History A Mystery Roadster - Muroc and Bell Auto Part - Can the H.A.M.B. Identify It?

I love a history mystery. I dig into primary sources and uncover breadcrumbs until I can get to a likely answer. I’ve uncovered a lot during my book project research into 1750s Pennsylvania. That journey began with a letter written 268 years ago. This mystery has begun with a photograph.


From the AHRF archive, supposedly Muroc in 1932. See that roadster? The one with the painted-up spare cover? It has a hold on me. I need to know more about it. I think we all do. Here are some clues I think are legit and not red herrings:

I think our mystery roadster is parked next to the George Wight (edit: actually FRED WISE) Bell Auto Parts 1931 Deluxe Phaeton.


I believe the spare cover to be a Winfield advertisement. The logo seems to match this Winfield ad:

So… what I believe I can make out on the spare is:

WINFIELD
CARBURETOR
within the “V” graphics with the two-man car at the bottom point of the “V”. Then:
BELL AUTOPARTS EXCHANGE
3633 GAGE AV
BELL​

Maybe wishful thinking, but this car has me intrigued.

What say the jalopy scholars??

 

The bumpers look like Model A Ford. The tail lights are too fuzzy to tell for sure but could be early '30s Chevy. They don't look round like Fords are. The hub caps are the style of '32 to '35 Ford but too big to be Ford. I think these are also early '30s Chevy. The position of the tail pipe also reminds me of a Model A Ford. I'm probably wrong but that's my impression of the thing.

 

It's a 30-31 Model A roadster. I believe the wheels to be 18" Deuce. There's also some form of loudspeaker gig in front of em but details are tough to make out. That's all I got.

 

I agree, Model A roadster and the tail pipe says it still has the banger motor in it and probably fairly stock. I think the hubcaps are too big to be Ford wire wheels. I’m not certain about this but I think that Dodge had a wire wheel that had the same bolt pattern at that time.

 

I hope that's not Alec Baldwin

 

Wheels maybe? ‘55-‘56 Chrysler Imperial Wires, 15”X6” 5 X 5.5” pattern

 

I'd like to read more on that George Wright Phaeton! Does roadster in foreground of main photo have chopped windscreen?

 

Agh! I made an error and a friend let me know! FRED WISE phaeton. Part of the Bell gang. George Wight owned Bell Auto at that time.

I believe the windshield is chopped, but it’s honestly tough to determine what’s truly going on with the windshield.

 

I think it’s a 28-29 roadster because I don’t see any bead around the fender on the quarter panel. And I think I can see a slight bit of reverse curve on the outer tips of the bumpers, which was a 28-29 feature.

 

Wheels maybe? ‘55-‘56 Chrysler Imperial Wires, 15”X6” 5 X 5.5” pattern

Those would be really hard to get in 1932.

 

I believe we’re looking at a 28/29 with non-Ford and wheels… though I’m not sure what shared the Ford bolt pattern. The spare cover - IF I’ve decided it correctly - has an association with Bell, who organized the early Muroc trials with Gilmore. The cover along with the proximity of the Fred Wise phaeton makes me think this car may belong to another Bell Auto fella. A friend mentioned the possibility of it being Roy Richter’s car. Anyone have photos of Roy’s roadster in the early ‘30s?

 

I agree. that looks like a banjo rear end too...and perhaps converted to wide 5 hydraulic brakes and '37 hubcaps.

 

A banger exhaust pipe hanging under the rear end gives it away too. Very common.

 

To quote @VANDENPLAS , it’s a Dodge. Hehe.

 

Well Stan, you are right of course. Somehow I missed that the picture was from

 

1932

 

Supposedly 1932. Certainly early ‘30s. You know how dating these pics can go without a date written on the back!

 

. . . and I don't think they had pictures from 268 years ago.

 

No… but they did tend to date their letters! 18th century dates are usually able to be nailed down. I’m involved in a location and aftermath mystery in my book research, but we do know the date.

Mostly.

 

A little more research… the photo in question is part of the Bob Nordskog collection at AHRF. Not much else available, but I have some feelers out.

 

We were out of town for a couple weeks so I was away from my book collection. This thread had me thinking of Roy Richter and sure enough @RyanAK mentioned Roy. Here are photos I took of Richter’s ‘29 A, they are from the book Roy Richter Striving For Excellence.
This photo is from Ryan’s first post, it shows what might be a divided windshield as on the Richter car.

Next up are three photos and captions from the book-

photo credit- Roy Richter Collection



photo credit for two above photos- Hank Wise Collection

Not conclusive but I think this may be the answer.

 

I think we’re of the same mind, Fordors.

When you say you took the photos of Richter’s roadster… are you saying you took the actual photos or you took photos of the photos in the book?

 

Photos of the images in the book. I’m only 75, if I had taken photos of Roy leaving on that 1935 trip to the Midwest I’d have to be at least 99 now.

 

Hey! Ya never know who’s going to drop by this place, 99 years old or not!

 

I don’t know if this might be helpful to someone. I tried to improve the pictures to see more details.

 

Well... unless we can find additional photos of that particular meet... or a photo of the mystery roadster with the Winfield spare cover parked in front of Bell... this is likely the best circumstantial evidence we're going to find. I'll continue to look for more images, because I'm wholly captured by that car. But until then...

...I want that spare cover.

 

Are those stanchions to support the two speakers, rather than a split window? I love the mix of '28-'29 A roadster with '33-'34 grille/ hood!

 

Killer 28-29 roadster with a 33 grill, never seen that or thought of that!

 

Damn Wise's tub is nice!

Another example of the 33-34 grill in use back in the day. My favorite T.

 

But you can date these pics at the earliest 1933. Be tough to be running that grill in '32 because the '33 wasn't released until either Feb or March '33.