Thom Taylor driving the Stroker rdstr from Nashville to L.A.

Hot Rod Magazine's own and famed car artist Thom Taylor left Nashville DRIVING Bill Akin's historic '32 roadster Tuesday morning on his way to L.A.! It was 28 degrees when Thom left and later ran into sleet and freezing rain before he got to Memphis..........He must have a screw loose or have very large gonnads!! He is taking the car out west to be part of HRM's booth at the GNRS and then to be at the Hot Rod Homecoming in March...Bill and I will fly out 3-20-13 to attend this much talked about event and will be shipping Bill's 40 Coupe to also be part of the HR Homecoming....We will also be there to help our good friend Tom Medley aka Stroker McGurk celebrate his 93rd birthday 3-20-13! Below is a link to follow Thom's journey to the west coast in an open top roadster...You can check back daily and see the adventures of the day before...two articles already posted. Hope all of you fellow Hambers enjoy as this shows what we all preach - hot rods are meant to be DRIVEN.......Joe

http://blogs.hotrod.com/author/ttaylor/#axzz2I5RTvFyA

I'm also attaching a couple of pics of the car he is driving...and the 40 coupe that will be there also

 

No screw loose.
Just a true Hot Rodder on a vision quest !

 

A big thumbs up to this hot rodder!!!

 

Rad!

 

way cool,be safe..........

 

Not a screw loose, ya just gotta know Thom.
Die Hard kinda guy

 

Way to go Thom! Yep - die hard hot rodder to the max! What a fun trip this would be!

 

...I knew he was a diehard artist, didn't know he was this diehard of a hot rodder,...good luck to him.

 

Ruler!

 

I bet he won't have any overheating problems. HRP

 

What??? Driving to LA from Nashville in an open hot rod roadster?? That can't be done, (in my best sarcastic voice.)

That sounds like so much fun, more people should do crap like this. I remember seeing the car in person a time or two; an exorcize in utilitarian elegance.

 

Now THAT is Hot Rodding!!!!!

 

a damn fine inspiration to the rest of us old geezers! You go, Thom!!!!

 

Actually Jeff, these are early Indy car Halibrands with fronts mounted correctly and rears reversed to clear brake drums..Bill of course made the true knock off adapters and the wing nuts...these were taken off for the HR Homecoming trying to make the car exactly like it was when featured in 1979...being a perfectionist, he also removed the finned Buick front drums for this event..Bill also owns the 3 vintage Indy cars pictured below..all restoration done at home in his basement...these are some extra wheels he had laying around....Joe

 

His screw done came loose and fell out.. Oh! Hell i'd do if it was 30 years ago.

 

You won't believe it but he actually did have an over heating problem - the freezing rain froze up the grille shell fins and blocked them off!!!!!!!!!

 

Props to Bill for letting Thom take it out west
Joe, you and Bill should be driving the 40 out--not shipping it. Not like it couldn't make it. I have pics from the 80s of it at a Hermitage Hills show, and it looks the same now as it did then

 

Hey Earl: you bought any 93 octane for a 454 with webers lately?!? No doubt it would make it; I put about 2,000 miles on it this summer...I guess we'll take the puss route and get on the big bird...probably see you at the Fairground swap meet 2-3-13..........Joe

 

What a super cool trip. Envious feelings for a trip of a lifetime. Great sense of adventure and am so proud of this effort, best wishes for a safe trip, Mr. Artisto!! ~sololobo~

 

Crazy - it was 68 degrees here a week ago, this Monday & Tuesday we had freezing rain... I ran to the parts store Monday night in my '55 Chevy pu - the wipers froze solid to the windshield and broke the linkage to the motor!

Best wishes for a true Rodder.

 

dress warm-
L.A.s been colder than well...
colder than Nashville

 

Good for him, I have dreamed about driving across the country in a hotrod. But if I had my choice I think I might want to do it around May for a little better weather

 

Won't be able to do a Cold Run, but shooting for a trip from Kentucky to Bonneville in September!! Can't wait!!

 

Better he than me. A snowmobile suit, helmet and pair of good gloves would probably keep him pretty comfortable. My best friend used to drive his Model A roadster in the winter that way quite a bit.

 

I figured it was somethin' like that.....
See ya at the swap---I'll be in the same spot with Dave Midgett just like the last 15+ years

 

RESPECT from this roadster pilot.

 

go west young man! and wear your long johns

 

Better man then me!!! Be safe and stay warm Thom I'm following your blog