Eugene Von Arx Jr.

Eugene Von Arx, "Baldy" Bob Baldwin, George Homer and Fred "Tiger" Baymiller with Arnold Birner's 1928 Ford Model A Roadster at Harper Pony Express Station. Photo courtesy of James Donoho.

George Homer, Arnold Birner, and Eugene Von Arx next to Eugene's Modified Roadster at Arnold's house. Photo courtesy of James Donoho.

The Eugene Von Arx Special of California. Built in 1940 by Bungholers of Hollywood member Eugene Von Arx Jr., the Eugene Von Arx Special is a rare prewar custom roadster that fused dry lakes performance with high-end coachbuilding. Designed and hand-formed by Eugene's father, an alum of the Walter M. Murphy Company and Don Lee Coachworks, the body featured Art Deco styling, 1937 Chevrolet and 1937 Oldsmobile lighting, and a split Duvall windshield. The chassis was crafted by Frank Kurtis using twin 1939 Chevrolet frames, and the car was powered by a rare Riley OHV-equipped Ford flathead V8. It recorded a 114.4 MPH run at El Mirage in May 1942. In August 2025, this early piece of California hot rod history returned to the spotlight, offered at Mecum's Monterey Auction.

Eugene Von Arx Jr. was a founding member of the Bungholers car club in Hollywood, California. In 1940, with help from his father—a classically trained coachbuilder, Von Arx Jr. commissioned the creation of the Von Arx Special, a one-off roadster built for dry lakes racing. The car featured a custom body hand, formed by his father, Eugene Von Arx Sr., and a modified chassis by legendary builder Frank Kurtis. Powered by a Riley OHV-equipped flathead Ford V-8, the roadster clocked 114.4 MPH at El Mirage on May 8, 1942. While little else is known about Von Arx Jr.’s involvement in hot rodding beyond this project, the Special remains a significant piece of early California hot rod history.

Eugene Von Arx Jr.'s Cars

Eugene Von Arx Modified Roadster
The Eugene Von Arx Special