Small Fry 1986/87 Rebuild pics

[randrhotrodimports]

After raking through loads of old pics i thought some might like to see these.
These have never been posted anywhere before.
Enjoy, i took these in 1986/87 just after buying the old girl from an Ad in Exchange and Mart, the whole front end of the car was in boxes as was the motor blower and gearbox. The Interior was all there just no longer fitted to the inside of the car, in little over a week we had the car back together.
The previous owner had painted her Black, this had reacted with the primer and crazed, we completed the rubbing down of the black paint to expose what was left of the pinstripping underneath.
This really is a beautiful piece of kit, although not the easiest to drive being 6 foot tall, just proud to have been a part of the history of this fabulous Show Car.
I sold her in 1988 and would love to see her out again.
The pic of the finished car with me in the Rain at the Watford Rods Show at Cassiobury park, her first outing after the rebuild.
Enjoy.

http://usera.imagecave.com/39coupe/SmallFry19861.jpg
http://usera.imagecave.com/39coupe/SmallFry198672.jpg
http://usera.imagecave.com/39coupe/SmallFry2.jpg

[jsf55]

Definitley one of my all time favourites ..... oh, i think weve done that thread !

[gettinonabitmore]

Definitley one of my all time favourites ..... oh, i think weve done that thread !

Ditto....

[Flamin Black A]

Ditto....

double ditto

[Tarmac Tanner]

Well done that man !

[hershambob]

russell you carnt see the cling film over the stacks in that pic,,,,
i would like to add that i nearly got the car off russell that day for the huge sum off £3000,his price,,,but he changed his mind and held on to it for a while longer,, bob

[englishrodder]

Great pics, one of all time favorite cars...even if I could never get in the thing!

Dave B

[konsulkolin]

Great thread Russ.Any more old pics?

[randrhotrodimports]

LOL, Sure miss the old girl really bought for £2400 out from the Exchange and Mart would you believe, i think the guy lived in Sandy who i bought it from if memory serves me right?

russell you carnt see the cling film over the stacks in that pic,,,,
i would like to add that i nearly got the car off russell that day for the huge sum off £3000,his price,,,but he changed his mind and held on to it for a while longer,, bob

[randrhotrodimports]

Got shed loads of old stuff Colin, Pics Vids etc its just finding the time to get them on here, the Vid i have of Small Fry running and driving is pretty cool, maybe i can get a techno to get it on YouTube?

Great thread Russ.Any more old pics?

[motherofgod]

She is still about,
The enquiry is complete
The vehicle details for GPK 641 are:

Date of Liability 01 12 1991
Date of First Registration 01 03 1981
Year of Manufacture 1938
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 3500CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour BLUE
Vehicle Type Approval null
The information contained on this page is correct at the time of enquiry.
Vehicle Excise Duty Rate for vehicle
6 Months Rate £99.00
12 Months Rate £180.00

That's if you don't know where small fry is
James

[Hotrod Rod]

Small Fry up to a while ago was potentially for sale, Al Martin (hope thats ok Al)knows where it is and the owner, forget £3ooo though, remember a guy on the old forum looking for it for ages guess the price was too much, love the car myself but sure looks dated (which is obvious really)

[40Stude]

As Rod said, I do know where Small Fry is and she is very well preserved. If it wasn't for my gammy leg, I could walk round to the garage in about fifteen minutes (as it is, If I set out now I might just hop there in time for new years eve!). Although the car is not up for sale as such, I do know that the current owner feels that maybe it should be out and about more (as far as I know it hasn't been used at all since the 1991 date in the DVLA link, although it was driven on and off the trailer when the owner moved house a few years ago) and if the right offer were to come along then it is possible (though not certain) that he might be persuaded to part with the car.

[jsf55]

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/30561/2573120130099641316S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2573120130099641316ETVkbb):D

[Flamin Black A]

http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/31610/2645900600101814943S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2645900600101814943LQsYCf)

[randrhotrodimports]

Its on an Old fasion VHS Video mate, i have no idea how to get that onto here Ratty, sham as its quite good.
I have just remembered i have it on DVD as well does that work?

[Paul B]

double ditto
Treble ditto.

Along with Andromeda and Revenge it has to be one of my ultimate cars. I remember reading the buildup pages a hundred times years ago. So much work, so much innovation, for the period anyway.

[Flamin Black A]

Its on an Old fasion VHS Video mate, i have no idea how to get that onto here Ratty, sham as its quite good.
I have just remembered i have it on DVD as well does that work?

russ if you need to transfer the VHS onto DVD I can do it for you let me know

[jazz age rodder]

I used to work with Matt Matheou back in the later part of the '70s. Here's a few not seen before photos of Small Fry. On a trailer outside the shop, then some at Heathrow ready to be loaded onto a 'plane bound for the street rod nationals at Columbus, Ohio. Must've been around '78 ish.

[motherofgod]

What would the price be?

James

[Truxdelux]

Great pics mate!!
ME!!

