1959 Speed Shop Part 2: Gauges!

On the back side of the Hot Rod Revolution, its time to get back into the 1959 Almquist catalog and flip to our next chapter after manifolds. What is it about gauges that make us geek out so much? I always peer into a period correct roadster and eyeball the dash for convex lens S-W’s or something similarly cool. When I see an 80’s Sun Pro tach in a really nice traditional style car its always kind of a let down. Old mechanical gauges set down in an engine-turned surface are just plain cool- and the more the merrier. The Tom Cobbs roadster at the HRR drove that home for me… Tachometer first, followed by speedometer or oil pressure, water temp, fuel, and on down the line. Don’t forget to buy a nice “Hollywood” custom instrument panel while your at it! Good stuff…

What’s in your car?

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National Roadster Show 1957

That’s right. It wasn’t the Oakland Roadster show, or even the Grand National Roadster show. I recently acquired the programs for the 1957, ‘58, and ‘59 “National Roadster Show” and have always been intrigued about who was there those years. Started in 1949, Oakland’s big indoor show had grown tremendously and achieved some serious clout by the late 50s. For the 8th annual event, take a look at some of the names that showed up: Norm Grabowski (pre-Kookie car!), a young Roy Brizio, Hayward local Joe Bailon, George Barris brought up the Kopper Kart, Hersh “Junior” Conway, Jerry Sahogon, and many more… I just didn’t have time to scan all the pages in! Its sad to think that the show is now located 350 miles to the south, and although its a far better show than its final years in the Bay Area, its still sad to think we lost this legendary event from its home in what’s left of Oakland, California (where I live). Please enjoy the looking over the pages and reading about the cars that made it there over 52 years ago. I’ve also included a scan of the raffle ticket I found inside the program, in case you want to win a roller cam kit.

If you were there in ‘57 or have pictures from the event- Please post them here, if you get a chance.

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The Great Disneyland Cover Up of 1959…

This all started when I was at Paso Robles staring at Von Franco’s Golden Rod clone. The Ray Anderegg car remade down to a “T”, including the unusual dash plaque with something about a 1959 Disneyland car show on it. Soon after the Rodders Journal cover, El Jefe took possession of the car and was kind enough to send me pictures of the aforementioned dash plaque (which I’ve attached below). I was explaining the plaque to a Disney history buff and friend of mine. He had never heard of the show. No pictures, no press clippings, *nothing*. Rumor has it that the rowdy car club guys showed up that Labor Day Saturday (including Anderegg and possibly Norm Grabowski) and proceeded to whoop it up in “the Happiest Place on Earth” parking lot, with drunken burn outs not far behind. My theory is that the Disneyland execs swept it under the rug and killed the ‘Autocade’ right then and there.

So here we are almost 50 years later, nearly to the day… Can anyone help solve the mystery? Were any of you actually there? Any pics? Stories?

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Lee Family Tradition

If you are a regular on the H.A.M.B., you’ve probably already read about the Lee family racing team. Their grandson posted an incredible series of articles covering the adventures of Jim and Allison Lee directly to the H.A.M.B. a month or so. Each article featured a short bio of sorts complimented by some of the best vintage drag racing photography I’ve ever seen. To be frank, this stuff was just too good not to be highlighted on The Jalopy Journal at some point and now is the time…

Check it out:

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California’s Big Wheels (Who’s Who for 1952)…

In the early 1950s, the Hot Rod movement was growing rapidly, if not exploding. The SCTA had established racing at Muroc, El Mirage, and Bonneville for years, and the aftermarket parts for Flatheads and the new OHV motors kept expanding. 1927 - 1934 Ford coupes and roadsters were still fairly plentiful, and Post-War American boys had jobs, and some disposable income. The hot bed of it it all, the hub if you will, was Southern California.

