Hot Rods One for the HAMB detectives

Anyone remember seeing this little Model A pickup in or around W. Va. in the late '50's ? It was built in '57 in W. Va. furthest back I've been able to go is it was in the Backing up classics museum in Charlotte, N.C. until 2003-2004 Lettering on the doors says "Haul'n Hauler" Got in touch with the museum but the owner says he bought the museum in 2001 and the truck was already there and he doesn't have any history on it. Her's some pics.

 

What? Way back then an A truck with a 32 grill shell? Bet this is the guy that started all this madness.

 

It's kind of cool that 20 yrs. ago they were saying this is the way it was 40 yrs. ago

 

Interesting front bumper and steering wheel

 

I bought the truck from the museum in 2003. I should have left it together and hauled it around to shows, but I wanted to get it running and drive it. I took it apart and didn't do much to it. When the gasser (55 Ford Gasser on a shelf) in my avatar became available, I sold the truck. This was in 2013, now the gasser just sits. The fellow that bought it from me also let it sit and not very long ago, sold it to a member of my car club and he put it together to sell. I wish I had kept it. It was/is a real deal hot rod.

By the way, front bumper was a Volkswagen bumper shortened with a bullet cap covering the weld. I had the bumper re-chromed and the shop smoothed out the weld. Also was a chrome bullet on radiator cap that I had re-chromed as well as the regulator cover. I don't know if all the parts made it to the fellow that put it back together.

I have loads of pics that I took before taking it apart. If interested, I'll try to put on a disk. An interesting fact is that there is a name etched under the intake manifold. I don't believe it was ever driven and maybe just built for show. There was no drive shaft in it when I bought it.

The motor that was in it was 1950 Mercury. The engine in it now came out of my buddy's 1950 Merc, but is a Ford motor. I have the scavenger pipes that were on it, they never got picked up when I sold it. I also think that the heads were added years after the car was built, possibly re-pop heads but not sure.

PM me and I'll give you my phone number if you want to call me. I actually thought the car was headed to Kentucky.

Btw, that collage of photos was taken in my garage.

 

More pics please! What a bitchin' little truck!!

 

So many sad stories about hot rods that slipped through fellers' hands, it seems to this old cowboy that there oughta be a country western song category for them. No meanness intended, cause I have a story of own. The little blue pickup would be sung by a woman, and have some of the same music as Goodbye Cheyenne. But, I digress. Anything that is lost can be cloned to a close proximity; and besides, you have all the pictures needed. Maybe you can do one of those Go Fund Me deals, and have a dependable shop that has a credible reputation do the work. And, you can sell the rights of it being done to a production company that does real life video. The possibilities are endless when you get a chance to tug on people's heart strings. Even so, it was a pretty strange one, that grows on you.

 

Yep, what Cactus1 said!

 

Well,I had an "A" cpe in 1953 with a 32 shell on it..Its not a "New" thing

 

Here's a few more pics. I don't have a lot yet but will be adding more as it goes along. As for the country song I can only come up with an old country joke that had something to do with an old coon dog named old blue that the owner would shake the coon out of the tree and the dog would screw the coons to death and one day the owner fell out of the tree screaming all the way down "no old blue, no old blue" If the truck didn't have the name already on the doors Old Blue would be a good name for it.

 

Thanks for the extra pics! Great little truck!

 

Thanks, I was thinking about making some changes to it before I started learning about the history of it but now I don't know if I could or should. I was thinking of bringing it up to just being channeled the width of the frame and then a little haircut, maybe 2-3" But it does have that old school East Coast hard channel, and quite a picture history so what do you guys think? Would you make any changes?

 

There something appealing about it just the way it is imo...leave it ...good luck with it..

 

Restore it to the way it was; only change things that would add to the safety of the truck. I don't believe I've ever seen a "square" tachometer installed IN a vehicle; usually they are testing instruments. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Unfortunately the tach. isn't with it anymore that was a first for me too.

 

What Butch said. It is just so cool the way it is, I can not stop looking at it.

 

I'm torn, I keep going back and forth from leave it just exactly as it was or make it a little more comfortable to drive because I do plan on driving it a lot not going to just trailer it around to shows. The reason I was thinking of reducing the channel is that I have a pet peeve about grille shells sticking up above the cowl so far. I know it would be easier to just chop the grille or trim the sides but a little more room in the car would be nice too.

 

make it easier for you to drive- raise it a bit- I think it would look better- I like the tall top- make it yours- cute truck-

 

Leave it, Or sell it to me... So I can leave it as it "Was"... Cheer's

 

Make the changes you need to enjoy it. It will still be cool!

 

I'd bring the body up, maybe the radiator grille shell down to get an even match so you could run a full hood. Full hoods and rear tires matching wheel wells are two big features in the look of any car/truck IMO. Great find! Bob

 

It should be here mid week then I can see if I fit in it or not, if I'm gonna be hunched over like a dog shit'n peach stones I may have to make some changes.

 

I have a dropped axle if you need one!
I agree with the37kid. except for the hood. Try and keep much of the original flavor.

 

That dropped axle deal is probably going to be what pays the shipper haha.

 

Yes, it is a 1932 but it has the East Coast look. I was 10 years old when I started my Hot Rod scrapbook with newspaper cutouts. Bob

 

I think unchanneling it a little would not be a sin and would actually improve the overall profile. What I do think would be a sin is not restoring it back to as built condition and detail. Show respect to the builder and the original build. The concept that people have that you should leave it as found because that's the way "it was" in my opinion is a bunch of crap! The as found condition is what almost 60 years of neglect has made it. Think how the original builder would feel if he saw his pride and joy now. Otherwise it is a project car, build it anyway you want. Sorry for the rant , I like to believe these old girls have a soul and this one is crying " help me". Good luck with the project. Larry

 

I hear ya, the truck was purchased from the museum and torn apart with good intentions but the restoration didn't happen, as I understand it another guy with good intentions bought it and didn't get much further. Then a guy bought it and did a mechanical restoration but kept the original patina in tact. I think he did a great job of balancing saving it and and improving the mechanics, I think to paint it would have been a crime and love the tastefully way he saved it. Here's a couple pics. of the rebuild.

 

Glad to see that it's getting put back together,it's a awesome little truck. I see both sides of the paint / no paint thing .That brand new wiring is screaming for some cloth looms!. Have fun with it.

 

Back to the original question, anyone remember this truck from BEFORE it was in the museum???

 

This photo was posted by grumpy32 on the Rear View thread, yes another '32-'34 but it sure looks neat. Bob