History Cool old photo

I found this old photo online. Does anybody remeber this car? It was on an old 1950's TV show and the driver was a young rock n roll singer. It was a real family on TV!
Kool car and excessive use of pinstriping. Anyone know the facts on this old Hotrod?

 

isn't that Rick Nelson?

 

Both Rick and David. That was a great show.

 

That's Ricky Nelson in the drivers seat with his older brother David. The show was Ozzie & Harriot. They were a real family, the show ran for many years. lots of the old TV shows had a kid with a hotrod from time to time. A few I remember seeing rods are The Donna Reed Show, Leave it to Beaver, My Three Sons, Dragnet, Highway Patrol and the Life of Riley. Pull them up on youtube!

 

Ricky Nelson is driving and his older brother David is out side the car. Ricky was an early "Teen Ideal" rock star both starred with their parents in the Ozzie and Harriet Radio and Televion shows. Sadly Ricky died in a plane crash supposedly caused by him and others in his group "Freebasing Coke" (I think thats the correct term anyway).

 

I saw Rickey Nelson Car at the Ford museum about 5 years ago.

 

Car is restored and was at Pebble Beach within the last five years, I think Don Orosco owns it now. There are color photos of it here on the HAMB. Bob

 

The car never belonged to Ricky Nelson but was used on the TV show.

The roadster was built by Tony La Masa. HRP

 

Thanks to Hotrod Primer for the builder's info. I knew it was Ricky and David Nelson. I guess there are some old timers up early and reading the posts!
Wow, $4,000. was a tidy sum back then!

 

That car was in the 1958 movie, "Hot Rod Gang".

 

You must be a youngster. I bet 99% of us old guys here would have recognized them.

 

The "Freebasing Coke" bit has been shown to be an urban legend thing.

 

No freebasing lol was provin to be electrical fire!

 

I remember seeing that car at the L.A. County fair in the late 50s. Was really impressed by it, always wondered if it was still around.

 

car still exists in the original restored condition in a private collection in pa.

 

yep!

 

Last I knew the La Masa roadster is in Ross Myers collection near Boyertown Pa. What a beauty!

 

Here are some pics I took from the museum in PA.

 

Great, now I've got this stuck in my head:



James Burton kills it on that song.

 

Actually, it was a gasoline powered heater that was THOUGHT to be the suspect. Both pilot and co-pilot had conflicting stories. Still doesn't take anything away from the fact that that roadster is a nice ride.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=20743

 

From the blog above: "The early 50s Southern California period hot rods just hit that sweet spot of simplicity and restraint as evident here in DeFillipi’s ’32: No cycle fenders, no wild pinstriping or goofy nerf bars yet."

And THAT'S why every other area failed a little, when doing hot rods. They just didn't get the formula.

So it seems.