History On the way to the store..

An uncle had a Rugby truck, roughly the size of a Model AA Ford. Rugby was part of the Durant family. It was in rough shape, not sure what it brought at his estate auction. Engine had several freeze cracks. The weld beads looked like a road map.

 

I was thinking it was high too. Now I never believe anything a seller tells me when looking at a car, but the seller says this is only one of three known to exist of this year and body style. When I got home I looked on the net trying to disprove his claim and I couldn't find any evidence either way.
However, I couldn't find even any photos of a Durant roadster on the internet.

 

May gather some info on the AACF site?

 

Wow @alanp561, nice find. You had better luck than me! To the sellers credit, none of those are the same year.
@Squablow, you said it would be a shame to hotrod a survivor... BUT IF YOU DID, wouldn't this be the perfect mill?!?


The way I look at it, it would complete the circle.
Durant got his start in the auto industry with Buick.
How perfect would it be if an example of his last ditch effort in the auto world was nailhead powered?

I stole this picture from @1927graham excellent build thread.

 

not sure what would prompt a person to look at that cool old car and say it is ugly.

 

Just saw this thread and I immediately recognize the car as being a Durant and the story of Billy Durant (though for some reason I thought it was “Crapo” Durant). Easy come easy go and then penniless!
One of our club members had a ‘28/29 Durant. I’ll have to see where it went...

 

Some folks are just sour and spend too much energy poopooing their way around. I think its neat looking. Its STOCK! Of course its not as attractive to the eye as a hot rodded version may be but neither were stock a's or t's and they were neat too. I dig it

 

That is very cool. I'm not sure if I had ever heard of Durant before last Saturday. I know for sure I had never seen one. Post up a picture of your club members car, I'd love to see it!

 

tell that to the guys who have a Dodge or International truck and think they have a traditional hotrod

 

Hmmmm 33 dodge cant be a traditional hot rod? My dad hot rodded a 47 plymouth in the 50s and drag raced it....in fact, i have tons of period photos that have hot rodded dodges in em....Give me your history lesson....im all ears

 

Well, for the record, we still have cross dressers these days so............

 

Sounds like we should change the forum rules from traditional hot rods to fords only and rename this forum, ford barn number 2 lol according to some crossdressers

 

Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges. He he

 

They're all ugly unless you cut on em, stock sucks, this is a hot rod & custom forum, the restoration bullshit is for sentimental bitches lol, picture it with 6 stromberg's and some old guy with goggles on and a helmet, now it looks better.

 

My pal Levi (PREVIOUSLY ON HERE) built a Durant Coupe; chopped & channeled it and every part on it was Durant, Chev, or GM.
Car was exceptionally clean, great stance, and ran well. (327 w/4speed)
Levi boasted it didn't have ONE Ford part, nary a bolt or screw that came from Ford.
He took it out to Eagle Field, and raced "Stormin' Norman", Norm's Austin bodied altered.
Altered ran a 289" Ford, so Levi blew Norm's doors off. Just turned out that way.
Stormin' Norman re-engined the little chopped Austin with a '53 Ford flathead, turned around and sold it.
Levi sold the Durant, too. Maybe...8 years ago?
Stormin' is 'height-challenged', still barely fit inside the tiny Austin Bantom. A youngster watched as Stormin' slipped out of the miniature Bantom, and asked, "Did that little man race that hot rod?" I said, "Yep. That big man over there is Levi. Levi just shut him off like a bad 'Hobbit'!" (much laughter)

 

Ugly? It's pretty X 3. Pretty janky lookin, pretty apt to stay that way for a pretty long time. See? See? As far as cars of the time it isn't the playmate of the month. Don't get me wrong, it is kool that it's still around but I wouldn't go outta my way for it. And at $30K? The 3 or 4 ppl who want it won't be fighting for an opportunity.

 

I was going to reply with my opinion, but seeing as it is the International Day of Happiness, I decided it was not the time to be "poopooing my way around"...........

Hoping everyone can find a reason to smile today.

 

I “liked” your reply, ya know, just for Karma

 

Yeah, well, 'glass houses' and all.......

Just for the record........ I think the Durant Roadster would rod up ok, but $30K is a steep starting point.
The price does probably correctly reflect the originality and rarity of the car.
Still cool to see something so scarce. Thanks to @Jrs50 for putting it up.

 

I'd really like to see that! Any photos hanging around?

 

I deeply appreciate that there is finally ONE thread youve spared us that on lol happy "international day of happiness"

 

So close !!! You just missed it. It was on the 20th of March. It's over for another whole year...........
By the way, would you like to buy some capitals and punctuation marks ???
Come on man, smile.........

 

I never stop smiling chief, I am saving my money for the swap meet. I will just fabricate some, I'm good with my hands

 

When I took the original pictures, I wasn't thinking of posting it on here. It wasn't until after I got home that I thought it might be interesting to put on the site. After I did I was thinking about the missed opportunity to take an interior picture. Yesterday I attended a small car show and a certain Durant was in attendance.



Here's a couple of details I thought were interesting

The rear glass although broken is beveled to add a touch of class.

The rear view mirror is beveled as well.

 

His full name was William Crapo Durant

 

Preach it Brother. Some of these younger guys have no idea that off brands are sitting around---because no one ever wanted those brands for hotrods

 

Where did you find a car show within a hundred miles of Toledo Bend?

 

Many, La... just down the road. If you know the area, you also know the pronunciation of Many. Lol.

 

I'd drive it.