Hot Rods FOUND! Frank Maratta's "The Rake" 1930 Model A Gasser

After being semi lost for 43 years we have rescued Connecticut Dragway founder Frank Maratta's '30 Ford coupe. During the 50's Frank owned a body shop in Hartford, CT which later became a speed shop as well. The car was built in the late 50's as a street/strip/show rod called "Maratta's Rake" and raced at Sanford, Orange, Charlestown, and the '58 NHRA Nationals in Oklahoma. The car was featured in Custom Rodder magazine, Customizing the Model A, and HOT ROD October 1959. In 1961 Frank opened Connecticut Dragway in East Haddam. By the early 60's it was time for a change so Frank rebuilt the car as "Maratta's Missile", painting it metalflake blue, narrowing the fenders, and adding a chrome straight axle among other modifications. The car was sold sometime in the mid/late 60's and ended up with it's previous owner in 1972. It was painted mint jade green in 1974. We plan to get the car running and driving for now, and more or less preserve the rest of the car the way it is. If anyone has any additional photos, info, or stories pertaining to the car please let me know!
-Dean

 

Cool find! I remember the car well. Are you going to put it back to "Rake" configuration? Hope so.

 

Very cool and interesting! Joe

 

Now you just have to find the pickup and get rid of that "green" paint

 

Dean,I have a copy of that Hot Rod magazine,your welcome to it.

 

really digging the blue version

 

What a great find! That sure is a neat piece of New England hot rod history, way to go!

 

dean, you must have some bloodhound in you, another cool find!

 

The blue version is where its at, maybe a keep the headlights that are on it now though, those tiny ones just don't look right.

 

Maybe after you get it restored to it's former condition, Consumer Reports will let you take it for a run down the track. Oh, yeah, that's right. Never mind. Nice find. Where was it located?

 

Great find! I'd like to see to restored to the early version. Bob

 

That's very cool.

 

I Love old Drag Coupes
PLEASE post lots of LARGE pictures !

 

I followed your old posts years ago about CT history, so I know the right person has saved it

He sure was a multi-talent, working with his hands, but also a great promoter, much like George Barris and MT.
.

 

Cool

 

Thanks guys, real excited about getting this car back on the road. It was sitting in Voluntown, the previous owner bought it in 1972. I think we're going to leave the body alone. At least for now, too much time to make it perfect again. I'm putting a new engine in tomorrow, 1958 283 with a Weiand intake and 4 deuces, Spalding ignition, backed by a Powerglide. New front tires are on the way, and we'll be getting pie crusts and torque thrusts for the rear. I already bought the old magazines on ebay haha.
-Dean

 

To me ,I like both Gasser & Hot Rod look,
In Gasser form , I can just imagine side step the clutch at about 9,000 Rs

 

Bump! "New" engine & trans are in. I was saving this for my '31 coupe project that I've had forever but figured it was more fitting for this car since it originally ran a 283. Mill is a '58 283 with a Weiand intake and 4 deuces (car originally ran a Weiand Drag Star with 6 deuces but this will work for now). Ignition is Spaulding Flamethrower like original, and trans is a 2spd Powerglide.
-Dean

 

The blue version ROCKS , COOL FIND

 

yeth! thats pimptastic!

 

crazy man,cool find in conn.right where it came from...

 

That picture in front of the Speed Parts store is fricking priceless...!

 

just fyi...those heads are 1958 low performance truck heads...you can tell by the castings on the front...I've got a set too.

 

That is the balls! I always loved the picture of it in the "Cool Cars, Square Roll Bars" book. And the stories about Frank were pretty interesting too. Great find!!

 

Ya too bad they weren't Power Pack heads but it'll be a good runner for now. I'd like to collect all the same parts he ran and rebuild this engine next year maybe. Between all the magazines it was in there's a lot of details about the original engine. Found out the car was also in the '58 and '59 Hartford Autorama shows. It was A/Gas champion for two seasons at Orange and Charlestown Drags. I spoke with Frank's son Carl Maratta and he said Frank painted the car blue probably between 1959/1960. It was raced this way for probably 2-3 years. They were going for the National A/Gas record with it at Connecticut Dragway when the engine blew up, ultimately the car was parked and sold around 1965.
-Dean

 

That is awesome Dean!

Are you bringing it up to Epping this weekend? I will be crewing for Steve Harwood's FED from Denver.

 

Very cool find! Love that you put the 283 in it. Good luck with it!

 

From Rodding & Restyling March 1959:

 

Which "pie crusts"?

 

cool.....have fun !