Bob Smith Prowler Member #102

Bob’s first Prowler car was a 1927 “T” roadster.  He got the Car from Carl Burnett in a trade of Bob’s 1940 coupe and some cash.  Bob brought the car home tore it down and made some changes and it landed on the cover of “Hot Rod” magazine in 1958.  Over the years the car has appeared in many magazines and even in “HOT ROD” again in 1998 for their special collectors edition of the “50 Years of Hot Rod”.  Also in 1998 it appeared in ” The Rodders Journal”.  The car had been a Prowler car since the late 40’s when it was owned by Hoot Gibson and raced on the dry lakes.  Bob was voted a Life Member in 2017.

 That car had been a Prowler,  but Bob wasn’t one until 1967 after 7 long years of building a family and a new model “T”.  This one was a 1923 roadster pickup with wild flames by Robert Martinez.  No fiberglass for Bob,  The car had extensive body work by Kenny Eldred and a Cushman bed.  It ended up in the pages of “Rod and Custom” in 1970.

“Forever” didn’t last too long, after 5 years he was back in the Prowlers and back at hot rodding.  This time he again visted Carl Burnett and rescued a 1927 Model “T” roadster body.  He turned this into a modified track roadster and showed it for the first time at the Prowlers 40th Anniversary picnic in 1987.  He still owns the car,  but has made a lot of changes to it over the years.

This creation was another just another opportunity for Bob to show us that the limits are lower than we thought. The pictures don’t do this car justice.

Bob makes the observation often about how versatile the “T” body is compared to all the other bodies commonly used. “Really how many ways can you do a ’32 roadster? hi-boy, low-boy, fenders or without…that’s about it”

Bob’s latest Prowler car is the easiest car he has ever had and, reluctantly, fiberglass. He bought a ‘turn-key” car and has enjoyed tinkering with it in his retirement. Bob at 2011 Simpson’s Picnic.

Here’s Bob and Bonnie pulling into Ed Zimmerly’s Benefit gig at Manzanita Brewery Saturday Jan 18, 2014.  This timeless roadster has now been on the road for 27 years!