Gordon Vann's 1917 Dodge

Gordon's roadster at a Oakland School Board meeting March 23, 1950. Seated with Vann in the roadster is Tom McManus, looking on at right are Ezra Ehrhardt and Jim Jordon. Photo from the Oakland Tribune.

1917 Dodge roadster owned and restyled by Gordon Vann of Gordon Vann's Body Shop. Gordon's roadster was modified with a DeSoto grille and Merucry power. According to Andy Graybeal, that helped Gordon design a couple of cars between 1953 and 1954, Gordon was a non-conformist. If you look at his 1917 Dodge roadster, he could have found a number of T-buckets and 1932 Ford radiator shells to use when he built the roadster, but he wanted an original. It featured a 1932 Ford frame.

Gordon entered his Dodge at the first Oakland Roadster Show in 1950. A photo of the car was featured in Ford Times January 1950, in a preview of some of the cars that were exhibited at the 1950 Oakland Roadster Show. In the magazine, the car is titled as a "street job," without mentioning its Dodge parts. At the time it featured a maroon exterior and yellow and white leatherette upholstery.

Magazine Features and Appearances

Ford Times January 1950