Gibson car 1947 ...

[Mark Allen M]

Still needs some body work but runs smooth!!




Caption states: "Man with homemade car built with fuselage of P-51 airplane, Illinois 1947"
WRG-00073874


Source: http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/coll ... 63/id/7969
WRG-00073875

[Jesse C.]

Would love to know the back story on this one! Some used P-38 Belly Tanks to make lake racers, this guy used almost the whole plane!

[Tourist-51]

Wonderful! It's the first time I've seen this one.
This Mustang was a F-6D or F-6K, you can still see the access door for the camera on the rear fuselage as well as the insulator and mounting plate for the MN-26 radio compass antennas (wire and loop respectively).
The shape of the rear canopy looks to me like the Dallas style, possibly indicating a F-6K but it's hard to be sure at that angle.

[Dan K]

Pics are from the McLean County Museum of History.

The highway signs in the background suggest US highways 51 and (old route) 66. I think the only place those two routes used to overlap is in Normal/Bloomington. Perhaps the folks at Prairie Aviation Museum in Bloomington know more to the story?

https://prairieaviationmuseum.org/

[JohnB]

No one has made the (overly) obvious joke...
An early Ford Mustang prototype.

The engine sports Edelbrock finned heads.
Likely a flathead Ford.
Too bad they didn't put a Lincoln or Cadillac V-12 in it.

[Michel Lemieux]

No one has made the (overly) obvious joke...
An early Ford Mustang prototype.

Funny John!

[Chris Brame]

Not the only one?

[Craig59]

Yep, definitely a flathead Ford. Not Edelbrock finned alum8num heads though;something ending in O R. Dual Stromberg carbs.

[JohnB]

While I looked at the photo on my tablet (i.e. Not the largest screen) I based my ID on the script in the semi-circular style...Edelbrock uses the same logo design today. Also, I counted the cooling fins.

Check it out...search Edelbrock flathead.

[Craig59]

While I looked at the photo on my tablet (i.e. Not the largest screen) I based my ID on the script in the semi-circular style...Edelbrock uses the same logo design today. Also, I counted the cooling fins.

Check it out...search Edelbrock flathead.

Edelbrock doesn’t end in O R but, GRANCOR does.

Attachments

[junkman9096]

I've definitely seen photos of that seat used in post-war hot rods. Even modern day ones with a more "artistic" bent.

[JohnB]

Craig

Thanks....never heard of that firm.

[Geedee]

That's a pretty cool idea !. Maybe I should think about doing something on the same lines with my 'OMT'...would certainly make getting to shows / events easier !

[airnutz]

Craig

Thanks....never heard of that firm.

But you probably have heard of the Granatelli Brothers? Items of some of their Grancor speed equipment produced from '46 to the mid 50's.

[airnutz]

I've definitely seen photos of that seat used in post-war hot rods. Even modern day ones with a more "artistic" bent.

That seat, produced by Warren MacArthur, was common to early-to-late P-51's and some T-6's. The earlier ones were welded up assemblies. In a move to reduce costs and speed up production the later versions riveted together. For about 35 years I had one of the early ones I had found in an abandoned barn near Randolph AFB. It hung in my foyer for years as a key and change catcher. I sold my WarrenMac SK-2016 for 600 bux on ebay a coupla years ago. Prolly coulda got a bit mor for it...but I reaaaalllly needed to pay a bill.

Funny thing...the summer before I knew the details of the seat I tried to sell my "warbird seat" on Craigslist Houston, with some wing ribs and other vintage aircraft bits as "mancave wallhangers" for $200...didn't get one reply! Thank Gawwd!