Whole Network Austin Healey Automobilia Automotive Art Canadian Cars German Cars Great Drives Pony Cars

 

Meet "The Car Detectives"

Filed in archive As We See Things by Philip Powell on December 01, 2008

Missing GT

After becoming aware that countless people are seeking to be reunited with a car they once possessed, I think there's a possibility for a TV series with the above title. Every 13 weeks a former owner with a fascinating tale to tell would be the focus of a world-wide hunt culminating usually, but not always, with the finding of his or her car. A good start would be the home-made GT sports seen above, which my friend Nigel Matthews featured in his Vancouver Province newspaper article last week. Back in 1968 Hank Franczak spotted a fiberglass GT body, designed to use a VW Beetle engine and running gear, at Downtown Porsche in Toronto. Nigel relates that "the long-time hot rodder was captivated and immediately ordered a body kit."

'When the body arrived it was in 16 separate pieces and my brother Richard and I set about building it" said Franczak. "The shell was very poorly made. The doors wouldn't fit into the cavities and the roof was uneven." Nigel continues the story, "they rented a small lock-up garage in Agincourt, Ont., and spent many a cold winter's evening working on their project. Almost a year later, after drawing on parts cannibalized from a fleet of wrecks, it was finished. The recommended four-cylinder VW engine would not cut it so in went a 283-cid V-8 engine and a Corvair transaxle. The test drive went well and Franczak continued to enjoy the car for the next few years."

Hank had the good fortune to be transferred to Vancouver, BC, and brought the car with him. Shortly afterward he sold it to an engineering company in New Westminster, a nearby suburb. Like many of us who realise how foolishly we tossed aside former lovers, Hank Franczak is seeking to be reunited. (Hint to Hank: They're not the young beauties they once were. Be prepared for a few wrinkles and other signs of, uh, patina.) Now living back in Toronto, he's hoping to find his old car, which apparently has been seen on Vancouver Island. He says it was painted in "American Motors Big Bad Green." If anyone can provide leads, Franczak will certainly appreciate hearing from you. Write Hank at: lookingformycar@yahoo.ca






Permalink: Meet "The Car Detectives"
Tags: VW  Beetle  GT  sports  Corvair  Vancouver  Province  Downtown  Porsche  classic  vintage  antique  collector  ol 

Trackback: http://www.creative-weblogging.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.pl/138896



Advertisement


Advertisement


RSSrss   | See all blog subscribe options
Googlegoogle   |   What is RSS?
Yahoo!yahoo
AddthisAddThis Feed Button
BloglinesBloglines
Newsletter

Use the search to look for other interesting posts

 
  • Advertise with us

  • Learn more about our advertising options or email advertising - at - creative-weblogging.com or give Luis a call at +1 (650) 331 8047.


  • Other blogs in the same channel in the Creative Weblogging Network







 
Tagcloud: 1980's Cars AC Cars Alfa Romeo American Independents American Specials Antique Autos As We See Things Auctions Austin Healey Auto Shows Automobilia Automotive Art Aviation Barn Finds Bentley BMW Books British Cars Buick Cadillac Canadian Cars Catalogs Chevrolet Chrysler Classic Boats Classic Rentals Concours Design Deusenberg Electric Cars European Specials Famous Drivers Fashion Items Ferrari Ford French Cars Fun Events General Motors German Cars Gifts Great Drives Great Gifts Historic Transportation Hot Rods Italian Cars Jaguar Japanese Oldies Lincoln Media Sites Mercedes MG Model Cars Morgan Movies Muscle Cars Museums Oddball Autos Oldsmobile Our Story Photographs Plymouth Pontiac Pony Cars Porsche Private Collections Racers Rally/Retro-Rally Rare Europeans Record Breakers Replicas Restoration Roads to Remember Rolls-Royce Romantic Notions Sponsored Post Station Wagons Tech Stuff Test Drives Vintage Racing Vintage Rentals Vintage Vans