More reader questions this week. Here we go.
1980 Ford Shay Motors Pinto Roadster
Q: Greg you kind of left us car enthusiasts hanging on your mention of the Ford Model A with a Pinto undercarriage you mentioned in your Chrysler niche cars feature. A Pinto chassis and a ‘32 Ford body? What was it called? What did it look like? In case you want to know, I get your features from the Owego Pennysaver. I had no idea it existed, and I’m a Ford fan. Thanks, Mike from Owego, N.Y.
A: Mike, I received several letters and emails concerning this niche car Ford, but it was a 1927/1928 Model A instead of the 1932 I recalled. So, I called Sunbury Motors in Sunbury, Pa., where back in 1979 the owner, the late Dick Mertz, showed me this car in person.
The 1980 Ford Shay Roadster was available for purchase at Ford dealers and built entirely on the Ford Pinto chassis. It featured Ford’s popular inline 4-cylinder engine and a C4 automatic or a 4-speed manual. (Shay Motors)
A couple of my memory slip “upgrades” are necessary. This car was built by Harry Shay and his Detroit based Shay Motors as a Model A Ford replica with the full blessing of Ford Motor Company. Further, you could walk into your Ford dealer back then and buy one, thus my memory of seeing this car in person at Sunbury Motors in Sunbury, Pa. is thankfully, correct. Unfortunately, Shaw filed for bankruptcy and ceased production in 1982.
The Shay Pinto Roadster’s fiberglass body featured everything that was good in the late 1920s, including the popular rumble seat feature that allowed a few more passengers to enjoy the open-air ride. (Shay Motors)
Officially called the Ford Shay Roadster, it utilized a Model A Ford fiberglass replica body from with entire Ford Pinto underpinnings. The Internet is loaded with photos and information, and Shay Motors built a total of 5,000 of these unique cars. The 88-horsepower, 140-cubic inch 4-cylinder engine mated to either a C4 Ford automatic or a 4-speed manual, making for a nice daily driver thanks to its modern brake and suspension components. For collectors who are interested, the Ford Shay pops up every now and then and to this day is priced very reasonably at an average of $11 to $15K.
I want to thank current salesperson Mike Stasney, a lifelong used car dealer / salesman and baby-boomer still employed at Sunbury Motors, as he helped me track down the information that Sunbury Motors did indeed have this rare Ford Shay Roadster for sale.
1956 Plymouth ‘Road Runner’
Q: Hi Greg and I just finished reading your article in our Bloomsburg Press Enterprise about the Plymouth cars back in the 1950s.
I was a proud owner of a 1956 Plymouth Belvedere convertible with a 318-horsepower engine. I installed a 3/4-cam and dual glass pack mufflers and it had the push-button automatic. Its color was snow white over burgundy. I’m not sure what year the first Road Runner came out, but my ‘road runner’ decals went on in 1958. My Plymouth may have been a first.
Although this photo is a bit rough, reader Dale Creveling of Stillwater, Pa. remembers fondly his 1956 Plymouth ‘Road Runner’ Belvedere convertible. (Creveling collection)
I wish I had the car back as it was a sweet machine. I enjoy your nostalgia car columns and the 1950s was a great time to grow up. I am in my 80s now and have included some of photos of my Plymouth. Keep up the articles! Thank you, Dale Creveling, Stillwater, Pa.
A: Dale, thank you for you kind words and letting us know about that hot ’56 Plymouth ‘Road Runner’ you owned. Although you didn’t tell us which brand of 3/4-cam you put in your car, I would think it was a Clay Smith grind as his promotional “Mr. Horsepower” logo to this day is the wild woodpecker, identical to your decals and somewhat similar to the Road Runner cartoon character that appeared on the first and subsequent Road Runner Plymouths starting in 1968.
As for your ’56 Road Runner, I’m impressed and thanks for your letter and photos.
Love those Mini Coopers
Q: I own a 2005 Mini Cooper, and love it. It is the most fun car I ever owned. What is the origin on the Mini and what company built it, as I’m told BMW was not the original builder of the Cooper in the 1960s. Thanks, Carol L., Spokane, Washington
A: Carol, the first Mini Coopers were designed by the British Motor Corporation
(BMC), which would one day become British Leyland, parent of Jaguar. BMC was the largest British car company of its day and in 1952, some 40-percent of British output came from BMC including cars like the Austin, Morris, MG, and my personal favorite, the Austin-Healey 3000.
Dale Creveling applied a Clay Smith Cams decal to the sides of his hot ’56 Plymouth. Similar in some ways to the 1968 Road Runner, it is actually the decal that to this day is popular and is known as “Mr. Horsepower,” the wacky woodpecker. (Clay Smith Cams)
Mini Coopers are clever little cars that always did well in road course racing thanks to excellent weight to power ratio. On smaller tracks Coopers regularly beat some bigger, more powerful competition because of the tight turn and short straights.
British Leyland dropped the Mini in 1971, and the car was then built by a list of successors, the last being Rover. Then in 1994 BMW took control of the Rover Group, which included the Mini and in 2001 BMW re-introduced the MINI Cooper to a thrilled and waiting U.S. market.
Today, Mini Coopers still are under BMW’s watchful eye, which is all the better. And to the original founder of the Mini, racer / builder John Cooper, thanks for a great little car.
1969 Chevelle electrical woes
Q: Greg I always wanted a ’69 Chevelle and finally found one at a fair price a few years ago. However it is now not road worthy and I am not mechanically inclined. It does have a good crate 350-V8 engine and is a two-door Malibu.
The biggest problem is the wiring under the dash. It looks like a mish-mash and the electrical keeps shorting out and stalling the engine.
Any recommendations? If I don’t find someone to do this work I may just sell the car, which I really don’t want to do. Thanks, Johnny, email from Maryland.
A: Johnny, don’t give up just yet. Electrical problems are a major pain; so first make sure your battery connections are solid, as any problem there could shut off your engine.
If the battery connections are good, I recommend a complete new wiring harness, available from places like Jegs, Summit, Speedway Motors, and many other high-performance online stores. I used a Painless Performance wiring harness in my 1970 Camaro racecar, and it was flawless. However, there are also other wiring harness companies that can fill your need. Visit www.painlessperformance.com for information if you want to look a bit further into my recommendation.
Next, move methodically along the mechanical end utilizing a good, local garage for your installation work. Once you get the new harness installed and your ’69 Chevelle is running, I think you’ll feel much better about it. You can then concentrate on bodywork, paint, and interior upgrades as your budget allows. Keep checking the area independent garages and body shops and in due time, I’m hoping your frustrations disappear. Good luck.
(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader questions on collector cars, auto nostalgia and motorsports at greg@gregzyla.com or at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, Pa. 18840.)
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