Deco
Rides

Terry Cook, President
PO Drawer G
14 Schooley's Mt. Rd.
Long Valley, NJ 07853
908 876-9100
fax 908 876-1692


REDUCED PRICES!
Boattail Speedster Kit Cars and "Turnkeys"

Chip Foose Boattail Speedster, front quarter view
To see slide show, click on image.
Photos by Peter Linney

We are happy to report that effective March 2008, we have moved all of our fiberglass production facilities from Clearwater, FL and  Goshen, IN to Elkhart, IN. The result is a markedly higher quality product, far better customer service, and reduced prices! Henceforth, DECO RIDES bodies will be constructed of a combination of hand laid and chopper gun construction that results in a body stronger than either one. Marine fabrics provide superior strength.

We offer the DECO RIDES Boattail Speedster as a highboy and as two (soon to be three, with the addition of a slick Boattail Coupe) different configurations of full fendered models in Kit Car and complete “Turnkey” form. Kit car bodies are available on short notice (30 to 60 days) and Fat Man Fabrications rolling chassis are subject to their waiting list, which could exceed 90 days.

TURNKEYS: This involves the use a rod building shop of our choosing and can take in excess of 18 months to build to order at pricing in excess of $100,000. All Turnkeys are custom built to order with your choice of engine. Occasionally we sell one of our own turnkeys, often at selected collector car auctions.

The remainder of this page deals with Kit Car Boattails.

HISTORY: Smitten by the incredible styling of Auburn Boattail Speedsters (1927-1936) in 1998, Terry Cook of DECO RIDES, saw a sketch in RODDERS JOURNAL and embarked on a six-year quest to build molds and manufacture the DECO RIDES BOATTAIL fiberglass bodies. How did we build it?

Using a Fat Man Fabrications chassis with a V-10 Viper engine, the first orange and white "Creamsickle" DECO RIDES Boattail Speedster (click to see slide show above) was completed in July 2004. It sold for $137,500 at the RM Auction in Monterey, CA during Pebble Beach week to a Texas collector. A second black and silver Boattail with enclosed pontoon rear fenders, powered by a Maserati V-8, was completed in June of 2005, and likewise sold at Pebble Beach in August 2005 for $121,000 to a different Texas collector. A third fenderless Boattail (C5 Corvette based) was built as a Highboy, complete with real wood laminated on the top body surface to make it look like an old Chris Craft or Riva speedboat. Fully enclosed pontoon fenders were added to that car in late 2006 and it sold at the Seabrook, TX John Kruse Auction in 2007 at the Keels & Wheels Concours for $117,000 to an Arizona collector. DECO RIDES is currently building four more Boattail "turnkeys" for future sale. The first of these four new cars is scheduled to be completed in July 2008 is the BUGNOTTI that will tour the USA this summer.

-- 2008 SUMMER TOUR DATES --

The DECO LINER Zephyr Sedan Delivery and BUGNOTTI Boattail can be seen this summer at these events across the USA. The BUGNOTTI may not be completed and appear until July.

June 6-8 York, PA - NSRA Street Rod Nationals East
June 14-22 Laconia, NH - Bike Week, Lobster Pound
July 11-13 Columbus, OH - GOODGUYS Nationals
July 18-19 Syracuse, NY - Street Rod Event
Aug. 4-10 Sturgis, ND - Rally, Champion’s Park
Aug. 12 Ocean Ave Concours, Carmel, CA
Aug. 13-17 Pebble Beach, CA - RETRO AUTO
Aug. 22-24 Pleasanton, CA - GOODGUYS
Aug. 28-31 Parsippany, NJ - 26th annual LEAD EAST

Chip Foose Boattail Speedster for sale

Our third Boattail, the C5 Corvette chassied “Speedboat” as a highboy (left) before pontoon fenders were added.  Our second DECO RIDES Boattail Speedster in black and silver with closed pontoon rear fenders and powered by Maserati V-8 (right), was completed in June, and was sold at Pebble Beach RM Monterey Auction in August 2005 for $121,000.

The DECO RIDES Highboy, with real wood laminated on the car's top surface to emulate a vintage Riva or Chris Crafft speedboat.

It's parked by boat builder Mark Mason's incredible IMSHI, one of the beautiful creations out of his NEW ENGLAND BOAT & MOTOR in Laconia, NH.

PRICE REDUCED ON HIGHBOY DECO RIDES BOATTAIL

HIGHBOY KIT CAR: One piece hand laid fiberglass body with metal interior support structure, hung and latching doors, hinged trunk; includes firewall and floorboard bonded in position. "Highboy" means open wheels with no fenders. This includes a separate hood, two side panels and a Delahaye style grille shell. Body comes crated (fob Elkhart, IN)
Old price…$9,150 / New reduced price…$7,500 

Optional (more expensive metal Bugatti Type 57 and Type 57S) grille shells and grilles are also available. Both require custom-made metal hood and side panels.

