Features Bloody Mary on Ice

Thanks Dennis that is an awesome link. Some great pics of the old and new cars from Victoria.

 

Still working away on the Mary.........

 

Chester's T in a car show early 60's Victoria B.C. Canada.

 

Whatever happened to Chester's T? There is a rumour that it is still in Victoria somewhere. Anybody know?

 

Part of the Ron Ford Collection in Vancouver, restored by Roy Brizio, now a V8-60

 

Wow, thanks Dennis!

 

Two more old hot rods from the Victoria area in the sixties were the "el torro" a Oldsmobile powered channeled Model A roadster and the Orange Crate that was owned by H.A.M.B. member oldschool55 for a while I believe. Don't know where the Orange Crate is today but "el torro" has been restored and now lives in Qualicum Beach on the island.

 

Anything you want to know about the Orange Crate coupe is here, told by Daryl Foster
http://www.vihr.ca/dans-blog/2016/9/2/daryl-fosters-history-of-the-cal-morrow-coupe

 

"el torro" after restoration.

 

Wow, had no idea that was the same car!

 

I was really knocked out by this car at Deuce Days, was talking to the owner at Clover point.

 

The blue RP behind El Toro in the first photo at Clover Point is another local area survivor.

 

"el torro" at a car show 2013. This is the car that got me hooked on hot rods for the rest of my life. I was around 16 years old at the time and Johnny drove it up my street. My lower jaw must have hit the ground when I seen it!!

 

Ian's roadster pickup is a clone of the one he had when living in Vancouver, but it is not the same car, (survivor)

 

Ooops! Didn't know that, I had heard locally (mainland) that it was the same truck.

 

Well, the Bloody Mary made it out of the shop today and we took it for a drive. Everything seemed OK however there is still lots of work to do.

 

The Blue roadster pick up was built by me in the mid 1960's. The show is at the PNE

That blue roadster P.U. was called " Blue Jay". It was built by Ian in the mid 1960's. It was powered by a 394 Olds with a B&M Hydro. The picture was taken at the PNE in 1967. The group of cars is the B.C. Roadsters. Cam's tub is the yellow one. Ian has tried over the years to find his original R.P.U. It has to be out there in th B.C. mainland somewhere. Contact Ian if you have any info.

 

Good work, Keith and John! Those hubcaps are perfect! The Bloody Mary is back on the road after a lot of hard work.

 

Thanks Steve, the spinner hubcaps will look better after he gets some wide whites on the car.

 

I'm glad to see the hood fitting much better, and the whitewalls will look great. Those hubcaps have now been on a couple of local chopped customs, here's how they will look with WW.

 

There's one 'R' in 'Toro'. (means 'bull') Why are there two Rs in 'Torro' on the car?

My bud Ramsay's cousin Marge was a notorious car striper and caricature painter in the '50s.
(her last name was 'Toro') She got commissioned to paint a name and character on the sides of a Sanger hull drag boat. Fresh pearl white paint, Marge had a great 'canvas'...
The name was "The Purple Rapier", so Marge drew a character out, looked like an ominous little character...he had toenails like a raccoon, big fat feet and legs. Short in stature, and held a male...well, like a large red-headed 'flashlight' in his hand...menacing...Coolest little nasty guy you ever saw.

The boat owner came to pay and get his boat...looked at the work and was FURIOUS!
He said, "Where the f@@k's the sword???" Marge yelled back, "He's a RAPER! He doesn't use a sword..."
God, I laughed...Rapier, Raper? Sounds like the 'logic' on here. Crying about 'spelling nazis'...
Misspelling can bring consequences...

 

Hey Dennis. on the topic of Vancouver area roadster pickups-do you know any history of Lenny McKay's first hot rod? Lenny bought it in about 1963, was medium blue, black fenders, black Chrysler wire wheels with Bruce pie crust slicks, white interior and running a 322 nailhead? I know the history of it after Lenny but not before-have been curious for years.

 

Don, I started a conversation with you, hopefully you got it, I was having a little trouble with it.

 

Keith picked up a Cadillac engine today for a future installation in the Bloody Mary.

 

The lump we hauled back from Chilliwack, doesn't look much lighter than it did then. Did he get the transmission as well? There is a Wilcap Adapter to a TH350 in the classifieds that might fit. I have a good rebuilt 350 under my bench John.

 

While at Deuce Days, I had the pleasure to meet Keith and John. They were very hospitable, invited us over to see his shop, have morning tea and a great look at the Bloody Mary. From the enthusiasm I could tell it would not be long before it would see the light of day again. Great to see it out. Thanks again for all you did to make us feel so welcome in your country. Looking forward seeing it in 3 years. Cheers, John & Dawn, USMERCUTE

 

Hi Dawn and John, good to hear from you! It was a pleasure to meet you also, you meet some nice people in hotrodding. Thanks for the T shirts you sent us!! Cheers John

 

John's Model A Ford Coupe at Deuce Days Victoria B.C. July 2016 from Williams, California

 

Went with Keith today to pick up the Mary as it was in a shop getting a new trans tunnel made. Found some rusty gold there. I think it's a 31 Pontiac?

 

The Bloody Mary's wheels got sandblasted, painted and some wide white porta-walls installed. The car is on jackstands because we are finishing off installing a new floor.