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.