My brother, Tim sent me this link to a reunion of all the cars from Hot Rod Magazine covers over the years. He was only four years old at the time my twin brother and I owned this hot rod, so I sent him this note.
Roger and I with our 1935 Ford Coupe.
Subject: Hot Rod Magazine Cover Feature Cars....
You likely have seen, but in case ya haven't: From 1948 on.... all brought back together!
http://www.youtube.com/embe d/AFKtlu-zL-w
Tim
Tim,
Roger and I had quite a few of those issues of Hot Rod Magazine and envied those California cars.
Fortunately, Roger spotted a 1935 Ford three window coupe with a Cadillac overhead valve engine for $100 and we bought it in the spring of 1962. It was rust free and chopped, channeled and Zed with an ugly Packard grill and several mechanical problems. Primer gray.
We worked on the rod the next two summers on the cheap, investing around $300 and then licensed and insured it and drove it in August of 1963. Tom and you sure enjoyed riding alongside me standing on the passenger Model A newly reupholstered bucket seat and grabbing the dashboard whenever I shifted. You were four years old and loved the speed. I drew a rendering of our vision in a violet color that a guy told us he would paint it for $35. As it was, the car made a good rat rod. In the fall, we towed it back to college 100 miles and I worked on it in our college auto shop, getting the engine running very well and taking a few rides around town.
In late September, 1963, my girlfriend and I and another couple were early for a street dance, so we decided to take a ride. Just outside town on a state highway going uphill just after dark at about 80 mph, a 16-year-old in a panel truck pulled out in front of us and I hit the brakes. The rear end of the 35 lifted up off the highway and we skidded to the left off the road sideways and down an embankment where the car rolled about 10 times and we had no seat belts.
On the last roll I was thrown out into the grass and received eight stitches on my knee caught under the dash as I left the vehicle. My girlfriend was thrown out, badly bruised all over and received cuts on one typing finger (she was a secretary) and on her head. My male passenger bruised his ankle badly shoving it under my seat. His girlfriend (later his wife) received one stitch to her eyelid. We were all treated at a local hospital that night and also returned the girls home the 100 miles to Marshfield.
The car was totaled and Roger traded it for a 1948 Ford two door sedan. Later, a 1940 Ford Standard coupe was placed on the chassis.
My father is a car-guy. He flipped his old truck when he was seventeen and walked away with nearly a scratch. Your letter brings back all the stories my father has told me over the years about his adventurous love of cars. He still owns a 1956 Thunderbird and a 1955 Ford Fairlane. Nice piece Ron!
I've always had an affinity for cars--new and vintage, courtesy of the work my father did to restore models from the 1930s. I enjoyed reading your adventure.
Fun read. I had my white 50 Ford coupe chopped, channeled, spoke wheeled, burgundy/white rolled Naugahyde interior, shag rugs at 17. It was quite the cruise mobile. Taught piano and accordion to pay for it. At the time, pride of my life. Then I started using my brain more, and traded it in for stock 53 Ford Victoria, drove to NY and the rest became car-conservative history.
She was quite capable of taking care of herself...She appreciated everything he was doing for her and the Grandmothers Four, but she needed his help, not for him to take over.
This was no mere illusion. Colin Chase Rand, pulled through a magical portal, landed in 1935 where the dust bowl and the Great Depression was destroying lives, and a serial killer was in their midst
