Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Benny's Home Built Coupe Continue reading the Original Blog Post
I agree with flamingokid. I'd put that in my garage and drive it as is in a heartbeat! Some of the fit and finish isn't the best, but I think his overall vision was good.
I need, "The Rest of the Story",,, Where has it been? How come it never came out of the: barn, shed, shop, lean-to? How did it survive without 'modernization' from a later owner? America (HAMB) want to KNOW!
i like the roof insert, makes sense it would make chopping it quicker. i wonder if he patched the bumper holes so if the donut eaters busted his balls he could put the bumpers back on.
It's good to see this car as I believe that this is more like most builds that were done then what was only seen in the mags of the day. Really cool that it was at a Concours event. Torchie
When you consider that in 1955, Indiana was literally an Island in time, and the most influential car magazine of that period, HOT ROD, was only seven years old. Considering the car vibe vacuum that existed in most of Middle America for many, many years, this car is really marvelous. Not only does it follow some of the major trends of that period in using one of the more popular overhead valve engine transplants, it also adds a supercharger for extra power. And, to those who find it rather odd looking by comparison to their ideas of what was relevant during that time period, mellowed by the yellowing pages of the magazines of the day, I agree the body treatment is idiosyncratic enough to warrant a deeper look into the creative mind of a fifteen year old son of a casket hardware magnate's son, as certainly being different from most kids from that period. How many fifteen years old man-children does anyone know who have done much more than masturbate and talk about what they would do if only they had a million dollars, when at that age. To those who slight his accomplishments, certainly aided by adult craftsmen, his is a fully realized Custom with a paint job on it that with lettering and logos might well be seen on one of the race cars competing at the fabled Indy 500 in that period, that perhaps influenced some of the thinking of this young man when he was creating what I see as a masterpiece of Folk Art. As to the gee-gaws that are seen as flaws, I am reminded of those who would quibble over the existence of a fly in amber. Often the flaws are only part of the puzzle, and perhaps added in an adolescent zeal to give it a little flash. This is an impulse all of us have experienced as children, and even as grown men. To grumble that he added a few flaws as baubles, and that a few grown men take offense to with their mature hindsight and penchant to quibble over the number of angels on the head of pin, or the number of pin heads who need better angels, is to miss the beauty of this builder's exuberance. So taken, all in all, I have to say with a straight face: this is some damn fine car.
Its a neat old car, perhaps not neat by today's standards but it is something that I surely wouldn't be ashamed of and it is something that one might see in the school parking lot for sure. its too bad that we don't have many examples of cars like this when we are discussing what cars of the fifties looked like.
a very unique car. Like @fortynut said, being in a vacuum in middle america, this car doesn't follow any 1 of the territorial trends of the time really. And walks the line between hot rod and custom. I think the bumpers may have been removed at a later date, hence the fill panels (maybe even the running boards), or like metioned were left in case johnny law required them to be put back on the car. And the filled trunk lid...just so weird the mix of parts and customizations
Not sure, but I think this car was in American Rodder magazine a couple of decades ago back when they were part of Paisno (sp?) Publications. For a while the magazine featured what it called "sports rods" mid-late 30's coupes with trimmed fenders, channeling, no running boards and later model engines
Pretty cool car... I have seen many attempts by people twice, three, and four times that age that wouldn't even touch the workmanship of that car! I wonder if Benny is still with us and does he still enjoy cars? I tip my hat...
Saw another '36 Coupe at the first Rodder's Journal Revival. Long history with a hardtop look, chrome dash w/multiple switches and black/white rolls and pleats complete with hearts(rumbleseat too). Tried loading pics but they're too big. Both these cars are of an era of innovation combined with an unsophisticated style and mostly done at home with basic tools/equipment. Bravo to these souls who laid the foundation for future individuals!
Batesville Casket is located in southern Indiana not far from Cincinnati Ohio. I image Benny lived in that area.
Perfect, just perfect. While some will find fault with some details, this is a great example of independent thinking; 'Dare to be Different' before anybody thought about it.... LOL! Love the matching tail/park lights.....
Love it. Hell of a nod to history, and a kid who built his dream. I'd like to hear the rest of the story, too.
I kinda like the chop (w/the insert = different) and it sure looks like it's sectioned at the belt line. It seems like there's a gap there at cowl they didn't fill. It sits too high off the ground to be channeled?. I also like the boat tail front fender ends, that's pretty original, except for an Auburn or similar car.
I'm also thinking it's sectioned because of how high the tops of the front fenders are in comparison to the hood height...kinda like the '40's you would see sectioned
Cool. I like it - just enough details to give it some individuality, some character. I maybe would do some things slightly different if I was building it now, but would still be proud if I'd done it that way.
I saw this car when it was rediscovered at Goodguys Medinia ,Oh 20 yrs ago. Looks like its been well preserved since then
I probably wouldn't have built it like he did, but I would be damn proud to own it, just as he built it. Very impressive build for a young man with a marvelous vision and dream that culminated in a unique coupe that is what a lot of us wanted, combination of a little bit customized, besides being a hot rod! I love it just as it was built.
Building that car would have been a HUGE undertaking for a 15 year old kid, especially in the midwest where speed shops were few and very far between. Latham blower with side draft carbs? Those were state of the art and very expensive back in the 50s-60s. Very impressive even if it isn't a real beauty. I'll bet that thing cranks!
i agree that there's some weird shit going on... but overall i dig it. the more i look at it, the more i like it. plus built at 15? in indiana? in the 50s? shiiiiiiiiit. that's one hell of an accomplishment. i built my first car at 15, in california, in the 90s. it was pathetic in comparison!!!
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