So here we go. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing about it. When I was 6 years old, in 1958 - my father and my uncle were wrapping up their days of owning a race car - they raced 1936 and 1939 Pontiacs at the local track in Fort Wayne Indiana over the course of several years. After hitting the wall yet one more time - they decided to retire from racing - they had no sponsors in that day - and could no longer afford it. They backed this 1936 Pontiac into the garage: Stripped it down to the frame, narrowed the frame using cross members from both the 1936 and 1939 cars and created this, 1929 Ford Model A Hot Rod - "Bernadine". That is my uncle in the driver's seat - Dad took the photo and that is my arm waving right next to my uncle's head: They used parts from all sorts of cars from the auto graveyard behind their body shop. The body was a coupe and they cut the top off. They turned the rumble seat around and made it into a trunk. They used a 1932 Ford Model B Ford commercial truck grill shell, push button door handles from a 1947 Lincoln, internal push button handles and garnish moldings from a 1947 Kaiser Frazier. The tail iights were from a 1950 Pontiac, the license plate lights and front tenders were from motorcycles of the day. They kept the rear fenders only and bobbed them. They used tri spinner "planet" hub caps from a 1956 Olds. The motor was their souped-up 1936 Pontiac flathead racing motor. They rolled the door tops by using a muffler cut in half and lots of lead. They built custom bumpers resembling those used on the K-cars or sprint cars of the day, and had them chromed. They used the 1936 Pontiac headlights on the grill shell mounted sideways. They entered her in the first hot rod show ever in Fort Wayne, held at the memorial coliseum in September of 1958. Here is what she looked like that day: My father had quite a reputation building racing motors of the day, and he had an offer he could't refuse at the show and sold the motor out of the car. He always wanted to put a V8 in it anyways. Long story short, I handed my father wrenches and watched him make a 1958 Pontiac 370 block into a racing motor, using almost all Offy parts. He finished the motor in 1962 and mounted it in the car, but he never got around to getting all the related systems hooked up. For the details on the motor, please see my later post, below. He passed in 2007 and I inherited "Bernadine" which at the time was referred to as simply a "bucket of bolts". Here is "Bernadine" after digging her out of my father's garage in 2007, 1936 Pontiac frame and all - no trunk floor, no floorboard and none of the systems were even close to functional - the motor was barely bolted in: The bottom photo is a couple of the rods which were being worked on at the restoration shop I chose to help me in Indiana "Artisans Rods and Classics". I decided to restore her to the only car I knew, the original "Bernadine". On the left is the original "Bernadine" from 1958, and on the right is "Bernadine" over 50 years later, with me in the driver's seat. The car has been featured in Car Kulture Deluxe and the new version of the story I wrote is being featured in three parts on line from "Pinups and Kustoms" - an incredible car and girlie magazine based in Sweden. Part one is here: http://www.pinupsandkustoms.com/blog/bernadine-restoration-mutt-rod/ Here are a couple of color photos of the finished car from legendary pinup photographer Viva Van Story: A complete diary of the restoration is here: http://www.indiefinancialnetwork.com/hotrod.html Gonna try to hit a car show on sunday, but for me it's all about the weather. I have boat/marine grade vinyl on her seats, and put a few small water drainage holes in the floor board, but the convertible top stays off in the summer and it is not much fun getting caught in the rain. No wipers of course and drying her out is a labor intensive process I like to avoid if I can. I drive her locally a lot in the summer, mostly running my usual daily errands, but since 2007 I have only put about 1200 miles on her. The most amazing thing to me is how Dad's motor has held up. Even the seals were all fine after sitting around since 1962. The only thing we really did to her was remove the manifold and six pack strombergs and replace it with his four barrel manifold and an edelbrock. We had to make an angled spacer under the carb to allow the carb to sit level - but I liked the idea of a 4 barrel with a choke - this car is a DRIVER and I didn't want to have to spend time by the side of the road dealing with the strombergs, which we knew can be on the finicky side with changes in humidity. I was really concerned at first, because she was drinking a lot of oil and spewing lots of blue smoke during break in - but now, literally no blue smoke and never uses any oil at all. It's a crying shame, but I live on a beautiful lake but there is no place to put a garage. I keep her in a storage locker near my office, and my mechanic is 100 yards away. My dad always told me that after the break in period, either pull the pan or use a magnet to get all the break-in