Click for a larger image. March 1940. "High school boys in jalopy. Genoa, Nevada." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein, Farm Security Administration. This row of buildings is still standing in Genoa. The smiles on these boys' faces says it all.
Very cool, looks like the drivetrain is stock, with the rear suspension lowered by moving the axle behind the spring, and the front axle mounted suicide style. It's interesting how the front radius rod is angled up so high with nothing supporting the axle at the bottom. Also I hope that isn't the ignition wiring thats draped over the exhaust manifold haha.
Isn't it neat?! These early pseudo-hop ups fascinate me. Guys in rural America might not have access to speed equipment to supe the engine (hell... these boys may not have even been aware that something like an aftermarket even existed...), but suspension mods to lower the car were achievable with tools and knowledge on hand. The ingenuity is fantastic. That sure looks like ignition wiring... and looks to have been repaired at least once. Har!
Also looks like they polished the radiator up and what looks like a piece of galvanized sheet covering the cowl. May have been dented up?
I'm thinking that the body may be made of that galvanized sheet metal, weathered sheet metal an angle iron. The photo is very high resolution and you can save it and expand it on your computer to study the details. The galvanized cowl appears to be a stretched cowl using the T door posts and firewall with that metal in between. Makes you wonder if some abandoned thrashing machine didn't donate the sheet metal for it.
I'd say that the extended cowl was necessitated because they laid the steering column by looking at this T roadster.
I'm not sure any of the body is Ford steel and the body appears to have been set farther back on the chassis. A-pillar/door hinges are pretty much in the center of the chassis on the jalopy. The space between the dash and firewall is lengthened. There's a good amount of fabrication happening on this little hoopty.
Looks like the fuel tank is between the dash and firewall. And that line over the exhaust manifold is the fuel line. Hence the coil box on the engine
I think the coil box on the engine would be 26-27. The nickel plated grille shell also. But the rest looks like a mix of stuff. Small brake drum rear and wood wheels. Could have been a later engine in an early chassis and home made body. Doors I have no idea, maybe same car that donated the fenders. Apperson Jack-Rabbit? Lippy
Stopped in Genoa some 20+ years ago on a model T speedster stag tour to see if we could drink all the beer in the bar. A tour bus arrived full of elderly women who were ready for martinis and manhattans. Boy did we all have a good time racing up and down the streets giving the ladies rides.
Great assessment, Lippy. This is more than just a beat up old stocker T with fenders removed. There was some thinking, planning, gathering (scrounging), wrenching and fabricating that went into this job. Kind of the same process anyone building a car goes through. It looks like fun. Well geez that sounds neat! You and whoever else was on that jaunt are probably the only living souls that have experienced anything close to what these boys did in 1940. I for one would love to hear more. (About the town and cars... I won’t pry into shinanigans with a bus load of lubricated little old ladies on tour...)
Cool photo! I'm about a half hour from Genoa and go there pretty regularly. Cool little town and home of the Genoa Bar, the oldest bar in NV. Have a friend that has Ranch #1 there too. It is the oldest ranch in NV.
Awesome picture. I could spend hours on Shorpy. Genoa is an great little town just about 30 mins south of Washoe Valley NV where I live. Love to think of the story behind this jalopy. Maybe they needed a way to run to grab small supplies in town or they'd throw fencing supplies in and cruise the fence line. You can't beat those mountains either!
Agree... the stories that are lost leave it up to one’s imagination to fill in the blanks. This is a small step up from a 1HP wagon. I’m sure it was used occasionally for chores, but it definitely has the look of something built for pure enjoyment. They’re definitely having a good time in this photo!
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