Tommy Foster's '32 Roadster

According to the ancient automotive scriptures--you know, the car magazines of the early '50s--the hot rod was a California invention. Indeed, some of the writers from that era would have you believe that when Adam donated a rib to create you-know-who, he spent the remainder of that Saturday afternoon in the shade of the apple tree to build his first hot rod. That, of course, places the Garden of Eden somewhere in California, but that's another story, one we'll leave to the elders and scholars to confirm or deny at a later time.

We can verify right now that there was at least one disciple in 1950 who helped spread the word about hot rods to people east of California. That man was Tommy Foster of Detroit, Michigan, and he preached the gospel from the channeled '32 roadster you see on these pages. Tommy's car was significant in many ways, foremost because it won a rather large number of trophies in '52 and '53, making it one of the most successful cars on the show circuit at the time. Its resume of wins includes Most Outstanding Car at the '53 Detroit Autorama, and First Place trophies in '52 and '53 from the following events: International Motor Show (New York), Mid-America Motor Show (Cincinnati, OH), Speedorama (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN), and the Custom Auto Show (Dayton, OH). The Deuce roadster also scored a first when it ventured to the tip of Florida for the Motor World Fair at Miami in 1952, and it placed second at the '52 Motorcade of America in Chicago. An extensive list, to be sure, but we mustn't forget that when he wasn't on the show tour, Tommy drove his hot rod through the streets of Detroit, too. That included numerous cruises down the now-legendary Woodward Avenue. Know this, too: Tommy built the car himself, fabricating parts that he couldn't buy, and farming out very little of the finish work such as upholstery (stitched by, as Tommy said, "Lee somebody--I can't recall his name"). Tommy did the bodywork and paint, too. Moreover, he points out that he used minimal plastic on the sheetmetal because "back then you shied away from Bondo. We used Quick Metal instead," an aluminized lead filler that was rather pliable and easy to work with. He also says there is some lead filler in the body, too.

But the real beauty in the car is found in its detail. Tommy started out with a bare hulk consisting of the Deuce body that some other rodder, whose name is lost to time, channeled over the rails. In 1949 Tommy assumed ownership, and for about the next 12 months he labored in his Detroit garage to finish the project. The early edition had a Ford flathead, boasting an Isky 3/4 cam, Edelbrock two-pot manifold, and 9:1 heads. Tommy was a career man for Pontiac, and so he felt an obligation to use GM parts, which accounts for the Cadillac engine that he dropped inside the framerails in '52. The 331 cubic-inch OHV V-8 was given an early Detroit Racing dual-quad manifold, and Tommy used his GM contacts to acquire the new Carter four-barrel carburetors. Plus he gave the exhaust manifolds a special treatment of porcelain coating, again showing his attention to detail. But Tommy had to rely on his shop savvy to fabricate the transmission adapter. To join the Caddy crate motor (yes, they had them in '52) to the '39 Ford box, he whittled a piece of 1/2-inch boiler plate to fit, engineered the pilot shaft and such, and then hit the road.

Tommy showed his creativity with the body and components, too. The front fenders were cut from a spare tire cover for a Mercury station wagon, and he reversed the rear wheels himself, welding Buick rims to Ford centers. He crafted the headlight stanchions, too, routing the wire through their centers for a clean unit. And if the spark plug looms appear familiar it's because he fashioned them after the chromed wire covers popular on Ford flatheads during that era.

There's no denying the car's distinct "East Coast" stance, either. Beyond the channeled body, Tommy used all the tricks to lower the car as much as he could, then he set the stock grille shell low between the frame horns to exaggerate the stance. "You don't drive it fast over bumps," he points out today. Tommy said that he bought the dropped Ford axle from Ray Brown, which means the filled I-beam probably is an early Dago axle--a California product.

The interior is actually a blend of east and west tastes. There's no disputing the big steering wheel as an East Coast trend, and in this case Tommy yanked the wheel from a Ford Crestliner. The dash insert and its Stewart Warner gauges came from the SO-CAL Speed Shop in California, though. We know this to be true because when the car was shown at the 1997 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, one of the judges was none other than Alex Xydias who, upon viewing the bare-metal insert and its eight black-face gauges, commented: "Yep, that's one of my old ones." Alex added that in 1950 the insert and gauges sold as a kit for $89.95. We'll pause a few moments so that you can take out your handkerchief to wipe your eyes. Keep Mr. Hanky out, because Tommy tells us that the radio drained another five bucks from his budget. "I got it from an old GMC truck in the junkyard," he said, knowing that five dollars today won't even get a decent selector button for that same radio. At one time the radio antenna projected itself through the front cowl, but today only the stem's base occupies the hole that he drilled nearly 50 years ago.

John Bradford bought the car from Tommy in 1978 when he retired after 39 years of dedicated service with Pontiac. John subsequently sold the roadster to Pat Sleven, who restored it only to pass it on to collector Kirk White. From there the car found a new owner--Harry Levy--in Pennsylvania, and it was in November 1996 that the current owner, Richard Munz, gained rights to the Caddy-powered roadster.

"It was in good shape when I bought it," said Richard. Other than detail work to restore some of the paint's luster and shine, he spent most of his time tuning the motor and rebuilding the two Carter carbs--the same carbs, according to Tommy, that were installed several decades ago. In fact, the two motorcycle tires up front are what the car rolled on when it won the passel of trophies back in '52 and '53. "The rears are Cokers," adds Tommy, as if to make certain those repops don't receive the distinction the fronts deserve.

In addition to the '97 Pebble Beach concours, Richard and his historic hot rod were invited to the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance last summer, which is where we caught up with it for these photos. The beautiful little roadster has been invited to be one of the centerpiece attractions for the 50th anniversary Detroit AutoRama in 2002, and you can be sure that in the meantime, it will make its presence known at various shows and runs.

For, as Richard says about his collection of hot rods and classic autos, "I drive all my cars, this one included." After all, the Tommy Foster '32 remains a street rod first, show car second. Just as it was back in 1950 when it first hit the streets of Detroit--not California.