Hot Rods Too much of a good thing? Owning multiples of the same car

HAD- 11 Novas, big, small blocks, 4 speed and autos, they're all gone.
HAVE- 2.5 Model As
HOPING FOR- multiple 32-34 Fords

 

I used to have three 1957 Chevrolet 210 two door posts. When you have two or more of the same, one sometimes turns into a parts car.

 

I do! Since its in the lower level of my house, when I come down the stairs, turn on the lights and open the door, it just gives me a rush and makes me feel good to see my Deuces, my '56 and the bright colors of the old signs, gas pumps, old wheels and speed equipment I grew up coveting and the good times and great friendships I made gathering all of it over the last three decades. My collection isn't the nicest, the biggest or the best, but it represents my life long love of old cars and it's my security blanket. They will all live on after I'm gone and that's what's cool about them too, because my history will become a part of their history.

 

So have you told, or are you willing to tell the story of the “tree car”? That must have been an adventure.

 

I agree with hotrodlane, we all need at least a pair and a spare. Three Desotos, 41 Business Coupe, 47 2dr coupe, and the spare (parts car) 48 4dr. Plus a couple of odd balls, an accumulation of parts that could be called a Model A and my late sons 50 Olds Holiday 76.

Rick

 

I have owned 16 first Gens, 12 second gens, 6 third gens and 2 fourth Gen G.M. F bodies. At this F'n time I have no more F's in my garage, because I got F'n tired of them.

 

Here it is. Years ago I had been looking for a Deuce Cabriolet for several years with no luck, at least in an affordable way. In July of 2005 I had asked my friend Mike, who owns Pikes Peak Motors (formerly So-Cal Colorado) if he knew of any Deuce Cabriolets for sale and he called me back later saying he knew of one with a pretty interesting story, but he didn't know if it was for sale. I sat on the information for a while because I had bought a used So-Cal Deuce highboy frame for my Brookville roadster project from Mike that I had just received on July 6th, which was my 32nd wedding anniversary (what else would you buy on your 32nd anniversary?). I didn't think my wife would want another "present" like that this soon so I waited as long as as I could - a whole week! I called Ted, the owner and he asked how I knew it was for sale because he had just decided to sell it the that day. I said I didn't but that I hoped he would sell it to me. He said it was funny that I called just then because he was laying awake last night wondering how he would ever finish all of his projects. He decided he couldn't, so he decided to sell his cabriolet project last night. He described the body and it's condition, named his price and I bought it sight unseen.

The car has an incredible story that started in 1948 on a farm in what is now Cherry Hills (now full of million dollar homes like John Elway's), which is a suburb of Denver, Colorado. The previous owner had bought the old hot rod after returning from serving in the Army in Korea. He had raced (and crashed) it in jalopy races locally for a few years with a hot flathead for power. After several years he decided needed more power, so he pulled the flathead out and planned to put in the, then new, small block Chevy motor. The motor swap got stalled and it was parked beside a grain bin on his farm and it didn't move again for almost 50 years. A few years later some kids were riding their dirt bikes by and saw the car, and told their hot rodder father Don about it. He and his friend Ted went to look at the car and tried to buy it. The owner said no and they told him that he should cut down a small 3' tall sapling that was growing up though the center of the car before it became a bigger problem. He again said no, because he said "it would keep the car from getting stolen." They approached the owner several times a year for the next thirty five years trying to buy it. Every time they did it was interesting and even scary, because sometimes the owner was very cordial and other times his wife would tell them "to get the hell out of there fast!!" because he was coming out with his shotgun to run them off (they could see him loading the gun through the window). It seems the poor man suffered from mental illness (Deuce disease??) and eventually was hospitalized or committed. One day soon after that Ted stopped by and the mans wife agreed to sell the car with the condition that it had to be removed by the next day. That little sapling had done it's job, the car was never stolen, but now it was a huge tree that almost filled up the entire car. After Ted called a local tree service, they said they could cut it down, but could not could promise what would happen to the car after that. So as a last resort, in desperation Ted drug the grain bin over enough with a chain so a torch and a hacksaw were used to cut the car in half through the subrails and rocker panels. It was then hauled back to Ted's place until I stumbled onto the deal. I will be forever grateful to Ted and Don for selling it to me. Even though I've owned it for almost 17 years, one of my goals is to get it on the road again and failing that, preserve the car and it's story for the next hot rodder when I let it go.

The day Ken rescued the Cabriolet from the tree.



The day I bought the Cabriolet in several pieces.



As it sits today waiting it's turn in my long list of Deuce projects.



This is what I would like to recreate with it, the Paul Ellis Cabriolet.

 

Were they autographed and what was the " beer of the day "?

 

My buddy Steve has (are you ready for this?) FOUR '40 Fords... two coupes and two convertibles! Off topic he also has 5 '68 Electra Glides!! (all N.F.S.) Can you say "redundant"?

 

Don’t forget he who dies with the most toys dies !

 

I can certainly see the positives of specializing if your someone that's just loves THAT car. Me, I like to diversify. 27 T Coupe, 62 Biscayne, and two OT rides. I'd gladly add a Pontiac, a Mopar, or even a Dune Buggy. I love em all.

 

Mohr, When you get the "BUG" you gota have it. It's that simple. JW