Register now to get rid of these ads!

The SuperBell Coupe....???

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by skipstitch, Jan 19, 2005.

  1. skipstitch
    Joined: Oct 7, 2001
    Posts: 1,208

    skipstitch
    Member

    Anyone have pics of Jim Ewing's old 3-window? I believe a fellow named Frank Morowski? owns it now. It has been a driving force to the style of cars I dig since I wuz 3. I've managed to dig up an old Street Scene with it on the cover (Mayabb did artwork to the pic) but can't dig up any other pictures in my stack 'o junk! I know R&C did a bit about it when Jim passed away... as I remember the car had magnesim Halibrands on it and was shot in a train yard.....

    I read someplace it was at York this year. Anyone have shots? Thanks, Stitch
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  2. Clark
    Joined: Jan 14, 2001
    Posts: 5,130

    Clark
    Member

    I know Frank but I don't have any pics of the car. Frank put the Halibrands on it. When he got it it had steel wheels with moon discs on it. He had it at the Jalopyroma show. There should be pics of it on his website. The Jalopy Showdown website should have a link to it.
    Clark
     
    26hotrod and lothiandon1940 like this.
  3. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    It's almost always at York at least one of the days. Frank's not afraid to drive it. He had it at the '03 Mobtown Grease ball.

    I think it was '78 when I first saw it on their cross country tour. (they showed up at a local cruise night)

     
    26hotrod and 19fuelie57 like this.
  4. beatnik
    Joined: Nov 8, 2002
    Posts: 2,209

    beatnik
    Member

    Only pic I have of it and I think I got it off the HAMB.
     

    Attached Files:


  5. skipstitch
    Joined: Oct 7, 2001
    Posts: 1,208

    skipstitch
    Member

    Thanks guys!!! Anyone else have any pics or info? I'm gathering the pictures as reference for my '33.

    This car along with the So-Cal car and Jakes coupe have always inspired me... There's just something about a fenderless '33/'34 with a funky nose that screams HOT ROD.
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  6. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    They are both on display at Pete & Jakes here in MO... I thought Slover owned it...
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  7. skipstitch
    Joined: Oct 7, 2001
    Posts: 1,208

    skipstitch
    Member

    Here's a pic from a poster off Pete & Jakes site... I guess I didn't realize Slover owned both Super Bell Axle Co. and P & J.... Maybe I should pay more attention! BTW, Ryan, that's a great lookin' site.
     

    Attached Files:

    lothiandon1940 and 26hotrod like this.
  8. FeO2
    Joined: Dec 23, 2002
    Posts: 384

    FeO2
    Member

    I see that car hauling ass around the Baltimore beltway every summer. I thought sure it was a nice clone as noboby would take the real thing out in that rush hour traffic.Glad to see I was mistaken! [​IMG]
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  9. beatnik
    Joined: Nov 8, 2002
    Posts: 2,209

    beatnik
    Member

    Here one with a freaky nose, don't remember what the story was with it, but looks like it was influenced a little.
     

    Attached Files:

    26hotrod likes this.
  10. beatnik
    Joined: Nov 8, 2002
    Posts: 2,209

    beatnik
    Member

    Here's the other coupe. The 37 truck grill on this one had a big infuence on me as well.
     

    Attached Files:

    26hotrod and kidcampbell71 like this.
  11. skipstitch
    Joined: Oct 7, 2001
    Posts: 1,208

    skipstitch
    Member

    Cool pix... I think that first car was in Street Rodder... As I remember the guy was building a wicked little modified roadster as well.
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  12. fab32
    Joined: May 14, 2002
    Posts: 13,985

    fab32
    Member Emeritus

    That car was fitted for a big block when it was first built but the small grille opening led to cooling woes and the small block, which eventually led to the V6. I believe the V6 is still the powerplant today. Someone should check with the current owner and bring us up to date.

    Frank
     
    26hotrod and kidcampbell71 like this.
  13. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    It's still got the V6. The car is in good hands. It's still registered in California so he can still run the same tags that were on it when it was built. Hows that for not altering a milestone car?

    Frank knows more about early hot rodding than anybody else that wasn't there at the time. That's frank standing along side the car in the above picture taken at the Jallopyrama. I bet he's owned the car longer than anybody including the original owner. [​IMG]

     
    26hotrod likes this.
  14. InPrimer
    Joined: Mar 10, 2003
    Posts: 778

    InPrimer
    Member

    If you get an opportunity to see it up close check out the "emblem" above the grillshell opening.. HINT the opening reflects what it represents
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  15. Skate Fink
    Joined: Jul 31, 2001
    Posts: 3,472

    Skate Fink
    Member Emeritus

    [ QUOTE ]
    If you get an opportunity to see it up close check out the "emblem" above the grillshell opening.. HINT the opening reflects what it represents

    [/ QUOTE ]

    .....I had seen the car several times in the past and hadn't noticed the "wings" until I read about it here on the HAMB. This time when I saw it at the Jalopyrama, I looked closer and saw that it was a set of "Bush Pilot" wings!!
     