NOTE ON DELAHAYE GRILLE: We are presently working with a fabricator to make high-quality, reasonably-priced grille inserts designed specifically to fit our fiberglass Delahaye-type grille shell.

NOTE: There are numerous photos of the Highboy DECO RIDES Boattail as a highboy; click here. 

PRICE REDUCED ON FIRST GENERATION BOATTAIL

Chip Foose Boattail Speedster for sale

GENERATION ONE KIT CAR BOATTAIL SPEEDSTER: One piece hand laid fiberglass body with metal interior support structure, hung and latching doors, hinged trunk; includes firewall and floorboard bonded in position. This includes a pair of enclosed rear fenders in which you can cut a wheel well opening if you so desire (see "Creamsickle car). It also includes a one-piece "tilt type" front end with hood, side panels, grille shell with two open front fenders, as well as a pair of enclosed pontoon Gen One style rear fenders, which can easily be converted to open wheel well style. Body comes crated (fob Elkhart, IN)

Old price...$10,990 / New reduced price $8,900

NOTE: There are numerous photos of the Generation One car; click here.

PRICE REDUCED ON SECOND GENERATION BOATTAIL

Chip Foose Boattail Speedster for sale

NOTE: There are numerous photos of the Generation Two car; click here.

GENERATION TWO KIT CAR BOATTAIL SPEEDSTER: One piece hand laid body with metal interior support structure, hung and latching doors, hinged trunk; includes firewall and floorboard bonded in position. This includes four fully enclosed "pontoon" style fenders, large enough to allow a narrow front tire to steer lock to lock without tire touching inner fender. These enclosed fenders were inspired by Figoni & Falaschi coachbuilt Delahayes. It also includes a four-piece front end with hood, two side panels and Delahaye grille shell. Body comes crated (fob Elkhart, IN)

Old price...$10,990 / New reduced price $8,900


ANNOUNCING

OUR NEW THIRD GENERATION BOATTAIL COUPE  

  

 

On several occasions we’ve considered a coupe version of our Boattail. I build a prototype fastback lift off roof with Lamborghini Muria style (Boss 302 or 429 Ford for those not familiar with the beautiful Muria) rear window louvers several years ago. The fastback didn’t light my fire. I also considered a Larry Nicklin style roof, but have not pursued it. Presently I’m very enthusiastically pursuing a coupe with a streamlined roof pirated off my SCRAPE Zephyr. Stay tuned for a progress report, as DECO RIDES will soon offer this car in kit form.

OPTIONS

WINDSHIELDS: Three different windshield frame options are available.

The first is a cast brass Duvall-style V-d frame ($1,200 unplated, without flat glass) as shown on the orange and white car at top of this page.

The second, as seen here (decorides.com/carsforsale_highbouy.htm) is a severely laid back, slightly curved windshield ($1,700 for a complete chrome plated frame and posts, with curved glass installed). An additional fiberglass piece ($150) that the builder needs to bond onto the DECO Boattail cowl to make this windshield fit is also suggested.

GRILLES: We have two grilles/grille shells presently available to pick from, and two more currently under development.

GEN ONE GRILLE: An aluminum grille with polished front face side, designed to fit the original style Auburn-style nose (Generation One Boattail as shown on the orange car at top of this page) for $720.

OPTIONAL FRONT ENDS: Always tweaking the design, DECO RIDES is developing three optional nose & grille shell variations for the Boattail, as shown here:

 Front ends

BUGATTI SHELLS: The next two are more expensive options that transcend the normal hot rod, kit car realm and approach the elite classic car neighborhood, potentially increasing the resale value of the car considerably.

TYPE 57: One is a metal Type 57 Bugatti replica shell and complete grille, available plated or unplated. Unplated Type 57 Grille Shell (only) $3,750; price of grille to come. Price of chrome plated grille complete, to come.

TYPE 57S: The other is a Bugatti Type 57S grille shell, without grille. We’ve been working on this shell for two years, and have come a long way. Unfortunately we’re not there yet. We can sell you a Type 57S reproduction shell for $3,750, but unfortunately it needs a considerable amount of metalshaping by an experienced panel beater to be transformed into suitable shape before being sent off to a competent chrome plating shop. That’s not great news, but it’s better than the news we had previously. The question is, do you want to build a replica of Ralph Lauren’s Atlantique that is worth 10 million plus, and not for sale? The grille bars for this grille are not a problem.

DELAHAYE GRILLE: We’ve got the grille shell in fiberglass for sale for just $500. Understand this is NOT a replica of a real Delahaye shell, just something that has a Delahaye look and fits our Gen Two and Three Boattail fenders, hood, side panels, etc. Price on the grille to come as it is under development. Reasonable.

NOTE: The aforementioned Bugatti Type 57 and 57S grille shells require a hand made hood and side panels from a competent panel beater. Prices to come. A DECO RIDES Boattail with Figoni & Falaschi style Delahaye pontoon fenders and a Bugatti Type 57 or 57S metal grille shell is a truly unique example of rolling art. Resale values on these cars are in a different plateau than normal DECO Boattails.