» More Updates. Dad talked on and on again last night after I woke him up to ask him how many louvers were on the hood since someone had asked at The H.A.M.B. here see post #47.

For anyone who hasn't read the amazing threads over at The H.A.M.B. or for you who have but want MORE, here it is. I don't know how many Dads are long-winded... but I'd say if there was a contest for talking, mine would be in at least the Top 3. So, of course, once Mom told him that the coupe could have been the one in the movie "Hollywood Knights", then showed him the photo of the coupe in that movie, the waterfall of stories started coming out all over again.

It seems (at least in my family) that memories of names seem to fade with time. We can remember every good road, each banked corner and even the cheapest gas stops, but a last name is hard to remember! It's absolutely (dare I say it: adorable, haha now I'm going to make him blush maybe) to hear your own Dad remembering all of sudden, someone's last name! As he got to talking about the coupe, he would all of a sudden remember a name. Of course he could remember how he'd have to turn the windows "just so" to keep the heat out, the weeks of tweaking something & hours upon hours of polishing... but those are labors of (obsession), practically ingrained into one's own personality. A picture is worth a thousand words, but apparently names can fade.... and then *Boom* come back!!

Last Known Mods:
The coupe had been chopped and sectioned (but not channelled), had frenched head lights, the trunk welded (it just looked like it never had a trunk to open). Where you put the gas in didn't show (it was under the drivers rear wheel well).

It was chopped 4 inches and sectioned 5 inches. The tail lights were from a 1962 vette. The rear fenders were molded to the body. There were more mods as Mom kept remembering them in "oh yeah" titled messages on the computer. I'm trying to add everything but make it in some kind of understandable order. (More soon :) )

Dad had gotten the coupe a gorgeous paint job in what ended up looking like (to me) a purplish-fushia-pearl with little bitty mini flakes. The story goes that 3 guys painted with paint called refridgerator white, non-stop for 8 hours... then it was sanded... and then added on top of that 1956 chevy burgendy laquer with double silver metalic and the same amount of gold metalic (sprayed for 24 hours non stop!) It was one of a kind. But of course, it probably has different paint now.

Update Trunk and Back Seat: My Mom said since the trunk lid on the coupe was molded in, the access to the trunk area was through the car - the seats were from a willy's jeep and on hinges so you could tip the whole seat forward and easily get into trunk. There was a piece of plywood over the trunk "floor" and we had a sleeping bag and pillow inside. (I didn't ask for more details about "that" part of the car)

Update Motor: The motor the builders installed was a 1953 Studebaker overhead valve v-8, 239 cubic inch with accelerator cam and Olds side-draft 2-barrel carb (as dad recalls). Subsequently, Dad installed a Studebaker R-4 Avanti motor with dual 4-barrel carbs but without the dual Paxton superchargers. With this engine, the car was clocked at a top speed of 142 mph. After 2 years and 3 engine teardowns (due to spun rod-bearings), he installed a full race flathead v-8 and had no further engine troubles. Both engines turned 1/4 mile in low 15s. The flathead, on a good day, would only top out at 110 mps. With this flathead engine, he street raced a multitude of overhead valve v-8s and whipped 'em! As always, the other drivers wanted to see what was under the hood. At this late date, the "youngsters" didn't know what they were looking at!

So, Who did the mods? Before my Dad (Larry Brooks) fell into ownership & love with the coupe, it was Rex Phillips & Texera Brothers who had done mods to it in a garage in Napa, California. It was not done in a "real shop". It was "worked on" for 4 years, and then put in storage for a year. Dad of course did all the detail work, the interior, got the upholstery done, painted the interior, did metal strips on the outside & finished it off. This is not just 'detailing' a car... for anyone who's under 30 or just takes a car to a Detailing service. This is making sure every little bitty inch (1/16 of an inch, and yes, I mean it) is perfect.

