I am in the process of getting this letter to Mr. Xydias now. I realize the chances are slim that this letter was to him, but figure it’s worth the effort to see… even if it destroys some pretty rad dreams.
As I read the letter, to me it seems as a response to a request? As if “Alex” was asking for something to be made, and Howard was mildly apologetic saying “no, my men are over worked and wouldn’t do this project right”-my interpretation. Edit: But what’s also interesting is he said I’ll bring you in to run the project. Seems conflicting in a way?
Absolutely think you should ask Mr. Xydias while that’s an option. Fascinating stuff @Ryan I love history along with a good mystery.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Hughes wanted to get into land speed racing, possibly with some streamlined bodywork, possible aircraft engine. Also, a movie prop is possible. Why not a movie about land speed racing?
For the record, Hughes was into hot rods - especially earlier in life and before the germaphobic tendencies got too strong. In fact, at some point in the 40's he built a 1937 Chevrolet with a blown Cord motor. He wanted the car to look like a "Jalopy" and perform like his Cord. Idea being the car would help disguise him when he was out on the town with starlets... It's rumored that he crashed this car with one of those starlets in the passenger seat. I believe there's a scene in the movie that portrays this, but I'm not certain if that actually happened or not...
spark............spark spark... Don't touch your television set. We control the horizontal. We control the vertical... Come with us as history proves to be fluid in nature and easily changed... In the Twilight Zone. 1953. Alex Xydias and Howard Hughes team up to engineer and build a land speed record automobile. 1954. Not surprisingly, they smash all existing records. Almost predictably and unavoidably, unlimited funds, cutting edge technology and man's insatiable desire to push his limits caused near tragedy on the last and final run. That record stands today... as does the model 40 Ford that famously made Henry exclaim... "Well I'll be jiggered."
Any chance it could have been Alex Tremulis? Another engineer (also in California) and not sure what else he was doing at that time after the end of the Tucker car company. Preston Tucker and Howard Hughes were acquaintances as well, so could be in the realm of the possible.
We nowadays call a 33-34 a "model 40" but my grandparents and those of there era often referred to the year as the model. "Ya got a 40 model eh" meaning made in 1940. This is obviously purely conjecture, but many old timers I knew spoke this way. So, perhaps he wanted to build a 40 Ford Coupe? Who knows. I also think it's interesting he used "hot rod" in quotations. I don't know what to make of it though.
The book, "Howard Hughes: The Untold Story," talks about the Chevy... But I've never seen pictures of it. Which isn't that abnormal as Hughes wasn't big on photography. In fact, any photography of his world at all past around 1955 is pretty rare.
Well, there's another HAMB mystery for the detectives to unravel. Does any part of the Hughes empire still exist? A warehouse, a hangar, can you See where I'm going with this?! Let's get out and beat those bushes, men. Happy Hunting!
My research partner (guy that found this letter) thinks Alex might be Alex Sturges - a mechanic that once worked for Hughes Aviation, but retired in 1948. Evidence being, the two were on a first name basis and this letter, obviously, only addresses a first name.
A number of those creative eccentrics from that era had teams of talented workers that they could count on for personal projects and to bring ideas to life. McCulloch was another. I worked with a guy who came to aerospace as a machinist from McCulloch’s personal skunk works. He had stories about the cars, engines and other wild inventions that they worked on. Perhaps this Alex was one of HH’s team. I like to think it was Xydias or Tremulis though.
I thought the same thing. If they were building a speed record car, a 40 Coupe body seems like a more likely place to start than a 33/34 Coupe.
I'm thinking 33/34 Ford as Hughes was an engineer and I could see him referring to a car by its model designation rather than year. Also, the 33/34 coupe was really successful at bonneville in 1951 through '52. This is all guess work obviously...
Hughes crashed his famous experimental plane in 1948 - changed him & his world - Howard Hughes Senior worked with Barney Oldfield on a race car
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2014/12/19/howard-hughes-record-setting-1953-buick-roadmaster-heads-to-auction
I saw that 53 Buick in person back in 2005. We got a tour of the Ron Pratt collection, where it resided at the time.
I'm in the line waiting for Mr Xydias to answer. There's almost too much logic involved, was a household name, yes, records smashed. Model 40? Of course it was a 34 Ford. Narrow, easily lowered, light, stable. Reference to a 40 Ford might say "40 model" vs Model 40. It could be that together they'd smash records even more, together. Yeah, that's the line I'm in.
OK......let me take you around the barn a little. As soon as you mentioned Howard Hughes and "going fast" and hot rodding a Ford.....I instantly thought of Danny Kladis. Certainly not "Alex" but maybe a missing link. Danny Kladis was a famous/infamous midget dirt racer and Indy 500 competitor in that era, hailing from the Chicago area. Even more interesting, was his documented association with Howard Hughes. Danny worked for Ford Motor Company. Specifically he was a supervisor at a wartime plant in Chicago producing Pratt and Whitney Wasp R-4360 engines......the same engines as the Spruce Goose. There is documentation as well as conversations I had with his son George, suggesting that Hughes employees/engineers would regularly call Danny to discuss "more power" in the Pratt and Whitney engines. He was also know to talk to Howard Hughes directly about lots of "go fast" stuff. Did Danny Kladis possibly recommend Alex Xydias to Howard ?? Danny was a driver....promoter......showman......builder......He knew and was known by anybody and everybody in racing and speed parts business.I met and ran with him at a vintage midget event in Iowa in the 1980's The Kladis family held an estate sale in 2008 outside Chicago. Offy 110 midget engine stuff.....Halibrand midget stuff.......Hilborn etc. etc. There had been a flood on the low lying property several times. Some guys actually dug in the dust and mud in the old buildings to find Offy parts !! I ended up with lots of stuff......should have gotten even more. Came home with a CAE sprint car from late 1950's.......Q/C rear center sections and bells just as they were cast without final machining.......Winfield ground cams for Offy 110 with Winfield notes attached. Also got some articles and family notes which mentioned Howard Hughes connection. Did Danny Kladis advise his friend Howard Hughes to talk to Alex Xydias about all things Ford hot rod speed ?? Gotta run......new Twilight Zone episode is starting at 3:00. Have fun
The Jalopy Journal
