The Roamin Angel Corner-Stories about our cars.

Ford Stories

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	“Old School” Model A Roadster Hot Rod - 1929 Model A Roadster - I’ve always wanted to build a traditional “real steel” 1929 Model A roadster hot rod. During my annual trip to the L.A. Roadster Show and Swap Meet in 2008, I found a Model A roadster that had been sitting, incomplete, for 20 years. The owner said that it had been a father/son project.
	Keeping the Hobby Alive - 1955 F100 - For Mike H., part of the car hobby is handing down the passion to the next generation. After selling a car, he was looking for something that he could make an "old school" hot rod. He found a good candidate in a '55 F-100 Ford short bed, stepside pickup.
	Buzzard Racing - 1934 Ford - While it may not be quite as famous as Penske Racing or Richard Petty Motorsports. Buzzard Racing is making a name for itself. Richard loved it and decided to design and build his own flathead lakester to try and break a class record. Richard found a '34 Ford body in AZ. In May, 2009, the Buzzards set to work.
	Red Hot Tip - 1933 Ford Tudor - Barbers normally get tipped by their customers. Larry R. had an unusual one when he cut a customer’s hair in his Auburn barbershop back in 2000. His customer told him his ex-wife was selling a ‘33 Ford Tudor street rod. Larry liked ‘33 for their looks, with suicide doors and unique swooped grill.
	Lat Lap - 1929 Model A Tudor - It was thirty-one years ago now that Larry R. bought his ‘29 Ford Model A Tudor. He’s long been a Model A fan, his first car being a ‘31, and is a member of the Model A club. In 1979, a fellow member was selling the ‘29 for a very low price. It probably had to do with the fact that it was what is known as a “basket case,” or completely torn apart. Still, Larry is an old hand with Model A’s, so he bought it. That was the first lap.
	Her Mustang - 1967 Mustang - One thing Bob and Nancy G. agree on completely: the ‘67 Mustang convertible is her car. Although Nancy is of the “petite” class, both in height and weight, she is definitely a “heavyweight” if you cross her. And if you mess with her car, you have crossed her.
	A Ford in the Future - 1956 Ford - Although it may not look like much to the uneducated eye, Gary B.’s ‘56 Ford is nearing completion. This is not Gary’s first Ford. While his first car was a ‘51 Ford, it was a four-door sedan and engendered no great love from Gary. It was simply cheap transportation. He was still in high school when he decided to buy a newer, classier ride.
	A Deuce Pickup - 1932 Ford Pickup - Ever since the Beach Boys sang about it and “American Graffiti” featured it, the Deuce Coupe (‘32 Ford coupe) has epitomized the classic hot rod. It is probably the most recognized American rod in the world. Dusty S., a life-long hot rodder, wanted a ‘32, but one a little different. Living in a rural Grass Valley setting, a pickup seemed apropos. After all, what says country more than a pickup?
	Trust - 1955 Tri-Five chevy - The idea of “trust” is often considered lost in this modern day. But Fred L. does not think it dead, but just hard to find. Well, at least in much of America. But he found it in Kansas. In 1998 he was searching for a Tri-Five Chevy. 1955 was the year that Chevy moved from a rounded, older look to a bold, straight design and Fred loved them. However, he wanted an original...
	Perfect Truck - 1956 Ford F100 - Bobbi W.s’ late husband Bill is the reason she has such an exceptional ‘56 Ford F100 pickup. Bill was a car afficionado who always wanted his cars perfect. He had had Hopper’s Hot Rods build a ‘31 Ford cabriolet street rod that was as near to perfect as possible. Bobbi refers to it as a “look at me, don’t touch me” car. Bill would have her start it occasionally to keep it in running condition, but she never dared drive it.
	Good Old Days - 1932 Ford Roadster - There’s something about the cars of one’s youth that has a special place in a person’s heart, especially for a Roamin Angel. Whether it was a muscle car, Corvette, a T-Bird, a Ford street rod or whatever, it is that first memory of the thrill of having that first “cool car” that often leads someone to buy one like it when no longer young. And that is true for Jerry.
	Quick Turn - 1936 Standard Coupe - Sometimes making a “quick turn” with a car has nothing to do with driving. It also means buying one with the expectation of reselling it quickly for a profit. That is exactly what Joe S. planned to do when he bought his ‘36 Ford Standard Coupe at a swap meet in Turlock. And that’s what he told his wife.
