Check it out! I've been working on it for quite some time.
'32 PERCENTER MERCHANDISE
I have a limited number of thoughtfully crafted products bearing the "32 Percenter" logo. Each item was designed by me. I carefully chose domestic manufacturers everything here is "Made in the USA".
These are the membership bags. My wife and I screen printed them right here at home.
Here's what you get: an enamel hat pin, a screen printed window sticker and an embroidered patch.
The goodie bags pictured above are $25 domestic shipping included.
Super soft cotton t-shirts. Shirts area dark navy color with silver printing. Most sizes available. $20 domestic shipping included.
I had 32 of these chain stitched patches. made. They measure 2.5" X 4". These are $30 domestic shipping included.
I had 32 of these engraved badges made. Each one is masterfully done by hand and they are all numbered on the back by J Bower Engraving (http://www.jbowerengraving.com/). Her work is amazing. What do you do with them you ask? That's up to you! Attach it to some leather and make a key fob; mount it on your firewall, dash or lower cowl; affix it to your gas cap? The possibilities are endless. You're a hot rodder, you know what to do.
We have very few of these left and they are $100 domestic shipping included.
Send me an email or PayPal me at john@johnsticha.com to order
DEUCE DAYS 2016
The first Northwest Deuce Days was held in 2000, and since then it has evolved into an event held every three years. After the 2013 round, organizer Al Clark had suggested that the event was through. But three years later he led the charge once again, noting however that the 2016 rendition may be the last. We’ll see. The event is held in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, the capital of B.C., located on the southern end of Vancouver Island. Getting to Victoria requires a ferry ride from Port Angeles, WA.
Swill and I had been planning this trip for three years. We had imagined an epic road trip in our cars, but work schedules and driving logistics dictated flying in this time. We landed in Seattle and travelled to Victoria with friends Rick and Kathy Nelson from Port Townsend. On our ferry ride we learned about several other local attractions including the Woolly Mammoth exhibit at the Royal BC Museum and the Butchart Gardens. Clearly there would be a lot to pack in to this trip.
Darryl and Terri Hollenbeck's roadster won the title America's Most Beautiful Roadster in 2016. They piled on many miles prior to receiving that honor and even more since.
Roger Bell built this tup decades ago and it's been a favorite of mine since the first time I saw it.
Friday and Saturday were filled with events planned for participants, including a poker run. Being hot rod free, Swill and I spent time checking out cars and socializing. Deuces of all body and build styles were everywhere. We found a favorite bar with a big deck overlooking the harbor and main street and planted ourselves there for most of Saturday afternoon. The exchange rate was kind to us, but we couldn’t persuade our servers to redeem our Steek & Swill beer tokens much less convince them that, considering the exchange, each token should really earn a beer and a half. I’m confident we left an impression on the staff that reflected well upon American hot rodders everywhere.
Dave Urae is a good friend and his roadster is one of my all-time favorites.
Dave and Belinda York are great friends and their roadster is period-perfect. So cool.
Sunday morning all the streets surrounding the inner harbor were blocked off for ’32 Ford parking only. I heard people were up at early as 3 AM positioning their cars in the best spots. A small number of cars were invited to park on the grass at (name), these included the Edelbrock, Sid Chavers, and Bruce Meyers cars, as well as lesser known but equally cool rides.
Nearly 1,200 cars attended the show. Vehicles up to 1952 were welcome, but ’32 Fords were the stars of the show. It was truly Deuce overload! There was a short awards program held Sunday afternoon with recognition given for “Long Distance,” “Best Non-Deuce,” and of course, “Best Deuce.” Tom Busch (father of NASCAR drivers Kurt & Kyle) won “Best Deuce” with his radically chopped 3-window. But what really brought tears to his eyes was his early selection for 32%er accolades.
Busch was part of our mission to continue recruiting 32%er members. Our ranks are growing, and word had spread via social media that we would be in attendance with our swag. Our membership kits and t-shirts proved popular and many were sold. We also presented honorary memberships to folks we felt deserved special acknowledgment. These people included Bruce Meyers, Al Clark (event organizer), and Pete Chapouris. (Pete may be best known for the California Kid, but “Limefire” was a game changer in my world.)
Hot Rod Hero Pete Chapouris.
Sadly we missed both the Wooly Mammoth and the gardens … there’s always 2019. We hope.
Al, are you listening?
