I know every time I climb into my terribly impractical Blakely Hawk, I think this thing needs more seats! Alright maybe I don’t, but it sure would be fun to bring along two more friends to enjoy the ride. I’m not sure if that’s the same thinking that led to the creation of this Model T Touring hot rod or if it was simply a matter of availability, but I actually really like the way it turned out! The seller states that it was built in 1953 by Fred Gerhardt of Indy car and hot rod fame. They also claim that it has been in barn storage for most of the years since being built. It looks to be in amazing shape and sure would be fun to haul friends and family around in it! Find it here on eBay in East Setauket, New York with a BIN of $22,499 or best offer. So what do you think of this touring hot rod?
Inspiration for the Munster Koach?
The Munster Koach was another Hollywood creation of the late George Barris. I had the good fortune to meet him at the SEMA show. What a great guy. Maybe this car was the inspiration for the Munster Koach?
I’m starting to like the 4 doors more than some 2 doors. This is a good looking roadster!
Do the rear doors really open against the wheels, or are they merely the vestiges of the original shuts !
It doesn’t look like the doors open at all. There are no door handles inside or out that I can see. I don’t know about its originality, but it is cool. I’d love to have it.
Didn’t the Archie’s cartoon have a similar hot rod in the comic? looks cool is that a nail head.
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No Model A’s in ’17… it’s a T
PURE NOSTALGIA.. No fiberglass there.. built in ’53, and with that nailhead, ‘n those (3) 97 carbs, looks every damn bit of it too.. ‘Tis a Great ‘Classic’ HotRod :) :) :)
The LATE??? George Barris. I didn’t know he had passed on.
November 5, 2015 (aged 89)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Barris_(auto_customizer)
There is NO way this car was built in this configuration in 1953.
I agree. I’m going to need to see a lot of evidence to support that claim.
I hate to hop in it in the summer, the black leather will burn you alive after it sits in the sun for 5 minutes, other than that it’s cool but not my cup of tea.
Not to be a wimp, but seatbelts, anyone? 0-80 in a flash means you’re doing 80 when it goes from 80-0 in a flash. I notice this regularly on the car shows on cable. Count’s Customs, Fantomworks, Misfit Garage, Gas Monkey Garage, etc. They never have seatbelts or shoulder harnesses on when they drive anywhere in anything. Most of the cars they build don’t have any sort of safety restraints. I don’t get it. I never drive anywhere without them…and not just because it’s the law in Carolina.
I know people complain about government regulations, but when I was a kid 55-60K people died on the roads every year. Today we drive probably 3 times as many miles and less than 35K die each year, largely due to safety improvements not the least of which are shoulder/seat belts.
The other 20 plus thousands that died was the result of ‘ Drunk Driving’ and not from a lack of seat belts. I was raised in the 50’s and 60’s.
Eric, I’m in the minority when it comes to paying attention to safety but I recently went to the trouble to retrofit my ’66 Thunderbird with 3 point retractable shoulder belts. I feel that these can give you a high percentage of the protection you would get with a modern car with belts and airbags, because it’s the belts that keep you in place and away from things that would impale you, along with keeping you in the car in a rollover. Not sure why the shows pay so little attention , other than everyone looks cooler without belts- but watch this video of Jay Leno’s experience and you will think twice about not wearing belts, it only takes seconds for things to go wrong.
http://www.autoblog.com/2016/06/26/jay-leno-rollover-crash-hemi-under-glass-video/
I watched the episode when it first aired. They were on a race track goofing off and an OLD MAN driving tried to make a bone head turn. We grew up without belts AND we rode in the bed of pick ups but yet here we are lol. Just a revenue stream imo.
105 degrees in Northern California when I was driving through today.
Don’t think so!