Fordy Stalker 2

[JeeperG]

Now that things are winding down on this project, I have time to make a new thread on the building of this truck and also the history and meaning behind it for me.

To start this story we should start with the original "Fordy Stalker" and a story of my father.

Born the 1st day of January, 1948 in Glendale California, to me it was this early upbringing around the Southern California car culture of the time, dads uncles and older brothers that gave him the sickness, Mickey Thompson lived just right down the street. Eventually they relocated to Farmington Utah where the story on the "Fordy Stalker" begins.

1964 dad purchases a roughed up 1940 Ford Coupe Deluxe from is oldest brother.

My uncle actually had 4 coupes at one point, you can see the two we still have here.

Yes that is snow on the ground.

 

[JeeperG]

Eventually dad gets the car pieced together, still running a flathead, reverse chrome wheels, redlines, more of a traditional hot rod.

Wallet Picture.

Some wheel changes.

 

[JeeperG]

It was while in high school dad meets his friend Lee.





Then by the late 60's dad and another friend join the Navy with the buddy system and eventually ship off to Vietnam, here he is aboard the U.S.S. Vancouver, note some of these same pictures behind him.

His car will be waiting for him when he gets back, I am sure he had all sorts of dreams for it during this time.

 

[JeeperG]

So after being in the Navy from 68-71 dad comes home and it's during this time he starts rebuilding his coupe, he swaps the flathead out for a 455 Buick and a TH400.

And eventually it turns into the "Fordy Stalker" This is the car I remember and the inspiration behind my truck build. my Uncle Pat painted it and my Uncle Larry did the logos on the door and the trunk lid, Hal Larson Pinstripes it.

I still hear stories today of his street racing days and times at the dragstrip with his brothers. It was a fast car for the time.

Then I came along in the late 70's, some of my earliest memories are of this car riding around all over southern Utah.

 

[anderson750]

I met Hal when I was in college in Cedar City. He always had some cool things outside his shop.

 

[JeeperG]

I met Hal when I was in college in Cedar City. He always had some cool things outside his shop.

You should see what's not outside. Been awhile since I been in there but he's got quite the collection, if I remember his dad was a speed boat racer, I learned how to water ski at like 10 behind one of Hals speedboats on Lake Powell. He's a good guy, I still talk to him all the time, both the 40 coupes currently have his pinstriping still. I don't think we are going to pinstripe the truck though, might have something he can contribute to on the truck though.

 

[JeeperG]

The Fordy Stalker was essentially a daily driver for many years.





My uncle had a shop in Cedar before moving North again to teach at Ogden High, we still have that 59 also.



Brian Head

Down at Dixie Raceway with my Uncle Pat. Still trying to source any photos family might have from that time.

 

[glockman]

This thread is so cool! I'm super jealous of the photographs you have and the family history. Please keep it coming.

 

[Thursty]

Agreed! ⬆️

 

[JeeperG]

Eventually by the mid 80's there was some problems with the car and it got parked out back until about 1998 when my brother talked dad into letting him take the car and restore it once more, they worked on it together until 2004 and that is the same car it is today, its basically the same car as it was just different paint, upholstery, some updated drivetrain and engine items.





My Uncle Pat was also involved again with paint. He and my brother here.

 

[JeeperG]

The "Fordy Stalker" ended up like so and remains that way to this day. I think it's only got around 5,000 miles the last 20 years.

Sitting in front of Hal's shop to be pinstriped

 

[JeeperG]

I'll also add here that we have had (2) 1940 Ford Coupe Deluxe's for 60 years. My dad bought his from his oldest brother, my uncle kept one all these years, it too inspired by dads "Fordy Stalker" when my cousin and uncle rebuilt it.

This one has an SRT8 Hemi.

The two coupes.

 

[JeeperG]

It was through that cousin my own 1940 Ford journey began, hanging out at his place he had this 1940 Ford Pickup he had intentions of building to pull his coupe but changed his mind because he had other projects he wanted to do instead, he offered to sell it to me and I said "what the hell, lets do this," on one condition, help me start building it because at that time I was going through divorce and didn't even have my own place. He happens to also be a welding instructor.

How it was when he got it.

The previous owner had cut up the original frame with plans to tub the rear, that frame was scrapped, my uncle had a coupe frame sitting down in Moab for decades from his time as a principal there, he and my dad found it in the early 70's in a garbage pile in Greenville, Utah.

Then I had a friend with a big block chevy collecting dust I also purchased the same day, cause why not put a big block in an old Ford, dad did it.

How it was sitting the day of purchase.

First on the build I ordered a Mustang II front end and triangulated 4 link from "Full Tilt Street Rods" out of Grand Junction so we began by removing the original suspension and X member items, measuring and marking for the new stuff.





They riveted everything on so bring out the torch.

And hammers