In the beginning
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
In the beginning
I was just snooping around and found this, my first jitney I built when I was 15. AD Chevy frame, 60 Olds 371, flathead Ford pickup 4 speed, plymouth rear end, gas tank, tranny adapter and radiator from a 1950 F2
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,104
Likes: 138
From: Orcas Island Wa.
So I see this isn't your first rodeo.... Is that contraption doing a wheelie? Hard to tell because I left my reading glasses upstairs and don't want to wake my wife by getting them. Gonna sneak out and work on the woodie. ( the vehicle) 
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
No, the back springs were just really soft. A little later on I added some coils to bring it up. And also the ring gear spun out on the flywheel so I eventually swapped that engine and tranny for one from a 57 Olds with a hydramatic. It was also a J2 with the 3 deuces. The old thing is still sitting on the family farm my parents sold in 1979. I should go get it, don't know why.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,104
Likes: 138
From: Orcas Island Wa.
was born in Seattle but my folks moved us to New England when I was 14. New stuff there like frozen ponds and old boatyards to learn at. Last Time I visited my mom I found the steering runner from my iceboat. The Clam is reported to be in the rafters of somebody's barn. I had no place to drive unregulated, uncorked vehicles so I settled for old briggs and strattons. The iceboat did an easy 50 mph if not more. I love the title you gave this thread. Please, more pics and if it's ok to ask it would be fun to see other's early days of motoring.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
Now that ice boat is just cool, but 50 mph, no brakes and your face getting there first!! Lucky you still have your handsome mug!!
I'll have to go dig through some of my moms old albums, pretty sure there is a picture of my 54 Dodge hemi convertible in there from about the same vintage as the jitney.
Here's one from a little later, when I was in my 20s. I won a hill climb the sports car club put on with my 66 442.
And yeah, it would be great to see other people's first means of propulsion.
I'll have to go dig through some of my moms old albums, pretty sure there is a picture of my 54 Dodge hemi convertible in there from about the same vintage as the jitney.
Here's one from a little later, when I was in my 20s. I won a hill climb the sports car club put on with my 66 442.
And yeah, it would be great to see other people's first means of propulsion.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,104
Likes: 138
From: Orcas Island Wa.
Now that ice boat is just cool, but 50 mph, no brakes and your face getting there first!! Lucky you still have your handsome mug!!
I'll have to go dig through some of my moms old albums, pretty sure there is a picture of my 54 Dodge hemi convertible in there from about the same vintage as the jitney.
Here's one from a little later, when I was in my 20s. I won a hill climb the sports car club put on with my 66 442.
And yeah, it would be great to see other people's first means of propulsion.
I'll have to go dig through some of my moms old albums, pretty sure there is a picture of my 54 Dodge hemi convertible in there from about the same vintage as the jitney.
Here's one from a little later, when I was in my 20s. I won a hill climb the sports car club put on with my 66 442.
And yeah, it would be great to see other people's first means of propulsion.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: South Carolina
My very first car. Same make, model and year but mine was dark green. 6 banger, 3 on the tree. No pictures survive due to house fires.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
All you need is Daisy Duke alongside. Awesome picture. The iceboat DID have a brake. It was a handsaw blade mounted into a saw kerf in a lever with a pivot bolt. Stepping on the lever brought the sawblade against the ice, but on initial run, my runners were rounded over, not sharp and the offset brake got me to spinning out of control when ever I applied it. Bought a file and sharpened the runners into a sharp Vee and then it tracked and steered like a go-kart. Cops finally kicked me off the ice with a megaphone because it was the town's water resevoir and no motor boats. I told them it wasn't a boat. Didn't help a bit. Never mind me weaving in and out of the skaters with my meat grinder.
Nice Stude BTW, not many people had one of those for a first car!
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,104
Likes: 138
From: Orcas Island Wa.
That's a great picture Fred. Looks like it was taken in about 1960. Hey you are just a kid compared to some of us. I guess most guys with a stock '38 coupe are guys that drove them when they were young, or so it seems. Keep up the great posts here and on the Barn.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,927
Likes: 135
From: Houston
Thanks! My Dad is a bit of an enabler when it comes to old cars. He has been into 1930s though early 1950s cars for longer than I have been alive. I am probably one of the youngest people to have ridden to elementary school in the rumble seat of a Model A (in about 1990). That picture was taken for the calendar for San Antonio chapter of the Early Ford V8 Club. I was the newsletter editor at the time and am wearing my club shirt in the photo. I drove that 52 Ford to high school (class of 1999), so yes I drove them when I was young.
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