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History anyone have pix. of keenan wynn's ford indy hotrod?

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by boo, Apr 11, 2015.

  1. boo
    Joined: Jul 6, 2005
    Posts: 580

    boo
    Member
    from stuart,fl.

    i have parts to put keenans car back together, seams that he changed it a lot while he had it, don't kno what form to redo it ??? was a 1935 ford indy car rebuilt to be streetable, had it from 1947 to 195? or 6?. or information about car.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  2. 22 track
    Joined: Mar 23, 2001
    Posts: 320

    22 track
    Member

  3. boo
    Joined: Jul 6, 2005
    Posts: 580

    boo
    Member
    from stuart,fl.

    Yes, No, Maby,???..since i have had the parts for kenans car , about 20 yrs. i've been told that i would be killed if i had them, that i couldn't have them, but they are in my barn. one man came from michigan to see them. amazing stories about the CARS from all around the country. the whole story as i have heard it is and pieced together from diff. people is.....1935 INDY wanted to get mfgs. in the race to cut costs, they hired harry miller and tucker to get mfg. they talked edsel ford into letting them build 10 cars for them,ford advertised that they were intering the indy race. time was running out and no cars so henry ford had 2 backup cars built at his shop. miller fonished 2 cars for the race, henrys cars sat till 1937-8 and were sold and the flatheads were replaced w/miller engs. and the bodies were changed for the miller engs, nomore looking like the car above. 1938 to 1947 ????? war i guess. 1947 cars are in indiana and are made into a 2man street car w/flathead again, w/ farings headlights new hood, headrest[origs had no headrest]. now story gets difficult, the wife of the man that bought the cars from henry and a tire dealer from indiana delivered the cars to calif. both to keenan or just one???? . 1947 keenan is in car in one configuration and in the 1947 movie THE OTHER LOVE it is wrecked [nose] i have pix of keenan making a new nose in CAR CRAFT shop, calif. looks different, color etc. another pix wo/body on it, another movie promo completly diff fenders, headlites. did keenan have both cars ????, both cars came back east, one michigan [car above], other indiana [now in speedy bills musium]. i have the parts that were removed to restore speedys car back to as henry built it.very interesting history, lot more but this is the jest of it. will post pix when i learn how.......
     
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  4. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,345

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    Hope you can post some pics soon!
     

  5. arkiehotrods
    Joined: Mar 9, 2006
    Posts: 6,802

    arkiehotrods
    Member

    Does this have anything to do with it?

     
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  6. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

  7. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,986

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  8. hotrodtom
    Joined: Apr 14, 2005
    Posts: 231

    hotrodtom
    Member

    If I were in your position I would want to talk with Corky Coker, of Coker Tires. It's been a few years, but he ran a Miller-Ford Indy car like #24 above (maybe the same car?) in the Great American Race a few times, and maybe would be able to fill in a few blanks in your information. Good luck -- it sounds like a great project, and I'm (we're all) waiting to hear more.
     
  9. I didnt know he was a car guy ! WOW I liked him in running wild
     
  10. Grandadeo
    Joined: Dec 24, 2008
    Posts: 1,092

    Grandadeo
    Member

    Pretty cool barn find Boo. Especially in your own barn. Now get back to work on that T coupe. After you get the new model A sedan unloaded of course. See ya Friday.

    Lee
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2015
  11. boo
    Joined: Jul 6, 2005
    Posts: 580

    boo
    Member
    from stuart,fl.

    rootie, the car in your pix , the grill and headlite shape and position look similar, also overall shape similar. wynn's had front motorcycle fenders, headlite set into a full fering that ran full length of car covering where the exhaust pipes are also a rear fender and headrest wich were not on the original henry built cars, speedy bills restoration is correct. in some pix he has plane 16'' ford wire wheels other has kelsey hayses???. in a 1947 popular mechanic mag with keenan in it it looks to be painted maby white and red or blue w/diaginal shape. other pix it is maroone [rudy@ COACH CRAFT REMEMBERED KENNAN AT HIS FATHERS SHOP ,IT WAS MAROONE] striping the hood we found maroone paint mostly????.
     
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  12. seatex
    Joined: Oct 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,670

    seatex
    Member

    Super cool! Pics!
     
  13. flyin-t
    Joined: Dec 29, 2004
    Posts: 1,423

    flyin-t
    Member

    Keenan's roadster
    [​IMG]

    And one of my favorite pics of him and his buddies...
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
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  14. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,495

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    I think [could be dead wrong] Corky has passed away a while ago, his son in law worked with him so he should know something about the car..
     
  15. boo
    Joined: Jul 6, 2005
    Posts: 580

    boo
    Member
    from stuart,fl.

    flyin-t, yep thats the car, in the movie the car has motorcycle front fend. and is a dark single color. other pix the headlite is raised, different cycle fender placement than in movie and a completely diff paint tutone. i am putting the car back like the pix you have,but it had been changed and screen mesh was in the cowl where the headlite assy went through the cowling. and looks like the lite had been put on a stand to raise it up, as in another pix i have. my guess is that the calif. headlite law made him raise them up?? that pix you have from the mech. ill. mag, is that a glossy print? it is much better than i have. mistory, are they all the same car???? great pix of keenan and buddies. i guess steve mcqueen rode with them also.
     
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  16. pitman
    Joined: May 14, 2006
    Posts: 5,148

    pitman

    Had heard that Wynn was a car guy. Wiki has pages; of a list of his films and TV series roles.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  17. Just a back slapper ... bump for pictures of your Wynn roadster pile. Didja' figure out how to load 'em ? Hope all is well.
    Dude. Your pic' stash. Amazing. Nose, hood top, belly pan, this car. Destiny to me, thank you man.


    Just two reminders. Pic' requests since 2013 (just saying) ... help us out, Mr. Boo sir..
    http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30759

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/anyone-have-pix-of-keenan-wynns-roadster.710928/
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
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  18. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,348

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    @boo you still have Sheetmetal and Components tucked away with no doubt some desire to get it together...that would be a special day as it was quite an Looker...So I am snooping for imagery and info and found this...as this Web evolves so does info...I found quite a extensive set of scans of historic info and pics from printed matter back some time ago 10 Pages here we go...

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P1.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P2.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P2.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P3.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P4.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P5.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P6.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P7.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P9.jpg

    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P10.jpg


    HistoryOfThe1935Welch-IndyFordSpecials&Car54_P8.jpg


    and heres a one off pic below from elsewhere but a better quality image of one above...

    keenan2.jpg

    So @boo I hope this inspires...and just thinking how Cool it would be to see those parts in a picture you have sat together to jazz the thread up a little more...;)

    Credit to Photographer's, Owner's
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2019
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  19. 42merc
    Joined: Dec 19, 2010
    Posts: 900

    42merc
    Member

    As an aside, Keenan was a motorcycle rider. I can remember seeing photos of Keenan participating with his Matchless single (maybe BSA) at southern CA hill climbs. About mid-late 60's.
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2019
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