    26hotrod and kidcampbell71 like this.
  16. Bush Pilot wings! [​IMG] HRP
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  17. Skate Fink
    Joined: Jul 31, 2001
    Posts: 3,472

    Skate Fink
    Member Emeritus

    [ QUOTE ]
    Bush Pilot wings! [​IMG] HRP

    [/ QUOTE ]

    ......someone told me about them at the show. Said that it was something the "bush pilots" in Viet Nam came up with. My guess is that they were unofficial?
     
    26hotrod and kidcampbell71 like this.
  18. CruZer
    Joined: Jan 24, 2003
    Posts: 1,934

    CruZer
    Member

    Jake's is one of the reasons I got mine. These are a blast to drive. When someone asks me what it's like to drive it ,I tell them it's like driving a very fast go-kart with a roof. [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

    26hotrod likes this.
  19. skipstitch
    Joined: Oct 7, 2001
    Posts: 1,208

    skipstitch
    Member

    My dad has one of the...Bush Pilot...pins on the dash board of his coupe. The only other one I've seen is on the nose of that '32 roadster Jim Englese owned...
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  20. wheels1950
    Joined: Jun 13, 2001
    Posts: 550

    wheels1950
    Member
    from PA. USA

    I EMailed you with a few I took at a cruise nite in DEl. last year WHEELS
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  21. Rocky installed a set of those wings on the 33, I kept em when I sold the car [​IMG]
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  22. skipstitch
    Joined: Oct 7, 2001
    Posts: 1,208

    skipstitch
    Member

    THANKS for the pics Wheels!!! Here's a quick re-size of the front shot....
     

    Attached Files:

    lothiandon1940 and 26hotrod like this.
  23. AV8Paul
    Joined: Mar 2, 2003
    Posts: 1,813

    AV8Paul
    Member Emeritus

    I've had my "wings" since 1965. I bought them in DaNang. I bought a half a dozen of them to give to my friends when I came home. I don't know the real history, but they do generate lots of interest when anyone realizes what they are when looking at them up close.
     

    Attached Files:

    26hotrod and kidcampbell71 like this.
  24. That indoor pic was taken at the JalopyRama in MD. I was there, but didn't take any pics of it [​IMG]
     
    26hotrod and lothiandon1940 like this.
  25. Skate Fink
    Joined: Jul 31, 2001
    Posts: 3,472

    Skate Fink
    Member Emeritus

    [ QUOTE ]
    I've had my "wings" since 1965. I bought them in DaNang. I bought a half a dozen of them to give to my friends when I came home.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    ..............glad you made it home!
     
    26hotrod and kidcampbell71 like this.
  26. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    I was just looking at the Pete and Jakes book last night and was wondering what happened to the Superbell coupe myself. Glad to see its still kicking.

    That is a cool book. I had no idea that Pete worked for Roth.

    The P&J coupes and the Eliminator had a huge impact on me as a kid.

    Does anyone have a copy of the California Kid movie? I'm dying to see it.
     
    26hotrod likes this.


  27. i have a copy , bought it right from Pete & Jakes
     
    lothiandon1940 and 26hotrod like this.
  28. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,223

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    George Wilson sold Jim that body in like 75:confused: .It was an old race car-Doors gutted & all. FWIW he also owned Jimmy Shines Dads Temple City based "Flinger's 34" which Denny(His Dad) is now restoring.Blown Olds green colored engine was @ GNRS in front of Jimmy's P/U.
    George goes way back & has a lot of history in his head. He lives right around the corner from another famous orange Model 40 coupe = Billy Vinther.
    Dale Caufield (Weedeter street rods) painted Jim's coupe & did all
    of body work other that the nose which as I remember hearing from 1st Super Bell employee Brian Bauer was designed by Ed Belknap.
    This car was he proverbial "Hot Rod" no in a good way though, Jim 1st had a small block in that overheated all of the time, then wanted to go racing & put a big block in it with a huge radiator, still ran hot, then wanted to drive it to the Nats wth Pete & Jake so in went a 231 ci Buick V6 which P&J's pioneered their V6 weld in frame mounts. this was the early 80's now & and we had just had the 2nd oil crisis, & most people thought that this gas shortage was gonna be the death of ot Rodding as we knew it. (Just look @ any HRM or St Rodder) .
    George lives only a couple blks away from me too so if you want me to ask him any questions just let me know?
     
  29. Django
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 10,198

    Django
    Member
    from Chicago

    26hotrod likes this.
  30. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,223

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    This shot was taken on Country Club drive in San Gabriel along the west fence that's behind the bushes and vehicle facing north & a copy of this photo used to hang in the Pie & Burger where Jake used to eat breakfast/dinner there in the late 80's to late 90's
    Back in 1982 when was a very young grease monkey-(ASEP Student) @ O'Donnell Buick in San Gabe, I used to take road tests around the block just to see Jakes Coupe in this very guise in front of Goody's Restaurant on Las Tunas Dr. just up the street from the shop.Those were the days!
    I just wish that I could load pics here, but haven't really spent the time to figure it out yet, I have some real good shots of Pete in the Kid, Jake in his coupe with Tony Thacker riding shotgun, Thom Taylor in the R&C Americruiser 35-6 Delivery with Eastwood riding shotgun and my gal pal Lisa & I in our Black 34 High boy coupe going to the 1st ever Americruise 93, I feel that was the best one ever!
     
    26hotrod likes this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.