Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your Hotline. Really enjoyed the shots of Barris’s shop back in the 50’s. Thought you might be interested in seeing the “Other Dream Truck”. It was started by Gene Winfield in the mid 50’s for a reader of the R&C little pages . He wanted a replica of the Dream Truck. He either ran out of money or lost interest and the project was never finished. The truck ran around the Stockton area in the 90’s roughed in and wearing lavender primer with no hood and small block with 3 deuces. Surprisingly in the same neighborhood that the original Dream Truck was unearthed in the early 80’s. The truck was traded to Howdy Ledbetter for some interior work. His plan was to copy the Dream Truck and have it pulling his clone of the Ala Cart for car shows. This never materialized , he sold the Ala Cart clone, and lost interest in the Dream Truck clone. I had been in contact with Kurt McCormick , owner of the original R&C Dream Truck, gathering information on the truck as I wanted to build a clone of it when I retired. He had heard about the truck that howdy was in possession of and informed me that he thought it could be bought. | ||
He was right. I bought the rolling truck in 2001. My friends and I drove to Stockton, rented a u-haul trailer, and proceeded back across the country with the truck. We made several stops including the NSRA meet in Bakersfield, cruised down the Vegas strip,and the Grand Canyon, where we struck up a friendship with some fellow hot rodders from Australia, and Daryl Starbird’s Hall of Fame Museum. While at the Museum I had made previous arrangements with Kurt McCormick to photograph and take several measurements, etc. of the original dream truck. |
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Needless to say the truck drew a lot of attention wherever we stopped on our way back to West Virginia. I have stayed in touch with Kurt McCormick and hopefully we can get both the trucks together at a show soon. | ||
It's been a long four years, but the truck is almost finished. Running a crate small crate small block with 3 deuces, turbo 400. I hope to have it done by June so I can hit the Kustom Kemp shows and the Goodguys in Columbus. |
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Also included are a couple shots of my 31 Chevy Coupe and Model “A” Roadster Pickup. Can’t have enough projects, Ha. |
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For your readers that have not made it to Daryl Starbird’s Museum, please make the trip. Daryl and his wife Donna are 2 of the nicest people I have ever met. Likewise with Howdy Ledbetter and his wife. After talking with them for a few hours you feel as though you’ve known them your whole life. This hobby really has it’s share of nice people. A rare breed these days. I will be sending some more photos of the truck after it’s completion. Thanks again for your great hotline and web site. Keep Roddin! Kurt “Olddog” VandeStouwe, Morgantown, WV |