You found the car, no doubt about.
This car is probably still for sale on ebay, with a full story, and I was leaving you the chance to post it.
Here's what is there:
'The amazing and adorable one and only 1958 Monte! This cartoonish American Folk Art car was built in the 1950's
by a man named Red Bohn in Salinas, Calif. He was a professional gambler, and he spent years building the Monte
out of other car parts that he cut down and formed to make his own model car.
I was told it took him 2 years and many trips to the California dept. of motor vehicles, but he finally
got it licensed and street-legal in 1958.
It was originally red, but a man who owed a gambling debt settled by painting the Monte yellow.
I have a photo of it when it was red, and I have an original photo of Red Bohn, too
I purchased the car from the niece of the builder.
She drove it around Salinas as a teenager, and when it was given to her years later she drove it in Oregon.
It has an Oregon Vehicle Certificate of Title from 1992.
I did not attempt to register it, and I don't know if any State would let you drive it on the street today
(other than in parades, maybe). But it is neat that it does have an authentic title!
The car has a Wisconsin engine. The engine starts but the car does not run.
It is sold on an As-Is, Not Running, basis. The mileage is unknown, and not really relevant.
There is very little leg room, though you could probably have it lengthened under the hood
(the hood does not open and the engine is in back). There are some small dents, and one side of the split windshield
needs replacing. There is a missing hubcap and the other hubcaps don't stay on well.
The grill and fenders could use chroming. It was never "showroom perfect" but for what it is - an artistic expression
and labor of love built in a garage! - it is well-made.
People always think it is some obscure production car, until I tell them Monte's history.
People LOVE this car! It really is an attention-getter, and it gets everyone smiling!
It would be a wonderful addition to a vintage car collection, or you could advertise a restaurant or
just about any type of business on it and put it inside your store. Or put it inside your house!
If you wanted to drive it, maybe you could have a good mechanic put the body on a golf cart frame??
Use a motorcycle engine?? It is approx. 10 ft., 6" long, 42" wide.
Buyer pick-up only (but I could deliver it to within 300 miles of my home for a fee - I live about 60 miles from
Portland, Oregon).
Washington State residents pay sales tax. Payment is due within 3 days of auction end.
9/27/09 Update: In response to a couple inquiries, here is some mechanical info: There is a 3 speed Case tractor
transmission and a foot clutch. The car has a reverse gear. There are mechanical brakes on the rear wheels.
All the bodywork is steel. The lights did work; not sure if they do now.
If you want to actually drive it, it is going to need work. The driveline consist of a band-type clutch
(probably came with the Wisconsin engine), a v-belt drive forward to the trans input shaft, a small Case trans lying
on its side with the shifter coming out between the seats
(gives a sideways shift pattern which I got used to pretty quick), the output shaft goes to a sprocket and chain
drive to the rear wheel. Everything seems well-supported, shafts on appropriately sized pillow blocks, etc.,
and provision for adjusting the belt and chain. The clutch needs to be re-lined and the trans needs new a
new input shaft seal. If you wanted to do more than the odd parade or show, a new belt, chain, and maybe sprockets
would be needed. It has the stock Wisconsin starter and generator that work fine.
As I say, I was told it took a couple of years just to get it street-legal; each time he took it to the DMV they
came up with something else he needed, like headlights or tail lights or windshield/wipers.
So he made it to meet the requirements of the time.'