Features Let's see your Hamb friendly open/topless cars

Hello,
Nice Buick convertible. It is one of the best builds for a Buick convertible. My wife's mom would have loved this modern version of her old Buick. Their Buick convertible had a history from the early 50s in Pacoima, from the hot, So Cal inland areas. My wife remembers this convertible and the whole family cruising around in it with the top down.

My wife's dad liked his Chevy two door coupe better, so the kids and mom went driving a lot. That convertible philosophy seems to run around a lot in those old dads. My mom loved a Buick Skylark convertible, but my dad put his "XNAY" on that choice. (The two brothers liked the custom wire wheels.)


Jnaki

Even the real life "Gidget" liked Buick convertibles...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/open-cars-or-why-9-of-10-women-go-topless.445421/page-5#post-12679379

 

Hello,

This 1932 Phaeton was/is one of my favorite photos from way back then. It serves its purpose today as a computer screen saver during the last months of the hot summers and cool fall seasons. It leads up to many reminders that So Cal does have some snow on the local mountains during the winter season. Not like in the Rockies or the Midwest, but snow, none the less. It actually arrived as a first time snow last week, to the So Cal mountains, it just takes a lot longer than elsewhere. (The recent, local snow closed the only direct highway to get up to Big Bear Mountain.)

I was fortunate enough to get a ride in the Phaeton and it was my first open air ride in this style of convertible. The freezing air from the nearby snow capped mountains provided all of the atmosphere of early hot rodding in So Cal. The wind not only blew into the occupants, but it was super cold air that made the ride to the next photo shoot location, an event.

This was braving the elements in style, that was for sure. My wife liked the color photos after I showed her, loved the 1932 Phaeton, too. But, she said as much as she likes convertibles, she would have to bundle up like a stuffed bear to brave the cold, hot rod cruise. Down hoody jackets, gloves, and boots would make the ride quite comfortable.

Jnaki

At the time of being “20 somethings”, that cold air drive was really an eye opener. As a trooper, my wife would have driven in that open air convertible Phaeton, if it were our own, including her down jackets and gloves. If she can ride on the back of the Harley Sportster without her long down coat during the winter months, what is a little snow in the air? Ha!

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hamb-worthy-screen-saver-photos.1080832/page-15#post-13181651


The photo was used on the Screen Saver thread as most photos were shown as photos. But, following the title of the thread, it was shown on a laptop screen, as an actual, screen saver, not just a photo. This one is a daily reminder that So Cal has cold winter months and snow nearby. Plus, for these hot, fall days of October and early November, it gives us some relief in our brains for the coming months. It is a fun, open air hot rod for all seasons. (17 INCH LAPTOP SCREEN)

 

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I have two. One almost ready for the road and one about ready for a new home.

John

 

Cruising with my buddies at shades of the past in my 40 convertible probably about 2003


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Still have the hub caps!


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My Dads 35 . As he likes to say ,,It's a go-ah,, not a show-ah

 

glad to see ya back on the HAMB.....great car

 

Top off, top on.

 

1925 Buick Phaeton
Hello,

Jim Morris owned a 1925 Buick Phaeton that he raced at Lions Dragstrip in So Cal. Sometimes the Phaeton was raced with the top up and sometimes, the top down. Either way, it was unusual for a drag racing hot rod. The normally street driven touring was a dual threat hot rod. That is what the early hot rods were, street driven and excels at the dragstrip. Backyard hot rodding at its best during the times.

Street Roadster Class
In most of the early classes, there were RPUs, open roadsters and also some questionable street roadsters. Later on, in 1963, the Buick Phaeton was in a few magazines as a dual-purpose street/strip hot rod. The 671 powered Buick motor moved the Phaeton to fast times in both areas, drags and street.


Jnaki

It is unusual to say the least. the phaeton stood out because it was not the typical street roadster and not a Ford.
1965 Lions Dragstrip Pits

There is a puzzling piece of history. The Jim Morris we knew, was in the street roadster class at Lions Dragstrip in 1959-60. It was a light turquoise blue RPU.
JIM MORRIS 1959 Lions STREET ROADSTER PICKUP

So, @Dean Lowe, since you were in the thick of things in the Street Roadster competition during this time period, is this the same Jim Morris in both Buick powered, Street Roadsters?

 

A "before" picture of my T. Now in my shop with a new turtle deck, steel smoothies, wide white walls, and in the process of being rewired...

 

Dan Greenburg Photo..

 

My 61 Corvette

 

heres mine a 37 caddilac 60 series,4 door convertible sedan,its all stock,even the red wheels.

 

@alfin32, did you have a build thread on the 34 cabriolet?

 

Yes, it’s listed under ‘Scored One on the Hamb’.

 

My coupster, then I made a floppy top and hood (by Mike McDaniels, RIP).

 

My 31 model a


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We all like a nice front end !
Hello,

As we all know, Reath Automotive was a major factor in most drag racing hot rods and dragsters in Long Beach. They sponsored most of the top racers from So Cal in various forms, from parts and services discounts to free services for the top echelon teams. The list is endless and the racers quite powerful in the record books and newspapers.

This roadster had the stance, looks and power to establish plenty of records during the 59-60 era. It was sponsored by Clay Smith Cams from Long Beach when the camshaft company was still on the Westside of Long Beach. The roadster is powered by a 341 C.I. 671 supercharged DeSoto engine.

Burkhart, Bramer & Burns fuel roadster at Pomona in June of '59… Thanks, D.

“Rudy Perez, who took a lot of Northern California drag racing pictures for Drag News, just posted these of the Burkhart, Brammer, and Burns fuel roadster. Running a blown Desoto with a Potvin kit, this car broke records almost everywhere it ran. The bottom picture shows "Big" George Burkhart (over 300 lb, 6'7") standing at left, Everett "Hippo" Brammer kneeling by the engine, and Mike Burns in the cockpit. Hippo was a regular guy who worked in an aquarium factory, and Mike Burns worked the counter at Weiands...I used to stop when picking up parts for Blairs and have lunch with them there. After the Sadd Brothers & Teague lakes roadster was almost destroyed in a Bonneville return road crash, this roadster gave up its body to them. Hippo passed away a few years ago, was a drag racer for many years....”

A local prized t-shirt from Reath Automotive.

Jnaki

Reath Automotive has always had a place in our hearts. Being associated with Joe Reath was a prize in anyone’s book. Any sponsored race car had to have some great qualities to get that name painted on the sides or trunk of the racer. We had come close to getting that name on the trunk of our 1940 Willys back in 1960, if the accident did not happen.

Speaking of recent times, Dellie Reath (wife of Joe Reath) fell in her home and had to have surgery to get it fixed. It was a scary thing to be in the hospital with the Covid Virus cases, but she is now rehabilitating after surgery and doing well. Thanks J.G.

 

31 on 32 rails

 

I have a street - and a strip.
On the tub I started with four 1916 Maxwell metal-skinned wooden doors, a discarded Model A frame that had 134 holes that needed filling, and a '46 Ford deck lid for the rear wraparound.


For the RPU drag car I started with the top of a '20s Chevy rad shell, a '27 Chevy cowl and a pile of DOM tubing.

 

33 C400

 

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