Prowlers Other Cars
Many of the club members have built and owned various rods over the years. We’re going to start with Bob Smith and work our way through all the club members as we gather the pictures and details.Bob, member #102 has owned and built five great club rides over the years.
Bob’s first was this blue ’27 Ford “T” Roadster that he purchased from member Carl Burnett member #21/2. At that time, this was the third club member to own this roadster. Bob won many awards with this beautiful roadster, as well as appearing in a large number of magazines such as 1958 March cover car for Hot Rod Magazine, 1958 cover of Rodding and Restyling, 1959 Hot Rod Annual, 1981 Petersen’s Best of Hot Rod’s, 1984 Rod & Custom Annual, 1999 Hot Rod mag.’s 50th Anniversary Cover and 1999 Rodders Journal.
Here’s a great rear shot of Bob’s ’27.
Bob Smith is partial to model T bodies because they allow so much more latitude for creative reinterpretation.
This is my favorite roadster of the cars that Bob has built. The “run in” with the officer above was staged for fun. Some pictures following shows the extreme frame required to get the car this low.
Bob Smith with ’27 roadster
Bob Smith test driving the chassis for his ’27 roadster on his front lawn
This is an original pic of Bob’s ’27 in it’s first appearance
This is Bob’s roadster now
This is the 1923 Ford Center Door sedan Bob built in the 70’s. Picture taken at Prowler Picnic at Santee Lakes
Bob’s wild T roadster from the 1960s with psychedelic flame job by Robert Martinez
Bob’s T roadster picture without body on chassis
Bob Smith’s comfortable ’32 high boy roadster
Here’s Andy Bekech’s Nomad. Andy is the Prowler’s historian el Superior. The Nomad is finally on the road. Everyone has been anticipating this event…he’s been working on this project since a 454″ Chevy engine was “cutting edge” new.
But Andy is patient. The upholsterer put a staple through an electrical wire which postponed the inauguration date only a year. He found it and fixed it finally and he now cruises El Cajon in this beauty.
Andy has owned this Nomad since 1960. the Nomad has 70k original miles but only 500 since the completed frame off restoration. It is painted with Super Red #2 acrylic enamel. The BB Chevy crate engine makes 500+ horsepower with a Schneider cam. The car has power disc brakes, power steering, tilt steering column, AC, air bag suspension and electric windows. Andy installed a B&M 700R4 transmission with a 2800 rpm stall torque converter, a Currie 9″ Ford differential with Positraction, traction bars and Budnik Billet wheels.
The engine has a “one off” NASCAR style header and exhaust system. The engine is cooled with an aluminum cross flow radiator. The interior is full italian leather with digital instruments, retains the original Chevy padded dash and plays music with a 10 disc player.
If you purchase this vehicle 2 large photo albums are included that document the build process plus all the receipts.
Past member Bob DeBurn has succumbed to a terrible “disease” called restoring/ recreating drag cars. Seen at the 2013 California Hot Rod Reunion (CHRR) at Famosa Raceway in Bakersfield, California. He has the beautiful Copperhead car originally run by Tate, Woolsley and Cox of Mesa, Arizona.
The Woolsley/Cox Copperhead is Bob’s latest re-creation. It is as true to the original design as the pictures and information that still existed about the car alllowed. He recovered and used the original frame and front axle and used other period identical parts in the build. Click on this link following to see the video of Dean Woolsley the original owner/driver of the Copperhead as he first sees the car he raced so many years ago. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_DMwTZYay8zQlhlTU9wbDl6V1U/edit
A test run at Famoso CHRR in 2013.
Jim Jenks’ 32 hiboy.
Jim Jenks’ ’39 Ford customized sedan
John Nobel owned this 28-29 full fendered roadster. He bought it from Kurt Waters (Bitchen Products) when it was in El Cajon. John later painted this black. Picture is taken at Bakersfield raceway in the pits. Ken Polesky’s phaeton is in the background.
Jim Jenks’ 1932 3 window
Jim Jenks’ racing at Bakersfield
Dick Fitzek in cockpit tuning
Josh and Ken Polesky pushing Jim Jenks car into pits
Ken , Josh, Swede and Jim Jenks after run at Bakersfield
John Nobel at Bakersfield with Prowlers
Dick Fitzek, Jim Jenks, driver and Swede at Bakersfield
Jim Jenks racecar trailer
Wendy Polesky’s 26 ‘T’ pulling a 1936 Mullins trailer in Kernville 1980.
This is Ken Polesky’s red 1928 phaeton with 1936 Mullins trailer returning from Kernville in 1983.
This is Ken Polesky’s 1933 sedan delivery. It won the homebuilt award at Del Mar Goodguys. It has a Jag suspension and airbags. I understand it rides very smooth.
Ken Polesky’s chopped ’34 coupe…on the road from 1970 to 1974
Ken Polesky built the ’55 for Wendy in 1981 still driven today!
This Nomad was purchased in 1973 from Prowler Bruce Hamilton by Ken Polesky and restored in 1987 and still driven today
Wendy Polesky’s ’55 towing Ken Polesky’s phaeton home from Kaiser Upholstery in Dec 1982.
Wendy’s ’55 towing Ken’s ’55 home from Jack White’s paint shop in June 1987
Ken and Josh surveying row of classic Mullins trailers circa 1984.
Bob and Bonnie Smith with ’27 roadster purchased from Carl Burnett and currently owned by Prowler Associate member John LaBarre
Jim Jenks with his red ’39 Ford and Les Hilgers ’32 Ford roadster at Prowler breakfast run to Paso Pichacho park in the Cuyamacas around 1997.
This is Jim Jenks’ pit crew: left to right: Josh Polesky, Ken Ploesky, Swede Sommer, Dick Fitzek, Freddy Castro, and John Nobel, photographer.
This is the interior dash shot of Johnny Vintas Model A
Johnny Vinta pictured with his Model A around 2007
