I blame my interest in old cars mostly on heredity, I spent much of my youth riding around in the turtle-deck of my Dad's '19 T and playing in and on the derelict Model A's that Dad was saving to restore someday. I started working on cars long before I was helpful, masking and block-sanding for Dad at the princely wage of five bucks per car, pretty good money for a nine year old, I'm sure I did more damage than good. During my teenage years I became fascinated with electronics and photography, cars were just a way to make money. Dad kept saying don't pursue a career involving cars, keep them in their place as a hobby so you don't have to do dirty work like me the rest of your life. So I pursued a career in electronics, building salvage with Dad to finance my education and my hobby a '65 mustang coupe.
In '81 at age 20 I got my first real job which took me to California for "factory training" this was when I got my introduction to customized cars. I was staying at the Buena Park hotel at Knot's Berry Farm, one evening the street in front of the hotel filled up with custom VW's, and mini pickup's I had stumbled on to my first cruise night. I went home from that trip determined to build myself something "special" to drive. When Dad heard that I wanted to build a VW or mini pickup he said I was nuts and took me to the nearest newsstand grabbed a copy of Street Rodder and said why don't you build something like this! I was awestruck, the December 81 cover was a Red 32 Roadster , I hadn't dreamed a car like that was within my grasp. Dad convinced me that it was and we set to work trying to find me a roadster. At this point in life Dad was still of the restorer mind set so I couldn't use the 30 roadster body he had laying around (it was too good to be rodded) . I started watching the papers and by mid December I had come up with a basket case 29 roadster body and frame.
What a mess I bought! The doors (what was left of them) were welded shut, the body was channeled ( by cutting torch) over the frame, and there must have been an inch of plastic in the quarters where the distorted metal patches were pop riveted in. But it was a ROADSTER ! Whenever anyone asks I tell them I started with door openings and a bare frame. Dad and I replaced all the metal on that body from the reveal down and built a sub-frame for it. The doors, fenders, deck-lid, gas tank and lower cowl all are original parts but all came from different cars. Dads knowledge of restoration and of Model A's in particular got the body of the car to its finished state.
The street rod chassis however was something we had no experience with, for it we relied on magazines and catalogs. We boxed the frame and installed four bars front and rear, a four inch drop axle, and Superbell mustang brakes. Steering is via a mustang box because I like the look of the drag link. The odd thing in the chassis is the drive train, I opted for a 2.8 litre V6 FORD, a German made motor found in the imported Capri II, and a four speed standard transmission. This combination is capable of a cash saving 35 MPG.
My wife Susan and I started dating while I was building the car and she has put many hours into it , including many behind the sanding block. We used the roadster as our wedding car and honeymoon car in '86, taking in Canat's in Sault Ste. Marie on our honeymoon. Our daughter's first car trip, home from the hospital, was in the A. Our son's first trip would have been as well if not for inclement weather , he had to ride in our '63 Ranchero.
Last year we added a Coke cooler trailer out back to haul our gear .This year I'm hoping to add a Tuck-away top to the rumble seat , to keep the kids snug on the trip to P.E.I.. Heck, this year I might even get around to adding side curtains up front to keep Sue and I cozy.
We have the '86, '88, '90 Canat's long distance awards hanging on our basement wall and are hoping to add '91 , if we aren't beaten by some determined B.C.'er .
Future projects resting (rusting) in our back yard are a 41 Mercury coupe and a 32 Chev 1-1/2 ton truck which once belonged to my Grand Father.
The license plate is a spin off from the old Life cereal commercial , the car is an A , my name is Michael and definitely I LIKE IT - A MIKEY .
Oh, that '30 roadster body of Dads that was too good to rod, well he's had so much fun borrowing my roadster that now he's building a highboy out of the '30. Guess restorer's minds can be enlightened.
"How I ended up a Rodder" was written by me, for the Canat's 91 visitor/participants program. The event was located in Montague, Prince Edward Island --Mike--