Elusive Terraplane Convertible True Story

Ol racer
Ol racer Senior Contributor
edited November 2010 in HUDSON
FYI
Over 50 yrs ago a '37 Terraplane convertible appeared in our City for only about a year. The kid tore out the electric shift then the transmission and me being the only other kid hot rodding a Hudson I told him of my friend that had a lot of spare Parts. Both my friend and I told him if he ever wanted to sell the Car to let us know, but the car just disapeared and we never seen the kid or car again...

Fast forward 50 yrs while at an Annual St Rodders picinic couple yrs ago I overheard few guys talking of a Terraplane convertible sitting in a garage for yrs. Naturally I persured until I located it then met with the older gentleman that bought and stored it way back then (and suprisingly learned it had sat only a few blocks from where I worked for decades but I never knew or seen it), He showed me the car and its all intact with some clutter all over it.... During the yrs he bought a'37 Sdn Parts Car in Pitts. Pa (that is far too nice to part out) thinking will have spare parts when got around to restoring if needed ....

After visting I found out that he moved both Cars even closer to me a few yrs ago (just a few miles away) but he wont part with it. Instead He asked me if I would restore it for him but I said have too many projects now and would much rather own it.

Since he was so adament about retaining it I gave him a WTN and a Club Membership Form when I first met him, as he was unaware of the Club. I stop in once or twice a yr since and today I was there to give him another WTN (and show my face), but he still wants to restore it even though has done nothing with since I met him and provided a lot of Info....

Its always been garaged so I guess it will be someone's nice Project someday....He mentioned younger people in his Family occassionally show interest to work on it but nobody follows through. I asked him to agree that if he changed his mind someday to give me the first refusual opportunity (TBD). However after he reads the WTN Issues and notices todays value I probably wont be able to afford it..

For now, Its somewhat comforting just to learn where the old '37 convertible is parked safely on a major route that I use weekly and able to keep my eye on it.... (A True Story and probably others have similar to share)

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Wow! I bet he just doesn't know, Ol Racer, who you are, and that by default, all found old Terraplanes belong to you!:)
    Wonderful story, and thanks for posting. It's good to see this type of find. Please keep us posted...slim
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    Great story old racer.... Hope that it works out one day.
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    My situation is a little different- I was the barn "findee".

    In 1974, an old high school buddy had a '58 Corvette, and he kept bugging me to get one too, so we could run around like Todd and Buzz on Route 66. I wasn't too interested, but he called one day and had found a '59, running but needing "everything", for $800. I wasn't a huge 'vette fan, but knew a good deal when I saw it, so I bought it. Ran it for awhile as is, but then did some part swapping (it had a '65 economy 283 engine), etc., with the result that it no longer ran, and became something I was going to "get around to", but life, wife's horse hobby and kids intervened. We made several moves over the next 30 years, and I dutifully dragged it on to each new home.

    Saw a "wanted" ad in the paper about 5 years ago -father and son want project, preferably Corvette. I called and told him my price- he came and looked, said it was too much money, etc. etc. I thanked him for looking. Then I called a guy who had been coming around every couple of years to see if I wanted to sell yet- Always respectful, joked that neither of us was getting any younger and somebody needed to "do" that car, he'd give it a good home, etc. Told him my price, and he didn't hesitate, and car went off to a new home. He worked on it for several years, then sold it to a guy I was in the National Guard with, and owned an auto parts store. I saw it completed for the first time last summer- he did a gorgeous job.

    Post script- the father/ son guy who didn't like my price called back a couple weeks later- asked if I was ready to bargain. I told him I had sold it at my price. Incredibly, he said "Why didn't you call me? I would have paid more than that!" Then he apparently realized how ridiculous that statement was (it wasn't an auction, after all), and said he had learned a good lesson- just pull the trigger when you find what you want, and don't always try to skin the other guy.
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