San Diego Prowlers Hot Rod Club, making Hot Rod History in the 1950's

During the 1950's the Prowlers "ruled".  Hot rodding became a major item in Southern California.  Our cars were legendary and appeared on the covers of most of the major hot rodding magazines of the day.  We would show up at all of the local and regional car shows. 






Carl Burnett's 1927 "T" roadster being shown in 1957 at a San Diego High School car show. San Diego High School was and still is next to the Balboa Stadium and is the stadium where the San Diego Chargers football team first played pro ball in San Diego. Unfortunately, due to California earth quake standards enacted, most of the stadium has been dismantled today.

 

Ed Thompson's '27 Blown Hemi "T" roadster

 

 

 

Ed Thompson's '27 "T" with flathead at a car show at the Electric building  in Balboa Park. Sadly, the Electric building along with others were destroyed by a fire in the 1970's.

 

 

Glenn Tuttle's '32 Ford Hi-Boy roadster

 

 

Gordy Kolberg's '37 Ford coupe - Family purchased new and still owned by Gordy today. Gordy remained an active Prowler until leaving the San Diego area in early 2007.

 

Ed Thompson's '27 Ford roadster Car Craft Mag. with member Rusty Case Lt. Dave Butlemer Rt. Bottom Rt. Carl Burnett/Bob Smiths roadster motor (Bottom) Rod and Custom Mag.

Hop Mag. 1952 pictured lt. center Ed Stewart with son Bob Stewart with his '32 Victoria at the Dry Lakes. It ran 127 mph that day. Ed's belly tank with V8-60 for power. Victoria is now owned by member Andy Bekech.

The late Frank Marsh Jr. left (Deceased) #31

 

1953 at Paradise Mesa Drag Strip. Trophy displayed is for Class Eliminator that day.

 

 

Same three 50 years later, Andy remains an active Prowler to this day and is our very capable club historian. Carl and Jim, (the two on the left), although not active Prowlers are seen all over SoCal at various hot rod meets.

 

Farris Kolbeck (not a member) and Marty Moore (member #1/2) with his 1939 Ford convertible with a Cadillac V-8.  (The club renumbered members in the early 1950's so early members had two numbers (old number / new number).

 

 

Here we see Carl Burnett (member # 21) with his 1930 Ford Cabriolet sporting a flathead V-8 engine.  (1955)

 

 

 

 

 

Heres Frank Marsh Jr. Member #31.  Pictures were taken the El Mirage Dry Lakes.  The timing tag for that day was 109.75 mph.  These photos were donated by the Marsh family in memory of Frank.  Thanks everyone we really appreciate getting a hold of priceless photos like these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great shot of  Frank smile'n just wait'n for his turn to run again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank Marsh, Jr. (member #31/2) had a very good running Flat head V-8 in his 1932 Ford Victoria.  This picture was taken during preparation to run the car at El Mirage Dry Lake in 1953. This is the flattie that got Frank roll'n at 109.75.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great shot of Frank on the right getting ready to make a run at the dry lakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an interesting shot of the back side of the Hot Rod Magazine photographer getting set up to take some shots of Franks '32 Vicky while he was at the dry lakes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Roy Cariola (member # 2/2) had a very hot 1936 Ford  coupe.  He was well known for his very fast 3/8 x 3/8 Flat Head.  It was a real head turner.

 

 

 

Carl Burnett (member #21 / 2) with his 1927 Ford T-roadster.  This car was owned by no less than 4 Prowler members (Chuck 'Hoot' Gibson, Carl Burnett, Bob Smith).  It was the cover car of Hot Rod magazine in March 1958 and Rod & Custom magazine in June 1959. Currently, this hot rod is owned by  Prowler member, John LaBarre.

 

 

 

Andy Bekech's (#32) picture taken in east San Diego in 1957.  The picture and article appeared in the Union-Tribune newspaper. Andy is the club historian and supplies the  web site with all these great flashes to the past. Keep'm come'n Andy - great job.  The other great thing about this car is Andy still has her and shes look'n unbelievable.  Check out our members listing to get the full story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This another shot of Dick Wilson, the number 1 Charter member with his 1940 Ford 2dr sedan. He stands proudly with his "High Points Club" trophies for dry lakes competition for the year 1951.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marty Moore's '39 Ford convert. Sitting out in front of Ed and Bob Stewart's Speed Shop.  Marty's custom shop was located behind Stewart's Speed Shop.  Marty still owns this '39 along with 2 other great rods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This article below is out of the 1955 April issue of Hot Rod Magazine its for Marty's '39 above.  I made it large enough so hopefully you can read the it.  Its amazing what this '39 Ford was put together with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Another one of Marty's rods is this '40 Ford sedan delivery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least Marty's '40 Ford pickup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heres some more of Marty's work.  This is Milt Mitsngas '40 Ford Coupe right after Marty painted it in 1955.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paradise Mesa Drag Strip looking North at the starting line. 

