History MILESTONE CUSTOM CARS: Jesse Lopez '41 Ford

Rik, do you what issue of Motor Trend that article came from?

 

September 1949... I dont have that issue myself. I scanned this one from one of the Albert Drake books. But If somebody one here does have this issue... I would love to have a better quality scan.

 

Awesome,just awesome.

 

The September 1951 Issue of Popular Science had an article on Barris.
The text was not very good, but it did show us some really nice photos.
I have shown them here before... but here is a scan from the article page, and a section so that you can read the photo captions.

Jesse's Ford was not mentioned in the main text.

 

Rik, I'm a little confused on this. It's well known that Danny Lares bought Jesse's coupe, though I'm not exactly sure what year this happened, but Danny entered it in many shows.

The pic shown is a show in Lynwood park of the Lopez/Lares coupe taken in 1954.

The famous picture of the Thrifty Drug show in L.A. that you beautifully colorized was also taken 1954 and also shows the Lopez/Lares coupe.

I can't imagine that Jesse was not aware of who owned his car as Danny showed the car many timesand as I have never heard of Danny totalling the car.

Mick

 

DAMN.... happened again.
I guess I'm getting older... and listen to people and take whatever they say for granted... without listening to my own little voice in my head first.

You are so right.. there are many photos to proof the car was still around several years after 1951... The parking lot scene was in 1954 as you mention, and the photo below shows a Ford Pick up truck in the background that was not produced before 1953. The date on the photo is '56... but I'm not sure if that was the date the photo was taken.. more likely developed, so that does not say much.



I will get back on this... have to ask a friend to what exactly Jesse mentioned again.

 

Wow Rik !!! This page is great !!!! Alright Rik , I know this is a Jesse Lopez thread but this page might serve a serious purpose to the Jerry Quesnel mystery of the first chopped 49 merc. If you can post this picture on the thread where we were all trying to crack the mystery of Jerry's merc being the first. ( I think the thread was.... your album of your sacramento merc pics.)

 

This thread is insane!! Thanx Rikster!!

 

Jeff.. what do you mean? How can this serve solving the mystery. Yes this publication is before the Sam Barris Mercury Motor Trend cover. But I don think it solves anything? What are you thinking about?

 

I dont want to turn this thread into Jerry's page. I didnt say that there is proof but ..... there is a interesting point to be mentioned about the topic.

 

Am i going to have to write what im thinking about Jerry's merc on the Jesse lopez thread ??

 

Jeff... just posted them on the Gathering thread.. post it there.

 

Not a biggie, but after studying the car I'd say it has '41 fenders with the characteristic '46-'48 shape added as a finisher for the fender "crease" (in lack of the correct term). Compare the area around the headlights and top of fenders with '41s like Deron's to a '46 and you'll see the difference.

 

Always liked this custom,my chopped 48 is as close to his as I'll get,wish it was around or some color photos,george was a shutter bug he should have some color photos

 

I always like to see people standing next to a car which makes you appreciate the car's proportions.Those cars are seldom seen over here and it surely helps to get a feeling for their size and great flowing lines,especially when chopped.Also nice about this pic is the stock Ford parked next to it.Compare ! It seems the Lopez Ford was a crowd magnet back in the day and it cartainly would be today too...



This is an awesome photo!! what i also like about this photo. The guys in front of his ford looking at the grill. Looking at how they made it work. Jesse's ford was one of the best out there!!

 

Bickford, if you like people around cars you're going to love this one.

Looks like Jesse's car at a high school, the cars have numbers in the quarter windows so may have been some kind of run.

I like the name of the club on the back of one guys jacket..."The Dingfods"!

Mick

 

Mick

i was trying to figure out what that jacket was about. is it there school jacket or a car club jacket?

 

I just looked it up, and according to the Urban Dictionary, a "Dingfod" is a socially accepted description of the male member. Soooo- I think we can rule out it being a school mascot jacket.

Mick

 

No wonder why Jesse had such a smile on his face.......I dont remember reading that he had a blown flathead under this hood.After talking with Jesse tonight he told me how much was done under the hood of this Breathtaking custom.

 

I have three pics of the Lopez Ford throughout my house and everytime I walk by them I cant help but stare and smile. The colorized pic that Rikster did in front of the Turf Club is my fav. These guys were doing it back then, between Jesse Lopez, Wally Welch, Dan Landon....etc....making history and driving milestones. And Jeffsled the fact that you get to talk to people like Jesse or Jerry Quesnel has got to be a pleasure of a lifetime.

 

Yes Jesse told me that this cover Illustration below was not just a drawing... it rally happened.
Jesse was always more into racing and roadster, but wanted to have Custom anyway. But when he got one it of coarse needed to have a very fast engine, and as you mentioned it even had a blower on the flathead at one time.
Jesse used to drag race his 1941 a lot as well.



Something that notices me is that there are several photos of this car with the hood popped up... but as far as I can tell none of those are from the time Jesse owned it. All show the longer side trim piece on the hood, and that was done after Jesse had sold it to Danny Lares.

 

Here is a photo of Jesse taken in 2008.
The photo was taken by Michelle Yiatras and David Zivot.

It shows Jesse with his mildly customized 1957 T-Bird painted in Jesse's favorite color.





When Jesse and Sam Barris built his 1941 Ford in 1948, Jesse wanted to paint his car in a different color than most of the Custom Cars back then. So he ended up choosing the dark green metallic (custom mixed). Jesse mentioned he never really liked green, it was Okay... but he really wished he would have painted his favorite color... pale yellow.

 

Good thread....I just found it.....

 

Yes Rik , Jesse was telling me how he was into Speed way before he was into customs.He spent alot of time at the dragstrip and he was even telling me about racing and beating some Ayala cars.He said his ford was already started and lookin good before he even met George BArris,he had started doing the mild stuff to it.It turns out he only lives about an hour or so away and he agreed to having lunch.He was a crackup to talk to ,verry funny guy on the phone.I know you have spoke with him but that was my first time.

 

No offense to Jesse but I am glad he didn't paint his car his favorite color.

 

Bringing this back up for some history lessons. Maybe someone new might see the big difference in what was done back in the day. They did things the right way. not over chopping and having everything laying on the ground looking like its broken.

 

HISTORY LESSON TIME!!

Just bring this back up incase someone might have missed it.

 

HISTORY LESSON TIME !!!!

Look these guys build cars that were CLASSY not TRASHY. Maybe for people will start building CLASSY CUSTOMS again.

 

Here is a another lesson of this great day............Stance . Follow the footsteps of legends like this.

 

I'm really proud of this...