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another real modified: the Johnny Junkin No. 50

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Johnny Junkin No. 50

I posted earlier about one of the two hot rods I wish to clone, the first being the Campbell-Sakai modified, probably the most gorgeous lakes modified ever built. The second of those two is probably the roughest and crudest modified ever built, the Nelson Taylor/Johnny Junkin No. 50.

I’ve never really been able to find out much about Junkins or the car. The picture above came from the Greg Sharp collection, but not a lot of information came with it. However, I believe, based on the stylized number, the big and little wheels and a few other characteristics, that it’s the same car that Nelson Taylor raced (and rolled over on the way to Muroc) in William Carroll’s book Muroc: When the Hot Rods Ran May 15, 1938.

Nelson Taylor in the No. 50

Nelson Taylor's No. 50

From what information I’ve been able to gather, Junkin at one point served as president of the 90 M.P.H. Club and owned the car through 1937, but sold it to Taylor before the 1938 season started (Junkin apparently moved up to a Pierce-Arrow for 1938). It ran a Winfield-headed Ford Model B (some sources say Model A) four-cylinder with chromed headers, a long-branch downdraft intake manifold and a Zenith carburetor. Where it is today, if it’s survived the last 70 years at all, is anybody’s guess.

The rake and the wheels on the car influenced me to get some early Model A 21-inch wheels for the CrosRod. Not sure yet whether I’ll go with 17s in the rear or Model A 19s.


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