For Tony, who thought the Packard needed a couple of surf boards on top. Chrysler used a lot of wood and this looks like a '47 to '50 Chrysler Town and Country, although I've never seen one with wire wheels before. Wow.
Back, just a semester or two when I was a nippper, "Ocean Instrument" boards were the bomb. I don't know what's hot now. It's hell to get old and outta touch.
Tom Blake was one of the surfing Gods--way out of the league of kids growing up on the south Jersey shore, not to mention mostly before our time. His hollow wood boards are analogous to those wood bodied Parkards-- part of the creame de la creame of collectable surf boards. I've never seen one in person. We with feet of clay were strictly of the foam blank and 'glass era. We didn't have Packards either--rusty VW beetles with a board sticking out the sunroof, yes, Packards? Sadly no.
If one's pockets are deep enough to buy the real McCoy the story need not end there. Anyway, the genuine boards are probably too valuable to use for anything beyond a display.
In a "more we change the more we remain the same" kinda way, the currently popular stand-up paddle boards owe a lot to Tom Blake, and indeed a friend of mine who races Moths with us built a hollow paddle board for his son not long ago.
I haven't found any plans for a matching Packard woodie on the www but I'm still looking...
George I live in Laguna Bch. My neighbor has two Blake hollow core paddle boards. Worth a bloody mint. One of the boards is from the the Ala Moana hotel on Waikiki. His daughter lives on the north shore in haleeiwa. Local knowledge is always a good thing.
My brother has a 50 Plymouth sedan that looks very similar in the hood and fenders. Flat head 6, with 3 on the tree. Our dad bought it for $100 in about 1966 or so as a second car. My brother drove it all through high school and his 4 years at the U of A in Tucson.
When I went to Calif. in 1958 there were a lot of old woodies around but I don't remember seeing one of these but once and I think it was probably in Phoenix, Az or Palm Springs. I drove the sedan of this model from El Paso to Hobbs, NM in 1956 or 57 for my girl friends mother. It was a real pig, heavy as a steam engine and powered by a little 240 Cu.In. flathead six. It had fluid drive which was another mess. I must say that considering that the roads were sometimes a single lane rutted mess that it did quite good. Just get it into the ruts you like and put the pedal to the metal. With all the weight, big wheels and sloppy suspension it soaked up that road which was good because speed was out of the question. In 1951 the Chrysler V8 hit the market and I believe it was the first American sedan to exceed 100mph on the sand at Daytona at the two way speed trials. Cars were exciting in those days. Now,not so much.
Silk Hope: You're friend indeed is a lucky individual to have authentic Tom blake boards. Clear something up for me: I understand that Tom Blake is also credited with the innovation of the skeg (aka fin) on surf boards. True or false?
...speaking of surfers, saw this on TV the other day. Surfer's expertise used to help build the Saturn V rocket. http://science.discovery.com/videos/moon-machines-surfers.html
What are the makes of the boards?
ReplyDeleteTom Blake? Hell, I don't know.
ReplyDeleteBack, just a semester or two when I was a nippper, "Ocean Instrument" boards were the bomb. I don't know what's hot now. It's hell to get old and outta touch.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that Jack knows or he wouldn't have asked. Speak up, surfer boy.
ReplyDeleteIf they are Tom Blakes are they for sale?
ReplyDeleteTom Blake was one of the surfing Gods--way out of the league of kids growing up on the south Jersey shore, not to mention mostly before our time. His hollow wood boards are analogous to those wood bodied Parkards-- part of the creame de la creame of collectable surf boards. I've never seen one in person. We with feet of clay were strictly of the foam blank and 'glass era. We didn't have Packards either--rusty VW beetles with a board sticking out the sunroof, yes, Packards? Sadly no.
ReplyDeleteThose newer cars are ugly and the newer they get the uglier they get.
ReplyDeleteSo, who took my plane? Not being a surfer and all you know ;)
ReplyDeleteThe nice thing about Tom Blake boards is that Blake published plans back in the '30s such as these:
ReplyDeletewww.avalonhistorycenter.com/pdf/materials-list.pdf
If one's pockets are deep enough to buy the real McCoy the story need not end there. Anyway, the genuine boards are probably too valuable to use for anything beyond a display.
In a "more we change the more we remain the same" kinda way, the currently popular stand-up paddle boards owe a lot to Tom Blake, and indeed a friend of mine who races Moths with us built a hollow paddle board for his son not long ago.
I haven't found any plans for a matching Packard woodie on the www but I'm still looking...
George I live in Laguna Bch. My neighbor has two Blake hollow core paddle boards. Worth a bloody mint. One of the boards is from the the Ala Moana hotel on Waikiki. His daughter lives on the north shore in haleeiwa. Local knowledge is always a good thing.
ReplyDeleteMy brother has a 50 Plymouth sedan that looks very similar in the hood and fenders. Flat head 6, with 3 on the tree. Our dad bought it for $100 in about 1966 or so as a second car. My brother drove it all through high school and his 4 years at the U of A in Tucson.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to Calif. in 1958 there were a lot of old woodies around but I don't remember seeing one of these but once and I think it was probably in Phoenix, Az or Palm Springs. I drove the sedan of this model from El Paso to Hobbs, NM in 1956 or 57 for my girl friends mother. It was a real pig, heavy as a steam engine and powered by a little 240 Cu.In. flathead six. It had fluid drive which was another mess. I must say that considering that the roads were sometimes a single lane rutted mess that it did quite good. Just get it into the ruts you like and put the pedal to the metal. With all the weight, big wheels and sloppy suspension it soaked up that road which was good because speed was out of the question.
ReplyDeleteIn 1951 the Chrysler V8 hit the market and I believe it was the first American sedan to exceed 100mph on the sand at Daytona at the two way speed trials. Cars were exciting in those days.
Now,not so much.
Silk Hope: You're friend indeed is a lucky individual to have authentic Tom blake boards. Clear something up for me: I understand that Tom Blake is also credited with the innovation of the skeg (aka fin) on surf boards. True or false?
ReplyDeleteGeorge:
ReplyDeleteI am back in town from SC. I will do some research. Either it was the "Duke" or Tom.
Myself I ride an Infinity Tri fin things have come a long way.
Jack
George:
ReplyDeleteRegarding your post. Good Call.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfboard_fins
...speaking of surfers, saw this on TV the other day. Surfer's expertise used to help build the Saturn V rocket.
ReplyDeletehttp://science.discovery.com/videos/moon-machines-surfers.html