Vette in a ’Velle
September 20, 2022
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
DOME ALONE
Dave Shuten is a time traveler. Traveling through time is what he likes to do best, but looking at his latest creation we can’t tell if his time travel machine is moving forward or back in time. Here’s the real dilemma: If you’re advancing a trend that ended in the early ’60s, are you traveling forward in time or back? One thing is certain: Dave Shuten loves to visit the golden era of show cars; after all, he’s the guy who did such an awesome job of cloning the Mysterion, an Ed Roth creation that was ultimately parted out and destroyed, only to live again through the efforts of Dave Shuten.
TIME MACHINE
Big billet wheels, custom suspensions and modern power plants—that’s what we’ve come to expect from a first generation Camaro. And while these items are great if that’s what you prefer, we just can’t help but love a car that stands out in a crowd, like this 1968 Camaro vintage street machine. Period perfect down to the slightest details, the black Camaro would have been the ultimate classic Camaro street machine in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with its big-‘n’-little Cragars, Lakewood traction bars and nose-down stance. Claude Minor is the proud owner of this retro Chevy, but it certainly didn’t start out in this configuration.
THEM’S THE BRAKES
There is no other more important system than braking, so when the folks at Baer told us at the SEMA Show that they were finishing up their latest kit—one designed to fit the Ford F-150, as well as the Expedition, Navigator and Navigator 4WD—we wanted to see one installed. Baer has been producing high-?performance braking systems since 1986. The company specializes in high-performance, bolt-on brake systems that radically enhance the ability of the otherwise stock brake systems.
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BUILD, BUY, SELL OR TRADE…
BOB VAN HORN CAN STILL BE FOUND BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A TRADITIONAL HOT ROD
Author
Gerry Burger
Words & Photography
Hot rodders have many things in common, including the love of the automobile often surfaced early in life. If you are a “seasoned hot rodder” who grew up in the fifties and sixties you were living the dream. Hot rodding was booming and growing from an obscure hobby to a nationwide cultural movement. There was another cultural movement growing from coast to coast… surfing. It was the golden age of hot rods, surfing and rock ’n roll. Bob Van Horn was deeply involved in the hot rod and surf scene from his home in Metuchen, New Jersey. Where, you say? Okay, not exactly Newport Beach.
While hot rods, surfin’ and associated music may have been concentrated on the west coast, truth-be-known, it was a nationwide phenomena. Even the Beach Boys knew it was Surfin’ U.S.A. and that a Michigan-built Little Deuce Coupe would one day give way to a fine 409. Jan & Dean knew a Little Old Lady from Pasadena, but trust me, there was plenty of hot rods rolling out of backyard garages everywhere, and Metuchen, N.J. was no exception. While it is not exactly a coastal town, you could get to the ocean in about an hour, a perfect drive in an early hot rod. Bob continues to enjoy the ocean and asphalt to this day, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves, let’s focus on his hot rod journey.
RODS & CUSTOMS OF THE SIXTIES
It’s 1963 a seventeen-year-old Bob Van Horn saved $75.00 dollars from after school jobs to buy a nice ’53 Oldsmobile. An amazing deal even in ’63. Not only was it nosed, decked and painted black, but it had a ’55 Old motor with a three-speed on the floor. While some hot rodders may have hung on to the Olds, when Bob had a chance to double his money the Olds went down the road. It was the beginning of Bob’s buying and selling ways, he casually mentioned when he was seventeen, he had four cars in the family driveway, while his dad had one.
Like all hot rodders, Bob relied on a mailbox full of of rodding magazines and more experienced hot rodders sharing their knowledge and skills to learn how to build his own cars. One such fellow was Al Thompson. When Al wasn’t spinning wrenches at the Metuchen Chevrolet Dealership he was home building a ’34 Ford 5W-window coupe.
On the East Coast the 1952-54 Fords were very popular and Bob always liked them, particularly with an Olds motor under the hood (you can see a pattern emerging here). He had a nice 1952 Customline that was nosed, decked, shaved bumper guards and ’55 Olds taillights, and yes, a Tri-power fed ’56 Olds motor coupled to a ’38 LaSalle tranny. A ’54 Mercury interior completed the package.
That was followed by a ’54 Crestline Victoria that also had the obligatory nosed and decked treatment along with nicely frenched headlights. Running wide whites and painted rims was fashionable at the time and the hardtop styling of the Victoria was coveted by hot rodders everywhere. Once again, the opportunity to double his money came and he bid the Victoria farewell .
In 1963 Bob bought his first 1940 Ford. The Tudor had amazing original black paint and was powered by a 265-Chevy adapted to the early driveline. All this buy, build, trade and selling took place in a mere two years
By the sixties Bob had migrated south to Florida and in 1965 he came across a channeled East Coast style Model-A roadster in Hollywood, Florida. It was red with wide whites and a white firewall reflecting the Tri-power Olds motor coupled to a ’39 trans.
