The original owner (Tom DeRosa) of this Donn Lowe built custom Chevy send me an email, after he had seen the Chopolds taken photo's of it on my site. He has been looking for his old custom that Donn Lowe built on an frame built by his frind Manny, but so far no luck. Does anybody know anything more about this Chevy and possebly where it is right now. The original owner would love to see it again. All info would be helpfull
You ever think of asking Donn Lowe? He might know. He is a friend of mine. I could give him a call if it's that important to you.
Thanks for the offer. But the original owner does have Donn's contact info and he will contact Donn about the Chevy. I just figured I give it a shot here first. Since the HAMB is so well spread somebody might just recognice the custom.
Hi, Rik! Not sure if Donny would know, as he built that car in Colorado, and soon moved to Oregon, where he's been for a long time now. Easy to lose track of cars and people over that distance, for that long. I might talk to him soon, so I'll ask. He asked Vic and I to try reproducing a taillight for a custom he's building, we're close to getting the bugs worked out. If it's anything like another car Donn didn, it may be difficult. Manny Bastiao is the guy who did the frame swaps on several cars for Donn. He had Donn do a 56 Merc for him, and he brought it back to NJ with him when he (Manny) moved moved out of Colorado. It sat on a Grand Prix frame. John Pazsik and I did a bit more custom work on the car, and painted it maroon with gold pearl ghost scallops. It appeared at the first Sledscene East in Virginia Beach in '84, and won a "Fine Nine" award. Anyway, Manny sold it to buy his sectioned Merc, it went to Jersey City. It was chopped (bad job) soon after, repainted, sold to a NYC dude, and disappeared. The car changed looks so much, it would be hard to distinguish it as the Colorado car. I know DeRosa sold the car, and it went through several differnt owners. It might look very different now. BTW, I think his name was Tommy DeRosa, not Don. He was a cop in Colorado City.
Thanks for your input ChopOlds. Most likely the car does look quite different now... who knows. Yes, you are right it is Tommy... I mixed Donn and Tom.. oh well I fixed it.
Actually, the guy standing, is Donn Lowe. The guy sitting in the car is Dave Crook. Another famous custom builder (48 Ford in TRJ, in bare metal, as well as being in the 'little books' )The owner is not in the pic. Either one of these guys should be able to afford good shorts!
I saw Donn Lowe at the LA Roadster show and he said he is currently building a 40 Ford that will knock our socks off. Then he said he was thinking of retiring. Say it aint so, Donn!!!
The pics are circa 1985. That's before the ghetto shorts that actually go below your knees. That's when shorts were SHORTS! Dammmit!
Donn's my neighbor, I can see why he doesn't wear shorts. I've seen better looking legs on a table. I have photo's of the 40 Donn's building. he let's me shoot them on the condition that I don't post them on the internet till after the car is finished and shown. It's going to be a good one. but he has 3 other cars in his shop that will stop you in your tracks. I try to stay away from his shop, it makes my projects and my work look bad.
Thanks Anthony, I have contacted Tom, and he just replied. He was so thrilled about the news. he will try to contatc Bo Huff and see if he can get some more info. I hope he will be reunited with his old custom and will share whatever he finds out. Anthony, did you ever get that envelope I send you?
Oh yea !I got it from an employee who let it sit next to a water cooler for a week acording to him till he remembered.Toomorow you should have plenty of questions when mine arrives!!!!!
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