Bob Hagerty's 1931 Ford

A photo of Jade East from Bob's album. Photo courtesy of Bob Hagerty.

Bob's tudor gained national recognition when it was featured in Car Craft October 1965. According to the story it was one of the wildest sedans ever built. Photo courtesy of Bob Hagerty.

A photo of Bob with his show rod from Car Craft October 1965. Photo by R. F. Bissell, courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

The body was lowered by channeling the body 13 inches over the original frame. 1961 Pontiac taillights and a license plate were tunneled above a small tubing nerf bar in the rear. Photo by R. F. Bissell, courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

Bob ran M&H Blackwall pie crust slicks on American Torq-Thrust wheels in the rear. "I had gotten in touch with American Racing," Bob told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2020, "and they made the rear Torq-Thrust wheels for my car. I can't remember how much they cost. I bet it took every dime I could save." The Torq-Thrust Original is a reproduction of the wheel that Bob ordered in 1963. It is still in production and can be ordered through Amazon.com. Click here to check out Kustomrama's Guide to American Racing Torq-Thrust Wheels.

Flat sheet metal stock was used to form rear fenders fairing from the front of the doors. Horizontal fins carried them over air scoop screens. Photo by R. F. Bissell, courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

Dave's trim of Baltimore installed an interior of Metalflake Gold Naugahyde in the car. The stock dash was redesigned to accept Stewart-Warner gauges. A 1954 Chevrolet steering column was mounted in a vertical position with an Oldsmobile steering wheel. Photo by R. F. Bissell, courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

Power came from a hopped up 327 Chevrolet engine that ran a dual quad Weiand intake-manifold. Photo by R. F. Bissell, courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

Chromed outdoor headers and a collector box scavenged gases for hidden mufflers. Photo by R. F. Bissell, courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

1931 Ford Model A tudor sedan owned and built by Bob Hagerty of Wheaton, Maryland. Bob was a member of the Coach Masters of Wheaton, and he began building the tudor in 1963, when he was in high school. At the time he worked for Calfax Motors of Maryland as a helper.

The Bet

Bob, who had been interested in cars for 6 years, had to learn how to weld, paint, be a body and fender man, and do mechanical work in order to pull off the build. Don Kilby and Paul Osman ran a shop down the street from Bob. First, he went to them to have the frame welded. The amount of money they wanted was too much for Bob, so that made him learn how to weld, and the do paint and bodywork. In 2016 Bob told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that he started building it on a $60.00 bet that he would never finish a car; "Well I won the money!" The body was lowered by channeling it 13 inches over the original frame. Flat sheet metal stock was used to form rear fenders fairing from the front of the doors. Horizontal fins carried them over air scoop screens. 1961 Pontiac taillights and a license plate were tunneled above a small tubing nerf bar in the rear. The roof featured a Plexiglas insert. Up front it ran a custom made grille, dual headlights and custom made nerf bar.

Chevy Power

Power came from a hopped up 327 Chevrolet engine that ran a dual quad Weiand intake-manifold. Chromed outdoor headers and a collector box scavenged gases for hidden mufflers. The engine compartment featured plenty of chrome, and even the A frames were dipped. A 1954 Ford rear end was connected to a stock 1963 Chevrolet transmission through an open driveline. In the rear it ran M&H Blackwall piecrust slicks on American Torq-Thrust wheels. "I had gotten in touch with American Racing," Bob told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2020, "and they made the rear Torq-Thrust wheels for my car. I can't remember how much they cost. I bet it took every dime I could save."

Upholstery by Dave's Trim

Dave's trim of Baltimore installed an interior of Metalflake Gold Naugahyde in the car. The stock dash was redesigned to accept Stewart-Warner gauges. A 1954 Chevrolet steering column was mounted in a vertical position with an Oldsmobile steering wheel. It received a Cadillac Fire Mist Green paint job.

Jade East

The build took two years, and it was showed on the East Coast as the "Jade East." "I remember the first ride because it scared the hell out of me!" Bob told Kustomrama. "I did a wheelie the first time I drove it. I did not drive it much. Just to shows. I was scared that someone would hit me."

The 1964 Ram Rods Rod and Custom Car Show

The Jade East was shown at the 1964 Ram Rods Rod and Custom Car Show at the DC Armory where it won an award for Most Popular car in the show. The car was in about 4 or 5 shows, and it won every one of them. Two or three times in the Ram Rods show.

Car Craft October 1965

The Jade East landed a featured story in Car Craft October 1965. According to the story it was one of the wildest sedans ever built.

Sold

Bob sold the car about 1969. He lost track of it after he sold it, and in 2016 he couldn't remember who he sold it to, but he believed it went to Norfork, Virginia.

Magazine Features and Appearances

Car Craft October 1965