shards out, which I will have done tomorrow. I couldn't be happier with that motor, although she does run a little hot at times. My buddy has a couple of GTO's and those motors run pretty hot too, not dangerously hot, but hotter than expected. We added a small expansion tank on the cooling system and that seemed to help a lot. The reverse cooling on the motor takes a little getting used to. It's certainly been a magical mystery tour. Oh, and as a side note, a kind gentleman on here sent me a couple of PM's and made me realize that my nickname for Bernadine "muttrod" was borderline disrespectful. Too much like using the R word. So, I dropped it from my website, had them drop it from the article in Sweden and I am getting rid of the "MUTTROD" plate and have already ordered a new veteran's plate from the NY DMV that says "1929er". Also, the car was slated for a feature in the July "Rat Rod Magazine" and I cancelled it. Thanks to him as well! Now if I could just change my screen name......Enjoy! MuttHappy
Thanks so much for the kind words, still making my way through the threads to take in all of these incredible rods! What a great board this is! MuttHappy
Would love to have that kind of history with a car. Plan to do that with my grandson. So far at 7 he has a nice 69 Mustang convertible and we are working on a 30 Model A coupe.
Since I'm reading this on Father's Day, I can't think of a more fitting tribute. Thanks for bringing back "Bernadine". Love the 6 deuces!! Pontiacs Rule.
Again, thanks so much for all the kind words - it is very much appreciated! I wanted to get it posted here before Father's Day as the entire restoration was a tribute to my dad and my uncle. Interesting story about the grill shell. My dad originally had the souped up 1936 Pontiac Flathead racing engine in the car but used a standard sized radiator. We were in a parade once and the car overheated and we had to leave the parade with billows of steam coming out. My dad was really embarrassed and remembered that the 32 Ford Truck grill shell had plenty of room for an oversize radiator. He put the oversize radiator in for the V8 and also installed a dual-fan unit to keep it cool. If you have ever looked closely at a standard 1932 Ford car grill shell, you will notice that it does NOT extend out to the inside edges of the frame rails. However, on Bernadine, the grill shell goes all the way to the edge of the inside rails - it is a good 2-3" wider on each side. The reason I believe it does - is that it is a 1932 Ford Commercial Truck grill shell. (PLEASE NOTE: Another member has disputed this - apparently the 32 truck and car grill shells are pretty close to identical in size, something I did not know. Although my Dad's diary notes on the car clearly say "1932 Ford Model B Commercial Truck Grill Shell". For the record - I am certainly no expert and I am not sure any more what year or model the grill shell is. The truth could be that the 1932 frame is slightly wider than a 1929 Frame and when I park next to the 1932's it gives the illusion that my grill shell is wider, due to the lack of space on mine between the grill shell and the frame. Have to measure it this weekend side by side and then maybe I can find out.) The 1958 Pontiac 370 also uses "reverse" cooling as below. REVERSE COOLING IN THE 1958 PONTIAC POWER PLANT IN "BERNADINE" 1958 Pontiac motors had a cooling system which uses reverse flow circulation for maximum cooling efficiency. In reverse flow, cooled water from the radiator passes first to the cylinder heads, which are the hottest parts of the engine, and then to the cylinder block which is the coolest portion of the engine. Water enters each cylinder head from the pump through a water distributing tube that is inserted into each cylinder head. Openings in the water distributing tube direct coolant in jet fashion onto valve seats and around each exhaust passage. This feature is referred to as “gusher valve cooling”. The combination of reverse flow circulation and gusher valve cooling results in relatively low operating temperature of valves and valve seats. Valve life is greatly increased, therefore, and valve seat inserts are not required. With reverse flow circulation no cooled water is thrown directly on cylinder walls to cause cylinder distortion. Sludging of engine oil is minimized since highest temperature coolants are retained in the cylinder block, particularly during warm-up, and condensation on cylinder bores is thereby reduced. Water circulation during warm-up (thermostat closed) is from the pump to the water distributing tubes to the cylinder heads. Water circulation after normal operating temperatures are reached (thermostat open) takes two courses. Part of the water will always recirculate through the block as outlined above. A large portion of the water, however, will pass from the pump to the water distributing tubes, to the heads, and thence directly into the top of the radiator through the water outlet page in the front of the intake manifold. The 1959 Shop Manual talks about why reverse flow cooling was used and extols the benefits of reverse