When I look at this list of the “Who’s Who” this article picked, I’m reminded of what a golden era this truly was. These guys clearly weren’t shameless self-promoters on Youtube or a message board, posting “Check my stuff out! I’m RAD!!” No Sir-ee. They were in machine shops, or on the salt, or the streets & tracks of the Golden State - Actually building it, driving it, and making it happen. They let the ‘fruits of their labor’ do the talking for them…

So this leads me to my question: Who, in your opinion, are the ‘Big Wheels’ of California (or really anywhere else) today? Who are the guys that actually *do* amazing stuff in the hot rod world that will be remembered 10, 20 or even 57 years from now? I know who’s on my list…

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The Rules of the Salt: 1951

Thumbing through my “HOT RODS” Trend Book #102 (by the editors of Hot Rod Magazine) I found tons of great articles like “The History of the Hot Rod Sport” by Wally Parks, and “How to Do It- Lowering Your Car/ Raising Compression/ Dual Exhaust” stories by Don Francisco. One story that I thought was timely for August is called “Bonneville Competition Rules”, and covers car classes, engine classes, and required safety equipment. The article was published in 1951.

If you decide to run at Bonneville in 2009, you can still build something yourself, still run any motor on the planet, and you can still run free down the salt - as fast as your wheels will allow you! That’s downright amazing when you really think about it. Sure, there are rules - there always have been. I just think its great that 61 years after its birth, the SCTA still welcomes enterprising hot rodders from all over the globe to boogie on the salt and try to break a record.

Ya think NASCAR would let you run what ya brung these days? Yeah… Right.

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Auto Polo

This is pretty far off-topic, but I just can’t help myself… I was cruising through the Library of Congress Flickr stream and found the photos you see here. From the little research I’ve done, I’ve been able to gather that Auto Polo was played for one season only on Coney Island.  The basic rules of polo were followed only the men and horses were replaced by teams that each consisted of eight men and four cars. An article covering the event found in a 1912 issue of the New York Times stated, “It would be hard to devise a game in which the players took bigger chances of mishap. The factor of danger may prove either a damper or a stimulus.”

No shit sherlock.

Dig on the danger, the mayhem, and the early “roll bars.”

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Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider

This one is off-topic for sure, but it’s a great story about a gorgeous car and I figured you guys could at least appreciate it. If not, just skip it… We’ll be back with big news tomorrow. Until then, let’s check out what was going on at Alfa Romeo in 1934. Vittorio Jano was chief engineer at the time and he was working hard to match the design standard set by the newly released Auto Union ‘Silver Arrow’ and Mercedes W25. Alfa had to compete.

For some reason unknown to just about everyone, Jano decided to ship the project to an Italian outpost in Croatia where two brothers, Gino and Oscar Jankovits, were to complete the project. By 1937, the brothers had completed the car and were ready to show off their work to the brass at Alfa. There was a problem however… Jano had been fired and Alfa was no longer interested in the aerodynamic masterpiece.

Without Alfa’s involvement, the Jankovits couldn’t manage the v12 power and a straight six was substituted. They also added turn signals and other odds and ends to make it streetable. In 1941, however, the car was moth balled as the brothers prepared for World War II.

After the war, the Jankovits’ found themselves in a tough spot. Their country, Yugoslavia, had turned communist and they knew their freedom was about to become very limited. On Christmas day in 1946, the brothers dug the car out of storage, loaded it up with necessities, and hauled ass for the border. The oddly shaped car startled the border guards and they immediately began firing. Bullets whizzing by their heads, the brothers pressed on and made it through.

The rest of the story is pretty irrelevant from there. I mean, how can you top a border shoot out?

In any case, study the details of the Alfa… Sure, it’s gorgeously shaped and full of personality. But you know what? I think we could do better - then and now.

My vision? A sleeker shape similar to the So-Cal streamliner that hides a mid-mounted and blown Ford flathead, full disc covers over larger 18″ wheels and skinny rubber, light blue/silver “Made in America” paint, etc… Get to work Norwell - we need something to dream about.

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