Ed Ward's 1932 Ford Roadster

A photo of Ed Ward with the roadster taken in 1958. Ed bought it from Augie Pabst, who ran Pabst Motors, a used car dealership in Milwaukee. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

A photo of Ed and his wife Peggy before they were married. The photo was taken on prom night. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

Before Ed's ownership, the car's history remains somewhat shrouded in mystery. It is believed that the vehicle was previously owned by Tom Friedmann, a Milwaukee resident, and it was rumored that the vehicle might have been involved in racing events at Elkhart Lake. However, the specifics of this racing history have not been conclusively confirmed. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

A rear end shot with the top on. When Ed bought the car, it ran bobbed fenders in the back and motorcycle-type fenders up front. It was dressed up with nerf bars front and back. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

In March of 2023, later owner Jeff Bloedorn told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that Ed drove the car until September of 1959. "Tired of the unreliability of the Flathead, he yanked it out and sold it. He and his friend started installing a Buick Nailhead, but never got it finished, and the car sat." Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

In 2011 Chadly Johnson was talking to a coworker who claimed that his father-in-law had a 1932 Ford Roadster. Photographs of the car in its original state were shared, piquing the interest of Chadly. Back then, Chadly wrote for Traditional Rod and Kulture Magazine, so he proposed photographing the car for a story. Ed agreed, so Chadly and Jeff Bloedorn checked it out. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

The car hadn't been on the road since 1959 when Chadly and Jeff went to check it out and photograph it. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

A blanket hiding the partly installed Buick Nailhead engine. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

A photo of Jeff Bloedorn with the body. "While we were there, I talked to Ed about the car and his plans for it," Bloedorn told Kustomrama, adding that they ran thru some ideas that Ed was going to think about. Subsequently, a decision was made to breathe new life into the roadster by performing mechanical work and reinstalling a flathead engine. "I picked up the car and brought it back to Minnesota and dug into it." Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

The Flathead easily went back into place as very few mods were done to make room for the Nailhead. Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloedorn - East Side Speed Shop.

According to Jeff, "It was a very well-built car back in the day." Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloedorn - East Side Speed Shop.

The car was completed and returned to Ed in March of 2013. Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloedorn - East Side Speed Shop.

Ed started driving the car in the summer of 2013. It had sat for 56 years, so he was very happy to have it back on the road. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

Ed Ward's love for the roadster endured for several years until his passing in June 2021 at the age of 80. As a tribute to his memory and appreciation for the car, the family embarked on a mission to find the most fitting way to pass on the vehicle's legacy. It was decided that the car would be sold, and the proceeds from the sale would benefit Ed's grandchildren, aligning with his wishes. Jeff made an offer on the car early on, but it wasn't accepted. After a year of deliberation, Jeff's offer was finally accepted, solidifying his role as the new custodian of Ed's beloved roadster. Photo courtesy of Ed Ward.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloedorn - East Side Speed Shop.

1932 Ford Roadster owned by Ed Ward of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Tom Friedmann Rumors

The story of this 1932 Ford Roadster begins with its purchase by Ed Ward in 1958. Before Ed's ownership, the car's history remains somewhat shrouded in mystery. It is believed that the vehicle was previously owned by Tom Friedmann, a Milwaukee resident, and it was rumored that the vehicle might have been involved in racing events at Elkhart Lake. However, the specifics of this racing history have not been conclusively confirmed.

Tragically, Friedmann met his end in 1955 while racing his Maserati at Road America near Elkhart Lake, adding an air of mystique to the car's early days. The transition from Tom's ownership to Ward's is unclear, but Ed bought it from Augie Pabst, who ran Pabst Motors, a used car dealership in Milwaukee.

Ed Ward's Ownership and Transformations

In March of 2023, later owner Jeff Bloedorn told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that Ed drove the car until September of 1959. "Tired of the unreliability of the Flathead, he yanked it out and sold it. He and his friend started installing a Buick Nailhead, but never got it finished, and the car sat."

Fast forward to 2011, Chadly Johnson was talking to a coworker who claimed that his father-in-law had a 1932 Ford Roadster. Photographs of the car in its original state were shared, piquing the interest of Chadly. Back then, Chadly wrote for Traditional Rod and Kulture Magazine, so he proposed photographing the car for a story. Ed agreed. Jeff Bloedorn of East Side Speed Shop tagged along. "While we were there I talked to Ed about the car and his plans for it," Bloedorn told Kustomrama, adding that they ran thru some ideas that Ed was going to think about. Subsequently, a decision was made to breathe new life into the roadster by performing mechanical work and reinstalling a flathead engine. "I picked up the car and brought it back to Minnesota and dug into it. It was a very well-built car back in the day. The Flathead easily went back into place as very few mods were done to make room for the Nailhead." The car was completed and returned to Ed in March of 2013. "He started driving the car that summer. The car had sat for 56 years so Ed was very happy to have it back on the road."

Legacy and Transition

Ed Ward's love for the roadster endured for several years until his passing in June 2021 at the age of 80. As a tribute to his memory and appreciation for the car, the family embarked on a mission to find the most fitting way to pass on the vehicle's legacy. It was decided that the car would be sold. Jeff made an offer on the car early on, but it wasn't accepted. After a year of deliberation, Jeff's offer was finally accepted, solidifying his role as the new custodian of Ed's beloved roadster.