This drag strip was south of San Diego and east of National City.

4 of our members cars can be seen along with the "Bean Bandits" dragster.

 

 

 

John Ruiz with his "T" which he still owns today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heres a great shot of the Prowlers in '53 outside of Flo Millers Garage.  Members included, George Venice,  Jean Schffer,  Marty Moore,  Bud Fleetwood,  Bernie McNaulty,  Bud Henry,  George Sotier,  Flo Miller,  Carl Burnett,  Jim Bradberry,  Jim Smith,  Danny Mryrick,  Bob Stewart and Jack Sercranic.  The '39 covert. to the right is the one that was sitting outside Ed and Bob Stewart's Speed Shop above.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Saturday afternoon at Flo Millers Sea Side Gas Station. This was Located at 8th and University in San Diego.  A total of 22 club cars some were project cars and some were drivers.  The '32 Ford Victoria was built by Bob (Lil Axel) Stewart. Some great Saturdays get together. Circa early 1953. 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a picture that was used by American Rodder Mag. in the May  1997 issue.  Some of these cars were street hot rods and the others were used for drags and lakes racing. Check out the other cars on the street and the ones sitting on the used car lot across the street. Circa 1953.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norm sit'n in the driveway get'n everything read for the lakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just love all those great rows of louvers.  Imagine what it took to do those back then!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check'n out everything so that when he drops that flatty in nothin's been forgotten. Kinda looks like a style builders are aiming for today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the rear tire.... notice the cross cut "Track Roadster" design?  Thats the same club plaque as donated to the club.  License frame holds the plaque.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oboy Oboy look out lakes here we come. Great "Old" style Hi Boy roadster.  No wonder the style is still with us today !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WOW!!! What a great tow car for the lakes!  WILD !!!

Thanks Bill for sharing these great shots with us we really appreciate your help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an article out of the 1953 July issue of "Hop Up"  at the bottom middle  with club members Marty Moore (#1-2) and Burnie McNulty (#22-2) with their '34 5 window coupe "M&M" Special at the El Mirage Dry Lakes.  This picture is before the car was chopped. Moore and McNulty won the high point for the Prowlers in Dec. 1953. This would have been the third time they had won the clubs perpetual trophy. Marty still has this trophy today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a photo that was taken by Bob Hardee of Tommy Madruga, Louise Muller and "Rusty" Case taken in 1958 at the Paradise Mesa drag strip.  This is a photo that our historian Andy Bekech got a hold of for us.  This is from the Ron Muller collection.  Thanks a lot Ron for sharing this with us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another photo taken by Bob Hardee and passed on to us from  the Ron Muller collection of Rusty Case and Louise Muller in front of Rusty's '40 Ford taken at Paradise Mesa Drag Strip in 1958.  Once again, thanks goes out to Ron for passing these photos along to us.  Keep'm com'n guys! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shot was taken in 1954 one afternoon after the drags were over at Paradise Mesa of all the Prowlers that ran their cars 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chuck "Hoot" Gibson's roadster at the dry lakes in 1951. There's more information about this car above noted as owned by Carl Burnett displayed in "show attire" sans the box out back. It's also in the 1940's history section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1953 annual "Trophy Dinner".  Some of the faces at this dinner are still in the Prowlers Hot Rod Club today. I don't know whether they're still the classy dressers or not but at least their still with us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These were the trophy winners for the year from the dinner above.  We still do this today recognizing some of our members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a great shot of Dave Buttemer's member #36/2 Desoto Hemi powered coupe.  Thanks for getting this shot to us Dave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Diego magazine Called Drag did an article on Jim Carltons "Little Red Jewel".  Mae Entwisle is the model.  At the time Mae was Miss San Diego.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great 3 page article on this beauty. And I'm speaking about the Coupe of course!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man!! Look at the flash off that chrome generator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out what it cost Jim to build this beauty back then..... be nice if we could do it for that today !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front cover for the Southwest Regional Championships at Paridise Mesa Drag Strip. Picture is looking east.  This was an NHRA sanctioned event taking place in July of 1953. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture of Ed "Axel " Stewart was in the program above.  As you can read Ed was running his '32 Ford Roadster with a Merc engine turning 93.07.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To bad the rodders don't get this kind of support from all the police depts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Run to Green Valley Falls.  Lt - Rt  Marty Moore, Jim Bradbury, Carl Burnett and Tom Stammen