I was talking with somebody at the 2007 HCP when I saw this ghost go by. I caught up with the owner Bob Foster. The car was in the 62nd Grand National Roadster Show
Looks pretty good, if I remember it right the 36 was Ford's first all metal car. I like them original, but that's all up to the owner, interesting seeing the family lineage, with those 39 tail lights, chopped top and skirts, it looks a lot like a Zephyr. Those look like period Lincoln wheel covers too, but my memory is a faulty thing to rely on anymore!
listen, I grew up in San Francisco. always loved old cars. In 1975 I used to ride my 10 speed bike threw the city. this old guy had two 40 ford coupes parked on the street, and a 39 ford standard, parked in his drive way. for years they were there. they were in front of a old Victorian house that was all beat up. one day going by his house, I got off my bike and peeked into his basement though a small broken window. he came out and opened his garage. Inside the garage was a unrestored 36 ford roadster. its was unreal. imagine, the color of the car was a light cream yellow, with a white top. rumble seat, and the interior stock with gauges. it had the flat head motor. on the walls were grills of 32 fords, etc. I knew not only would he not sell. all those cars are gone, and who knows where they went. this 36 had the original paint. body was straight as can be. I was drooling over that. sure wished I could of got it.
great build and so good he preserved it, but it isn't the cover car for hot rod magazine 1948, that was a coupe and lots of difference in the alterations, tail lights are not the same plus the top of the doors are not the same. the cabriolet doors were made like the convertible, looking at the magazine cover i can't tell for sure but it looks like the coupe on the 1948 cover may have suicide doors, it's a little faded. the only thing that looks the same are the bumpers, and those old desoto bumpers were common on the hot rods of that era, as were the 49 Plymouth bumpers that were similar looking.
Just Something about a original survivor hate too fix it up like the day it came out of the Factory with the years on her of course .I like it the way it is .You can't copy that :D
this looks like an awesome car. my dad has a 31 model a sedan and we have enough spare parts and we are thinking about making a 31 roadster with the rumble seats and everything we figure make it as origional as possible not a rat rod.
A car like this is far more interesting than a restored one. But unfortunately its just a matter of time until a bunch of nouveau-riche pay professionals big bucks to build fake duplications of this authentic patina.
The rarity of this thing demands it be restored to original within an inch of it's life. It needs to be shared with the public in Shows & Concourses & demand the owner stop being so lazy & to spemd the money on it.
You are right that car is part of history they way they did it back then. I'm glad he is showing it, it should go to a museum when he can no longer drive to show I would hate to see something like that get scrap for metal.
The reason I say that I live in California and I seen so many old car's get scrap for metal the people that had some where to store them they were lucky to save a lot of them the rest went to China as scrap metal. When I was a teenager I was mad to see them get crushed but there was nothing I was able to do about it but see them disappear. I own a few of oldies I would own more if I had the space.
Do not repaint it. You will never ever ever ever ever be able to replicate original period custom paint . Never. Modern paints do not have the same formula or consistency and it will look tacky.
