Custom Bodied 1930? Model A Roadster HELP!

[srk1941]

Hi, I'm wondering if you can help me with this custom bodied Model A? I believe it started as a 1930 roadster. As you can see, the body and rear deck are modified. Any help spotting custom attributes or anything interesting here? Is the windshield custom, or just those big wind wings?

This car belonged to Santa Barbara landscape architect Lockwood de Forest. He apparently designed the body himself, that rear deck was used to transport plants.

Thank you,

Steven.

[srk1941]

Oh, and it had Woodlite headlights...

[mshmodela]

Very fine looking design by Mr. de Forest. The seat is cock pit like..

[bart78]

The body looks to be a converted 27 T touring car.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by bart78

The body looks to be a converted 27 T touring car.

Or possibly from an AA Fire-truck.

Joe K

[bart78]

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It could a fire truck. But the cowl looks to be a T to me.

[Great Lakes Greg]

Would those Woodlites be worth more than the whole car?

[1931 flamingo]

Yes.
Paul in CT

[gwhite]

Don't think it's an 'improved' T cowl...my 26-7 RPU has a cowl height of 23 3/4" - about 5" shorter than a 30-31 cowl. An A hood & grille shell would require a ton of work to fit (been down that road).

Looks to me like a 30-31 commercial cowl with the tank removed/filled.

[Joe K]

I wonder where the car ended up? I did a quick search of Lockwood de Forest under a few variations (Lockwood de Forest Car, Lockwood de Forest Model A, Lockwood de Forest Home) looking for further mention of the Model A and found only the pix above.

Joe K

[srk1941]

Thanks for the ideas guys... The car still exists. Lockwood de Forest used this as his primary work car before World War II (that photo was taken ca. 1936), and still had the car when he died in 1949. His wife Elizabeth maintained the car, and her niece in Santa Barbara still owns the car, and shows it periodically. It was always nicknamed the Buffalo, because it was upholstered in Buffalo hide. Today, the front end has been modified - the dual side mount fenders are replaced with standard fenders, the Woodlites and matching parking lights are gone, and the wire wheels have been changed. The cowl and windshield are modified too, I am not sure when that happened. I'm seeing the car this weekend, I'll take some pictures and post them here, if you're interested.

[gwhite]

I may be in the minority, but heck yeah! Early cut-downs, hop-ups, customs, and modifieds are of great interest! Would love to see more...perhaps the HAMB would be the best place to post them?

[srk1941]

Originally Posted by gwhite

Looks to me like a 30-31 commercial cowl with the tank removed/filled.

By commercial, does that mean a Roadster Pickup? Or is there a commercial cowl and chassis that could be purchased. Where is the tank that would be removed/filled?

[Tom Wesenberg]

In post #1 check out the fender lights. They look like they could be a miniature version of the Woodlites.

[srk1941]

Yup, they're Woodlite parking lights!

I just talked to the original owner's son. Lockwood bought a chassis and front end, and the body was assembled ("cobbled") using parts of older cars.

Lockwood kept the car until he died in 1949, and continually tinkered with it. He added a V-8 in 1934. The wheels changed when the car got hydraulic brakes. The sidemounts didn't fit in the fenders anymore, so there went the Woodlites! There was damage at some point, so the windshield frame changed.

[CT AV8]

I guess it was inevitable that with his name he would become a landscape architect but whenever I hear of him I am reminded of the highly regarded New England landscape architectural firm, Stone, Weed, & Pine......with all due respect to the O.P.

btw, love the car and thanks for posting it.