I have pics of this car saved in my inspiration folder for my own roadster build. I felt odd having to cut up an earlier turtledeck for my '26 RPU body and figured that back in the day, 26-27 turtledecks would have been common and cheap. But I found quite a few period cars like this where the builder whipped something up totally unique for the rear of the body, including an orange one that used the roof of a 30's Dodge panel truck to make a rear deck and I think ended up winning AMBR with it.
I've been searching for inspiration for mine also. I did find quite a lot of variation among back haves, including unique hand made beds from both steel and wood. Maybe because that's where a simple change can drastically change the look and add personality to a small body.
The car shows restraint,not the garish overdoing of too many other T's.I'm slowly getting over my bias of the T as you guys roll out more of the tastefully done cars of the era.I grew up in the 60s and 70s and hated T's,they all looked the same and resembled clown cars,usually driven by some guy that was trying to channel his inner Ed Roth.It takes a lot of talent to make one look good,but it can be done.
Dead on proportions are key for the hotrod look... without becoming cartoonish. This looks like a Hotrod!!!
More pics I had saved, these from Jan. 65. Looks like it was still running the single carb motor, and wide whitewalls all the way into the mid 60's, but with a wild paintjob.
Love this car, local icon. It was in almost every magazine at some point, Car Craft, Hot Rod and Rod & Custom all covered it.
Think they are post-war 6" Harley Davidson? Pretty much the way it always was on fenderless cars back then...
October '61 Car Craft. I have been in love with this car since I got this issue in 1973. What a nicely proportioned little car...
It's a cool T Roadster. But that box, in place of the deck, just keeps pulling my eyes to it. I wonder why he used it?
Me too. I suppose it would carry more cargo than the original turtle, but it just looks out of proportion to the rest of the car. Maybe he wanted to do something different just to be different. That's often the case when building a custom creation. I like the original (early) turtle much better and am using one on my car.
The Jalopy Journal
