Doug and Janet Rice's 1932 Ford

Doug and Janet with the coupe and the roadster at the 1954 Bonneville Nationals. Photo courtesy of Doug Rice.

Doug and Janet on their way back home from the 1954 Bonneville Nationals. Photo courtesy of Doug Rice.

Doug and Janet's roadster as it looked in 1957. As it is often wet in Washington, Doug installed fenders on the car. Photo courtesy of Doug Rice.

1932 Ford Roadster owned by Clusters of Grays Harbor member Doug Rice and his wife Janet of Aberdeen, Washington. Doug and Janet bought the roadster from a guy in Los Angeles in 1954. The car had been restyled by Barris Kustoms and raced at El Mirage. It had been clocked at 131 mph, and it had no fuel pump. As you drove and power fell off, you had to use the hand pump. Before going to the Bonneville Nationals, Doug had Gaylord upholster his 1939 Ford coupe with a brand new red and white rolled and pleated interior. While getting the coupe upholstered, Doug had also Gaylord make a top for the roadster.

As it is wet in Washington, Doug put full fenders and running boards on the roadster after he returned home. He found the fenders and boards, and was worried about how to place the mounting holes as Barris had welded up all the holes and finished the frame. Luckily they had only brazed the holes, and all Doug had to do was to punch them out. Doug built a new dash for the roadster that featured recessed gauges. The dash was made so it would tip out, as Doug hated to work under and behind dashes.

Doug had a guy driving him crazy to buy the roadster. He and Janet were all tied up with horses, so they finally decided to sell the old hot rod off for $700 in the early 1960s. The owner, a Mr Daniels of Junction City, took the roadster down the road in parts, all finished up and ready to assemble. That same day Doug and Janet got a load of hay for $ 700. They fed the hay to the horses and shoveled it out back. Daniels never got the roadster back together again, and at sometime it went back to California. Since Doug sold the car, he has been checking out the dash in any '32 roadster he comes by, in order to try to spot his old car.