Interesting website on "Scrape"

[CBoz]

I guess I've about had my fill of cliche streetrods, so time to vent a little . . .

Here's Terry Cook's posting regarding the history of Scrape. Some of you I'm sure have read it before. In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that my opinion of Scrape is about as high as the car's ground clearance. But a couple of points to ponder:

1. Interesting what he thinks about the Zephyr club members -- evidently, all crusty old farts, who he evidently doesn't mind lying to under the guise of helping a fellow "restorer." Gee, what a swell guy.

2. The car hardly looks like the rusted-out basketcase it's been made out to be. Dirty and covered with pidgeon-poo? Sure, but so what?

3. It's E.T. Gregorie -- *E.T. Gregorie* -- not E.L. Gregory. Geez, if you're going to rip-off another guy's work, at least get his name right. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Comments for and against are welcome. I'm in a fightin' mood <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

http://www.decorides.com/elementsofstyle.htm

[imported_Phil Knapp]

I'm with you Cecil. "Scrape" was an interesting project - at the time, but the original E. T. Gregorie styling is timeless. The story I heard was that several "restorers" had already passed on the car, so it was probably in pretty bad shape. To add insult to injury, Cook built "Scrape" on a CHEVY chassis! How ordinary can you get?

Somewhere I read a piece about "Scrape" (perhaps in TWOTZ, I don't remember) stating that the original owner, after hearing about the initial acceptance of "Scrape", invited Terry Cook to bring the car "home" for a local car show. Cook's response was that the car was already booked for a European tour. Besides, he had already recouped over half of its construction cost and that his fee for appearances was something on the order of $1200. "Scrape" subsequetly sold for $250,000 and wound up in the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles.

Check out the attached photos of Mike Gellers 1938 Zephyr coupe next to "Scrape" at the California Car Cover Company "NSRA Appreciation Day" a few years ago. Photos from lzoc.org "links" website.

Narrative that accompanied the photos: "And if that's not enough, here's what a R-E-A-L '38 coupe looks like next to "Scrape". Several onlookers said they liked the original better. Judge for yourself."

Notice which car the spectators are looking at!

[CBoz]

Thanks for the link, Phil. IMHO, messing with the original Gregorie lines is like putting a push-up bra on Dolly Parton. Also makes me glad Gregorie wasn't a rodder when he worked for Edsel -- otherwise, instead of having the original Continental, Edsel would have gotten a '39 Zephyr that looked like it had gone through "Pimp My Ride." <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[imported_Phil Knapp]

"Scrape" set off a rash of "fad" customizing of Lincoln Zephyr coupes which has hopefully run it's course. There's nothing that can be done to improve those cars! Not even those *HUGE*, *UGLY* wheels!

The beige and bronze '38 Zephyr was voted "America's most beautiful street rod" a couple of years ago and it brought $400,000 at Barrett-Jackson. It retained the original styling and actually looks pretty nice. It even has a totally tricked-out V-12 engine.

On the other hand, the yellow and black '38 Zephyr totally missed the mark. What else can be said?

By the way Cecil, have you put any of your Gilmore event photos on line yet?

Jeff Booth will be sending me a CD with some of his photos of that event. I'm planning on adding them to his and Michael Lynch's pictures on the Webshots photo album at: http://community.webshots.com/album/554143472NkqHXU

[Mike Cullen]

I appreciate the work that goes into building a streetrod, however this guy's attitude sucks. Lying and being a weasel to procure a car only for the sheetmetal. (there had to be parts wagons available, he wanted a good starting point so he chopped a restorable car) It frosts me to see guys chopping up complete cars, but when the victim is a low production car to start with, it's far worse. Frankly, it's not nearly as painful to see a common high production car falling under the "blue wrench". A Zephyr with annual production numbers in the 4 digit to barely 5 digit range should be spared that ignoble fate. Of course, once you own it, it's yours to do with as you see fit, but it doesn't mean that many of us "old codgers" wouldn't gladly kick you square in the nuts if we got the chance. It's funny how in the article he tells of all the great features on the original, then how he "improved" on it, but the pictures used are mostly original sales literature artwork and photos. Example: modified the console and added the video screen under the speedo, but then shows the picture of an original, without the side by side with his "improved" version. The bottom line is that it is all about money to him, not a love for antique autos.

At least the production line in St. Pete is turning out glass bodies for rods. Call them "Zephyr-inspired" and have a ball.

[AceCollins]

I hate it when any rare, classic restorable car is chopped and rodded. As a guy who owns a 36 Cord, 34 Auburn and 37 Zephyr, I cannot believe anyone would chop any of these rare cars. Yet in the last month have seen a rodded Cord 810 and 34 and 36 Auburn. This to go with what the scrape car could have been does not set well with me.

[no more]

yea..pretty sad..but it still has graced the pages of twotz....go figure.

jb