Leroy Brooks' 1953 Ford

A photo of the Purple Pelican taken at the Detroit Autorama. Photo from The Robert Genat Collection.

Paul Hatton pinstriping the scallops on the car in 2010. Photo courtesy of Gary Oliver.

Paul Hatton's van parked outside Leroy's shop. Photo courtesy of Gary Oliver.

Photo courtesy of Gary Oliver.

Leroy holding up the grille for the car. Photo courtesy of Gary Oliver.

Leroy showing off the new taillights for the car. Photo courtesy of Gary Oliver.

1953 Ford restyled by the Alexander Brothers for Leroy Brooks. The car is also known as the Purple Pelican.

According to Leroy's nephew, Thomas Liedel, the Ford was the first car Leroy ever bought. He got it while he was in high school, and it was also his only custom car. "He had the A Brothers do it a little at a time while he was still in High School, working for Kroger’s, he eventually retired from there!" Leroy told Thomas that some guys once stole his Appleton spotlights and he chased them down with his car and after a little fighting, he got them back!

The Restoration

In 2019 Thomas told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that his uncle never sold or changed the car. "10 years ago he transported it to my father's body shop, Len Liedel Body Shop in Ringgold, Georgia, where it underwent a major resurrection." According to Thomas, the body was ruff from sitting for all those years in his garage, and barn. "The pelican underwent a complete frame-off restoration. The flathead was frozen and busted, the front cross member was removed, it now has a late model cougar cross member, rack and pinion steering, disc brakes, sway bar, along with the complete drive train. The car still looks exactly as it did when it was in the circuit, with the exception of a roofline scoop added to the rear of the roof similar to a 58 Impala." Thomas painted the car at the Lookout Valley High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he teaches. After Thomas had painted the car, it went back to Leroy for final assembly and completion. In 2010 Paul Hatton stopped by Leroy's place to pinstripe the scallops.