I have just scored a killer 1932 Ford Tudor sedan that appears to have some neat history. Hopefully someone out there can shed some light on this cars past. What has me thinking the car has some cool history, is this photo sent with the paperwork for the car. The picture was obviously taken at an indoor car show sometime in the late fifties or early sixties. There is a 55-57 T-Bird in the background and some dapper dude is sporting a Road Rebels Emporia jacket. You can see the car has some extensive lead work, with the fenders and running boards being molded into the body. the running boards have also been narrowed up and lake pipes exit the back of the front fenders and run along the outer edge of the running boards. The early 6x2 topped Cadillac is wicked cool too! I bought out of El Dorado Kansas and am currently waiting for the car to arrive. The seller knows very little about the car. Some paperwork from 2007 shows work was done on the car by the Angleton Garage. The garage was located in El Dorado and owned by a Charlie Karst. All numbers found for the garage or Mr. Karst are no longer in service, so I'm speculating he may be deceased. Does anyone recognize this car or have any leads on tracing down its history? .
I was going to say It had to come from Kansas when you said the guy had a jacket on from emporia. South East Kansas(home of Starbird and Stuckey) Is a hot bed of hot rods and kustoms, Im sure someone will chime in.
No interior, headlites, master cylinder or front spreader bar in the Show shot so it was unfinished then and looks like the front has come down since the show shot but not the rear. Tires look to be same size front and rear so did it even get finished and driven? Wheel trims are different tho.
Swifty, I noticed all of the same things in the car show shot. I would bet that it was finished at one point, but who knows??? Here is another that pic that was provided. I don't know anyone who is in the pic or anything else about it. Based on some other pics I have, I'm guessing it may be when it first came out of hibernation. .
I am a HUGE fan of mid 50s to early 60s Autorama builds, either rods or customs. I am getting old and want to "re-see" the old days. That is a very great old build. I forgot to say I also always liked the different side pipes on cars, and belly burners on pickups in the shows. Period perfect pipe setup on that car! Love the leaded details....and also the motor too... ..... I would like to know what everyone thinks about leaving the paint as "neglected" or does it really deserve to have nice paint once again. My opinion means nothing. I would think the original builder and guys who saw it in shows, would not want to see it all neglected looking.
very Cool - congrats. done a search for the Road Rebels - Emporia (Kansas) Car Club? may be a way to help narrow down where show was held.
I have Googled the Road Rebels and any other thing I can think of that might have to do with Kansas car clubs or car shows. No luck yet, but the power of the HAMB is strong. Someone will know something.
I ASSume you got this from Mike Naill but if not, I would bet he could shed some light on the history. He's been plugged into racing around there for a long time. edit. Looking back at that first pic, that looks like his place and his sticker on the white ride next to it. Hmmm
Here's what I know......you are amassing to much cool shit.....slow down Dave....it's not a race.....do you need a brother? I can lift heavy objects!
A brother that can lift heavy heavy things AND hook me up with paint, I'M IN!!! LOL I did get the car from Mike, Inked Money. He really doesn't seem to know a lot about it. He traded a car for it about 2 yrs ago and hasn't really provided much info. .
Photo of the sedan is definitely in the old Ford garage building with wooden main floors which is owned by Mike. Strange Mike can't provide you with any history as that is a big thing with him. Second photo may be in the alley behind Angelton's garage and the man on the left looks like Charlie Karst but hard to tell on my computer. FYI, Charlie Karst is still alive and living in ElDorado but I don't have a phone number. There is an article on the Road Rebels in the online version of the Emporia Gazette dated February 27, 1960 talking about the club being made up of high school students, but you will have to go through some hoops on your computer to view. Might try contacting Greg at Giger Street Rods in Emporia about the club and car. He's been there a long time and into 32's. Might also contact "bscottstudio" here on the HAMB as he lives in Eldorado and is tuned in on most all of the 32's in his area. Cool car, how did you find it?
First number here seems to be a cell phone. Is it one you tried already? https://www.mylife.com/charles-karst/e435365160756
Thanks for the replies guys. I found the car on an online listing that a guy named Frank had posted on behalf of Mike. He had several of Mike's cars listed for sale. I have only talked to Mike to complete the transaction and most communication has been through Mike's wife Donna. Mike was supposed to get me a number for Charlie but has not done so yet. I will ask again while continuing to follow up on the other leads you guys have posted.
I called the number for Charley Karst that car cruse found above. Got a generic voice mail. Left message and have not heard back. Will try to get more info from Mike Naill in the next day or two.
I texted Mike Naill last night and he again vowed to get me a number for Charlie. He also said a guy named John Prather may know some history about the car and gave me his number. I will be calling him later today.
Okay I can help some. The BW photo is at the first Darrel Starbird show in Wichita Ks. I believe in 1959. The foil in the windows was because of a unfinished or lack of much of an interior. It is my understanding that the car never ran at this point. The car was owned by Bill White and his brother Tom. Bill at this time was the president of the ElDorodders Car club . It has a cadillac hooked to stock 32 trans. and rearend. Based on some info from my friend John Brown who was the treasure of the club at the time, it was stored at the ElDorodders club house where the intake and other motor stuff was stolen or just plain lost. From Johns memory it was never really driven or was road worthy. The paint and body work aka the leaded in fenders and lakepipes in the running boards were done by a local old body man named Lindsey. He painted it the medium metallic blue you see remnants of. He must of had a barrel of that paint because there is a couple other old hotrods around here from late fifties and early sixties he did with the same color. Bob White died in 59, rumored or as the story has evolved, at a club party. In any case the car got put in a barn at the family farm where it stayed until 1992 or there abouts. The color picture is of Charlie Karst at the front fender, it is in the alley behind Angleton Garage a shop Charlie owned until he retired a few years ago. He is still playing with his hotrods. John Prather is the guy who the family contacted about doing something with the car. He had charlie put a cadillac back in it and rounded up all the missing parts. There was quite a bit of front end reworking done. As you can see the grill was missing and all of that was replaced with aftermarket stuff. Charlie got it running and it was driven a little, If I remember it had a rearend problem. There is some local history that I am sure I have missed , but it is a real nice old 32 . Have some fun with it and keep in touch . Call me if you want and I tell you what I know. B-Scott
. Wow!!!! Seeing B-Scott's post this morning made my whole week. I knew there had to be some history to be found. Thank you so much @bscottstudio for sharing what you know. I'm thinking my new goal in life is to get the sedan redone, as it was, and and get it back to the Starbird show where it all started. Who's with me?!? .
. The info from this morning has really got me anxious to see this thing in person. The shipper should be getting it to me next week. I look forward to talking with bscottstudio and hopefully getting in touch with Charlie Karst and John Prather to learn even more of the history of the sedan. .
Stumbled across this old post on google messing around. Just wanted to update, Charlie Karst has since passed away. I really hope you got a chance to talk to him before about the car. He was a very awesome person, full of knowledge. I’m honored to have known him. Both Mike Naill Sr, and Jr have also both passed away unfortunately. John Prather is still around last i knew. What caught my eye is the white ‘55 in your first picture, it was owned by Mike Naill Jr, and my fiancé (Kellie Naill) and i now own the car. Hope all is well with the car, It sure is neat!
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