flow and gusher valve cooling. Why did Pontiac abandon the documented superior cooling system and switch to conventional flow in the 1960 model year without any explanation? No one seems to know for sure. CHUCK'S ORIGINAL MOTOR - with the six pack and the "offy" style log manifold he built. He used 1955 cylinder heads and it exceeds 400 HP with a compression ratio that has been measured to be nearly 13:1. Remember, this was 1958 and Pontiac was making major roads at NASCAR - and the 1958 Bonneville was the Pace Car for the 1958 Indy 500: A WORD ABOUT THE 1958 PONTIAC 370 CI POWER PLANT IN "BERNADINE" from Hemmings Motor News, article here: Hemmings Motor News As Pontiac enthusiasts have long known, the heart of every V-8-powered Pontiac is its engine. These big-bore power plants are engineering masterpieces, and are considered by many professional engine builders to be the very best carbureted V-8 engines that General Motors ever produced. The reasons are many. Introduced for the 1955 model year sporting 287 cubic inches, the cylinder block was enlarged to 316 for 1956, 347 for 1957 then to 370 cubes for the 1958 models before Pontiac engineers settled on the 389-cubic-inch displacement for 1959. The 389 lasted through the 1966 model run before being enlarged to 400, then 455 cubic inches. Based on a 90-degree design, the 370-cu.in. overhead-valve V-8 had a bore and stroke of 4.06 x 3.56 inches. The stout blocks were overbuilt with unusually thick webbing, strong bulkheads surrounding the main bearing and thick walls surrounding each cylinder bore. Ultra-tough forged steel crankshafts with wide 2.625-inch diameter main journals and super-strong forged steel connecting rods with wide 2.25-inch diameter big-end journals and full floating wrist pins were the reason the 370's bottom end is so indestructible; in fact, so well-designed were these long 6.625-inch rods that they were used throughout the Pontiac V-8's entire production span, and that lasted until 1978! And if that wasn't enough, a windage tray was standard. The windage tray, which was fastened atop the crankshaft's main caps, scrapes the oil off the crankshaft as it spins, reducing the oil's parasitic drag and freeing up a few horsepower. Up top, the cast-iron cylinder heads featured dual springs per valve to insure positive sealing while eliminating valve float at high rpm. More importantly, specially designed rocker-arm studs accurately located the rocker-arm nuts for correct preload of the hydraulic lifters-this rocker-arm design eliminates the need for regular adjustments. Between the cylinder heads sits a heavy cast-iron dual-plane intake manifold to which a Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor is fitted. Late in the model year, some 500 cars were fitted with a Rochester 4GC four-barrel carburetor. All Tri-Power units used Rochester two-barrel carburetors with vacuum activated linkage. To ensure that the cylinder heads were secured to the block as firmly as possible, ten beefy 1/2-inch bolts were used. Each bolt was anchored into special bosses that were cast into the outer walls of the block, as opposed to the more usual location of the water jackets or cylinder walls. This sound engineering principle helped minimize distortion of the cylinder bores when the bolts were torqued down, in addition to eliminating any potential water leaks. Another outstanding production technique that was a characteristic of Pontiac's advanced design and engineering was the machining of the combustion chambers. This process creates identically sized chamber volumes for all eight combustion chambers, thus ensuring the same power output for each cylinder. Raw cast chambers that are not machined, which is the typical cylinder head finish used by all the other auto manufacturers, do not have equally precise chamber volumes, thus causing the power output of each cylinder to vary slightly which, in turn, affects the engine's smoothness. Unfortunately, we could never get the motor to idle smoothly with the six Strombergs, even with the technical notes my father had saved. We had over 40 hours in trying to use his manifold and carbs - to no avail. Happily he had both a tri-power and a four barrel manifold waiting in the wings - and in the end we settled on an Edelbrock four barrel. All the best, and thanks again for all the kind words.... What a fantastic "welcome" to the board. MuttHappy
I'm not trying to start a fight so please don't take it that way. You seem pretty intent on having all the details nailed down on this car. Was just trying to help. 29 and 32 grille shells are totally different animals. It's hard to tell from your pics but it looks like the grille bars are removable from your shell. If so, it's not 32 commercial it's 32 passenger car. Maybe it's just the stainless trim making it look that way. 32-34 commercial grille shells, the bars are part of the stamping and not removable. 32-34 commercial grille shells are all similar but slightly different in thickness front to back and the cap trim or none and the 34 having the trim around the edge without trim around the crank hole.
