Projects Omaha Coupe 33 3w 9" chop, built in 1954 Salt, Drag, and Show

There is a color titled Omaha Orange (DuPont) maybe that was the color of it.

 

Coconuts, Its my understanding that back in 58 when Bob Hanna bought the coupe from Howdy Williams. Bob took the car to the the Rebels Car Club garage. which happen to be next to City of Omaha truck maintenance facility. One of the club members got some orange paint from the truck shop next door where they painted the Omaha city trucks orange. City trucks here in Omaha are still painted orange today. It's my understanding that the name of the color is called Omaha orange. Most likely the DuPont Omaha Orange is the same color. Thank you for the note and sharing.

 

Neat car, no doubt about it. Can someone educate me about the grille/ insert. Was that for aerodynamic benefit at bonneville? Wouldn’t get much cooling, but I guess if they were running hot boxes as mentioned in the video, they didn’t worry about cooling. To me it looks like a household water heater cover riveted to the original shell, and pin striped, but I doubt that is the case. Whats up with the little v at the bottom. I can’t ask my regulars as we are still in lockdown, not sure if they would know anyway. Thanks in advance for the education.

 

Very cool and I will definitely be following along as you make progress on it!

 

Blessed is the word! Amazing story, thoroughly enjoyed the interview with Tommy.
I recalled a chopped/channeled B'ville '34 coupe that some older fellows had in Santa Clara, 1957.
Somehow it seemed to 'slip away', I had a covetous desire to own it, witnessed its sale 3 times between guys that were involved in B'vill LSR. Last time I saw it was in the late '60s, in a shop with upholstering fabric piled high... NOT FOR SALE.
Your thread reminded me of the 'phantom '34 that got away'...

 

I'm glad you started this thread, Tom! I'm looking forward to seeing your continued progress.
Will be in touch to stop by and visit once it starts to warm up a little around here.

 

I love the look of the chop and with today's side radar and camera technology it could even be streetable!! lol

 

@tdog, thanks for sharing your journey with this icon from past greatness...this Coupe is seared in my mind since I first shared the image years ago...and it has resurfaced!!...that doesn't happen very often but when it does with the intention of turning the dial back that's just awesome...congratulations again...

 

Love it!

 

That thing is damn cool, will be great to see it racing and I'm sure it'll love to feel the air flowing at speed over it once again.

 

Thanks for the interest in the car. Good question about the insert. You are correct it was for aerodynamic reasons at high speed. The title slide on the fist video on this thread is from the car at Bonneville in 57 with no hood. A hood was ran on the car during the event. Howdy was running a radiator on the salt. I believed it probably pulled enough air to keep it cool from underneath. The car did not have a belly pan. I believe the "Hot Box" trick was only for drag racing. I think a lot of Bonneville cars today run a big water tank that is usually located over the rear tires for traction and pump that water through the engine to keep it cool. Not totally sure how that works. I am sure an expert on here could chime in.

 

Very lucky to have this car. 30 Year dream! You need to go back to the shop and check on your dream! You never know it could still be there.

 

Thank you! Your welcome anytime. Got the heat on. This weather it terrible.

 

Thank you. I had heard that photos showed up on the hamb long ago . Where did you come across the photos? If you don't mind me asking.

 

I like they way your typing almost as much as I like your avatar! Thanks for the kind words

 

Here is a video of my tackling the first project on the coupe. It may be to long??? feel free to share your thoughts

 

Right here on the Hamb... @Nitro Marty shared these many moons ago...they were taken by his late Father...Marty was on not too long ago...I did page him in my recent posts in recent threads on your Hotrod acquisition...I hope he chimes in...He may actually remember it as a kid with his Dad...

That is one of those things that makes this place incredibly special...these connections to the past from many that lived the era we are revisiting...

Here is that awesome Thread he shared below...

Anyone know Marty...say hello to him for us and let him know we'd like to chat Hotrods...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/drag-racing-pics-from-1955.469523/

 

Oh man, Tom.....you're braver than me. Ain't NO WAY I'd have a camera trained on me while I'm working on my car. I cuss, spit, whistle, hum, scratch, blow my nose and hammer way more than is necessary. Love the direction you're going with the coupe. I'll prolly slide over this weekend.