[jsf55]

Is that gary glitter in the first pic :(

[Flamin Black A]

nice pictures chris is that the shop on the corner of new kings road and wandsworth bridge road

[jazz age rodder]

John, that's Matt Matheou hisself.

Peter, yes, on the right at the lights at the top of Wandsworth Bridge road. I think it's an antique shop now!!

[jsf55]

[quote=jazz age rodder;7847]John, that's Matt Matheou hisself. [quote]
Almost the same stamp as john toft !!

[randrhotrodimports]

Great pics Chris, i remember the shop well in the Kings Road, it used to open late on Cruise nights and SmallFry often attended.

[Flamin Black A]

yeah I thought it was I worked of the wandsworth bridge road late 70's and remember going in there. For some reason I thought it was something to do with baldachino

[randrhotrodimports]

I thought the same Pete, he certainly used to be in the shop.

[Flamin Black A]

russ my memory's not very good these days but didn't baldy build a lot of matt's cars

[randrhotrodimports]

I am not 100% sure on that one,i remember Matt had a Lincoln and of course that rather nice Cherry B, and i think there was an Red 3 window, stripped down race look about it that disappeard years ago.
Baldy had an Anglia with bubble arches, Hot and Bothered of course and the Viva van sure they were all built for himself though.
No doubt there are others on here who may fill in gaps?.
Love all the old stuff, They were good times.

[Flamin Black A]

great times indeed

[40Stude]

From memory, Small Fry was largely built by Richard Wale and John Baldachino for Matt Mattheo and the Black Cherry 3 Window was bought by Matt as a brown stock height coupe that was already a rod and had been featured in Hot Car. In the Hot Car feature it was listed as being owned by Pete Frampton I believe (though apparently not 'that' Peter Frampton).
I may be wrong but I think the Wale/Baldachino team were responsible for the chop/repaint/retrim of the coupe.

[randrhotrodimports]

What happened to Richard Wales Herald?

[tallpaul]

I dont think Whale/Baldy had anything to do with Cherry B as Nick Orme did the chop and Mick Denyer did the interior.

[tallpaul]

Apparantly Russ the Herald was broken up,the chassis is under a model Y and the body was sold to a restorer.Whatever it is a shame.

[Flamin Black A]

I thought baldy was responsible for some of matts cars I had forgotten Richard Wale had been involved That herald was so detailed

[40Stude]

I dont think Whale/Baldy had anything to do with Cherry B as Nick Orme did the chop and Mick Denyer did the interior.

I did say I may be wrong! Good to know the facts, thanks.
I think you are right about the Herald, there was some info about it on the 'Cars of Yesteryear' thread on the old forum, which is currently being transferred to here.

[Truxdelux]

My wife Irene has got the centreline wheels from Richard's Herald. We bought them mid/late 80's and the herald was dismantled in the corner of his lock-up in Parsons Green. There was also a stunning BBC [I think] sitting in the corner he said he was building for Baldy.
When we came out with the wheels, on New Kings Rd. we met a young lady driving a really sweet grey 3window. I think she said it was built by Jeff Beck [ but, don't quote me on that]
Charlie!!

[40Stude]

Charlie, that 3 window was built by Jeff Beck for his then girlfriend Julia, who went on to become Mrs Will Carling and a TV celeb (ish!) in her own right. When it sold it apparently went for a song.

The big block for Baldachino makes sense too. After Small Fry but before the HA Viva van, CC reported that he was collecting parts for an LS1 powered Deuce roadster. I wonder what became of that?

[randrhotrodimports]

Shame about the Herald, lot of nice touches on that.

[Paul B]

I used to work with Matt Matheou back in the later part of the '70s. Here's a few not seen before photos of Small Fry. On a trailer outside the shop, then some at Heathrow ready to be loaded onto a 'plane bound for the street rod nationals at Columbus, Ohio. Must've been around '78 ish.
I saw it at a show in Manchester (Ally Pally?) after it came back from the states, and it had a patch of paint worn off at the back of the drivers side front mudguard. I was only an impressionable 17ish year old at the time, couldn't understand how anybody could let such a beautiful car suffer like that. LOL

I also saw the Triumph Roadrunner bike, built by Uncle bunt at the show, spent hours looking at it. Work of art that thing., no idea where it is now. Anybody?

[jazz age rodder]

Just had a quick look, I'm sure I've got a photo of Matts '32 when he first got it. He had a clothes shop (jeans and stuff) called American Graffitti in Reigate at the time. Called in one Saturday and he said come and have a look at what I've bought. Took me round to a lock up, between Reigate and Redhill, open the door and there it was. He said he'd bought it from some band member (didn't say which band or member) who had managed to scare himself with it!!!!!!
Looked pretty cool and had a lot of good period race type stuff on it, looked like it could have been a "weekend warrior" type of car in the States.
I will see if I can dig out the photo over the weekend sometime and post it up.
The shop (Cruisin') was run alongside the clothes shop, untill it's untimely demise. I worked there from the start.
Hot and Bothered, Small Fry and the bedford van were all built in the tinyest lock up in Pasons green, which just makes it even more amazing of the quality of these cars.

