'50's Ohio based bobbed fender 32 roadster

I know this is a real stretch. Anybody remember a black bobbed fendered 32 roadster out of Ohio back in the '50's? Seem to recall it was featured or at least pictured in Hot Rod around "55. Building a look-alike and have always remembered that car.

 

No oldtimers from Ohio?

 

Are you thinking of Ralph Neal's roadster? It was featured in Hop Up, Sept. '53 (fenderless), then in Hot Rod a couple years later full fendered. He drove it to Bonneville,raced it,and drove it back home. It was one of the nicest cars around here back then.

 

Ralph Neal's roadster was sold to a guy in northeast Ohio. The car was channeled and had a "woodpecker" sticker on the lower cowl. A local guy later aquired it and was going to restore it. He put the floor back in it and then traded the body for a 3-window body. Today, that is the body that is on the Bill Metz roadster, of Bill's Rod and Custom. I'll see if I can find a picture of it when Neal had it.

 

As I recall the car was black with bobbed rears. Pictured in a Bonneville story parked in a motel lot. May have been featured around 53-55. You guys may be right with the name Ralph Neal. The older I get the harder it is to remember all the parts of what I remember!

 

Google says the car is featured in Hot Rod Feb '51

 

Here is a page showing Neal's roadster without fenders. I know I have a shot of it showing the bobbed fenders, Maybe I'll find it.

 

Thanks roadwarrior32. Always one of my favorites. Thinking of 'cloning"..must have made a hell of an impression for me to remember it for 50 years.

 

I am trying to locate who owns this car now. The car was built by my father,
Ralph Neal, and I would like to get in touch with the owner.

 

Betty, see this from above: "Ralph Neal's roadster was sold to a guy in northeast Ohio. The car was channeled and had a "woodpecker" sticker on the lower cowl. A local guy later aquired it and was going to restore it. He put the floor back in it and then traded the body for a 3-window body. Today, that is the body that is on the Bill Metz roadster, of Bill's Rod and Custom. I'll see if I can find a picture of it when Neal had it."

Google Bill's Rod and Custom. It's now a medium red full fendered roadster. Sits really low with '50 Mercury hubcaps.

 

If memory serves me right a guy that goes by the name of Booty Black(Booty is nickname I think) is the person that traded the roadster body to Bill Metz for a 3 Window body. Booty Black used to work at International Harvester and was from around the Springfield area.

 

Bills R and C of springfield Ohio is that it ?See him in it and he is on here

 

Thanks for the info, I had heard it was in a barn somewhere in northeast ohio. I'll see if I can trace this guy. Love the car and hope to find it.

 

Betty, do you plan to attempt to buy your dads old car back ? That would be cool.

 

Metz roadster was at the Brookville Open House this last weekend.