Jim Sheridan grew up at a time many will remember as the heyday of American car culture. The Big Three were pumping out ridiculously powered musclecars and it seemed like there was a dragstrip in every town, or at least from one stoplight to the next. Growing up in Southern California in the late '50s and early '60s was especially unique due to the fact that the drag racing action was almost nonstop, with races going at Lions, Orange County Raceway, Irwindale, and San Fernando. It was the latter strip to which Jim often tagged along with his uncle, Kenny Ellis, who campaigned a B/Gas car. Too green to pilot the car down the strip, he was often seen behind the wheel as it was pushed from the end of the dragstrip and back through the pits. These are the kinds of adolescent experiences that go on to form an adult hot rodder for life, and Jim is no exception.
The story behind Jim's roadster pickup started on a sunny Las Vegas day when a friend called to interrupt his trip to tell him about a '31 Ford roadster pickup that was on the market. The following weekend found Jim winding his way up to Big Bear, California, to track down the old Ford and see if there was a deal to be made. With some very brief information on the whereabouts of the car and its owner, Jim stopped at a real estate office, knowing the house of said party was also up for sale, as the elderly owner had lost her husband and decided to move down the hill. Jim found the house vacant for the time being but snooped around just enough to uncover the roadster pickup alongside the garage, covered by a tarp and years of pine needles and animal nests. Shortly thereafter, Jim got in touch with the owner and a deal was struck. It turns out the car was rather significant to the owner, as she had driven it as a stocker with her late husband to Alaska and back years before. Jim assured her that in his hands the old Ford would once again see action on the street and wouldn't just be turned at a swap meet for a profit. With Jim's assurance, the pickup was transferred over to its new owner.