WINGED WARRIOR
July 23, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
50-YEAR FAMILY JEWEL
There are lots of cool story threads woven into the history of this ’57 Thunderbird, purchased new 50 years ago by W.T. Romine of Indianapolis. You see, Romine’s young son, Paul, was bitten by the hot-rodding bug and tried to convince his dad to hop up the T-bird. The elder Romine steadfastly rebuffed his son’s attempts to bolt on a McCulloch blower and other aftermarket parts for the respected Y-block Ford.
BITS FROM THE PITS
Off road racing in the desert Southwest has been around for almost forty years now and we’ve never gotten tired of looking at vehicles and hardware associated with going off-road. Off-roading–racing or just having fun presents problems. We’re always intrigued by some of the solutions.Here’s what we found on a recent trip to Baja.
RADICALLY DIFFERENT
During the latter part of the 1950s, as America fell into a recession, the American industry machine suffered. The Big Three Detroit automakers felt the hit and quickly began building affordable cars that would appeal to the public.
Spotlighter
SALEEN SSC
ULTRA-RARE, ULTRA-VALUABLE
Unless there’s a collector’s car that was purchased and directly put into someone’s collection, you’re probably looking at the lowest-mileage Saleen SSC in the world, and it belongs to Jack Redeker from Redeker Ford in Grand Haven, Michigan.
Author
Bob McClurg
Story & Photography
Saleen SSC: A Celebration of Milestones
Of course, there were 161 Saleen Autosport-built SSCs assembled in 1989 to celebrate not only the fifth anniversary of the company but also the 25th anniversary of the Mustang.
The Journey of SSC 89-0012
This car (serial number 89-0012) was built on April 26, 1989, and shipped to Bob Allen Ford in Overland Park, Kansas, on May 21, 1989. It was originally sold to John Ponak (Metro Motors) from Kansas City, and the condition of SSC 89-0012 indicates it was stored most of the ensuing years. Everything on this car is pristine, almost as if it were driven off the dealer’s showroom floor only yesterday.
From Kansas to Florida: The Auction Story
Jack Redeker purchased SSC 89-0012 at the Third Annual Kruse Auction held in Ft. Myers, Florida, on March 25, 2000. The consignee (or seller) is listed as one J. Jervorsek from a company called Vehicle Ventures, which is presumably a muscle car dealer broker.
A Pristine Piece of Mustang History
SSC 89-0012 is now the centerpiece of Redeker’s modest collection of early- and late-model Mustangs, and he says he plans to keep this one forever! Works for us! We thought you would enjoy a look back. We sure enjoyed our time with the car.