	Towing the Line - 1930 Ford Wrecker - When it comes to Henry Ford’s Model A, Ray H. is a major fan. Ray especially likes the unusual Model A’s, including the Model AA heavy-duty trucks. Looking through eBay and Craig’s List, he found a few. Unfortunately, they all seemed to be in rough condition and were located someplace like, Ray says, “in the middle of a field in Wisconsin”.
	In the Blood - 1969 Mustang - When he bought it from the original owner about ten years ago, it was no race car. It had a 351 CID Windsor engine with power steering and brakes as well as air conditioning. It was a nice car, but then the race bug reinfected Joe. He built the engine, bored it .030 over, blueprinted and balanced it. With a barely-streetable .690 lift cam and a Holley 1000 cfm carb on a single-plane high-rise intake, to say it “lopes” is an understatement.
	Gutzy Galaxy - 1963-1/2 Galaxy - 1963 was the first year for the top-of-the-line 500XL option. He liked that year’s body style because it reminded him of the Fords he used to see at the drag strips where he used to race: the big-engined, powerhouses of the muscle-car era. It was, however, in pretty rough condition, but Ron felt it was a car worth restoring.
	Stretch - 1931 Street Rod - When Lynn P. begins to build a street rod, he starts with a twenty-four foot piece of rectangular steel tubing to start the frame and an idea. No fancy drawings, no pre-made kits, just a concept and raw materials. And since he’s been building cars since he was thirteen years old, he has a lot of experience in that area.
	Bird of Paradise - 1956 Thunderbird - It would make a great story to say that Ken L. flew over to Hawaii and bought the car of his dreams. As the old saying goes, close, but no cigar. After selling his ‘55 T-Bird when he went into the Air Force, Ken regretted it. About six years ago, he began to search for a small Bird, mainly on the Internet. He found one in Kona, Hawaii, the big island
	Nostalgia - 1927 Roadster - Why do Roamin Angels want the classic cars and street rods they drive? It all started in 1957 at the L.A. County Fair, when Ken saw Big Daddy Roth drawing hot rods next to the Kookie T-bucket roadster from “77 Sunset Strip.” Now he has his own rod, one that he built.
	Roadster Romance - 1931 Roadster - Roadsters are popular with hot rodders, at least the male ones. Pre-war Fords with a hot engine are especially favored. Their main problem is that often the wives do not like them. With no windows or top, they are loud and windy. They can be very uncomfortable in stop-and-go traffic and normally ride rough.
	Loadin’ Up His Woodie - 1952 Woodie - It’s the stuff dreams are made of . . . and songs: a Ford Woodie. The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean and the Safaris sang of driving a Woodie and surfing the Southern California waves. Dick T. lived it. Fast forward to 1998 and Dick is now married, surfing and Woodies but a memory.
	Buzzard Rod - 1927 Model T "Rat Rod" - There is a recent movement in hot rodding called “rat rods.” Although there is not strict definition, they normally have pre-war bodies with a hot engine and little in the way of polish or luxuries. Fancy paint jobs, lots of chrome and polished aluminum are shunned.
	Worth a Second Chance - 1967 Mustang - When Ed bought a ‘66 Mustang in 1968, he thought it was going to be a long-term relationship. After all, with only 30,000 miles, what could go wrong. But it had so many mechanical problems that Ed became convinced it had been around the block far more times than the odometer showed, maybe even to the tune of 100,000 miles more.
	All Ford...Almost - 1930 Model A - Many hot rodders use parts from a number of makes when they build a car. It started from the days when they would find their parts in a “junkyard” and anything that worked well was used. But Manny had a different philosophy.
	Hopper's Hot Rod - 1932 Ford - One thing Gary does very well is make hot rods. He started as a teenager with a ‘34 Ford coupe that he was too young to even drive. Over the years he has built many and found that other people liked what he built. Someone would want to buy and Gary could not resist selling.
	Mustang By Any Other Name - 1968 Ford T-5 - Although it looks like a Mustang, drives like a Mustang and sounds like a Mustang, Jerry B.’s Ford is not a Mustang. It is a T5. When Ford decided to export its popular Mustang to Germany, it found that there was a truck of that name made by Krupp already there.
