This past weekend, my brother-in-law and I made the run to StL, for an annual invitational event. We took my stake truck up, on Friday, ran over to Godfrey, IL, on Saturday, to look at some potential projects, and picked up my abandoned flathead, in St Charles, MO. Sunday, we attended the event and got to see a bunch of my hot rod mentors. Thanks to Dick Carroll, for organizing the event, and for all the mentors who have provided wisdom and guidance, for my stuff, and especially to my dad, for raising me up around all these hot rod guys. Hard to pass getting a photo in front of Bigfoot, when I'm in the area of Lindbergh and 270 (on the way back from IL) Dropped in at Rodger Bell's house, to get a peek at his '40 coupe, but his daughter was out cruising in it. No, that's not how to properly use an engine cart, but it's in the truck and I brought it home with me. Rodger's newly finished '40 coupe has quickly become my favorite '40 Standard. Dale West cruised over from Highland, IL. Always good to see him and Sheri. Don Ward brought the roadster out. Gary Opitz brought my favorite '40 Pickup to the park. I put in my request to have him bring his '40 Deluxe Coupe, next year. Dad brought his '34 sedan. Ricky Bales drove his roadster. Dave Conrad brought out his latest and incredibly cool '36 custom. Carter Wilson had his '36 5 window there. I was the butt of every SBC guy's joke, carrying a spare flathead in the back of the truck! What most of those guys don't know, is that flathead powered stake truck has clocked nearly 2000 miles in the past 30 days! Dick Carroll's '38 Deluxe convertible. Marty Miller did a wheel and tire change, on his '32, and it's changed the entire look of his car. I dig it! I've got more photos on my web site, if ya wanna see them, but figured you guys may enjoy seeing what I got to see this weekend. I'm pretty dang fortunate to have grown up around a bunch of great guys who have great taste in how to build cool hot rods.
Here's a shot of the front of it, from last year's breakfast. Dunno why I didn't shoot the front of it this year.
Thanks, Tim. Two great '40 owners, too! Gary Opitz (the yellow '40 pickup), also has a cool '40 Deluxe, but I haven't seen it since I was in high school, over 30 years ago. The yellow deuce roadster is the original "Kessler" roadster, that Don Ward has owned since somewhere in the mid 70's, for those of you who are familiar with the 75 most significant 32 Fords list that R&C published in 2006. http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/hotnews/0601rc_75_most_significant_1932_fords/
UPDATE on the Flatty in the back of the truck: Got the flathead home and pulled the intake off, so I could get a peek inside. It's got a lot of chrome on it that needs to be cleaned up. Timing cover, oil pan, water pumps and lower pulleys. Unfortunately, the pulleys are all either bent or broken. Looks clean in the lifter valley. I did notice that there is one stuck lifter, I think on the other side. Gonna have to pull the heads and clean up the valves. I'm guessing the intake is one of the Ford aluminum intakes, either off an earlier block or from Canada. I was ready to use some muscle, to lift it off the block, but hardly burned any of my Wheaties for that. The only stamping that I could find on the intake. It's got a 42-45 crab style distributor. I need to either clean it up and put some points in it or pony up for a Pertronix, a rotor and cap, and that will be ready. I stuck some colored wires on the passenger side, just for kicks, before rolling it into it's waiting spot in the garage.
The Jalopy Journal