After some tweaking it was a fun driver until he received a good offer.
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
In 1965 Bob’s love of surfin’ and hot rods had him (and the Mama’s & Papa’s) “California Dreaming”. And so the ’40 sedan was replaced with a 1941 Ford Woodie. The Woodie was a stocker and after rebuilding the flathead and strapping some boards to the roof, the woodie made a trouble free trip to California. Unfortunately Bob has no photos of that woodie. When a fellow surfer was pining for a woodie Bob sold the ’41 and bought a ’40 coupe. The coupe was blue and powered by a 283-Chevy and Powerglide tranny. Bob painted the car black and and it was his daily driver for two years. The coupe was replaced by a VW bus for the drive back east. Unlike the ’41 Woodie, the VW suffered a series of breakdowns heading to Cocoa Beach, Florida, drawn there by the warmer water temperatures and the semi-tropical climate.
HOT RODDING IN THE SUNSHINE STATE
After arriving in Cocoa Beach the surfer lifestyle was kept alive with a 1950 Ford Woodie, complete with a Surfer’s Maltese Cross, (no doubt ordered from Ed “Big Daddy” Roth). Basically stock, the woodie was the perfect beach wagon for Bob and his growing family.
His hot rodding skills lead to opening his own body shop while he remained deeply involved in hot rodding and the all new street rodding events. He is particularly fond of 1932, ’36 and ‘40Fords but it seems he has owned a few of everything, so let’s take a look at some of his favorites.
SAME OLDS STORY
That first car often forms a sort of hot rod DNA in a guy, for Bob that ’53 Olds began a long line of Oldsmobile powered hot rods and great Oldsmobile cars. One such ride was this classy 1961 88. Tastefully lowered, ’59 Plymouth hubcaps and the removal of the side trim made this 394 cubic inch powered Olds a true Rocket. Inside the art deco interior was a blast.
Of course like all space travel, the Oldsmobiles just keep getting more powerful. Bob made his way down to the local Oldsmobile dealer in 1968 and drove home his first new car, a Jade Gold Poly, 1968 Olds 442. Just another rocket cruisin’ the Space Coast of Florida.
DEUCES WILD
THIS ONE WAS SPECIAL
Every car guy has “one that got away” and for Bob it was this “gennie-steel” Deuce roadster. Basic black, louvered hood, ’53 Olds spinners up front and a simple red rim out back. An early small block was adapted to an early Ford top-loader. On the back of the photo is simply said “should have kept this one.” Agreed.
HAMMERED, PUNCHED & FENDERLESS 5W
Bob brought home this basket case 5-window and proceeded to chop it 2-1/2 inches, punch the deckled full of louvers and and add some ’50 Pontiac taillights. After typical east coast rust repair, he laid down the turquoise paint and added some traditional pinstriping. When the small block fired to life the coupe rolled out of his shop on cream wires and like all Van Horn hot rods, it just kept on rollin’.
FULL-FENDERED 5W
Bob knows how to put “the look” on a 5-window Deuce Coupe, we offer this small block Chevy powered, full-fendered version as graphic proof. A Deuce coupe is a great looking car so the only modifications required to earn hot rod status was another 2-1/2-inch chop and some hood sides punched full of louvers. Paint it a traditional navy blue, add burnt orange grille insert and steelies with 1950 Merc pancake caps wrapped with Coker wide-whites and you have one very stylish hot rod that could have been built in1956 or 2006, because while fashion may change, style never does.
TIME TO CALL A CAB
Sure coupes are cool, but once open-air motoring gets in your blood, well, it’s like surfin’, there is just no substitute. Having said that, top down weather in Florida occurs during the winter, so when Bob discovered a Deuce Cabriolet he knew it was the best of both worlds. A/C and even power windows for the summer and top down cruising all winter. The deep blue Hiboy rolls on cream steelies while the Deuce dash carries an S&W gauge insert. The CB radio mounted under the dash tells us this one has seen the open road.
OUT WEST WITH A HIBOY
Bob Van Horn has made a habit of attending the L.A. Roadster show, often riding along with the late Gary Moore and a bunch of Melbourne area hot rod buddies. This was a typical East Coast channeled roadster when Bob hauled it home. He raised it to Hiboy status when he mounted it atop a fresh frame. A Lokar dash insert with Classic Instruments monitor the small block, while a South Wind heater and Bell four-spoke steering wheel keep the mood traditional. The car was trailered to the LA Roadster Show where Bob and Max Brogdon put over 500-miles on it attending various Southern California events. We can think of no better place to park than in front of The Early Ford Store.
ANOTHER 5W COUPE
It’s 1973 and a young Richard Van Horn is in Bob’s Merritt Island body shop for some hot rod wrenching and hamming it up for the camera. Today Richard is in the vintage car parts business. The flathead powered coupe ran two-deuces and aluminum heads. Bob drove the coupe to the 1975 NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Memphis. And, yes, that is a ’48 Oldsmobile lurking under the tree.
