A newer survivor in Strickland's stable is this ultra-rare 1957 Chevy Nomad equipped with a 250 horsepower fuel-injected V-8. He has owned the sporty wagon for 40 years and kept it purely stock, except for a set of Centerline aluminum wheels and radial tires.
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The beautifully shaped teardrop headlights are molded into the flowing fenders, while subdued trim accents the lines of the hood. Note the "V8" emblem gracing the nose of the hood.
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The '39 Ford is a Standard model, identified by the painted grille, rather than the plated waterfall grille of the DeLuxe model. Note the "Throttle Jockeys" plaque on the bumper, representing a recently revived Herington car club.
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The latest addition to Strickland's motor pool is this 1952 Chevy half-ton pickup, for years the Herington Gamble's store delivery vehicle. It's a 74,000-mile vehicle, another survivor.
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The mohair bench seat in the '39 coupe is in nearly pristine condition, a testament to the care given the car, which was ordered new when FDR was president.
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Strickland hadn't bought a Ford since 1968, but when he saw how beautifully preserved this '39 Standard business coupe was, he couldn't resist the black beauty.
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The original 85 horsepower flathead V-8 starts on the first turn of the key and purrs like a contented kitten. Mated to a 3-speed manual transmission, it propels the stylish coupe down the highway with plenty of zip.
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Strickland said he would like to repaint the jet black '39 Ford coupe since it shows more than a few chips earned by years of driving graveled roads. But the originality of the car is worth more to him than a flawless paint job, so he keeps it as it is.
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The big pontoon rear fenders sweep back to a still shiny, unmarked bumper. The deck lid features a lighted handle, while only a single taillight on the driver's side is another clue that this is a Standard model coupe.
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One of the few options on Strickland's '39 business coupe is a gasoline-fired under-dash Southwind heater. This was the last year that Ford used the long, recurved floor shifter before going to a column-shift arrangement.
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The lines couldn't be much different -- the soft, flowing shape of the '39 Ford contrasting with the crisp, sharp lines of the '57 Chevy. But the cars share a key trait: they are both true survivors of their eras.
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One of the four original tires bearing the Ford logo that was on the coupe when Strickland bought it. For safety's sake, he replaced them with a set of Coker wide whitewalls.
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It doesn't get much more original than this: the factory-issued jack, engine crank and hand tools, all bearing the Ford logo, are laid out in the trunk. The original leather tool pouch is intact, as is the factory spare tire, which has never been on the ground.
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The fender badge on the '57 Nomad marks it as a rare version of Chevy's sporty two-door wagon, a fuel-injected version of the potent 283 V-8. Strickland said the Powerglide-equipped Nomad produced 250 horsepower with hydraulic lifters, as opposed to 283 for the solid-lifter version.
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A 3-spoke steering wheel shows only minor wear and cracking. The instrument panel's array of gauges all work and the woodgrained metal dash still adds a touch of style. The car was built without a radio or a clock, as a salesman's working vehicle.
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The iconic Nomad roofline features an artfully swept back roof pillar and an expanse of side glass. The roof panel was ribbed, picking up on the styling of the the ribbed tailgate.
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The door panels show the effects of time, but also are remarkably well preserved, considering they are 72 years old.
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The forward-raked tailgate is accented by seven chromed ribs setting the Nomad off from less-stylish '57 wagons.
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The '39 business coupe was delivered without a back seat; a full-width package tray offered handy storage, while the bench seat concealed a secret.
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A close look at the speedometer reveals only 8,898 miles traveled by the Nomad in the 54 years since it rolled out of the showroom.
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Ron Strickland thought he had found the perfect candidate for a street rod when he located his 1939 Ford business coupe in Iowa eight years ago. But the car is in such amazing original condition, with only 44,000 miles on the odometer, that he has only washed it, changed the oil and put new tires on it -- and enjoyed driving the time capsule on wheels.
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Here is the back rest of the bench seat folded up on hidden hinges, revealing additional behind-the-seat storage. Strickland discovered the old license plates were the source of a rattle he couldn't track down -- until a fellow car lover told him about the folding seat.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Another original car in Strickland's collection is this bright red 1966 Corvette coupe with factory side pipes. A 4-speed, 327 V-8, it has updated knockoff-style wheels and a big block stinger hood, but the owner still has the correct factory hood and wheels for NCRS judging.
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