1932 Ford Roadster Hi-Boy

When I was about 9 or 10, I was on vacation with my family. As we drove though San Jose, California I noticed a hot rod on display in a window. It was a ‘30 roadster with 6 twos, chrome reverse rims, tons of chrome and a beautiful candy red paint job. I stood outside with my nose stuck on the window for 30 minutes and said “I’m gonna have one of those one day”.

Fast forward to 16, learned how to surf, went to my first drag race and found out how cool girls were. Bought my first hot rod, a 48 ford woodie but my new wife said we needed diapers more than that woodie, so she sold it for $50.00 without me knowing.

At 24 I built my T bucket and drove the wheels off it sometimes doing 3 rod runs in a weekend. Never understood why you shouldn't drive a car with no front brakes, drag slicks, and no fenders :- (

I sold the T bucket and bought a ‘32 five-window from Carl Burnett. Rebuilt the car and again loved to drive my hot rod. Ask my new best friend Paul Bos to go to the Street Rod Nationals in Oklahoma City in ‘83, that’s a whole another story itself.

Drove it to Nationals West in Merced and struck up a deal for a ‘32 Delivery. Returned home and changed it more to my liking. Lyle Fisk worked his magic and redid the name, “Shade Tree Delivery”. Drove it to Pleasanton the next year, sold it and bought my home.  Then I bought a wrecked Model A coupe and rebuilt it.

I traded it for a ‘29 Delivery body. It needed a lot of work with rust and 126 bullet holes in it. Rebuild it with many trick parts, with a blower and jag rear end. A pro baseball player saw my delivery and ask me to do one for him like mine. Built the car to his liking and shipped it off to Florida….nice when customer has money.

I now had money to build my current roadster so off to Pleasanton with Lee Bright to pick up the body. It was fun building this car and it’s 20 years old and still runs great.

I have always loved drag racing and have been to every Winternationals for 58 years. My love carried over to restoring 3 dragsters that are in personal museums to be enjoyed for years to come.

I want to thank my wife for standing by me though all my wild and crazy ideas, I couldn’t have done it without her support. I have met many wonderful people from around the world because of my love for cars. To be back in the Prowlers now makes my life complete. All the great guys that have made this club great ahead of me and the members now make me humble and I will try to carry on the name the best I can.