Your point is well taken and I certainly do not want to be passing along information that might not be correct - so thanks for the head's up. My father's original notes say that it is out of a "1932 Model B Commercial Truck" like this one: For reference: Not sure, but it looks like the same grill shell to me? Thoughts? Best, MuttHappy
That pic also looks like a passenger car grill. Also the rad cap hole on top has been filled and peaked, on the truck in the pic and yours. Below is a pic of my 32 commercial grille that is stock except the I have added the 34 commercial stainless trim which doesn't go around the crank hole. 32 commercials used a round rad cap like mine. You'll notice the crank hole on mine looks different than yours but like I said before that could just be the trim. The easiest way to tell though is if your grille bars can be removed from the shell or not. Here's a link to a good thread on passenger vs commercial shells. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/is-this-a-1932-commercial-grille.857776/
So my answer is a simple - I don't know what it is, then. What I DO know is - I get parked next to 1932's all the time at shows, and if you look at my grill shell next to a '32 car grill shell, mine is much wider. You can eyeball them and see the difference pretty obviously. My Dad was pretty sharp, but he may have gotten this detail wrong. Best, MuttHappy
P.S. I am also a musician and collector of rare medium scale bass guitars. I found this one in Japan and had it painted to match the car exactly: I take it with me to car shows along with a little Roland battery powered amp I keep in the trunk - so I can fire it up and play along to the doo-wop if I feel like it! By the way, a few people have asked about the modern "amenities" on Bernadine. It does NOT have disc brakes or any "modern" amenities, with the exception of a heater, because it is a driver and I get chilly during certain times of the year. My father, owned a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am which was his favorite car of the modern era. He hit a patch of stones one night after having his foot a little too far into it and he rolled it a couple of times and totaled it. Dad was OK, but after the insurance claim was settled he went out to the junkyard and pulled the steering column out of it. He could tell that "Bernadine" would need a tilt-wheel because it is way too tight after channeling the body over the frame, and having the seat literally sitting on the floorboards. Besides, he wanted to share that special ignition key with Bernadine, so the Trans Am could stay with him. So YES, she also has a tilt wheel. Bass collection is here: www.innertainment.net MuttHappy
Haha....awesome. I should have known you found this site. I just emailed you on your financial site. Nice link to the restoration of your car. Very cool.
Too bad political correctness got to you. The term "mutt" as applied to hot rods is older than I am, and was used to mean a mixture of unrelated parts, kinda like a mixed-breed dog. It is the perfect word to discribe your Dad's car. I hope you will reconsider dropping the term from it's rightful use as a part of your Dad's car's unique history.
The little red truck in the photo has a passenger car grille installed, which is what happened very frequently. Even today, many '32 trucks will boast the grille from a passenger car. Some are made from fiberglass, but several steel versions are available. It is one of the most recognized grilles today.
