By: Bill Thorpe

Alan Danehy has always had a deep affection and admiration for the classic cars of the 1960s. In 1992 he found himself negotiating for a wrecked 1964 Chevrolet Impala convertible with no engine. He paid a junkyard dealer in Francisco, near Evansville, Ind., $1,500 and hauled the car back to Indianapolis.

The restoration was a labor of love, but family, work and other commitments cut into his time to devote to the project. 

A good friend donated a 327 stock engine that he sent out for a complete rebuild. The Powerglide two-speed transmission was still intact but also required rebuilding. The dashboard was destroyed, and GM did not offer restoration kits back then as they do today. He found various shops willing to work with him in restoring it.
Alan and four good friends spent many nights and weekends doing all the metal work on the body, restoring the quarter panels, rusted- out floor pans and trunk. A refurbishing kit for the interior, with all new materials, was ordered from after-market suppliers and fitted to the seats, including retro carpet. A new convertible top and wheels with rare Firestone Hawk tires brought the Impala back to life in 2013. To finish the car, a bright red paint scheme was chosen.

It took Alan 21 years of frustration and dedication to realize his dream. His smile was infectious as he told the tale of his Impala’s rebirth. He is always proud and happy to share his adventurous story at cruise-ins and car shows. 
​
Until next time, happy cruising!

By Brett Hickman

The world’s first mass-produced trucks appeared almost 100 years ago with Ford’s Model TT, which was derived from Ford’s highly successful Model T automobile. Only three were produced in 1917, and they cost $600, but interest and sales began to skyrocket in 1918.

This beautifully restored 1920 Model TT Tin Lizzy looks as good today as when it rolled off the Detroit assembly line almost 96 years ago. 

By 1920 the truck was in mass production and sought after by farmers and businesses. The trucking industry was beginning to blossom, and sales reflected this with 53,787 trucks produced. 
​
The Model TT was based almost entirely on the Model T’s frame, the difference being that the TT had a 125-inch wheelbase compared to the T’s 120-inch. It also had a slightly stronger frame. 

Interestingly enough, until 1924 the trucks were produced as a chassis only, meaning that the truck was assembled with only the frame, engine and doghouse. The buyer had to make the cab and body.
 
This Model TT represents what many trucks of the time looked like in finished form. A wide range of bodies were custom made by the owners, from a standard truck with a bed to school buses, paddy wagons and box trucks. There was no shortage of ideas and concepts applied to the TT.

The truck seen was torn down to the frame, and everything from the frame to the engine and all mechanical parts were restored, rebuilt or replaced. Some of the work had to be custom done because no replacement parts could be found. 

The truck still has its factory 177 cubic-inch, four-cylinder engine, which was way ahead of its time as it was credited as being the first flex-fuel engine. Ford called it a multi-fuel engine, meaning it could run on gasoline, kerosene, ethanol or alcohol. The engine, capable of producing 20 horsepower and a top speed of 45 mph, can still use various fuels, but it runs almost exclusively on gasoline with a little Marvel Mystery Oil added.
 
The truck, which is driven on a semi-regular basis, sports its original color, black – the only one available from 1912-26. Henry Ford was quoted as saying that customers could have a Model T or TT in any color they wished ... as long as it was black. Ford chose black due to its cheap cost and durability. Over the course of the Model T’s production run from 1908-27, everything on it was painted black. Ford tried more than 30 types of black paint during this time. 
​
After years of being in the same family and countless hours of restoration work, the road-ready and dependable truck is for sale for $8,500 – not a penny less. 
If you are ever in the Syracuse, Ind., area, you might pass this truck on the road.