History Custom Car builder Spotlight: AYALA BROTHERS

I recently purchased a roadster that i have been trying to buy since 1982, It is Gil Ayala's roadster with the dash plaque from ElMirage dated 1946 , I have most of the history with the car, the car is listed in Veda Orr's 1946 book on the scta results, a very neat find, unearthed her in the midwest I have pics of the car and dash plaque thanks BOB

 

Hello Bob,

I think that I speak for everybody on here that we would love to see photos of your Old Gil Ayala Roadster. If you have problems posting photos to me you can sent them to me by email and I will add them to this post on your behalf.
Rik Hoving

 

Im still in the air as if im gonna paint my 51 chevy that lime gold color.I want to do my car in this color cause of Wallys car. The only problem i have is what color would i do the upholstery? im not gonna go with some ugly ass flake gold plastic.

 

You can get this and many other car/hot rod related movies at:

http://www.archive.org/


.....Particularly the Prelinger Archive section. The movies are downloadable from this web site.



Mutt

 

Bob please.... some pictures of the Ayala roadster.

 

Here's the Eddie Dye roadster built by Gil Ayala as an example of his hot rod work...


Mutt

 

Here are the photos and info Bob send me on this 1932 Ford Roadster

Hello Rik,
Here is some history and pics of the 32 ayala 32 roadster
The car is listed in veda orrs book in 1946. Gil sold the car to a guy by the name of Caserian in san Diego,
from their it got sold to a guy in Des Moines, Wayne Cretchlow?.
Gene Cross - a goodguys rep - and Rube Cornwell from des Moines were all buddies from that area.
From their it got sold to a guy in Oglesby Illinois to George Keith, he gave it to his son John, when he got tired of it. The car got sold to Art Oberholtzer from Oglesby in 1981, a long time hot rodder and a very good friend of mine.
Art then sold the car to Glenn Allen of princeton Illinois in 1986.
I recently purchased the car from Glenn.

Robert Beenenga

enclosed are some pics and than timing tag
thanks BOB

 

Does any of you guys have the old Veda Orr book and is willing to look up this car and make a scan of the photo. It would be really nice to see that here.

Thanks

 

WOW!!!!!! This just made my morning,what great photos of this roadster.Bob thanks for sending these to Rik and thanks Rik for posting them up.So this wasnt just built by Gil,it was owned and raced!! 1946... thats early. Its to bad this wasnt purchased a while back because I would of loved to have this in the History Of The Custom building,I know its a roadster and a racecar but being that early of a car and being Gils personal car I think we could of made an exception. Thanks guys,this shit gets me fired up ........ now all we need is to find that 40 merc with cad fins on it.

 

Gil Ayala was a Gopher member, as well as Don Blair ,Louis Baney,Harold Anderson,Jack McGrath,Steve Genardini, Jack Ryan,nelson Taylor,Jack Mickelson,Ludwig Solberg,Leland McCormick, to name a few, the Gophers placed 4th in points in the 1946 SCTA championships, hope this shed some light on the roadster and somebody will have some pics thanks BOB

 

Hey,

I don't beleve the Ayala name & their works is/was ever left behind or upstaged by the Brothers Barris shop................. To anyone who's knowledge of Kustoms extends beyound that Seafoam Green Merc with the Buick side trim. The work of the Ayala's stood without need for a brass band or all the coverage they given thru Bob Peterson's publications.'looks as though the Ayala's were into the ''real deal'' i.e. building Kustoms, racecars & top drawer paint, not the shameless self promotion so common today.

" Humpty Dumpty was pushed "

 

Great thread. I love the Ayala Merc stylings. I thought for a long time about painting my car lime gold but the wife voted for blue or black.

 

I never intended to make it sound like that.
Ayala's work was top notch!
Al Ayala was a extremely talented body man, and Gil was the same with the paint gun.
No way Barris's work was better than the Ayala's. Barris only promoted it better, and therefor they received much more publicity.

 

Wally was such a badass.He had the hottest chick and the nicest sleds.

 

I still cant get over how early Gil was racing.This is such a great picture and makes me have even more respect.

 

RIK

you need to make these and sell them!! i would buy the whole series.

 

I would foresure buy these pictures.

 

I love the grill on this truck.

 

It makes me wonder where the original grille is now...

The way the car looks now makes me a bit sad!

 

Yes I wonder where that grill is???? This picture was taken at my wed night hangout.. Art Chrismans shop.I have never seen this truck there before.I would love to get my hands on this truck and bring it back to life,this thing needs a makeover .

 

If I remember correctly, the guy who owns it now, is Bruce Geisler, who is the the same guy that owned it back in the 50's, he maybe even the one who bought it from Gil. This is the way it looked back then...obviously minus the blower scoop! He's actually a well known Bonneville racer who drove the same 53 Stude there for years.

 

It would be easier to make that grille now than back then. I bet the old ones ere cut out with a torch and ground smooth. Always been interested in the grille.

 

Bruce Geisler should now what happened to the grille since he bought it from Gil...maybe Gil kept it and used it as a sign or display-item?

Anyway, Bruce sold the truck to Dwayne Grotewold in Le Mars, Iowa. And here is a neat newpaper article I found on the truck after Dwayne had bought it from the Le Mars Globe-Post Monday, October 13, 1958. When Dwayne got the car btw, the Geisler logo was reomved from the doors:

 

Pretty easy fix on it though. A new hood and some paint and chrome. At least it hasn't been totally butched like some old customs.

 

Absolutely LOVE this photograph, cleaned it up a bit......Customs and Hot Rods ...... OH Yeah.......

 

Mann!these guys where for real.Anyone have a pic of Gil Ayala at the WCK 1990 hall of fame induction in Paso Robles?

 

Yeah that picture kicks ass. Hardcore guys for sure. Built some of the slickest customs of all time and had the balls to run them at the lakes as well!!

 

I wouldnt touch that truck. Why try to erase 55 or more years of history ?

 

Most of the changes on the current configuartaion seem to be more modern though. Like the blower and the moon tank and Briz bumpers. None of that was in the pictures in the Rod and Custom article in the 50's and all would be pretty easy bolt on changes.