Thanks so much for all the kind words! Yes, I see now Gary that you are correct sir, it IS a 1932 Ford Model B grill shell from a car and not a truck! Correction noted - thanks for setting me straight on that! I also have new Veteran plates on Bernadine that say: "1929er". I still have the MUTTROD plates and can change it back any time. I appreciate the kind comments in that direction. I certainly never meant it in a demoralizing fashion - but after much thought decided to go the other direction because I agreed it didn't represent her in the best possible light. As mentioned briefly above - I wrote the complete story of her which is quite lengthy and a completely different animal than the photo diary of the build that some of you saw here: http://www.indiefinancialnetwork.com/hotrod.html The story was picked up by "Pinups and Kustoms" as I mentioned in the original post, which is Sweden's biggest online custom car magazine. For those who may not know, Sweden is HUGE on American Hot Rods and claim ownership to more old cars than we have in the US - They have a show every year that draws over 15,000 American cars - as this recent article from the New York Times indicates: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/03/automobiles/detroit-love-swedish-style.html?_r=2 I realize I posted the link to part one above, but "Pinups and Kustoms" now have part two up, and the story is in three parts. Part three will be up shortly: Part one is here: http://www.pinupsandkustoms.com/blog/bernadine-restoration-mutt-rod/ Part two is here: http://www.pinupsandkustoms.com/blog/bernadine-the-restoration-of-a-hot-rod-part-2/ The GOOD news is that this Swedish Magazine, "Pinups and Kustoms" is going PRINT as well as ONLINE - and Bernadine will be featured prominently in the inaugural issue - MAYBE on the cover - to be announced soon. Also, the Bandana Splits a 1950's type female vocal trio is doing a version of the original Pat Boone hit "Bernadine" - from the hit movie of the same name from 1957-8. If you don't know, Bernadine was named after the song - and in the movie Bernadine is personified as the perfect but unattainable woman - and the song lyrics are all about a "rocket powered car". We are of course, going to use the car in the video for the song. There is a cool YouTube video of Pat Boone singing the song from the movie for those who are interested. Just do a search on "Bernadine Pat Boone" and it will come up. I tried to post it here but apparently the copyright status with YouTube does not allow it. Here is a taste of the Bandana Splits from their first release to give you an idea: There will also be an upcoming feature of both the car and my bass guitar collection in "Guitar Aficionado" magazine in an upcoming issue. For those interested, my bass collection is here, in case you missed the link posted earlier: www.innertainment.net Click on any instrument and see close up photos and as you scroll down you can see the history of each build. I am sorry, and no offense intended to anyone on this board - I am much more of a designer and idea man - I am NOT an auto restorer/builder/mechanic. I am NOT the guy picking up the wrenches, the torches or the paint gun, nor will I ever be. I don't have a garage, I don't own any tools, I admire and respect cars as much as anyone - but never had the talent, aptitude and understanding with cars that my father and my uncle had. I have learned a lot here and I admire those that do with nothing but the utmost respect. However, cars are a passion for me but not my primary passion, like many of you. I can feel a certain negative attitude towards me at times - obviously, it's a "tough room" and a highly educated and opinionated hot rod group. I haven't really been spending much time on here - maybe that will change some day - but I really don't think so and maybe it shouldn't. Maybe it is perfect just the way it is, idea men and designers are a dime a dozen while builders and restorers are in-demand artists. Thanks so much to all again for you interest - it means a lot - and I know my dad and my uncle are looking down and smiling big time from the heavens! MuttHappy
Mutthappy, I came across your 2014 post while searching for info about the car show in 1957 at Fort Wayne Coliseum. I was 15 at the time and just getting into cars and I convinced my dad to attend. Therefore I am confident I saw Bernadine at that time. Sitting right at the entrance to that show was the lavender version of the R&C pickup owned by its editor, Spencer Murray. I took about 15 photos of it. Following the end of the show, he towed it to the Bob Metz garage somewhere in Indiana and that is where Bob added the rear fins and the white pearl paint. I am glad to see you still have the original Bernadine. ^5
great car, saw the pat boone movie in 1956, i guess the car was named after the movie or the song, great song and car.
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