Canadian cars in U.S. mags 50's and 60's
- Thread starter PG409
- Start date
Not sure Frank's frame & model B engine stuff complete with the now so hard to find spd equ. is around but Frank is, on the Sunshine Coast. I recall that time very well setting up for the show's but more to the point, sitting around the clubhouse having a "few" regularly sitting on that frame & then heading out for chinese food down at Kingway & Rupert.. not the drill in today's time as I remember running Frank back to the clubhouse on Smith Ave. thereafter him rolling out the door into the ditch...he was still happy though!!! Also, the '34 coach in the background was Mel Clarke's with a 312 Y block & brazed drivers side mani'. . Maybe 60 or 61... him, Don H & I took it down to Long Beach & getting through Portland the brass rolled out & from then on we inhaled whatever that old Y block put out. Got it black & painted powder blue for the up coming shows. Sold it to Pat Clarke & then Terry Stokes & then it headed north to Stewart?? Never seen since.
Jalopy Kid
Well-Known Member
This thread RULES! I can't believe how many cool cars there were in Canada! I would love to own an old hot rod sometime. In the meantime I guess I will have to continue building my "new" hot rod that just looks like an old hot rod...
On page 13 there was a 34 pickup with ribbon paint. I'm pretty sure it was on Edmonton kijiji last summer. How many ribbon painted 34 ford pickups can there be?
On page 13 there was a 34 pickup with ribbon paint. I'm pretty sure it was on Edmonton kijiji last summer. How many ribbon painted 34 ford pickups can there be?
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47convert
Guest
Let's not forget the T Bird Deuce that's featured in the latest Canadian Hot Rods. Article (Ahem) by yours truly.LOL. Was in Michigan last week and actually touched the car for the first time in years. The third owner was able to buy the car back and he'll be bringing it home to Canada in a few weeks. Watch for a follow up in the next CHR
56Tbird
Yup, I remember the Purple People Eater....Maybe it was a 54 Merc convertible with extended rear fenders, skirts and scallops on the side.
I think in one BCCCA show it had a TV in the trunk.
There is a photo of it on the BC Hot Rod Assn 50th anniversary site.
I think the owner moved to Prince George and was a barber here, but the name eludes me.
I never saw it on the street, only in shows.
passing along ...."looking at the can rodder stuff , the purple people was a 55 merc. conv. and is still alive (barely) in surrey and may get restored one day"
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47convert
Guest
Well the "new/old owner" is actually now the third and the seventeenth I think. He's going to drive it like it is for a while while we continue to collect as much documentation as we can with a good possibility that the car might someday be returned to it's original Hot Rod configuration. Who knows what changes the car might have gone through even if he had kept it all this time? We're hoping to unveil the car at Steve Plunkett's Fleetwood show this summer. One interesting thing is we were able to find the original bobbed rear fenders that were on the car when t was first built. They had been sold to a collecter when the car was first modified into the more contemporary street rod it is now. It retains the origianl dropped and chromed axle that was on the car in 1955 as well as the deuce wishbones and the 35 Ford rear wishbones even though the Banjo rear end has been replaced with an early Olds. It's really an amazing story and a lot of detective work not to mention a ton of luck. We'd love to fingd a set of early Wells Foundry wheels like John installed on the car in 1963 but hey might be a little harder to come up with. They look similar to big window Halibrands but I don't think there was a lip around the openings. There's a set of these on the "Wild Child" Falcon that came out of the London area as well. We'd be real happy to even borrow a wheel to see if we could get some cast.
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b-bob
Well-Known Member
There was also a 54 Ford tudor with Packard tailights in the Queensborough area. On the North side of the bridge, it sat at a gas station for a long time. Maybe he worked there.
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Fordnutz
Well-Known Member
Brian, the mopar hardtop belonged to Bruce Smith. The same guy I think that had a sectioned shoebox coupe up until a short while ago.
Here is an oldie that belonged to Bert Straiton. It was known as the Hairy Canary. Bert is still building cars and has a nice Henry J, also yellow. The Hairy Canary is back on the street. The first pic is from the 1967 Vancouver show.
This is a pic of it now.
Here is an oldie that belonged to Bert Straiton. It was known as the Hairy Canary. Bert is still building cars and has a nice Henry J, also yellow. The Hairy Canary is back on the street. The first pic is from the 1967 Vancouver show.
This is a pic of it now.
b-bob
Well-Known Member
Someone mentioned Jim on a drag thread. Here is an article or 2 and some pics. Pretty famous west coast car, the Canadian.
Pat, this race car sat at the bottom of the hill ,going up to Barnhartvale (Kamloops) in the early eighties. I didn't know who owned it.
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47convert
Guest
The Dart looks a lot like the car Don Garlits ran for a little while. Must have been a wild ride! Neat
Jim is still around & living on the north side of the Fraser...VERY active & running his '35 cabrio with a blown flatty (best in the world) on the street & '32 roadster at Bonneville. Good guy & love the history via NW races, old Mission, Arlington, Pyallup ( there was a strip there long b4 GG's) & ALWAYS the Canadian on the side.
