History Great cars that no longer exist

I'm probably poaching a subject that Pat Ganahl has written two very good books about (Lost Hot Rods and LHR 2), but maybe I'll have a slightly different spin.

Every so often, I think about great cars from the past that were changed beyond recognition, wrecked, crushed, or have otherwise ceased to exist as they were. Here are a few that come to mind:

MOONGLOW -- Duane Steck's great custom BelAir that changed a few times while Duane had it, but didn't lose its identity. According to legend, it was eventually junked and crushed. Fortunately several tribute/clone cars have been built:



LES CALLAHAN ROADSTER -- This beautiful Dodge track roadster was the cover car on the first issue of the original Hop Up magazine, but I haven't heard of it since:



KENZ-LESLIE 777 -- At one time the world's fastest hot rod (250+ mph), this twin-flathead powered car probably copied some of its shape from the prewar Mercedes or Auto Union streamliners. However it was done, it was a gorgeous shape, beautifully finished and very successful in competition. Its owners revised it with a slingshot driver's seat, a third engine, and an unfortunate flamed paint job. It probably still exists in that later form, but its beautifully subtle first iteration was lost. I regret that I haven't found a photo that really captures its shape and color accurately:



PACKARD BROWN BOMBER -- A one-off car built on a V12 chassis for a senior Packard executive circa 1932, he had it rebodied in a much less attractive form after a couple of years. Look how low this thing sits, like a modern hot rod:



LEE PRATT'S '41 BUICK -- Wonderfully low and clean, Lee's car was sold and revised to a different and glitzier appearance. I don't know who owns it now, or what it looks like, but it ought to look just like this in 2 shades of purple:



I have a lot more of these to add, but I gotta run. If you can think of other lost legends, feel free to post them.

 

Unless we get proof otherwise in the future I think we can add the Uncertain T to this list.

 

oh-snap

 

I would like this one to turn up...with me finding it of course. I like to believe that the "sold and stolen story" was BS and the Holder family still has it, and is just waiting for me to come and knock on the door!!

 

this has the makings of another awesome thread

 

Maybe not a real famous one but the "Chinaman" from the Barris fire is one I really like. Wish I had some better pics of it to post though.

 

Afew other cars in the Barris fire such as the Wildcat custom F 100.

Here's some other lost cars;

Bettancourt/Zupan Merc Stolen from Dean Jeffries shop in the 70's. Was it ever recovered?

Doug Hartelt 34 coupe-wrecked and totaled.

The original Big Al 34 sedan. I read that after a door blew open at speed, Jim Lytle laid up the fiberglass flopper body. But whatever happened to the original steel sedan?

 

The Norseman.

It went down to with the sinking ship it was on.




The Futura.

What happened to it was even worse than what happened to the Norseman.




Berpop.

It was tuned into a streetcar, got stolen and was never recovered.




The Pat Hoare Ferrari.

It had too many rare Ferrari parts on it, and it was tuned back into the Single Seater it started out as.




The Morrari.

Same as the Pat Hoare Ferrari.

 

I'm glad a read the text of your post as I was going to say that as recently as about 10-12 years ago I saw the Kenz and Leslie car at a one day, tiny show here in Phoenix. It obviously was in it's later garb, but in comparison to it's surroundings that day it looked like It fell from space!

A lot of the Churches here in Phoenix have car shows as part of their fund raising and fellowshipping deal. My friend has been in charge of the best for about twenty years now, and the others have followed trying to claim some of his show's clout for their own parishes. This was one of those deals that it was the only time they ever tried, and the only cars there were 5 or 6 late models, three T buckets, a station wagon of sorts, and the Kenz and Leslie car...

 

Miss San Pedro!

 

Sam Hollingsworth's Nomad.

 

How about this one?

 

Although Norms T is still "around" it certainly isn't in the condition any of us would like to see it in. I hope someday it gets into the hands of someone who respects it for what it is and who will pull off all that goofy stuff and return it to the car it once was.

One can only hope.

Don

 

One from my hometown:

 

You beat me to this one, but it was on my list. The original Metranga Merc was apparently wrecked when it was still a pretty fresh car, and was never rebuilt?? In any case, I don't think it exists any more, but fortunately (for preserving its legend) it is probably the most often-cloned custom ever.

