David Rolin's 1957 Ford

Late in 1956 Dave had Dick Bertolucci of Bertolucci Body & Fender Shop shave the hood, trunk and door handles on the brand new Ford. After Bertolucci had done his magic, Dick Katayanagi of Katayanagi Custom Paint temporarily pinstriped the primer spots and a few details for Dave early in 1957. Dave had named his under progress custom the Tormentor, and Dick pinstriped this name on the hood of the car. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

A close up of the pinstriping Dick did on the hood. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

The taillight on Dave's Ford being constructed at Harris' Body Shop mid to late 1957. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

The stock taillights were deeply recessed in 8 inch deep tunnels. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

The Tormentor was Dave's daily driver during the build. This photo from 1957 shows it after Dick Bertolucci had radiused the rear wheel wells, removed the rear bumper and installed a rear pan, and after Harris Body Shop had done their thing with the car. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

During the build Dave campaigned the Tormentor at Lodi Drag Strip nearly every Sunday. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

The front was restyled by Harris Body Shop to accept a 1957 DeSoto bumper-grille, and 1957 Chrysler Windsor quad headlights. The headlights were tunneled in a 9 inch deep opening trimmed with unusual beaks finished off in round rod. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

The Tormentor at the 1958 Sacramento Autorama. The show was held from February 7 to February 9. This was before the upholstery in the Ford was done, so Dave showed it with fogged windows. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Another photo from the 1958 Sacramento Autorama. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

Dave's exhibitor pass from the 1958 Sacramento Autorama.

The first version of Dave's Ford, as it appeared when it was featured in Hot Rod Magazine November 1958. This version was lowered 8 inches up front, and 4 inches in the rear, for a more hot rod rake. These photos were also taken before the car was pinstriped. Photo by Dick Katayanagi, courtesy of Hot Rod Magazine.

Dave posing proudly next to his first custom. Photo by Dick Katayanagi, courtesy of Hot Rod Magazine.

Photo by Dick Katayanagi, courtesy of Hot Rod Magazine.

Photo by Dick Katayanagi, courtesy of Hot Rod Magazine.

Photo by Dick Katayanagi, courtesy of Hot Rod Magazine.

A letter from Dick Day of Car Craft and Custom Cars Magazines, telling Dave that they wanted to do a featured story on his Ford. Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

A lower, and pinstriped version of Dave's Ford. This photo of Dave's Ford from 1958 was used on the cover of Trend Book 189 Custom Cars 1960 Annual. When this photo was taken, the car had been lowered 9 inches up front and 7 inches in the rear. Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

The cover of Trend Book 189 Custom Cars 1960 Annual, featuring Dave's Ford and four Joe Bailon customs.

A photo of Dave with the Ford from Trend Book 189 Custom Cars 1960 Annual. Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

In the late 1950s Dave served as an apprentice to Dick Katayanagi at Katayanagi Custom Paint. In 1958 Dave and Dick gave the car a scallop paint job. These photos were taken while the duo were masking the scallops. Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

The scalloped version of the Tormento was featured in Trend Book 181 Custom Show Cars. Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

Photo courtesy of Trend Books.

This photo, of the scalloped version of the Tormentor was published in Motor Trend November 1958.

The car with the name painted on the trunk. Photo courtesy of Dave Rolin.

Dave tattooed the name of his precious custom across his shoulders. Photo courtesy of David Rolin.

1957 Ford owned by Cal Creepers of Sacramento member David "Dave" Rolin of Sacramento, California. After building up four hot rods, Dave decided that he wanted a custom car, so he bought a brand new 1957 Ford late in 1956. He was 18 years old at the time and the Ford was his daily driver, so the projects became an ongoing work in progress for Dave. After buying the car, he took it to talented customizer Dick Bertolucci of Bertolucci Body & Fender Shop to have the hood, trunk and door handles filled. After Bertolucci had done his magic, Dick Katayanagi of Katayanagi Custom Paint temporarily pinstriped the primer spots and a few details for Dave early in 1957. Dave had named his custom the Tormentor, and Dick pinstriped this name on the hood of the car. Later on, Dick Bertolucci removed the sidetrim, radiused the wheel wells and rolled a rear pan for the under progress custom. Exhaust tips were routed trough the pan. Dave then took it to a local shop, to have five rows of louvers punched into the hood. Mid to late 1957, Dave had Harris Body Shop restyle the front end, taillights and more. The front was restyled to accept a 1957 DeSoto bumper-grille, and 1957 Chrysler Windsor quad headlights. The headlights were tunneled in a 9 inch deep opening trimmed with unusual beaks finished off in round rod. Concave and convex paneling in the reworked fenders formed airscoops. An antenna was installed inside each of the scoops. A mouth cavity was formed from 1 3/4 inches conduit, and the gaps above and below the bar were filled out with expanded metal. The front corners on the shaved hood were rounded to match the grille contour. In the back, the stock taillights were deeply recessed in 8 inch deep tunnels and trimmed with 1950 Ford dash knobs. Back up lights were set in the fins. The decklid was extended downward to meet the hand formed panel that Dick Bertolucci had made for the car. A beaked license plate frame was made. Dave served as an apprentice to Dick Katayanagi in the late 1950s, and after Harris had restyled the car, Dave and Dick painted the car in a two-toned Burgundy Mist and Caribbean Flame paint job. Moon-disc type hubcaps and padded lakes pipes wrapped up the style. This version of the Tormentor was completed in February of 1958. February 7 - 9 it was shown at the 8th annual Autorama & Motor Sports Review. The upholstery was not done in time for the show, so Dave showed it with fogged windows. Dick Katayanagi photographed this version of the car for Hot Rod Magazine. According to the Hot Rod Magazine November 1958 article, the front A-frames were kicked up for a 8 inch drop, while the back came down only 4 inches with a set of blocks. The result was a rake that according to the story sure was a tip-off to David's rodding background. Later on, Dave lowered the Ford more in the back as well, and when the 1958 version of the car was featured in Trend Book 189 Custom Cars 1960 Annual the car had been lowered 9 inches up front, and 7 inches in the rear.

During the build Dave campaigned the Tormentor at Lodi Drag Strip nearly every Sunday. The first version of Dave's custom was featured in Hot Rod Magazine November 1958. Later on the same year, the car was photographed by Car Craft and Custom Cars Magazines. By then it had received some distinct pinstriping by Dick Katayanagi. This version of the car landed the cover of Trend Book 189 Custom Cars 1960 Annual. A story spanning over two pages was featured in the book. Mid 1958, Dave and Dick gave the car a copper/bronze scallop paint job. The scalloped version of the Tormentor was shown in Trend Book 181 Custom Show Cars.

Unfortunately Dave lost his custom to the bank. The bank went on and sold it to a used car lot. After the bank had repossessed it, it had had an engine fire, and the hood had been repainted in a terrible shade of purple enamel. The all white interior had been trashed, and the front end had been raised back to stock. The last Dave heard was that the car had been purchased by an Air Force sergeant around 1959, and that he had taken it to Texas.

Magazine Features

Hot Rod Magazine November 1958
Motor Trend November 1958
Trend Book 181 Custom Show Cars
Trend Book 189 Custom Cars 1960 Annual