumulated throughout the years. He definitely has a great sense of local history and that's reflected in his collection. I didn't get to see this black Roadster today, but hope to see it again in the future. This car was originally built in the 50's by a guy named Okuda who, from what I hear was a great body and fender man. Doing most of his metal fabrication on a hollowed out tree stump and over acetylene tanks. In fact the beautiful rolled pans on this car were formed on acetylene tanks.
Layne did show me a stack of pictures he took of yet another surviving, 50's, Honolulu built Roadster. I believe this car was also worked on extensively by Okuda. Unfortunately the current owner of this one has refused to get it rolling or to sell it to someone who will. According to Layne, he's seen this one sitting as you see it since 1968! I can never understand the mentality behind that. This Roadster has some unique touches to it as well. the stance looks pure HI Style. The rear fenders have been raised and bobbed with motorcycle style fenders up front. Funky headlights with cast aluminum rock guards that aren't familiar. A custom built torsion bar front suspension....
Even the interior on this one has some really nice touches. How about a door mounted ashtray? The silver piping on white with blue inserts is a nice combo... upholstery is pure class. The accessory tonneau cover snaps into place and included a nice pocket for the steering wheel and a separate zippered section for exposing the driver side only.
Here's a Hawaiian 50's built Coupe. I don't have much info on this one except it was once owned by a local organized crime character. This Coupe was restored and sold to someone in New Zealand. I'm sure it's still there. Great old photo!
Stoked! Thanks "Lucky 444" and others for showing us some Hawaiian styles. I hope to carry it on, small kine, w my backyard project 31 sedan here on the Big Island. Stump and hammer ! As usual, the Australians can spot the good stuff....
Man those new photos rule!! That survivor is real kick ass.. I gotta bring a camera in December.. Might have to do some work
I was traveling a lot last month and just started a new job so haven't been able to go out to John's or Layne's to see if they've been working on their Roadsters. Will try to get some new pics soon. Thanks for the bumps! Hey Jungle Jalopy, have you seen this HAMB Group?... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=368 I am trying to change it to "Hawaii State HAMB" so that it could include all of us here in the islands. Let's see pics of your build. You vacationing in December, Piero? I was in LA for a bit a few weeks ago and ran into Brett at a small show at Bob's Big Boy Broiler in Downey. Good to catch up. See you soon man! Cheers, Jason
I really like this roadster. They shrank the reveals on the top rear body. Like my roadster. I wonder who did the metal work? Sorry, I was referring to post #23
I was wondering if anybody had any information on my 32. I received a call from a gentleman in Hawaii named Frank that owned my car 30 years ago and he said it was featured in Hot Rod Magazine in 1957 or 1958 at about the same time as the Morishige roadster. He said it was full fendered then. It has a Hawaii VIN and certainly some of the Hawaiian built traits. Any help would be great. Thanks!
its been changed a lot but Check page 4 post #73 and #77. That's the one. I just showed the pictures you posted to a friend and he said exactly what Lucky444 posted up. Aloha There was actually an aluminum top being built for that car but it supposedly never got finished.
I saw that car on ebay a while ago and if had any money at the time I would of bought it in heart beat.. Really cool features.. I fell a little bit in love.. Now thats definatlly that car posted earlier.. thats is really neat.. looks like its time to find yourself some fenders,, hahahaha
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