[jazz age rodder]

Found it. This was at a small "run" and "show and shine". The run started at the big hotel in East Grinstead and went to Lingfield Park racecourse. Attendees included....Matt & myself in the 3 window,Kevin Pilling in his 5 window, Jeff Beck in his recently aquired '32 roadster, John Wilkinson in his '32 sedan, Nick Butler in Revenge, Steve Elliot in Andromeda plus more that I can't remember (was a long time ago!!).

[randrhotrodimports]

Well done what a brilliant picture very few would have ever seen.

[MisteR Tee]

[quote=40Stude;7995].... When it sold it apparently went for a song.../quote]

Ho, Ho, Ho!:D

[MisteR Tee]

[quote=40Stude;7995]... When it sold it apparently went for a song.../quote]

Ho Ho Ho!

[40Stude]

Glad someone's awake Maurice, even if you are repeating yourself.

[Trad V8]

I was at Columbus in '78, a mere 19 years old, having travelled down from the Canadian Street Rod Nats with a bunch of rodders from a club in Montreal. I was absolutely stunned to see Small Fry slowing cruising towards me - and seem to remember that it was almost unique amongst a field of american rods.

[MisteR Tee]

Glad someone's awake Maurice, even if you are repeating yourself.
I was having trouble getting the quote to show properly, so tried it again & hey presto, two posts! Anyway, what were you doing up at that time of the night, get to bed & mend that leg!!

[motherofgod]

So can someone tell me if it is for sale?

James

[hershambob]

was that the same peter frampton that was the 2nd owner of pinball wizard as i worked for him once and we talked about pinball and his z28 camaro but he never said nowt about having a 32,,bob

[40Stude]

So can someone tell me if it is for sale?

James

In a word, no. If you read my post, the car is not for sale as such, so there is no 'buy it now' price. Like everything though, if someone wanted to make an offer, then if it were in the right area it may be considered. I can contact the owner but it's not my place to give his contact details without checking first. If you want to email or pm me off the forum we can see where we go from there. I'm not trying to be deliberately awkward, just as I said, last time I asked the car was not really for sale but who knows.

[edd brown]

to jaz age rodder ,have you any old photos of andromeda at that show ,
i have andromeda now but im collecting as meny old photos as poss
,plus i was chating to dicky whale two months back and he still has the big block in the garage ,,,baldy just left it there , baldy s not into rods anymore he,s into fishing,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,edd

[randrhotrodimports]

Ed, Heres a pic i took at the 79 Custom Car Show at Ally Pally, its when Small Fry And Andromeda were put on the stage.

http://usera.imagecave.com/39coupe/AllyPally79.jpg



to jaz age rodder ,have you any old photos of andromeda at that show ,
i have andromeda now but im collecting as meny old photos as poss
,plus i was chating to dicky whale two months back and he still has the big block in the garage ,,,baldy just left it there , baldy s not into rods anymore he,s into fishing,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,edd

[digger]

my pic of Andromeda is virtually the same as 39coupes, I'll see if I can find it, or any others I have. I have moved several times so not sure where or if I still have them.

[jazz age rodder]

Edd (joyfull), you have mail.

[edd brown]

russ your a stat thanks
criss ill phone you in the week as im working away in wales,, edd

[randrhotrodimports]

Anything for you Ed

[motherofgod]

No problem, STUDE I would like to see it back on the road again, as It's one of my favorites other than Pasturized express!

James

[Jim R]

I was at Columbus in '78, a mere 19 years old, having travelled down from the Canadian Street Rod Nats with a bunch of rodders from a club in Montreal. I was absolutely stunned to see Small Fry slowing cruising towards me - and seem to remember that it was almost unique amongst a field of american rods.

Off the back of the trip to the '78 Columbus Nats came this front cover pic and two page article, in the December '78 issue of Street Rodder...

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o233/theblackpig/smallfry1.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o233/theblackpig/smallfry2.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o233/theblackpig/smallfry3.jpg

[randrhotrodimports]

Nice one Jim, you hoard mags like me the mate lol.

[Paul B]

to jaz age rodder ,have you any old photos of andromeda at that show ,
i have andromeda now but im collecting as meny old photos as poss
,plus i was chating to dicky whale two months back and he still has the big block in the garage ,,,baldy just left it there , baldy s not into rods anymore he,s into fishing,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,edd

Edd, here's some pics EVERYBODY in the world has seen, but I still like to look at them :-)

(CC centre spread, with staples 'removed')

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/Cool%20cars/Andromedacentrespread.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/Cool%20cars/Andromeda2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/Pburgess68/Cool%20cars/Andromeda.jpg

[Jim R]

Nice one Jim, you hoard mags like me the mate lol.

Haha - yep! And that one was the first Street Rodder I ever bought...!