A 'virtual garage' of antique Chevy & GMC trucks from around the World

1949 Chevy Hot Rod

23 January 2008
# 2199

LOST…. BUT FOUND

From Rick :

          This is my “1FINE49”.  It is a 1949 Chevy.  It is powered by a big block Chevy motor, a Turbo 400 transmission.  It has a narrowed nine inch rear end and the wheel wells are tubbed to fit 15 x 14 x 33.5 rear tires. The front clip is from a 1970 Nova. It has a chopped roof and many more modifications. [ front shot ]

          This will be a story to tell to the great-grandkids. It started out as a rusty pile of bolts. After years of lengthy elbow grease (arm, muscle and, especially wallet grease as well!!!), this is the finished MASTERPIECE.

          I started building this truck way back in 1987 and madly finished it around 1992. My intention was to have it ready for my wedding procession. And, while I’m on the subject of my wedding, I must confess that this beautifully sculptured work of a genius, was the true love of my life which, obviously didn’t sit well with my wife.   For years, the two females battled for my affection. But, as with any young, unmindful, newly married man, my choice wasn’t a difficult one! Like I said, Rita held my heart in her transmission. Along with marriage, came a baby. Now that we were a family of three (with another little one on the way), a two-seater hot rod wasn’t in the works. I had the excruciating pain of saying farewell to my 1 FINE 49.

          As they say, time can not heal wounds. Several years later and many other hot rods, my mind was always on my Rita. Even while showing my other rods at various car shows, I would always hear the rumbling of that sweet ride pulling into the lot.

          Fast forward a decade. I was flipping through the local newspaper and saw an ad for an antique car auction. My heart skipped a beat when I noticed an advertisement of a truck matching Rita’s description being put up on the block. With my family along for support, we went to the auction to see that the truck advertised was my Rita. 

          In talking with the owner and finding out why he was auctioning Rita off, it turns out that he found himself in the same situation as I did back in 1994, a family man longing for a vehicle with more than two seats. So, after some wheeling and dealing and a (whole) lot of persuasion from my wife, we were finally, after TEN YEARS of heartbreak, able to bring Rita back home. Needless to say, I spent the next couple of nights sleeping in the back of her box assuring her she was home to stay! [ license plate ]

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