Collector’s Classics: 1952 Ford sedan

A whole tuck and roll customized flooring job in Tijuana prices a very long time proprietor solely $145

Bob continues to show his 1952 Ford at Hebron automobile reveals. He purchased the automobile in 1958 when he was 17 years previous. Photograph: Alyn Edwards

Not many individuals have owned their automobile longer than Bob Hebron. He purchased a 1952 Ford sedan from his father on the age of 17. This was in 1958. The retired Safeway worker nonetheless owns the automobile, which he’s step by step changing to a full customized automobile as the cash turns into obtainable. When his father introduced house a brand new 1958 Chevrolet, Bob Hebron purchased the six-year-old two-tone blue household Ford for $600.

Customized automobiles and scorching rods have been all the trend within the late 50’s and Bob was a member of the Dragons Automobile Membership. The membership had its personal clubhouse on East Hastings Avenue in North Burnaby the place members frolicked and adjusted their automobiles. Bob documented the historical past of the 70-year-old Ford with pictures and receipts for the work he did on the automobile.

Custom tuck and roll interior completed in one day by Avila Upholstery in Tijuana for $140. CREDIT: Alyn Edwards — Customized tuck and roll inside accomplished in at some point by Avila Upholstery in Tijuana for $140. CREDIT: Alyn Edwards Photograph: Alyn Edwards

Within the spring of 1961, Johnny’s Auto Metallic started customizing the Ford sedan with the automobile’s nostril and flooring. That’s, in particular automobile language, the removing of chrome ornaments from the hood and trunk. Chuck Chapman, a one-time president of the Dragons Automobile Membership, took on customizing the automobile by including 1955 Packard taillights, rounding the hood nook and stitching a brand new grille shell to accommodate the customized grille. Added energy door and trunk locks. Taylormotive Service in North Vancouver painted the Ford brilliant inexperienced for $600. Powered by a Ford chromed full race 265 Chevy V8 engine.

Bob and two mates drove to Tijuana, Mexico to finish the customized work on his Ford, the place Avila Upholstery did a whole inexperienced and white inside in at some point. Every part from the carpets to the headliner, door panels to seat covers value $145.

“My father did not like what I did to his automobile,” recollects the 81-year-old man. “He thought I ought to go away it alone.”

Over the next many years, Bob Hebron’s 1952 Ford gained dozens of awards and trophies. He purchased and drove different automobiles, together with a 1958 Pontiac Parisienne convertible and a brand new 1967 Pontiac geared up with a 427 cubic inch engine with a four-speed transmission. However he saved his Ford customized automobile, and it was simply because it was when it was personalized 60 years in the past, together with a $140 customized tuck and roll inside executed in Tijuana. In 2014, Bob added two sunken antennas on the best rear fender to the customized automobile maker. The automobile was repainted with ghost flames and shadows.

Yearly he takes his automobile to the BC Scorching Rod Affiliation automobile present, the place its historical past and a few of the many trophies it has gained over six many years are on show.

“It will get a variety of consideration at automobile reveals and brings again a variety of recollections of the particular automobile period,” he says.

Alyn Edwards is a basic automobile fanatic and companion at Peak Communicators, a public relations agency based mostly in Vancouver.

Alyn Edwards

Alyn Edwards used paper route cash to purchase a 1934 Ford coupe when she was 14, intending to show it right into a California-style chopped-and-channeled scorching rod. His curiosity in automobiles continued all through his working life as a newspaper reporter, function author and communications marketing consultant. He’s a companion in a Vancouver-based public relations agency with a ardour for restoring basic automobiles and writing tales about individuals who worth particular automobiles of their lives.