History The real deal (32 coupe content)

Hey guys,
I was having a pretty crappy day at work, rolling around in antifreeze under a late model clunker, when I heard someone trying to get my attention. When I rolled out from under the car there was a well dressed older (turned out to be 73) gentleman with a folder in his hand. He lived in Nebraska, had been to Houston and drove a couple of hundred miles out of his way to get to Vernon on his way home. In 1956, he had sold a 32 to a guy who lived here and he decided to see if he could find it or what happened to it. Several folks had told him to come talk to me (which makes me one of the old guys, I guess). I'm not old enough to remember the car, but I told him I would talk to some of the REALLY old guys and see if they remembered anything about the car. We talked hot rods (and pipeline) for a few minutes and he left. 73 years old and he was on a road trip, he was the real deal. Here's what was in the folder, I think it's probably the real deal too.
Larry T

 

That's awesome. I hope he finds what he's looking for and that it hasn't been crushed or street rodded.

 

Damn. Now here's the part where THIS guy steps in.

 

Wow I love that car. I hope he finds out what became of it.

 

That is one perfect coupe!

 

wow... i think id be traveling the country trying to find it too.... good luck to him

 

very neat car!

JEFF

 

Very cool story ... even cooler chopped & channeled 3-window!

C'mon HAMB ... let's figure out what happened to this piece of Hot Rodding history!

 

Man that's a cool car, I love that barn in the background too. It got me thinking because there is a guy with a '32 3 window custom job here that came from Nebraska, but the dates are all wrong. Bet that made your day having a visit like that.....

 

what a bitchin car

 

I have a new favorite car.

 

well it is not the recent find in the time capsule thread ... pretty sure its not

 

I hope that car is still out there somewere. Rare to see color photos from the 1950's, proof that not everything was in black primer. Nice attention to detail, note the radiator is lower than the cowl, something most guys in that era missed. Hope you got some contact info on the guy, wonder if it got magazine coverage in the day?

 

Cant you just run the licence plate at your lokal dmv and get the current owner ?
here in Norway the plates follow the car thru life.

 

That car looked like it was finished really nicely. Unless it was wrecked, I can't imagine someone sending that to the crusher. Let's hope it's stuffed in a barn somewhere.
Did he mention if he was part of a club? I see a club plaque on the back, but couldn't make it out. If they are still around, or even former members, that would be a good place to start, but I'm sure he's already thought of that.

 

oh man...

like wow wee wow wow....o.k.

Thats how I like em....

For me...the grille has to be a little bit higher, than the cowl....

Just gives the cars a fun, rippen around look....

 

Wouldn't that be the cowl is lower than the radiator?...

 

nope, in the states, plates that expire can/must be replaced with new plates (different number) if there is a time gap. also, plates are not national, they are state issued, so moving from one state to another requires new plates ( and collection of taxes)

 

i hope it aint been crushed

love the looks of that ride

 

That's what I was thinking too ... in fact, IMHO, that's the only thing wrong with the car.

 

Shame he didn't have the paperwork with the VIN number. VINs don't change, that's the only constant.
If the car still existed in TX and is currently or was within the last 7-10 years, the VIN should pop up in the computer.
IF YOU had his name and told this story with those pictures I'd bet you could get that featured in your local newspaper or even on the local TV news as a filler piece. That would draw out the car if it still exists in your area!

 

me too

 

Nice to see a guy of his age out looking for his shit!

 

Cool. Very cool. Best of luck finding it.

 

Lots of cars around with that build style when I first got into hot rodding. I wouldn't do it to a virgin car today but I like to see the ones from the past that were done in this style preserved. It would be nice for him to locate it, nothing like being able to revisit your youth.

Frank

 

Well, I checked with some folks that should remember the car and none of them do. I'm not through checking yet.

A couple of interesting things the owner told me were that he dropped the axle himself. Also he bought the car for $200.00 and sold it for $600.00 (inflation, anyone?) after he rebuilt it. He also said he still has another 32 he bought a long time ago, but it's a lot closer to stock than this one is.
Larry T

 

Just kinda dawned on me how cool this actually is..

I hope when Im in my 70s Im out crusin around trying to track down some of the cool cars I let slip away....

I hope the guy finds his old coupe

BTTT

 

awesome. good luck, would be nice to find it. keep us informed of any progress please.

 

There is an old guy that works at a gas station by my house that says he had a 32 that he built ( in the fifties) and sold shortly after. His was channeled and full fendered. Hope to see some pictures of it some time soon.

That three window does look good. I would love to see it now.

Jeff