	Santa's New Sleigh - 1950 Ford F1 -When Santa arrived in Grass Valley to prepare for the Roamin Angels’ 17th Annual Toy Drive, he was a bit worried. Sure, there will be a mini car show of classics and street rods for everyone to see and enjoy. But with no snow for his sleigh, how could he be sure the toys could be delivered to all the children?
	Fat Fendered F100 - 56 Ford F100 - There is just something about the look of the ‘56 Ford pickup that Ted likes. They have the fat fenders and wrap-around windshield that epitomizes the Nifty Fifties Ford pickups. With a step-side short bed, they may not be as aerodynamic as a modern truck, but they sure are cooler looking. And Ted just likes their style.
	F100 CustomCab - 1956 Ford F100- Stock- that meant it came with two sun visors, two arm rests and stainless steel trim around the windshield. That's not too interesting for most folks. It originally had a 6 cylinder overhead yalve engine and a manual 3 speed transmission with shift on the column,(3 on the tree).
	Poster Child - 1934 Roadster - The job of making it a rod had been done right, with a TCI frame with a Ford nine-inch rear end and front disc brakes. The removable Bop Top gives cover if it rains. The 350 CID Chevy engine mated to a 350 Turbo auto trans has more than enough power to cruise on down the highway.
	Big Mac -1931 Model A - When Ken McC. got Lanny from Lanmark Auto to take on the project of turning his ‘31 Model A Sport Coupe into a street rod in 1998, he knew he had one of the best around on the job. Ken had bought the Model A in an estate sale about twelve years before and was ready to transform the tired and battered stock car into a cool and comfortable rod.
	Chry-Ford-Let - 1930 Model A - is the name Bob M. (aka S.O.B) gave his ‘30 Ford Model A hot rod coupe because, like so many old-school rodders, he used parts from various car manufacturers in creating his street rod: Chrylser, Ford and Chevrolet. And this Model A traces the history of hot rodding while never leaving Bob’s family.
	Rumblebee - 1955 Skyliner - Wayne decided he wanted a ‘55 Ford convertible. He remembered days of his youth when a “rich kid” had a new one and they had cruised around in it, sometimes going to his family cabin near Big Bear Lake. Wayne had loved that car so he started looking.
	Jim Dent’s Legacy - 1965 Mustang - There will be no article about the late Jim Dent’s cars, but Wally K. feels a great debt to him for his ‘65 Mustang. Wally and wife Rene bought the car about three years ago for their son Garrett. Their son liked the looks of these early “pony cars” and Wally liked the idea of his son driving a classic to and from Nevada Union.
	Comfort & Class -1956 Continental Mark II- There is something to be said for the comforts of life. In cars, those are things like power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, quietness, softer ride, etc. Don and Gloria C.’s ‘32 Ford roadster had none of the above. Don started looking something unique and classy.
	My Bird - 1956 T-Bird - In the early 1970's my father-in-law bought a 1956 T-Bird that was wrecked in the front and I handled getting it back on the road. It was painted a sickly green, with a green interior and matching padded vinyl roof, all of which were definitely not original.
	Sweet Bird of Youth - 1957 Thunderbird - Karen terms herself a “car-head.” Even as a child, she would stand behind the front seat and name the makes and models of the cars she saw as her father drove. When she saw her first Thunderbird, she wanted one. Since she was six years old, she needed her parents to buy it.
	Bonneville Bad Boy Buzzards - ‘22 Model T (sort of) -There is a group within the Roamin Angels Car Club that call themselves the Buzzards. They are guys who like to do most if not all of the work of building their hot rods themselves rather than buying a car already done or having the work done by others.
	A Winning Horse - 1965 Ford Mustang - Ford picked a winner when they debuted a Mustang with a fastback and a 289 CID V-8 engine in 1965. When a co-worker of Gary A.'s bought one new, he knew that was the car for him. Unfortunately, his wallet did not agree. Gary tried to trade his friend his 63 ½ Ford Galaxie XL500, but it was no go.
	A Ford Guy - 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 - Loyalty for a particular marque is not popular anymore, but Bill H. has been faithful to Ford for many years. And he likes the “classic” ones most of all. As a mechanic at a Coors wholesaler, he spent his life working on vehicles and felt Fords were the best. Bill was able to buy it for a good price.
