Ogden Chrome Choice Award Winner for GoodGuys Midwestern Nationals
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John & Delores Ryken of New Sharon, Iowa
1939 Chrysler Royal
GoodGuys Midwestern Nationals, Kansas City, KS
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John and Delores Ryken found this vehicle in a farm yard about 5 miles from where they live in 1989. It was owned by an elderly lady who was using it as her means of transportation up to a year prior to that. She said her father had purchased the car in 1941 and that she also knew the previous owner who had purchased it new. The car's first show was the first GoodGuys Heartland Nationals in Des Moines, IA in 1992. It was still in original green paint and rust. In '93 it was put into red primer. In '97 work began on the body and interior. The car has been driven over 25,000 miles since it was completed, primarily to car shows. It has won several trophies at local shows. They have also driven it to several GoodGuys and NSRA events and have been chosen once as a NSRA Safety Rep pick!
Specs:
ENGINE: Engine is mid '70 Chrysler 400 big block with a Thermo Quad carburetor.
DRIVETRAIN: 727 transmission from the same donor car with 8 3/4 rear end from 1965 Dodge B body.
CHASSIS: Car is on the original chassis from the firewall back including the '39 leave springs. From the firewall forward the frame is hand built including a narrowed cross member which is made to accept a parallel torsion bar suspension from early 70's Chrysler. Therefore the front ride height can be changed by turning the two torsion bar adjusting bolts in and out. Also to prevent body roll a front sway bar was installed. The steering was accomplished by adding a rear mounted rack and pinion from a Dodge Daytona.
INTERIOR: The front seats are 6 way electric from early 90's Chrysler Concorde recovered with gray leather which also includes seat belts with shoulder straps. The rear seat is the original '39 Chrysler covered with gray leather and stitching to match the front seat. The seats also include embroidered Chrysler pentastar on the back rest of both front and rear seats. The door and kick panels are covered with matching gray leather. Formed plastic panels with gray leather cover the area between the bottom of the dash and firewall. It has gray cloth bow type headliner. The floor is gray carpet. The trunk has gray carpet on the floor with leather covered panels on the sides including the inside of the trunk lid. The door handles are Billet aluminum. Each door has its own chrome electric window switch. The dash is painted red, the same as the exterior of the car with Dakota Digital gauges. The window garnish moldings are also red except they were torch smoked then covered with clear coat.
BODY & PAINT: The car has only a few body modifications including removing license plate light, windshield center post and front door vent windows. The car is painted chili pepper red, base coat clear coat. This is a factory Durango color. The car still includes all the orginial chrome moldings, door handles and 30 piece chrome grill. Chrome was all redone by Chrome Reflections in Des Moines, Iowa.
TIRES & WHEELS: The car rides on four 225/60 R17 Michelin tires on chrome Panther wheels.
SPECIAL FEATURES: The radiator was built by using the original '39 upper and lower tanks with a new core, therefore it fits perfectly in the original radiator support. The car has Plymouth Volare front disc brakes and drum rears. Brakes are power assisted by mounting Chrysler brake booster behind the firewall with only the master cylinder in the engine compartment. A 1985 Chrysler New Yorker was used as donor car for the steering column, intermittent wipers, wire loom, foot pedals and even an annoying warning buzzer that is activated when you open the door and forget to take the key out. The headlights are the original Chrysler lenses, replated reflectors with halogen motorcycle fixtures installed.
JOHN & DELORES SAY: "Our experience with Ogden Chrome was very pleasant. We enjoyed the interest that Steve Wilmot took in our car. We were very pleased that a car that has been completed for several years and driven several thousand miles would win a major award. We were also surprised that our car was picked by a company even though it has none of that company's products on it. This proves that you don't have to have a high dollar trailered car built solely for show to win a major award. Keep up the good work, Ogden Chrome! We will definitely be in touch with you the next time we need chrome work done."
