Anybody know this Cincinnati custom?

I'm a newbe with a car I'd like to know more about.

It's a 51 Ford coupe that was owned by Ron Hart. I've been told that the car was originally built by Earl Bratfish. I have a page from a 1958 Custom Cars Annual that has pictures and a brief description. The car was sectioned, headlights Frenched, doors and hood rounded, hood peaked and nosed, decked, shaved with pushbuttons for the doors, seams filled, modified tail lights. The front grill was from a 51 Meteor (Canadian Ford). and the front bumper from a 52 or 53 Lincoln.
(I tried to upload by I was told I have no storage space. Size is <30K so that should be OK.)
The picture is black and white; I've been told the car was black. It had a full custom interior that is in terrible shape but complete with vertical pleats in what looks like pale yellow and gray. I have a color picture from a few years ago when the car was red. I've been told that the car was an award winner at the Cavalcade of Customs in the day.
The car was in a bad front end collision and the only thing left in front of the firewall is the frame. I want to take it back to the way it was in 1958. I'm looking for someone to take the front back to the way it was first, because I think that will be the hardest thing to do.

Does anyone know the car? Is there any way to get information from the Cavalcade of Customs about any awards? Any other sources that I should check?

Thanks in advance. I'll try to post regularly on the progress.

Take care,
Alan

If you can get a picture up it may help. There are sticky's above the photo section that explains how to do it or you can email me one if you can't figure it out. Scroungers_CC@Yahoo.com

I know Ron Hart had it till the early 80s I believe. After fixing some collision damage he sold it to a guy named Michael. I believe it has a page on Kustom Rama since I found the picture above by doing a google search. Let me go look.

Thanks John,
There is a page on the car on Kustom Rama that has the side view you shared. There is also a front view in the 1958 Custom Cars Annual where this picture was taken from. Do you know what color it was when it was built?

What I'm told is that the car was in two front end accidents. From what you wrote, I guess that Ron Hart owned the car when it had the first accident.

I don't know anything about Ron Hart. I'd be really interested in learning about him. Do you know if he built the car or if someone else did? Vern, who sold the car to me, got a call from someone in Columbus who said that Earl Bratfish built it, but I don't know if that's true. I spoke to Earl's family and they didn't want to have anything to do with me, so I learned very little from them. Vern said that Earl's son spoke to Earl who didn't remember much about the car. I guess Earl's memory isn't very good so I don't know what to make of that.

I'm impressed by the quality of the work on the car overall. I'm thinking that if I get the fenders sectioned I can install the drive train, put the hood on, and get it back on the road before too long. The interior is in rough shape, but there's a place to sit and I can put together a wiring harness. I'd like to get to know the car before it gets too nice to mess around with.

Thanks again for your information. Bit by bit I'll work on the car and on the history. I want to see it back at the Cavalcade of Customs one day.

When is a car too nice to mess around with?

Good point. A car that's too nice to mess around with is too nice to drive, and then it isn't a car.
I'm thinking about messing around, with more freedom to try things that might mess up a completed car.

I've got that custom annual. Those are the only pictures I've ever seen of the car. Well, besides the ones that were on Craigs List here recently. I assume that's where you found it.

Just a little inspiration!  
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Beautiful car. Looks like a removable hard top. Style when you want it, fun in the sun when you want that. Inspiration is right. Thanks.

John B, yes it's the car that was on Craigslist. When it came time to pass the car on to me I think he had some regrets, but he's already been helpful in finding some information on the car. Now it's my job to continue the saga.

The car that Brownie posted is a Victoria - Ford's first hard top. It is NOT removable.

Thanks. An error I will avoid in the future.

Alan B wrote:Thanks. An error I will avoid in the future.

We are always learning Alan. Soak everything in like a sponge. There is a ton of stuff out there and good people to teach us.