Roaring To Freedom
With the sun beaming down and the wind ripping past, Torched-T growls through the streets of Chapin. Music along the likes of The Beatles and Johnny Cash can be heard streaming out of the open-top, T-bucket–complete with gleaming chrome features and a souvenir foxtail hanging down from the rear view mirror. Even after seven years, the 1923-replicated automobile is still Chapin-resident Walt Grannen’s place of peace. As his escape from the goings on of the world, the Torched-T usually has a grandkid or two, or Walt’s wife of 41 years, Cathy, in the passenger seat.
Walt started a search for his dream car shortly after his 61st birthday. With the help of his friend Jimmy Schneider, they found a car that met all of his requirements on display at a museum in Hershey, PA. The car was built as a show car, and had not been run at all, but did have most of the current flame paint done. It was shipped right to Jimmy’s shop, Competition Research and Development. After about 8 weeks of work, it was deemed roadworthy.
It took about three weeks for him to get his first ticket.
“We’ve changed a bunch of stuff on the car. Put a different engine in, different radiator, different suspension, different rear wheels, new fenders fabricated. There were probably 15 other modifications we did to the car. But, it’s really been a nice thing to have,” Walt said.
The car has been an ongoing project in Walt and Cathy’s life, and one that has proven worthwhile. With his characteristic thumbs up and the Torched-T’s signature beep, Walt and his car turn heads all over Chapin; excited faces stare as it sails by.
When the car was first purchased, Walt and Cathy resided in Wisconsin and, despite the frigid temperatures, Walt was determined to enjoy his new ride that first year. “I just wanted to drive the doggone thing. I drove it at least once every month of the year in Wisconsin, “ Walt added, “Sometimes it was rather cold.”
Soon after obtaining the car Walt grew interested in local car shows and began entering the Torched-T in competitions. After the couple relocated to South Carolina in need of some warmer weather and a home closer to their kids, Walt had an abundance of car shows to choose from and from which he would ultimately earn a slew of trophies.
“He had to pick and choose [the car shows to enter] because there are so many and they go almost year round. And there’s a lot of ones that he enjoyed where they weren’t giving trophies, and he just got to talk with other car owners,” Cathy said.
Unfortunately with today’s “new normal,” car shows have been —at least temporarily— put on hold, leaving Walt to attend only one so far this year. Even so, the Torched-T still brings much joy to Walt, his family, and fellow Chapin residents who see it roaring down the road. Serving its purpose as a means of escape, (which is especially needed in times like these) Torched-T remains a link to yesteryear and the carefree part of life many of us miss, leaving all worries to race away with the wind.
