History Bringing the Wetzel Roadster Back to 1952

In 1995, Kurt McCormick (of Webster Groves, MO) purchased the famous roadster from Dr. Leland Wetzel (of Springfield, MO).

Originally built by Los Angeles hot rodder Bill Hook, the unfinished channeled Deuce Roadster was purchased by Wetzel in 1952.

Before returning to the midwest, Wetzel had Neil Emory & Clayton Jenson at the VALLEY CUSTOM SHOP (in Burbank, CA) finish the body work and install a custom dash & DuVall windshield.

Wetzel finished the car in Missouri ... including (but not limited to) the chrome front nerf bars (with "W"), the chrome rear nerf bars, and a "full race" flathead with Evans heads & 3x2 intake manifold.

McCormick had the car completely restored ... but opted to swap the tired flathead with another "period engine" he had on hand, the 1954 331ci Cadillac V8 from the Barris-built Parisienne custom ... and added a S.Co.T. supercharger.

Fast forward to today ... and the new caretakers of the "Wetzel Roadster" (Ross & Beth Myers) are having ROY BRIZIO STREET RODS (in South San Francisco, CA) swap the Caddy engine back to a "full race" flathead with Evans heads & 3x2 intake manifold ... and "fix" a few other things to bring the Wetzel Roadster back to its 1952 glory!

NOTE: The Caddy engine will be displayed on an engine stand in the Myers' 3DOG GARAGE museum in Boyertown, PA.

Here's some recent photos of the "Wetzel Roadster" at Roy Brizio Street Rods:

all images from the March 27th 2020 roybriziostreetrods Instagram feed
photos by Jack @jakespeed55 Stratton and/or Roy Brizio​

 

Here's the "Wetzel Roadster" circa 1952:

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A Beautiful Hotrod indeed getting a fresh lease on 1952...I take it the Cycle Tires will be replaced with the period Bias as well...Look forward to the journey. I am familiar with the 95 + version...At least it wasn't taken to way-out from it's original splendor...

Did Kurt still have the original flathead?

Thanks for sharing @HEMI32

 

Great news this roadster is being returned to the early 50s version.
Here is a shot from 1952 Bonneville.

 

Fantastic. I have never sat in a channeled car but it looks like your butt is level with the floor pan at the pedals, must feel a bit weird. Worth it though, I’m sure, looks bitchin!

 

Cool hot rod.

 

The flathead will be cool, but I would keep the Cad and blower. Not that anyone asked me.

 

Going backwards.Going backwards in a cool car is still fun,but it's still going backwards..I love a flatty,but it isn't a caddy..

 

But the flathead brings it back where it was.I also like the caddy.

 

A few years ago I visited with Kurt McCormick and had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of the Wetzel roadster. Absolutely cool car. It is exciting to just feel and touch a car such as this knowing the history behind the car. It was a bit of a challenge though, trying to see past those air cleaners on top of the Cadillac engine. I purchased a few old time hot rod parts from Kurt including the 2 original front wheels and tires that were originally from the Wetzel roadster. These 2 wheels were left over parts from Kurt's own restoration of the roadster. These same 2 wheels are now on the front of my own 1927 original dry lakes roadster.

I remember Kurt had almost every original car club plaque that was ever made. The walls of his house were completely covered with original aluminum car club plaques. His wife was really nice and had a great sense of humor about all of that aluminum that was being displayed on her house walls.

 

Yep, that's one of things that is being "fixed".

No ... but “rumor” has it that Dick Carroll (of St. Charles, Mo) is running the Wetzel Roadster’s original flattie in his Deuce 5wd Coupe:

images from Dick Carroll''s Facebook page​

 

Footage of the Wetzel Roadster starts at the 9 minute 35 second mark:

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Wowee!

 

It’s interesting that you mention Bill Hook,seems he built himself a personal car around the same time frame as the Wetzel car. A gentleman in Pennsylvania ( ironic, isn’t it) found the car, bought it and restored it to it’s 1950’s configuration. It was featured in TRK magazine a few years ago.


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Nice Roadster, I like the rear wheel well treatment, I know it has a steering box, were and what is it? Bob

 

Good question...where and what is steering? I saw a RF tie rod end and it looks like the tie rod is stepped to clear the hair pins but that's all I can find.

 

Most likely has a cross steering set up, can’t see much in the pictures. I like the flathead version, the blown motor is cool but looks out of place.


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Thank you for posting that video. That is really neat to see them in motion!

 

ditto , They look like Motorcycle tires on the front.. I'm sure the Brizio Guys will knock it out of the park , just like The Kookie Kar..and others

 

Nice!

 

Roy Brizio takes the Wetzel Roadster for one last drive before his team yanks the Caddy to install the original flattie:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_2tB3Fn9jz/?igshid=1mj5pqktht19o​

 

Pale yellow and jade green interior striking combo


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Love this one
It has some features we confuse with newer street rods.
The gas door being added and the hidden hinges.
Most folks would call that blasphemy for a trad build.
The reworking of the wheel wells would draw gasps today.
Beautifully done little roadster.

 

No "rumor" about it.

Dickie was contacted and asked if he would sell the flathead if they would supply him with a like replacement. He said no, but he would sell the coupe.

I'm hoping that they preserve Dickie's coupe, as well. He's owned it since around '62, if I remember correctly, and it is such a cool piece of St Louis area hot rodding history.

I snagged these pic's from Brian Brennan's post on FB.

 

VERY cool that the original flatty is being reunited with the car!

 

I can't imagine having the money to play with cars the way these guys do.

BTW, there's no way I'd pull that blown Caddy for the flattie, no way. I would get rid of those ridiculous air cleaners though....

 

There are a lot of outstanding details about that roadster, but for me, the way these pipes exit is incredible.

 

Thanks @bchrismer!

I meant to update this thread last month with this image from the May 15th roybriziostreetrods Instagram feed:

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I don't know what the final plans are regarding the preservation of Dick Carroll's Deuce 5wd ... but for now, Ross Myers is just having the Roy Brizio Street Rods team put the supercharged Caddy into the coupe.

 

Here's a couple more photos of the "Wetzel Roadster" at Roy Brizio Street Rods:

images from @Brian Brennan's May 17th Facebook timeline
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When Dickie called to tell me he was selling the "coupie", he was unsure what the future would hold, and was hoping Roy was going to keep it. I believe the last he told me is that the guys at 3 Dog Garage are pretty excited about the car, documentation, etc, and have decided that it will wind up there. While I realize it is not the "focus" of this thread, and while I live in Springfield and know the guy who gave Kurt the lead on the Wetzel roadster, my greater interest is the car that I have grown up around. ;-)


Here's a shot of Dickie's coupe from the '71 Nats, in Memphis. Don't tell him but I liked the Halibrands on it better than the Kelsey's. LOL