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An update for you on one of the Elite 75 '32's from Don Lindfors
The car listed as the Chuck Price Roadster should be known as the Price / Helmuth / Johnston Roadster. After appearing on the cover of the first issue of Rods & Customs it was repainted a darker red and sold to Jim Helmuth. Jim owned the car for about 4 years and with a succession of healthy Flatheads it was feared in the San Gabriel Valley as the baddest street racer around. Jim also raced it legitimately all over the southland including winning an NHRA meet in B Street Roadster on July 4th 1955. While Jim had the car he also had Von Dutch Pinstripe and add artwork to it. Under Jim's ownership the car was featured in the now defunct Speed Age and Rod Builder magazines. Around 1958 Jim sold the car to Chuck Johnston. Chuck continued to race the car and drive it on the street. He ended up removing the prominently positioned radio antenna and repainted it a darker red/brown. Eventually he swapped out the Flathead and put in a Chrysler Hemi. In 1961 while sleeping under the car in the pits at Fomosa for the Fuel & Gas Championships, a young man from Vegas woke him and offered an outrageous amount for the car, $1500.00. Chuck sold it to him and has regretted it ever since. The kid promptly crashed it and the car was never seen again.
Forward to 2006 and Don Lindfors of Altered Engineering in Orange, CA was contacted by Chuck Johnston to rebuild the car from what was left and have it ready for the 2007 celebration. Jim Helmuth has been instrumental with helping with details and photos as well.
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