L
LUKE'57
Guest
Mention racing convertibles and two names come immediatly to mind. Bob Welborn and the Old Pro, Curtis Morton Turner. Since I've been too lazy to get around to building Bob's '59 Chevy I guess you'll have to settle for another one from Mister Turner.
Here's his ride from what turned out to be the last real convertible season. After the factorys started pulling out and the dollars started drying up a true covertible division car became an oddity. There were more hardtops with their roofs cut off running in the covertible division in '58 and '59 than real ragtops. That was one of the main things that led up to the dropping of the division at the end of the '59 season.
But this young man's dream of American Iron was a true Sunliner with, arguably, America's best Stock Car Racer at the helm was the things dreams were made of in the year that Ford finally outsold Chevrolet.
The fact that the Chevy was a twice warmed over,though classic,design and the Ford was all new couldn't have hurt. The new Ford with fins and gold anodized panels and all sorts of bells and whistles, including a retractable hardtop, seemed to lock into the Fifties Space Age hype. I admit to being a little bit prejudiced(my first car was a black '57 Fairlane 500)but you gotta admit it was a striking set of wheels for the time.
It's a very good thing that Ford made it look good from all angles because you never knew which side or end you would see with Curtis slingin' it around on the beach and the dirt. Curtis, I regret never getting the chance to meet you but if you could charm Miss Bunny then you must'a been one heck of a guy on and off the track.
Here's his ride from what turned out to be the last real convertible season. After the factorys started pulling out and the dollars started drying up a true covertible division car became an oddity. There were more hardtops with their roofs cut off running in the covertible division in '58 and '59 than real ragtops. That was one of the main things that led up to the dropping of the division at the end of the '59 season.
But this young man's dream of American Iron was a true Sunliner with, arguably, America's best Stock Car Racer at the helm was the things dreams were made of in the year that Ford finally outsold Chevrolet.
The fact that the Chevy was a twice warmed over,though classic,design and the Ford was all new couldn't have hurt. The new Ford with fins and gold anodized panels and all sorts of bells and whistles, including a retractable hardtop, seemed to lock into the Fifties Space Age hype. I admit to being a little bit prejudiced(my first car was a black '57 Fairlane 500)but you gotta admit it was a striking set of wheels for the time.
It's a very good thing that Ford made it look good from all angles because you never knew which side or end you would see with Curtis slingin' it around on the beach and the dirt. Curtis, I regret never getting the chance to meet you but if you could charm Miss Bunny then you must'a been one heck of a guy on and off the track.