I imagine that the Ferrari that rose from the Morrari's ashes is a wonderful car, but I agree that a Morris Minor body on a GP Ferrari Chassis was wonderful. Too bad it's gone.

Don, you too beat me to it. There's a sub-category here of cars that were great in their original form, that were reworked in unfortunate ways, but could still be restored to their original condition under the right circumstances. I'm gonna show each of these as they used to be, not as they have been corrupted. Certainly NORMIE'S T is in that group:



RON DUNN FORD -- One of the first, and IMO the best of the early sectioned shoeboxes, built by Valley Custom in the early '50s. Valley revised it into a second version for Ron way back, and then it sat neglected for many years. I believe it now belongs to Steve's Auto Restorations, who would like to sell it and restore it for the buyer in either configuration. If this happens, it will probably be done in the later, fussier style since all that work exists on the car now. But here's how it used to look:



DICK WILLIAMS' 1953 AMBR WINNER -- This T is my favorite early AMBR car by far. It currently belongs to Blackie Gejeian, and is quite different from its original form. It ought to look like this:



PISANO/OGDEN '41 BUICK -- This car now belongs to Kurt McCormick, and he has lovingly restored it to what he believes is its original skirted, taildragger form. I have no reason to doubt Kurt's research, but I prefer the car in this later (but still loooong ago) form:



SOLOMON/HOWE COACHCRAFT FORD -- This beautiful custom (apparently all hand-formed panels) still exists, I think somewhere in Texas, but it has been re-customized with a different looking padded top, tires, and so on. Again, it looked great in its original form:



BOB McNEIL '32 3-WINDOW -- Another car from an early Hop Up feature. I've been told that this car still exists, and has changed hands a few times, passing through Dave Simard's at one point. It looks quite different now, and has lost the great '50s-style use of white tires, running boards, and top insert on a black car:

 

This is probably the place to mention a few cars that WERE in the condition just shown -- great cars that had been re-modified to their detriment -- but have now been restored to look exactly as they should:

NIEKAMP '29, 1950 AMBR WINNER -- correctly restored by Jim Jacobs years ago, and now in the collection of the Petersen Museum:



CHRISMAN BROS. BONNEVILLE COUPE -- also now fully restored; I don't know who did it, but it looks fabulous:



TOMMY IVO's T -- same again. I believe it now lives at the NHRA Museum in Pomona:

 

maybe?

 

Very very "VERY" cool thread....

 

Awsome stuff

 

Hey Tony,

For me, hands down, it has to be the Bill Decar Mercury, the one with the full length fade-a-ways! This build was heavly butchered and molested in the 70's-80's, and when last I saw it, it was painted ''streetrod red''

" Do not reach greedily for the Kool-Aid "

 

The Dubonnet 1932 Hispano Suiza was rebodied in 1938 to become the famous "Xenia". Personally I prefer the four-door saloon, but it would have been best of all if Dubonnet had acquired a second H6 for the "Xenia".

The Montier Model As: especially the saloons if any were actually made: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6325277&postcount=4631

 

In my opinion Steve Sellers' Shoebox has been ruined in it's new version. I miss seeing pictures of it in it's old carnation

 

go-twitchy, I believe I saw that T thing at the Daryl Starbird museum. I'll check through my pictures.

 

Agreed

 

Possibly more in the Lost Hot Rod category is the original 1/1 Big T (Monogram models).

It was given away then vanished. I don't believe it ever resurfaced (?) as Starbird recently built a clone.

This thread has become very broad as it is now split into 3 roads; the original "great cars that no longer exist", "Rods and Customs that looked better in their original form" (which could be very opinionated and could be said for most any Rod or Custom that has changed owners and looks over the last 50-60 years), and the above cars that were finally "restored" to their original design-add the Pierson brothers coupe and soon; the Two Lane Blacktop 55 Chevy (yeah!).

 

Wasn't this car or at least one that looks like it at detroit autorama past couple years ??
{the phaeton with no windshield posts}

 

No, no you didn't

 

Blue One, I stand (sit) corrected. It was this: