Untouched 1923 Ford Model T Roadster Hot Rod Survivor 24 25 26 27 Bucket Barn !! on 2040-cars

                                                                     UNTOUCHED 1960's HOT ROD ROADSTER

                                                        "As found condition"

                                                           First time offered.

For Sale: 1923 Ford Hot Rod Roadster. This is one of THOSE stories...........

The original owner/ builder lives right here in the area. He started building this car around late 1964-early 1965. The car was running and driving around 1967/1968 and "finished" around 1969. The original owner/ builder titled the car in 1971 (common back then I guess) I have pictures of the car with dates on the edges from 1965-1971. Around 1972-1973 the original owner/builder started going through a divorce, etc.... and put the car away with 234 MILES! Finally the car was stored "for good" in a heated daylight basement style garage for +/- 40 years!!!!!! The car NEVER saw the light of day until it went up for sale.

MORE PICS HERE: https://www.flickr.com/photos/87686401@N04/with/13772823774

Here is the full story:

Around 1963/1964 a young guy had a Model A Coupe with a pretty hot Smallblock. It was a 1956 265 punched out with a Duntov cam, solid lifters, 3 deuces, headers, reworked heads and a dual point distributor. This was linked to a '39 top loader tranny. The wheels were Buick hoops reversed with early Ford centers. The thing is, this guy decided he really wanted a Roadster. In 1964 Car Craft magazine had an article "How to Build a Hot Rod". The guy looked around for a Model A Roadster body, '32 Roadster or even a "T". But in Seattle in '64, I guess it wasn't so easy to find between the rain and restorer's (so the guy says). He decided to follow the article and build a "T" Roadster. This part is pretty cool. So he calls a few Hot Rod buddies and some racer friends and puts out the word. Using the plans in the article, some buddies and lots of beer they weld together a pretty damn nice chassis. Once it's a roller he swaps the drivetrain out of the Model A (his daily driver) and sources a 4" dropped axle. It seems that this would have been around late 1965 sometime. He bought a fiberglass body from Kellison and finished all the plumbing, steering, etc and got her running. Between '66 and '67 the car went through a few changes and by '68 or so the car was running and driving and in various stages of completion. Also, in late '67 he ordered a brand new Black on Black '68 Mustang Fastback. The Mustang was a lucky break for me as you'll find out.....

According to his memory and the photos I got...it looks like the car went through a few different tire and wheel combos between '66 and 1970. Starting with the reversed Buick steelies, Torque Thrust rears with slicks and spindle mounted spokes with Ansen's on the back. The spokes are 19" and the story goes that a friend of a friend got 'em from Jerry Ruth in the Early to mid 60's. They appear to be Harley side car hubs machined to fit early Ford (an early dragster trick). Also he grabbed a Halibrand quick change from one of his Sprint cars and swapped the tri power for dual quads. Another Drag Racer buddy sourced some big Buick rear brakes with cool drilled backing plates (he told me they came off a well known gasser that ran at Puyallup raceway).



The last pics from 1970/1971 are Black with black button tufted interior, dual quads, a Halibrand 201 Quick Change and the 16" Ansen mags on the back with Goodyear Speedway 16"x14" tires and spindle mounted dragster 19" Spokes on the front. Around '72/'73 the guy started going through a divorce I think and stopped tagging the plates in '74. Shortly after that the car came apart. The body was mounted on a base and crated up. The frame stripped and stored in the rafters, the suspension came apart, engine was on a stand for display and everything else squirreled away. The miraculous thing.....is that it ALL stayed together for nearly 40 years!!!!!!!!!!!! The guy moved a couple times and was involved in Sprint car, Indy car and drag racing teams doing design.




So...I got lucky 'cause.... he never got to the point where the car turned into a 70's nightmare. After the Mustang Fastback he was a Black on Black guy. The low profile 14" wide Goodyear Speedway's on the back and a few other things are about as "Modern" as the car got in the early 70's. The guy had a good eye. The car sits right. With the Torque Thrusts and slicks.. the car looks like 1965 all the way. The front spokes aren't my thing either... but the Jerry Ruth story is cool and being 19"...they are NOT the scary 70's style spokes.

Otherwise... LOTS of cool stuff and really NOTHING newer then 1967/68 for the most part. There is a cool cast "Moon" gas pedal, Eelco flip type gas cap, vintage (brand new at the time I guess) guages, from what I can tell the engine hasn't been apart since 1965, Mallory Dual point, Aluminum 2x4 intake, '57 and '58 date coded Carter carbs, The Buick brakes, Reversed Steel Buick steelies and of course the Halibrand Quick Change.

The car is a work of art for a 1960's HOME BUILT Hot Rod. The car is simple, but over the top! It sits right. The welds are nice. The chassis is REALLY NICE for that time period (arc welders). And the original owner/ builder was/ is an artist. He really had a good eye for design when he built this car.

 I have had the car about a year +.... and I bought it because it was there! VERY RARELY does this stuff come up. You see it on Ebay, or on TV, in an article... but RARELY in your own backyard!!! So, I bought it. I have not really touched the car. I have a lot going on with business and family... so, I am offering this GEM to the internet WORLD. I DO NOT need to sell. I DO NOT want to sell. But, the car deserves to be back on the road and it will be another year or more before I can devote the time to blowing the car apart and doing a NUT AND BOLT preservation restoration.

 AS SUCH:  I will mention.... this car DOES NOT RUN!!! It is in AS FOUND CONDITION and will need careful consideration for preservation. The original owner took the car carefully apart for long term storage after only 234 MILES. NOTHING was broken, blown or damaged. He just stored the car away. This car is as simple as any car could possibly be. If you are experienced in old Hot Rods...or have a shop that is.... it should be NOTHING to get everything back in working order. Just time, hard work and a little money. I did an inventory and from what I can see.....the car is 95% complete. And I MEAN 95% +. The radiator was replaced with an odd small item, and I think it should get a "T" radiator made for a sbc. The Halibrand was FRESH.. the Ring and pinion are in there..but the portable case with the different gears to swap, disappeared. So you will need a gear set (cheap and easy to find). Otherwise, wheel cylinders for the back should be rebuilt, master cylinder rebuilt. Brake lines are out...should be replaced. Etc. The wood shifter knob is NOT with the car (Original owner asked if he could keep it).

 This car was "PUT AWAY RIGHT". The gas tank is bone dry. The engine is wet (and free). The carbs are bone dry and look perfect (should be rebuilt).

The paint is nearly 50 years old. It is in REMARKABLE condition overall. But, suffers from 60's quality (lacquer, a few blemishes) and has a few knicks, scratches, etc. It is BLACK... should look like a million bucks after some touch up and a wet sand/ buff!!!! The interior is 99/100. No rips, no tears, no damage. It is a little dry in a few small spots... but overall looks really nice. There are a few "buttons" missing, but the "buttons" down low on the door could be transplanted in conspicuous areas. The interior should be completely removed, cleaned, minor preservation and reinstalled properly for fit and finish. The dash is a VERY nice medium stained piece of wood. It is in great shape and should clean up perfectly. Paint on the chassis is good and requires very little touch up/ detail. The wishbones/ suspension are painted silver (original owner intended to chrome them).

The quality and finish on this car is ON PAR with nearly anything that comes out of a Hot Rod shop nowadays. And that's unheard of for an ORIGINAL 1960's build! YES, the car has 234.9 miles on the odometer (and the speedo was brand new with zero when the car was built).

The car comes with EVERYTHING I HAVE for it. Drilled rear drums are in a plastic bin along with MOON gas pedal, extra bits, front hubs to run steel wheels with brakes, both wide rear tires/ wheels AND.... the ORIGINAL Hot Rod reversed steel wheels from the MODEL A. I will also include the ORIGINAL Car Craft article that the car was built from/ based on and the copies of original photographs!!!!!!

 Overall... a ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO 1967!!!!!!

 Relive American Graffitti (I know that's 1962). OK...Relive HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS and race a COBRA with your "Rail Job"......

I have a CLEAR WASHINGTON TITLE in MY NAME!!!!!!!!!!! The car insured and safe in a warm garage!

THIS CAR IS NOT FOR SALE ANYWHERE ELSE! I WILL NOT RELIST THIS CAR. PERIOD. (Unless it's running/driving and I am done having fun). This is NOT a flip. I just need to free up some time and space and figured I would put it out there. I will be bummed if it sells.....but that's a chance I am willing to take.

 IF....... the car doesn't sell, it will make up my mind to sell another of my old cars and save it until I have the time.

THE LAST PHOTO WITH THE KIDS WAS TAKEN RECENTLY! IT IS WHAT THE CAR LOOKS LIKE RIGHT THIS MOMENT IN MY GARAGE!