THE STICHA ROADSTER
Words by John Sticha; photos by John Sticha & archives
This roadster has been part of our family for over 25 years. We got it from a local fellow who went on to become a good friend. When we got the car in 1982, it had what today would be considered a somewhat odd mixture of traditional and contemporary (of the time) themes—drilled and split bones and early dropped and drilled axle up front and a chrome corvette independent rear out back. The old Ford steel body was covered in black lacquer and was already showing it’s age with some checking and stress cracks. The pin striping was a bit thick and ornamental, but popular for the time. It rode on Centerline wheels and big aggressive truck tires out back. The first time we had ever seen the car was at the ‘79 Nationals in St. Paul. I was 11 years old and thought it looked tough and even recall asking my dad to take a picture of it. It was featured in Rod & Custom Quarterly No. 8 that same year. My dad’s tastes ran more to the traditional side as would mine, so there was plenty we could to turn the car into “our own.” The important thing was that Dad finally had his dream car, a steel deuce highboy roadster.
Here is how it looked when we first saw it at the ‘79 Nationals in St. Paul. I was 11 years old and thought it looked tough. It was featured in Rod & Custom Quarterly #8 that same year.
Rod & Custom Annual No. 8 1979
Small changes were made over the years and we enjoyed the car together and built a close relationship and many shared memories. The Centerlines were quick to go, in those days there weren’t multitudes of manufacturers selling steel wheels in various bolt circles but we were able to find a guy who built up a set of wheels for us with a chevy bolt circle and that would accept early ford caps. BF Goodrich Radial TA/s were the tires of choice in those days … again, no one like Coker Tire at that time offering period correct rubber. A Vega steering box solved the bump steer. It was starting to feel a little more like “ours.”
Eventually it was time for major changes, many of which we had discussed ad nauseam over the years. With the help of a close friend and talented hot rod builder, Greg VonRuden, a new chassis was built starting with a fresh set of rails. Hairpins and a new drilled chrome axle up front and a Culver City quick change rear that we had obtained locally a decade earlier with this day in mind. The 4-wheel discs were ditched in favor of early ford brakes with chrome backing plates and polished Buick fins. The NOS Guide 682-C headlamps procured from a swap meet many years earlier (paid $75 for them, so it was a long time ago) were finally used as we intended them to be. There’s a few details here and there I may have done differently, maybe retaining the old axle and split bones as a nod to the cars past, but this was the realization of my dad’s dreams and I was happy to watch it become reality. The only real debate we had was what to do with the body. He wanted to strip it bare and redo it. I argued that the checks and wear on the 30 old lacquer was a badge of honor earned over time, evidence of authenticity. I’m happy I won that one.
We’ve learned bits and pieces about the cars history over the years. I’m not implying in any way that the car has significant history but with any old Ford that’s a hot rod is a pretty safe bet that it has a colorful past. The car, before arriving in the Midwest, was a hot rod in Hawaii. Honolulu area hot rodder Danny Sachs, was very helpful in helping me research the cars history. The roadster was owned and shown by Kennith Sie at the Hawaiian Motorama and was pictured in the October ‘57 issue of Rod & Custom. It featured a flathead mill, Olds Fiesta wheelcovers and chrome rear frame horn covers (not all together uncommon for the time) and unusual use of ‘50 Ford tail lights. I learned that Kenneth later sold the car to Alex Ching who installed a chevy motor and a hydromatic and painted it Tahitian red. It was again sold and the new owner who worked at Pearl Haror shipyard put a standard tansmission in it in ‘66. Following that the car was likely sold to a serviceman or visitor and shipped to the U.S. mainland. The earliest photos I have of it from the Twin Cities area still show it in Tahitian red with ‘50 Ford tail lights.
Rod & Custom Magazine October 1957
This is how the car arrived in Minneapolis, arriving from Seattle, WA.
Ready for it's make-over in South Minneapolis at the Amblers clubhouse.
Over the years we talked about the car “becoming” mine someday, so when I asked dad if it would be ok if I were to make some changes to the car if I were to finance them he agreed to it. When the TH350 took a dump, I lined up a muncie to take it’s place and a top-notch local shop, Creative Metalworks, to make the necessary changes to the chassis.
Many years ago Dad and I had a conversation about the car and he told me he was ready to sell it to me. We agreed on a price and I know he was happy it stayed in the family and we will continue to be able to enjoy it together. I’m looking forward to plenty more years of enjoyment with the car.