This story starts out about 65 years ago in the birthplace of Hot Rodding... Southern California. My Dad is a kid working as a hang around in a little shop that builds racing engines, race ignitions and an occasional Hot Rod. Little did my Dad know that these were the kings of speed, and working very focused in one corner of the shop on his Bridgeport was KONG JACKSON, the other man assembling a flat head was WES COOPER. These men were mentors for my Dad and what a pair they were. At this time a guy named Tom Medley used to come by that little shop with his 1928 Special Coupe and see what was going on in the Hot Rod community at that time. Tom was an editor of HOT ROD magazine and used to write articles and draw cartoons about street rods , He was known as Stroker Mcgurk. This was around 1953, a couple of years go by and in 1955 the car was taken apart and ended up on the cover of Hot Rod magazine as a project car for how to build the fastest coolest car of its time. Tom sold the car to my Dads good friend Bill Marcel who became Mickey Thompsons Mechanic and engineer. In that time frame a few engines went in the Coupe, from a hot flattie to a new 265 Chevy. The car rotated around with a couple of my dads High school friends before ending up in my Dads possession, The local police new this car on a regular basis, The LA river bottom and Chevy chase drive were some of its regular hang outs. They Belonged to the Road Runner car club and the Southern California Timing Association and ran the car at Muroc dry lake bed. The car set some record and blew the soft top off of it while doing so and the car was parked after that. Dad had a plan to always bring it back to its 1950s Glory days but life always got in the way, he always put family first so the car would remain parked for the next 65 years. As a little boy I remember making VROOM VROOM noises while standing on the seat pretending to shift it pulling on the gear shift knob like an experienced racer. Now we are finally able to bring this TUFF little coupe back to life together, and with the help of a couple of good friends that are willing to bring it back to its glory days, and this old guy is going to drive with that 1950s spirit!
Wow. 2nd post. I see you're in Scottsdale. There are multiple forum members in your neck of the woods/cacti. Here's a post tutorial on how to upload photos. --> https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/how-to-post-images-on-a-thread.922350/ .. ... but worse to worse, just ask. Someone here will always answer. Am hoping someone closer to you, & not some clown from Dallas, Texas. That's ME. YES. Would love to see some pictures. On your classified ad, too !!! WELCOME to the H.A.M.B. !!!! Good luck in all of your endeavors.
Thats it!!! You my friend are good ... Real good Sitting in the frame rails is a Fritz Voight full Boogie Flathead that I hope to bring out to the vintage race events and see how the ol girl runs! Hope to master posting pictures as this moves forward. The first time the car saw the light of day in 50 years was when I drug it out to Pomona for the Hot Rod cover car invite.. That was about 10-12 years ago now about 65 years of sitting parked in the back corner of Dads shop, it is soon to run with some help of a real good friend so excited as is DAD!
That car is part of our heritage. Get going on it ASAP. It will be appreciated by many of us old timers.
Tom's family is keeping the legend alive. https://www.strokerbymedley.com/ They post here @gtmedley I recommend the book of his cartoons (I'm old enough to remember them in Hot Rod mag) https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/stroker-mcgurk-comic-its-back.1181593/ Russ
Thats great to reflect back on history. Dad said, Tom sold the coupe to purchase a 1940 Ford after seeing Ed Winfields 40 Ford- that his wife drove? Kong didnt own Winfields 40 for very long seemed there was a shift to those years at that time, before they went back to A s with some stormin Flattie power.
This is cool stuff. I had the privilege of leaning on the counter of Tom and Tex Smith's booth at Good guys in Pleasanton in 1998 a couple of days after I was at Bonneville and getting to listen to Their stories. I've got the book of Tom's artwork on the shelf behind my chair. Like a lot of others I'd sure like to see photos of what you are doing with the car.
Posting photos is easy. Start your post then look at the bottom and click "UPLOAD A FILE" then locate on your computer where you have the photo you want to post, click on that photo. It will appear in your post then click in the "insert box" "FULL IMAGE" the photos now ready to hit "Post Reply"and done. OR you can find other photos you want and keep adding them.
Its great to read about the young men and their flying machines. The parts they used, the creativity they had, and the fortitude to make it happen. I am so glad to be a part of this community, glad to listen, learn and share with you all!
That shot of Medley and his coupe should be on every garage that houses a hot rod. A cooler hot rodder and finer gentleman would be hard to find. When I went to Nam, I didn't have a girl friend but I did have a 29 roadster. Pictures of it, Rod & Custom and Stroker kept my teen age ass sane and on an even keel. We talked about it when he was signing art at the Roadster Show to rebuild the 40. Please don't lose interest in this rebuild for Tom and your dad.
I take it this Coupe being discussed for ressurection is a Model A... What did Tom's A Hotrod look like? I am surprised there are so few images of it being shared...and as alluded it continued on after Tom till Dad got it...and no pics in that police magnet livery either... It's truly a small world with so many here that met him in their participation in events, some being personal friends and to boot his Son is a Hamber...too cool for school...and here we have a Hamber that was a kid when Tom was visiting a well known Shop his dad did shop duty at... The power of The Hamb...I feel pretty blessed to be here...
I found a note and a personalized cartoon, and airbrushed T shirt Tom made for my dad shortly before Tom passed. At Good Guys in Scottsdale. Tom, Tex Smith and speedy Bill were all hanging out laughing and scratching when Pops and I showed up. We were discussing all things Hot Rod when the topic came up when are are you going to get it finished? Well it saddens me they never got to see it running but for the few that were around and the offspring and friends of these guys I will get it completed back to doing Burger stand trolling looking for some racing activities. A little side note, after My Dad worked as a hang around kid he then worked at a gas station in Glendale, and TOM and his son would pull in for some gas, think his name is Gary? He was only about 3 years old at that time and what made such an impression on my Dad was a Hot little coupe, with a Hot cam in it, with the fenders rumbling and shaking, Then they would head out of the station ,Tom would throw a few revs to clean it out before heading down central with his kid standing on the seat waving to my dad, as Tom would wind it out with a steep set of gears in it, leaving a life long impression on a young man dreaming of the day he too would be able to be like that. I guess that was reserved for the chosen few! I can see the sparkle in his eyes when he relives those special times of youth. Long live the HOT ROD!
Now that you have mastered the craft of posting pictures, please post recent ones of the car please. Some of us have been waiting since 1955.
Its been a long 65 years but it is now free from its extended nap, here are a few pics while headed out for some AV8 makeover activities.
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