1939 DODGE COUPE
My brother James had died 4 years earlier and his hot rod sat still damaged from a previous accident at his wife place. A number of people had tried to buy it but for sentimental reasons she would not sell it. I approached her saying that I would rebuild the car and not resell it. The car was a full on custom with twin headlights, custom nerf bars and a worked and dressed Dodge sidy with twins and headers, .Pleated trim. We believe the car originally came from Victoria. It was 1976 I still had the motor and gearbox from the 48 sedan so been a petrolhead I rebuilt the car with 327, powerglide and Chev diff and Holden front disc's on a original independent front end. I repaired the custom front sheet metal and Big Al sprayed it Electric Blue. I drove the coupe like this for some time and after having tyre wear problems I yanked the front end and carried out a front end graft using HK front end. I also installed a Big block 454, (had to have one after driving Dave 's 55). It attended the Albury 79 nats like this. On return from Albury I sold the car to purchase a home and get married. Two years later Wilbur rang me to tell me the car had been advertised in the local paper. My wife and I went to have a look and found the car dismantled with no motor. I offered the guy (same guy who had purchased it from me $1500) I reinstalled a 327 and turbo hydro and drove the car for some time. I them damaged the front end street racing (The diff pinion broke and turned the car into a spinning top and collected a immovable object)and had to rebuild it one more time. This time it was full on. Blown 327. Trick transmission and 9" diff. Big wheels new trim and bright red paint. The front sheet metal was replaced with stock sheet metal ,running boards and a stock rear bumper bar. It tore up most of the streets around Canberra and was used to open the Burnout track at Natex. I sold the engine separate to the car and the car is now in Sydney. The reason I needed a car that would seat five. It was now 1990.