Projects A late introduction-Junior Conway coupe build

Here's some of what I found interesting.

 

Some more.

 

More yet.

 

Abilene was the smallest show that we've been to. There were 78 entrants. I got best in my class. I don't remember what the class was called. It was different than last time (in Houston). The other car in the class was a nice 52 Desoto.

The other award was given while I was out taking an incoming phone call. I dont know what it was about. Mom went up and got it for me.

The phone call was more important than any of that stuff. It was from an original owner of what is looking like my next project.

 

coool

 

Well, last year we were invited to go up to Darryl Starbirds show in Tulsa (next weekend). We didn't go last year because of our commitment to the Dallas show (post #1024). My wife was born and raised in Wichita so this year we're going. Her family will come down to see us. This will probably be our last show with the display. We're rapidly closing in on been there, done that territory.

This will be our biggest show to date. A thousand entries under one roof! How they manage the traffic jam/move in set up situation will be interesting to see to say the least. We have a one hour window to get the trailer in and unloaded and out at a specific time. At Abilene we did this in 25 minutes. We unload and come back later and set up. One thing we want to know is how many trailers can Tulsa handle?

We will be one of 24 cars that are eligible to compete for the Fine Nine awards. Nine will be chosen from this group to proceed on to the Go For The Gold Award where from these nine, one will be chosen and awarded with the $20,000.00 on Sunday night at the awards presentation.

This obviously is an environment that we've never been in. The GNRS (custom's then and now) was one building with under a hundred cars. There was no competing for awards. The ONLY reason that we've felt like we needed to get involved in this type of thing was because that was an important part of having a car like this back in the day. The magazines we're all full of these cars displayed with the trophies that they had won. As I have said previously (and experienced in the ISCA environment), this car cannot compete against the cars we see today on it's merits alone. The only other factor could/would be the historical value (?) part. We'll see what happens. I'm
not holding my breath. I do feel very honored (for Junior) to be included in this group.

 

Good luck Jerry and keep me posted.

 

YES Jerry but you have the koooolll factor down pat!!!!!

 

Well, we got in yesterday. Here's some pics of the building and some misc. shots. More to follow.

 

That is a fact. Junior created the car and you and your family are making sure everyone gets to see it. Jer, your commitment is amazing. Good luck and will be rooting for "Junior's car".

 

Wow. Plenty of room for all those trailers! Good luck!

 

This is Michael Scott. The striper of "Murphy and the Striper" fame. I remember reading about them in the little books. They were east coast guys. A very down to earth nice guy. He came over and introduced himself after checking out the display. He did express pleasure seeing how much effort was put into it. He has done a large number of large paintings that depict some of the famous shops from "back in the day". The paintings have the cars out in front that made them famous.

We brought the Barris painting over and put it in the display because it had Jr's car in it.. We later bought that painting as well as one showing the next project.

 

This is the group of cars from which the "fine nine" was picked.

 

Well, I'm having trouble posting the remaining pics. Hang tight.

 

Here we go.

 

OK not quite right. One car is overly covered as you can see. Here are a few more to finish the group. There was a VERY nice '40 Ford coupe that was next to us and, a '40 Ford truck that was on the other side of us that I didn't get a pic of for some stupid reason. Sorry, the coupe got best paint.

Good news! Mom caught the the coupe and the truck as well as Jr's cpe on video. Now, if I can get them on here.

 

Could be very cool indeed

 

Great stuff. Your car looks sharp as do the others.

 

When I was in Hi School there was an older guy that I worked with that ordered a car just like this. He bought the car without undercoating, put it on a lift and painted the complete underside of it white. He lowered it just like this one. You would come up behind it and could see the rear underside, also the front wheel wells. Very cool to an impressionable 17 y.o. kid.

 

OK here's the '40 coupe on our left. The '40 trk is on our right (post#1346).

 

Sorry that I've neglected this. Here's the "fine nine". The sixth picture is for the '40 Ford truck. It's the only pic I've got of it.

 

Here is the winner and recipiant of the $20,000.00 award. Not bad. This was constructed from a 4 door hardtop.

 

The car was amongst the top 5 in it's class. Here is what the award looks like.