	What is an E-Bird? -1958 T-Bird -In this case, it is a 1958 T-Bird that was purchased on E-Bay by Lanny N. Most people consider buying a car off of E-Bay to be like running with scissors: very dangerous. Lanny, one of the founders of the Roamin Angels Car Club way back in 1962, knows cars better than to ever buy one sight unseen.
	For the Missus - 1934 Ford - It all started when Dennis, aka “Gio” went to “just look” at a ‘28 Ford touring car street rod. He had promised his wife Bev that he would not buy it, but then how many wives have heard that before looking out in the drive to see a new “toy”?
	Diamond Jubilee - 1932 Ford - Seventy-five years ago, Henry Ford brought out his flathead V-8 engine. It was perfect for “souping up” and made it an automotive legend among those into fast cars. Being a hot rodder since youth, Dick T. had always wanted one and found his heart’s desire in Upland, CA.
	Ford Fixer-Upper - 1946 Ford - Fortunately, Bob and Nancy G. saw past the obvious when they saw the ‘46 Ford convertible in a Lodi barn in 1995. Although he had redone a few Mustangs for the family, Bob had a hankering for a Forties convertible and the ‘46 Ford fit the bill. It was complete and even ran…in a fashion.
	Opportunity Knocks - 1940 Ford - It wasn’t that Bill R. was looking for another car when he bought his ‘40 Ford Standard coupe. He had completely revamped the air conditioning for the previous owner and did like the car. When the owner decided to downsize his collection by selling eleven cars, Bill helped him and he wanted Bill to buy the ‘40.
	Ranchero Romance - 1957 Ford Ranchero - Almost every Roamin Angel has “the one that got away.” It might be the first car driven, the first car owned, the car taken on a first date, or some other fond memory of years ago. Seldom does that car survive the years, but the memory does. Bob is no exception.
	Rose’s Red Love Bird - 1965 Thunderbird - Thunderbirds have been a favorite of Rose's for a long time. She has owned five through the years, three of them ‘65's. She owned a ’65 coupe when a fellow Roamin Angel told her about a convertible. Although she did not think she would be interested, she went to look and it was love at first sight.
	Family Ford F-100 - 1957 Ford F-100-Jerry had no plans to buy a pick-up. It all started when his daughter decided that she wanted to have this ‘57 Ford F-100 back in 1998. It was in rough shape, with no interior and so much of it in parts that Jerry described it as a “basket case.” Although he feared that she might lose interest in it.
	True Love - 1956 Ford Fairlane - When Dennis saw the ‘56 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan in the Ford dealer’s new-car showroom, it was love at first sight. This was the car he wanted. But his father had no use for Henry Ford, so Dennis ended up with a Plymouth but he never forgot his first love.
	With a Little Help - 1936 Ford Coupe - When Ray and Tina bought their ‘36 Ford coupe, it needed more than a little help. Although the previous owner had started to build it as a street rod, with a Chevy 283 CID engine, Turbo 350 auto trans and Ford 8" rear end, it was not very far along.
	Lanny's Fire Car - 1934 Ford Coupe - As a lifelong hot rodder and restorer of cars, Lanny has acquired an impressive collection of vehicles. Often people ask Lanny, “Which is your favorite car?” His answer is that if there were a fire and he had to choose one car to save, it would be his ‘34 Ford coupe.
	The Wanderer - 1965 T-Bird - In 1993 Ray was looking for a car to build, a 60's type cruiser. His wife said it had to be comfortable and have AC. He wanted something different, the heavier more luxurious type, with all the bells and whistles. He found a 1965 T-Bird Landau sitting in a field.
	The Brazen Hussy - George's 1940 Ford Truck- Ray kept on telling me about this 40 Ford pickup that needed a little work, but could be acquired at a very reasonable price. Eventually my bride of 45 years said, “Why don’t you check it out?” You need something else to add to your unfinished projects list.” A start to finish 9 chapter saga...Maybe.
	Barb's '34 Ford Truck- Barbara's 'new' 1934 Ford pickup project. We started the project in November and she took it home on March 5, 2004. Although it is not finished, it runs and drives. They still need to have the upholstery done and at some point body work and paint. But for now it is a driver and she expects to use it that way.
	Mike's Project - 1932 Ford - Have you ever had someone tell you that "they would I sure like to have a special car or hotrod but they just can't afford it?". Usually they go on to say " I have a mortgage, etc., compelling reasons to give up, don't they? Well, this is a story about one of our members that does not accept that.
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