On Dad's level of obsession, it's not just the parts that are generally visible... it's being fanatical even over the areas that aren't seen unless you take the seats out of the car, the covers off, jack it up and use a flashlight and a dental mirror - just because even if he knows and nobody else likely ever will, he'll still know it's not right. (No kidding!) Dad does attention to deal to detail at it's finest. Most people would probably consider it to be severe "nitpicking" I suppose. , even though nobody else would ever see it, polishing bolt heads only likely to be seen by a cat who climbs up under a warm motor to sleep... but this is just how my Dad is. Is this common??? Maybe so!!! Look at all the great rods on show :)

How'd Dad get the car? Rex Phillips & the Texera Brothers had the coupe before him, and they had put the car in storage for a year because they didn't "just want to sell it", they wanted to sell it to someone who they knew wasn't going to wreck it. That's my Dad for you, careful nearly to the irritation level (just do it! would never fly in Dad's book). After putting 4 years into a car ... it's just common sense to be careful where it goes next! My Dad worked with Rex Phillips (no, I didn't ask him where) but it had to have been in Napa or Vallejo California (Sonoma/Solano counties area). After about 4 months of working with my Dad, and them talking about cars, Rex told my Dad that he had a car that my Dad may be interested in. Then Rex showed Dad the car, in storage (if you've never seen a car in storage - they can get mighty dusty just sitting there). Naturally my Dad jumped on the opportunity to take possession of the coupe. It was one of kind even back in 1966 when this happened.

The body was about the only "cool" thing with the car. It was barely reliable even just driving around (the small at that time) town of Napa. As the story goes, Dad drove it around town for 3 weeks, along with a notebook. (My dad's a note-taker - if you know one, you'll understand the meaning of that. If not, be happy, there are few things worse to deal with than a note-taker missing a note.) He wrote down every thing that went wrong into the notebook. At the end of 3 weeks he took the coupe and the notebook into a place called Meyers, there in Napa. They kept it for a full month before they got everything in the notebook fixed.

Dad said every week after that he'd take it to Meyers on Mondays and would pick it up on Thursday nights. Each Thursday he'd bring it home, wax it, and drive it... still taking little notes... and eventually starting to drive it to Vallejo (one town away from Napa, sometimes to a place called "Patches" in case any one else has been there). Then come Monday, he'd drop it back off at Meyers for them to fix the little things in the notebook that week. He said that went on for 2 YEARS... Monday - Thursday the car lived in a shop with a list to fix. If it broke more than once, they modified it. (I can't imagine all the mods!)

Cleveland Trip... At the end of 2 years, in 1968 my Mom's Mom sent her away to Ohio... to get her away from my Dad (they weren't married yet). My Dad by then was able to drive the car back to Cleveland, Ohio. He said the only thing that went wrong with the coupe was that distributor shaft broke. They got married shortly after, in Reno, Nevada (yep, I'm sure they took the coupe, I didn't even have to ask!). They're still married... I'm 33 so this year must be their 37 year anniversary! (Funny, my memory's fading, I thought it was 35 years only yesterday.)

Dad never did wreck it. The only damage that was ever done was by "some kid". One day after 9 years in my dad's life, a gardner (one of those kids that comes around to mow lawns) had a rake too close to the car (which was in the GARAGE!) and he brushed the car w/ the rake & put 3 little scratches on the drivers fender. Dad was furious. The kid was probably pretty clueless or I'm sure he'd have ran in fear (or maybe he did). I don't know how the gardener guy lived, or how Dad managed to not hurt him. That was the only bad thing that ever happened to the coupe. Dad never did put a scratch, a dent, anything on it. He said I wouldn't believe the stories but the coupe always came out smelling like a rose.

Car Club: Dad said for about 3 or 4 years, he was a member of a 1940 ford club (Bay Area 40's). Mom told me in the summer, once a month or so, the group would have a car run - great fun! Not only are you with a group of cars like yours and with people who share the passion, it gives you great contacts for parts and mechanics who specialize in the kind of car. She also said You (meaning me, but good for readers, too) might entertain the thought of "joining a club". You might look on internet for a club of your kind of car enthusiasts. If you find one, it should have the phone number of the president of the club. So you could call president and ask if you can go to one of the meetings. We did have fun - picnics, runs to Reno, car sickness when pregnant (had to throw that in!)

More... they keep sending me more things to add :) I have 3 boys to make dinner for & house still to clean so will post more as soon as I can. Thanks & Hugs & Smiles to all who have been super nice & wishing good wishes!!! - Diana

Okay, here's more now :) *smiles* I hope you like reading it as much as I like hearing it!