A RIGHTEOUS ROADSTER
Admittedly this does not look like a “cherry” ’36 roadster body, but since Ford only produced 3,862 roadsters in 1936, it was deemed savable. Bob brought it back to his shop and proceeded to repair the vast amount of rust, including grafting a lower rear clip from a coupe to the roadster body. He then built a four-wheel independent chassis with a Jag rear. A small block Chevy powers the roadster. Smooth hood panels and ’37 DeSoto bumpers add to the traditional custom look.
CRUISIN’ THE PCH IN A HOT TUB
The ’36 Ford Phaeton is to customs what the Deuce is to hot rods. The early custom look just suits these somewhat rare cars (5,555 Phaetons built in ’36). Postwar customs often blended rod and custom elements, with a hot engine under the hood but stylish modifications to the body too. Bob’s tub is running ’39 Buick bumpers, wide whites and a proper stance (not slammed) making this Phaeton period perfect.
Hey, remember that kid Richard hamming it up in front of Dad’s coupe? Well, he became a skilled hot rod builder along side Bob and he did a masterful job of slicing and dicing a ’40 Lincoln Zephyr dash to fit the ’36 Phaeton.
HOT ROD HAULERS IN EVERY SHAPE AND SIZE
THE AUSSIE UTE
It stands to reason that a guy who likes five-window coupes and trucks would really like the Australian Ute. Bob found this 1949 Ford Ute in British Columbia and brought it home tariff free for a frame-off build. A Fatman Fabrications front subframe provides stance and good handling while a 350/700R4 provided motivation. Let’s face it, everyone loves a Ute.
Hey, remember that kid Richard hamming it up in front of Dad’s coupe? Well, he became a skilled hot rod builder along side Bob and he did a masterful job of slicing and dicing a ’40 Lincoln Zephyr dash to fit the ’36 Phaeton.
HAMMER THE HAULER
If you stick to hot rod classics it’s hard to go wrong, Take a ’56 Ford F100, chop the top, paint it red with chrome grille and bumpers and you have yet another timeless hot rod rolling out of the Van Horn garage. This was in the early eighties.
ONE GRADE-A HAULER
We mentioned Bob could build, buy, sell or trade, so when he saw this chopped Model-A hauler for sale at the Nats in 1991 he just had to stop and talk. A price was reached, and Bob drove the fenderless hauler home. The truck found it’s way into several Pro’s pick circles and Steve Coonan photographed the truck for the Rodder’s Journal. Chopped top, smooth hood, filled cowl and shaved door handles makes for one sanitary hauler.
ONE LAST SPACE SHOT
In 1983 Bob came across an interesting ’66 Chevelle SS 396 convertible in need of full restoration. Sure, most SS 396 Chevelles were hardtops, with only 5,429 convertibles rolling of the assembly line, that’s interesting. But what really made this car extra special is it’s connection to outer space, it seems astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was the original owner. The original owners manual reads Edwin E Aldrin, Houston Texas.
FORTIES WITH A PAST
After owning over a half-dozen forty Fords (we only showed a few) Bob hauled home a basket case ’40 pickup, chopped the top 2-1/2-inches, provided the proper power and stance before laying down his signature yellow paint job.
And then he discovered a “keeper”, a 1940 Ford coupe in California with a storied past. It seems the car had been built and stolen in the 60’s, it sat in garage until 2005 when he came across the car and struck a deal. He brought It home and refinished it in Lokar Burgundy. We’ll give you a hint, the same guy made the original modifications to both the Mercury and Bob’s coupe. I met Bob while photographing the car for Rodder’s Digest and we have included that entire feature here, it’s one of those hot rod tales worth hearing.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ORIGINAL FEATURE
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE YEAR 2026
Bob Van Horn has done his last major hot rod build. He still enjoys driving to events and you can always find him walking the rows at Hershey, Daytona Turkey Rod Run, Moultrie and the L.A Roadster swap meets. He’s drawn to piles of old parts and anywhere vintage hot rods gather. He still goes to the shop everyday, but spends most of the time either in his cool office or out in the shop doing minor modifications and maintenance to one of his four hot rods. Today his stable consists of a ’40 Ford coupe, ’40 Ford Convertible, ’57 F100 and a black ’57 Olds Super 88.
Somehow we knew there’d be an Olds in the group.
Stay tuned. Enjoy the drive.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Gerry Burger
Gerry Burger has been immersed in hot rodding since the early 1960s, building his first hot rods as a teenager after being inspired by local racer Bob Zorn. A chance meeting with Tom Medley in 1972 launched a distinguished career as an automotive photojournalist, leading to freelance work for dozens of magazines, the founding of Rodder's Digest, and editorial leadership roles at Street Rod Builder and American Rodder. Today, Burger continues to write, photograph, and build hot rods, remaining one of the hobby's most respected voices.