 

Congrats Jerry on another well deserved award! Interesting to learn from you about the show dynamic, seems to have a heavy lean toward street rod. Seems that much of your period-correctness, or more specifically, your Junior-cloneness gets lost in the big sea of Shiny New. Your beautiful machine somewhat defies categorization (what with no Clone class), but they know it is special and deserves some kind of award. Kudos!

 

The hotel of choice was the Tulsa Hilton. I saw Bo Huff in the lobby and later at the show. Bo loves Jr's coupe. On Friday nite there was a Hall of Fame induction ceremony and an introduction to the cars competing for the fine nine award. Bo was there to be inducted. Bo was conspicuous with his sigh's and noises of affirmation when Jr's car was featured. He was telling everyone that would listen that Jr's car was the best one there. Some of this took place in the lobby of the hotel.
I love Bo Huff.

 

The "Fine Nine" group of 24 cars (wanabies) were displayed down the center of the building. There were many outstanding cars there. I realize now that I didn't put in the hours to really go over the exceptional cars that were there. Here's a Willys pick up that whispered "don't you dare not take a picture of me" as I tried to walk by. Just one example of the caliber of the vehicles that were out on the sides of the building. Also the crowd that was huge on Saturday.

 

Well, I guess it's time (a year doing this) to put together my thoughts regarding this car show experience that I've had.
I've always been the most comfortable being in the back of the class room. Doing the the Junior Conway coupe has been a perfect fit compared to the Jerry Daman coupe. To say that this experience has been interesting would be an understatement. This has been one of the most satisfying and fulfilling experiences of my life. It has touched Junior and, it will continue to do so profoundly. To see my name opposite Juniors in that two page spread in the #53 TRJ was quite a thrill (especially for the 17 y.o. Jerry). I've already touched on these things in earlier posts. The amazing thing is that I'm told this is going to increase in intensity. This exercise has given (all) my sons the father that they need.
Starting out with this car at the GNRS like we did certainly meant that it could only go one way after that.
While this car has been well received everywhere we've gone I do feel that it belongs on the w. coast where the original car was born and bred. I remember asking Jim McNeil what it's like owning the Hirohata Merc. His reply was that on occasion some one will cry when they see it. That motivates him to try and make it accessible as much as he can.
The response Juniors car got at the GNRS has not been matched anywhere else that we've been. It was emotional and universal. In the Midwest it's been the coolest 50 Ford there. I could be wrong about this. Most will linger, point, smile and, move on. I'm not the kind of guy that has to be at the show every hour the doors are open. I don't go out of my way to be Id'd with the car. I may be doing the car and Junior a disservice in this area. That's why I say I could be wrong
It turns out that I'm definitely wrong in my assessment of the award/trophy thing. More than one knowledgeable person that would know has told me that the trophies became a real pita to those who were doing the show circuits. They were hard to store/display, hard to transport and, expensive to have to send home. Some times they would sell them back to the promoters for some road money. There's a lot of expense involved in transporting a car around the Midwest. So, there was an agreement that was reached and we now have the much more transportable and, practical shingle's, errr, I mean plaque's. It just doesn't seem right, some how.
So my conclusion at this point is that this car needs to live in the L.A, area where it would be the most appreciated. As I have said earlier, the density and passion of the custom community there is unmatched anywhere else in the world.
If this renaissance around bringing back the old days (and cars) continues, I still think that there should be an award that represents the best attempt at capturing that period. It would add fuel to the already robust movement that is well underway. And, it would guarantee that this current generation of hoodlum's (a modern term) would carry the torch and reach new heights. It would also have a profoundly positive affect on the teenagers of that period that are now masquerading as old geezers. Of which I am one.
So, here is what one year in the Midwest looks like. This represents GNRS, Dallas, Fort Worth, The THEM! street party, Salina (just barely), Houston, Abilene, and Tulsa. If this were 1957, and the car had this many awards that had the look (trophies) of back in the day, then this would look right, I think.
Oh, by the way, I ran into Jack Walker in Tulsa (one of the source's) and he told me that there was a time when he leased some of his cars out to ISCA (I think) for a thousand dollars a week.

 

Thank you very much. Your remarks are very kind and gracious. I'm humbled being able to participate at this level and, as I have said to various people that identified with this car "this was done for you."

 

What a cool experience, thanks for sharing it with us.

 

It's been a fun ride Jerry, thanks for letting us tag along. Well deserved awards for sure! (Trophies sure would look the part)