Author Topic: My Puzzle #1616 - Rader / Roeder Ford Roadster  (Read 1168 times)

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Offline Otto Puzzell

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My Puzzle #1616 - Rader / Roeder Ford Roadster
« on: April 25, 2010, 02:37:31 AM »


Know what it is?

Please, respond below and identify what this is, and who built it.
As always, detailed answers are greatly appreciated by all. 
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Thanks!
« Last Edit: August 09, 2011, 03:46:21 PM by Otto Puzzell »
You wanna be the man, you gotta Name That Car!

Offline Otto Puzzell

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Re: My Puzzle #1616
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2010, 05:32:51 AM »
Instant expert point.
You wanna be the man, you gotta Name That Car!

Offline metalshapes

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Re: My Puzzle #1616
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2010, 07:59:58 AM »
Its a Sports Custom based on a '34 Ford Cabriolet, built by Robert Rader.

Offline Otto Puzzell

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Re: My Puzzle #1616
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2010, 08:31:47 AM »
You're really slowing down. But, correct again :)
You wanna be the man, you gotta Name That Car!

Offline whcgt

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whcgt #100
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2011, 06:44:09 AM »
Please identify, for 1 point,, the following: year/builder/manufacturer(s) components used/powertrain.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2011, 12:37:17 PM by whcgt »

Offline Otto Puzzell

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Re: whcgt #100
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2011, 10:41:13 AM »
This one is a repost.
You wanna be the man, you gotta Name That Car!

Offline whcgt

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Re: whcgt #100
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2011, 12:03:45 PM »
Now it is an original posting & not a reposting. :)

Offline serra

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Re: whcgt #100
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2011, 03:00:02 PM »
I have found it as The Roeder Sport Custom (other source sais Rader Sport Custom) built by Robert Roeder (or Robert Rader), a Mack employee from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, who in the late 1940s set to customizing his 1934 Ford with a channeled body, 1940 Ford fenders and parts from various Studebakers, Macks and Packards.

I have found this about it in jalopyjournal. The story of the 'Roeder Sport Custom'.

Robert Rader lived in Emmaus, Pennsylvania and worked for the nearby Mack Truck for 40 years. In 1938 he enjoyed his good fortune and bought a 4 year old 1934 Ford cabriolet. He learned sheet metal fabrication skills while at Mack, and after WWII he used this developed talent to build a new style 'sports car' for himself.

Starting in 1948 with his now old cabriolet’s original body shell and chassis, he began transforming its styling. All the body modifications were brazed and leaded, and are still pretty solid to this day. The body was channeled about 6" over these original frame rails. The front fenders are definitely 1940 Mercury pieces, and the rears look like 1940 Ford parts. The rears were shortened, trimmed, and the opening shape altered. All the fenders are completely molded to the body. The fronts required some innovative inner fender and nose panel fabrication to complete the style. An example is the grill opening panel which is based off a 1937 Studebaker trunk lid! A rear opening hood was fabricated from aluminum, and uses the original rumble seat’s hinges. The rear valance panel looks to be sourced from the same car as the rear fenders, being added over the stock valence. It is altered to serve as an accent to the spare tire and dual exhaust tips. The doors received the Euro treatment, with scooped down tops and no side glass. The cabriolet cowl was shaved smooth, and a 1937 Packard convertible windshield frame was narrowed and chopped to fit the cowl top. The fuel tank is a cut down aircraft part, and takes the place of the original rumble seat’s position with dual filler caps on the body. Several interior and exterior trim pieces were sourced from the Mack parts bins, like the one-piece fabricated grill surround being based on Mack fire truck trim stock. He equipped it with a lift-off steel hardtop, based on the rear roof section of a 1948 Plymouth. The look is similar (at least in front views) to the Coachcraft built 1940 Jimmy Summers roadster.

Turning to the interior, the changes were less radical. The dash panel received a custom contour surrounding what may be a Studebaker speedo in an unknown chrome panel. The bucket seats are as yet unidentified (may be foreign), but the steering wheel is from a 1937 Lincoln Zepher. Red pleated seat vinyl and red/white/black door panels finish it off.

The chassis was updated with a 1940 rear axle and hydraulic brakes all around. Tube shocks were also added, but the ’34 front axle was retained. It’s attitude is slightly tail-dragger in stance.

The first powertrain fitted was said to be a "full house" Merc flathead, and the toploader 3 speed is stuffed with Zepher gears. This lasted until 1957 when the engine blew after some spirited driving. Roeder went to the local wrecking yard and plucked the engine from an nearly new 1955 Chevy, a 265 small block. Adapted to the Ford trans, this unmodified engine lives in the car until today having never been opened up. Hand made dual exhaust exit through the rear valance panel. The wheels are 16” steel with ripple caps. A second set of Lyons covers were included, featuring ’57 Chevy tri-bar spinners mounted in the centers.

Roeder kept the car until his death in 1974, unmodified from its 1948 form save for the 265 and 1953 Corvette inspired taillights he added in 1954. The veteran red paint and 3-tone interior still date from his 1948 work, showing their age and battle scars. Robert Roeder’s widow held on to the car until 1994, selling it to a local man who as a youth had lived near Rader and remembered seeing it (from his bicycle) in his garage during the 1948 build up.

Here is an actual photo, the hood is slight diferent, I think because It was repainted in 2001.
And the rear.


« Last Edit: August 09, 2011, 03:17:49 PM by serra »

Offline Otto Puzzell

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Re: My Puzzle #1616 - Rader Ford Roadster
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2011, 03:45:17 PM »
Merged
You wanna be the man, you gotta Name That Car!

Offline Otto Puzzell

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Re: whcgt #100
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2011, 03:47:07 PM »
Now it is an original posting & not a reposting. :)

Well, no...
You wanna be the man, you gotta Name That Car!

Offline whcgt

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Re: My Puzzle #1616 - Rader / Roeder Ford Roadster
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2011, 03:53:15 PM »
Whoops! I wish that when I typed in Robert E Roeder  or Roeder Sport Custom or 1934 Ford custom roadster.....that it would have shown up with the database. 3 cars in a row, that did not materialize with a database search.  :)

Offline Otto Puzzell

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Re: My Puzzle #1616 - Rader / Roeder Ford Roadster
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2011, 03:55:47 PM »
At least we have some nice color pictures now.  :)
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Offline whcgt

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Re: My Puzzle #1616 - Rader / Roeder Ford Roadster
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2011, 04:04:41 PM »
A very complete & detailed answer from puzzler serra. :)