Ala Kart (custom car)

Ala Kart is a custom car, a customized 1929 Ford Model A roadster pickup, built by George Barris, Richard Peters, and Mike "Blackie" Gejeian in 1957. Originally owned by Peters, it is a two-time winner of the Grand National Roadster Show "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" (AMBR) trophy (1958 and 1959) and Hot Rod cover car in October 1958. Featured in hundreds of car shows, Ala Kart has won more than 200 trophies. It has also made numerous appearances in movies, usually in the background of drive-in shots, and dozens of magazine articles since. It is considered "one of the most iconic hot rods ever built."

Ala Kart was begun as a project in 1956, and built during 1956 and 1957. The name was derived from Barris opening a menu. While Peters originally intended only some minor bodywork, like many hot rod and custom car projects, it soon escalated.

Barris sketched out the early design on restaurant napkins.

Ala Kart featured an entirely chromed chassis, including springs, driveshaft, and rearend (following Gejean's previous car's example).

The pickup would compete for the AMBR trophy twice, winning both times, and be withdrawn from the 1960 competition.

The truck would suffer an engine fire in the 1960s and be rebuilt by the Alexander Brothers, and repainted, not in the original pearl white.

Eventually it was sold into obscurity. It would be sold a couple of times more, resurfacing in the hands of Boyd Coddington, who proposed putting a new frame under it.

Ala Kart would ultimately be purchased by John Mumford, who had it restored in 2008 by Junior Conway at Junior's House of Color and Bill Ganahl at Roy Brizio's shop (Brizio Street Rods) for entry in that year's GNRS; it would lose.

Ala Kart is now on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI.

Ala Kart began life as a '29 Ford Model A pickup. The chassis work was done by long-time friends Peters and "Blackie" Gejeian at their Fresno, California shop, with the body and styling by Barris (at Barris Kustoms in Los Angeles). The frame had a new centrally-located crossmember, and was completely chromed. The front end was also chromed, including a 4 in (10 cm) dropped axle, coil springs (not the factory leaf springs), split wishbones, Panhard rod, and tube shocks. 1940 Ford drum brakes were used. In back, a 1932 Ford rear axle was fitted, along with specially-fabricated coil springs, Panhard rod, all chromed, and Ford drum brakes. All four corners were equipped with Cadillic airbag suspension pieces.

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Wikipedia