My name is David Perry; I live in San Lorenzo, California.
Here is a short story of two local cars that spent about 30 years in a friend’s backyard.
Back when my Dad was in High School, in the mid to late 1940’s, all of his friends had nicknames. One such friend was called “King”. King had both a 1932 Ford Truck, and a 1939 Ford Deluxe Coupe. Back then, a guy was known for the car he drove. King courted the girl who would someday become his wife in that green 1939 Coupe. He also drag raced it during Friday nights, and on weekends. He told me he used to leave the hood hinges unbolted, and drove around town with the hood only held on by the front latch. That way he could easily remove the hood when he drag raced (to make the car lighter). Back then; nobody had to lock their car. One night, when he and his date were heading home after a dance, the hood suddenly flipped up and flew over the top of the car! The hood was badly damaged, and had to be replaced, luckily it did not hit the car! He could only theorize that someone had sat in his car and played with the hood release knob, perhaps as a “joke”! The only damage the car ever suffered was a dent to the top of the driver’s side front fender. One night, when his Coupe broke down during a drag race, he got so mad he pounded on that fender with his fist! Years later, King and his wife built a home on the large lot next door to his parents place (back then most lots were at least a few acres in size). He kept his High School Hotrods in the family barn on the property. At one point he had to work on the truck’s rear axle. He moved it outside next to the barn, jacked it up, and removed the rear fenders, and axle. He never got around to finishing the job… the truck sat on stacked wooden blocks for several years.
Sometime in the 1970’s King’s son-in-law asked to have his Coupe. King gave it to him with the stipulation that he could never sell it. In 1977, King wound up taking his coupe back home. His son-in-law had stripped the trim off the car, and removed the interior. He threw away the trim and front seat, dismantled the dashboard, and then lost interest in the project! Once again the Coupe went back into the barn… Sometime in 1980, King’s wife decided she needed storage space in the barn… the “old car” had to be moved outside under a tree to make room! By 2007 king’s health had sadly deteriorated, his wife wanted to sell the cars while he was still alive, so he could sign the pink slips. She asked me to help her to determine their value. Another friend of their family had approached them to buy both vehicles. I took the attached photos, and got a current issue of the Old Car Value Guide. After sitting outside for 30-plus years, both cars had badly rusted floorboards. I had to inform King’s wife that she would be lucky to get $2,500.00 for each. Their friend, and his buddy, came up with the $5,000.00 and bought both cars. The owner of a local body shop, who has griped about the truck’s condition, is currently restoring the truck. The coupe showed up about a month ago listed on Craig’s List as a “True Back Yard Find”. The current owner has located and installed all of the exterior trim onto the Coupe, including the headlights and 1940 headlight trim. The rest of the car looks pretty much like it does in my photos. The asking price was $10,000.00!!! The ad only ran for a few days. King finally succumbed to his health problems about a year ago. He left behind a large family, and a community of friends, who miss him dearly. It warms the heart to think of the many memories he left us, and the fact that his High School Hotrods live on.
Best Regards,
David Perry
San Lorenzo, CA