Hello from Grand Rapids

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Good on you for taking this on. I'm sure the "old boy" would be rapt.

For the others who have commented I suspect it was a cosmestic custom with the 3 piece back light, the gills on the C pillar and the flat hood ornament. It may have even had a set of Appletons on in the past judging by the hole in the drivers A pillar. Wonder what caps it was running. If the records are that good the answers must lie within.

GB

 

[Ol' Ron]

Dedication, and perseverance, is a true gift from God, good luck

 

[Dutchwonder]

Wow, thanks everyone for the replies! Grandpa was a car nut like myself, but he never had the income to go all out. So he would often do cheap customizations. Painting the whitewalls, painting the wheels, adding trim in places, moving the bumper guards out, and so forth. He loved to tell the story of when he put a copper quad exhaust pipe out of the stock tailpipe, and the heat made the 4 pipes turn, well, how copper turns when heated. Or the story of when his speedometer broke the week JFK was killed, so he took it out. Somewhere I still have it, unless my starter wife pitched it. And he drove this thing hard for several years.

My earliest memory is when I was in 8th grade and we took out of long-time storage. The floor was shot even back then. But I always heard stories growing up about it. And my mom and her sisters of course remember it. In fact his casket was the same color as the car when it was brand new.

Yeah, its gonna be a bit pricey, but otherwise I'd blow that money on a different money pit, and at least this one has my families history. Besides, I call it "Restoration Therapy." Gets my mind of the divorce lawyer fees. I'll post a pic or two of it in 1950. Not the best of pics, but it shows the trim was already on it back then.

These 2 pics are from about 91. That's me in the blue hat, my dad, and grandpa the day we rolled it out of storage.

 

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Divorce eh Dutchwonder...been there done that (was married to a Dutch/Kiwi girl), yes my car was therapy as well. It sat for six years in "storage" while I was living in rented garageless accomodation. Only really got back into it when I bought another house with a garage. Chip away at it a bit at a time and suddenly one day it will be done and you will be able to look at it with pride knowing you have done the old beast the justice it deserves and you'll have the extra enjoyment from it as it was your grandpas car.

GB