I think it was a '47, coulda been a 46-48. I think that's how you spell his name. It was yellow, had a hemi, built in the '50's, was in american rodder in the 90's. Had exhaust coming through the fenders. Ring any bells??
i have the magazine around here somewhere ....i think a buddy of mine's 33/34 is in the same issue......will have to do some lookin'.......brandon
Thanks Brandon, everyone keeps telling me my car looks like it, so I've gotta see it. It sounds cool so any more info is great.
I have that issue too and also a book the Ford is featured in.Will scan it tomorrow.One detail that instantly comes up to my mind when I hear Tabucchi Ford is the silver spoons he soldered on top of the Hemi valve covers to clear the rockers due to the high lift cam.Cool stuff,cool car.
I believe Rodder's Journal did a spread on him several years ago. He was a SF Bay Area guy. I will try and dig through my past issues.
Prior to my last stament i must correct myself, it was a 46 ford but the the body was shortend nothe to fit the merc chasis
The book is called "Hot Rods and Customs : The Men and Machines of California's Car Culture".It's not generally available,it's a supplement of an exhibition with the same name of the Oakland Museum of California,took place in 1996.Will dig out my A/R issues,give me a couple days,gonna scan the article for you.
Thank you TheFrenz, i would greatly apreciatte it. And if you will, let me now which issue and year the American Rodder is.
Great write up on "The Great" Charlie Tabucchi. Kudos to you Hotrodded1970. I would like to know where the car is today and get a good look at it, and the "new owner"..... Has it recently sold?
My wifes cousin grew up in the city & has run around with charlies son since they were kids.we were just talking about the car a couple of months ago. Acording to him charlies kid still owns the car & has it stashed away in a garage.in the mid sixtys charlie had a 32 roadster in the basment that he built the motors for.Rudy Perez bought the car & drove it on the street for over thirty years.Rudy sold the car a few years ago & it has been restored to its former glory as the berdini bros 404 car.Rudy is a walking wealth of hot rod history,on top of being a profesional photographer for many years.Rudy was also born & raised in san francisco & has many stories about charlie
Changed it to what???? Highly doubtful that anything ever built was similar to Tabbuchi's coupe. I seen it at the Oakland Roadster show in mid 90's.. Not sure who owns it but it was leaking oil. I'm sure Charlie Tabbuchi would have been embarrassed.. Who ever owns the tabbuchi 46 ford coupe should be taught a thing or two.
Rumor has it charlies son is restoring the coupe. I hope so. It doesn't belong stashed in a garage. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing it at the Oakland Roadster show in 96..ish. My aunt and uncle lived in the same neighborhood as the tabucchis when I was a kid. (many moons ago) I remember vaguely when it was first being built. I also remember charlies sons. we use to hang out at the corner market together. Good times.. I probably know your wifes cousin. Small world.. thanks for the read..
Bump for an old thread, it would appear as though Charlies grandkids are talking about putting this car up for sale. it is in good shape but has been sitting in a garage for quite a number of years, but is serviceable from what I gather. I told the person I heard it from that they may want to post it here as someone is probably interested and can find a way to make it work out.
I am the one he is talking about. My office manager owns the car, which is in storage and in excellent shape, I don't know what the guy is talking about above who said it was in sorry shape back in the 1990s. Looked to me like it just needed to be detailed, probably replace the rubber fuel and brake lines and sync those 8 carbs so it runs right. I can ask Ray(the son) what sort of cams it has in it, I suspect he will know. He has his dad's Indy 500 ring, that they apparently give(gave? maybe no longer done) to the winning team members and a ton of other stuff.
Tonight I was remembering my grandfather and thinking back to my child hood and then remembered the car that was stored in my great grandmothers garage in Daly City. A Hemi powered yellow 46 ford. So I thought hmmm maybe there's something on the HAMB about it. I had never thought to check before tonight. I'm 99.9% sure this is the car. If memory serves me right she lived across the street from Charles. My Grand father was friends with him and I remember meeting him when I was like 5 or 6. The last time I saw the car was probably in the early eighties. I'm not sure but I guess my great grandmother let the Tabucchi family store it there. When she passed away and my great uncle handled the estate and I never saw the car again. I always wanted that car! It would be great to see it again or even just some pictures. Does anyone know where it is? It's been many years but Ray just might remember my family.
The 42-48 Mercury chassis were stretched in the front compared to the Ford chassis. They shared the same body as the Fords in those years. In 39-40 The Mercs were longer in the body than the Fords and had a distinctly Merc chassis. That and an odd driveshaft/pinion gear one-piece combo that makes for a hell of a long shafted pinion gear.
He also had the first converted blower that charlie and im either thinking rudy perez or don garlets helped build! it was chain driven! too dangerous for the track!
it was a 46, back in aug of 1993 i restore it at our shop The auto house in Victor/Lockeford and assembled by Ellsworth, I beleive it won 2 or 3 rd at he Oakland roadster show in 1994, i haven't seen it since
The Jalopy Journal