 

Pretty cool. Thanks for doing videos as you go.
Not getting any younger?

Whippersnapper.

Your soul is old, anyway...

 

Great stuff, Keep it coming, I look forward to seeing more.

 

What a nostalgia run for me here, I remember Tommy's roadster running at Grand Island and Kearney. And of course, Howdy Williams was the man, the picture of him receiving the trophy has to be for Top Eliminator at the Grand Island track. The 57 Chevy two-ten in the background could have easily been me as I raced it in a stock class at both strips. MY car club the C-Dans were very active at both strips and Grand Island also had a Dragons Car Club at the time. Harry Nicks was a good friend who was living in Grand Island where he built a stunning 34 Ford coupe that won the huge best of show trophy at a show in Denver, the premier show in the Midwest. He had a construction business in Grand Island and actually poured the Concrete at my parent's house they built. To hear he is ok and in Redlands Ca. is so cool. We would hang out with the Omaha guys when they came to the Grand Island strip, they stayed at a very cool little motel at the edge of the town called Shady Bend that had little separate cottages for rooms. Some serious drinking went on with that bunch and a darn good time. Some Omaha guys campaigned a 34 coupe out of Omaha called the Golden Rod, a beautifully finished Gold coupe with a solid brass front grille cover much like Howdy's. Howdy paired up with Bud Holcomb later on with a dragster project that was awesome. Bud's son still has a car lot at 50th and Q streets in Omaha, I would go over and talk with Bud who hung out there, he was a really great guy. Several years ago when having a 57 Chevy painted an oriental gent stopped in my buddies shop. It turned out to be an engine builder for Howdy and Bud, I recognized him and it blew his mind that I remembered him from that long ago, but we had no orientals and only one black person living in Grand Island, so he stood out. My buddy on this forum Creams was heavily involved with us at the strip in Grand Island and actually worked with a timing crew from G. I. where The Drag Safari team showed us a timing system as they were all over the country establishing the NHRA, I bought my first membership at the track from Mr. Wally Parks himself for a 50 cent fee. They trained a crew of timing equipment know-how that supplied the timing for Grand Island, Kearney, and Julesburg, Co. What glory days of racing and fun. Best wishes Tom on this project, I would love to see it sometime and if The South Omaha Turds car club can ever be of help, please let me know.

 

There are several ways that folks run cooling at Bonneville. Many of those tanks hold both water AND ice. The latter can take 40, 60 or more pound per run. The weight of it all gives added downforce which is a plus on the Salt. Our car is using a water tank for both cooling the engine AND the intercooler. Tank gets filled with X amount of water then ice. The intercooler sits above a small radiator (off a 959 racecar, intercooler) the ice water cools the engine water and a small bilge pump pulls cold water from the bottom and a spraybar aimed at the intercooler keeps that part cool. Many cars just run a simple water tank w/o the radiator and pump the water thru the engine.

 

...One more from Hamber @creams...

The Spirit of Omaha

@tdog let him know we want to hear from him here...I believe this is him below...



Credit to Photographer, Owner
​

 

I am the same way in the shop. My buddy Johnny is amazing making me look somewhat normal. Sounds good about this weekend. If you text send me a note so I know your number. Or leave a message... I normally don't answer numbers I don't know. All these dang spam calls going on. See if I can get pops over so we can the stories really flowing

 

Those are some great photos. Thank you for the link. I believe those photos of the 33 are from the 1955 KC race?

 

Thank for the kind words... Whippersnapper. lol I will take it.

 

Wow great history, I could probably get Harry's number for you from Tommy if you wanted to reconnect. Yuke is the engine builder you thinking of? He is still alive and doing great at the age of 90. I have been putting photos in his mail box and then calling him a couple days later. He is sharp. He went to Bonneville with the coupe all 3 times in 55,56 and 57. He was friends with Bob Hartwell and Howdy. If you want to come over and check out the car send me a message. Even have my buddy film some if you would be interested.

 

You the man! Thanks for sharing.