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The Flathead Kid

Carter Colby next to his hot rod Courtesy of Carter Colby

Deep in the heart of Montana’s Flathead Valley, there’s noteworthy hope for our hobby, profession, obsession — whatever you consider it. If you were to ask the volunteer rodding instructors at Flathead High School’s Auto Shop, we’d likely say the toughest point to make is the importance of preserving tradition. Sure, creativity is good. Without some degree of guidance, however, a few of these students would color way outside the lines.

Among this year’s standout students is sophomore Carter Colby. It’s been said that “the automotive apple don’t fall far from the tree.” As a member of the Colby family, young Carter was born with a head start to hot rodding. While Auto Shop’s volunteer rodding instructors strive and struggle to make the aforementioned point, Carter, just by being Carter, also positively influences classmates in the process.

To accept the laid-back grille, hood panels were modified, with assistance from Scott Christensen. When lifted, the restyled hood reveals a good-used 8BA. Courtesy of Carter Colby

Our secondary subject — Carter’s ’35 Ford pickup build — began with a couple of cabs acquired just a few weeks before his tenth birthday. By that time, his hands-on skillset was already coming together. Granted, he’s had good mentors along the way. He’ll give them due propers as we go here. For now, let’s slide the old Underwood over toward Carter.

“I am a third-generation hot rod builder from Kalispell, Montana, and I have always been into cars since I was a little kid,” Carter writes. “I was raised doing projects in the shop and going to car shows. When I was ten, I decided I wanted to build my own.

“A local hot rodder, Andy Tweet, was selling a bunch of 1935 Ford truck parts, and that’s how the project started,” Carter added. “I bought a Boling Brothers frame and modified it some, to fit my needs with the help of my uncle, Rick Carlon.

“The motor is a 1953 Ford 8BA V-8 that I got from car collector Lyle Aklestad in trade for helping out at his Flathead Ford Museum. I’ve also relied on a lot of help from local hot rodder mentors.

“Scott Christensen worked with me doing the bodywork. There are quite a few body modifications: the top has been chopped 5 inches, the grille shell has been laid back, we built a custom bed, and Hawke Lawshe helped me build the exhaust.

“Lastly, my family has been a big help and taught me lots. My goal with the truck is to keep it a period-correct 1950s hot rod, so I have been finding all sorts of cool parts that would have been used back in the day. I can’t wait to have ‘The Flathead Kid’ on the road!”

Roughly six years earlier, that’s Carter Colby (about to turn ten) and his grandfather, Mel Colby, loading the beginnings of what would become the ongoing build. Courtesy of Carter Colby

A Boling Brothers frame makes a clean-start foundation. Carter’s frame arrived bare-bones, and he’s handled his own fabrication from there. Courtesy of Carter Colby

So, earlier we began with some mention of “hope for our hobby” and so on. As we peruse these paper pages, we just might catch a positive glimpse of the future.

At the time of this typewriting, Carter’s project is back in pieces for paintwork. His paint scheme calls for ’50s-style scallops, and “The Flathead Kid” will be hand-lettered just below the driver’s window. Around these parts of the Flathead Valley, the appellation should fit the old truck — almost as well as it fits the young builder.

Details such as split wishbones, wide-five drums and bias-look radials add up to lend a tuff, traditional ’tude. It’s nice when a young builder gets it — and Carter Colby does. Courtesy of Carter Colby

With assistance from Hawke Lawshe, custom lakes pipes began with conical tubing. The gradual arch required serious surgery, and yes, they’re precisely symmetrical. Courtesy of Carter Colby

Smoothed-and-plated American motorcycle chain sections are now custom tailgate hardware. These’re based on remnants from Hawke Lawshe’s Vintage Technologies. Courtesy of Carter Colby

Visually, the cab’s interior reflects period-correctness. Out of view, however, the steering gear is Vega-type, and the plated stick shifts a BorgWarner T-5 transmission. Courtesy of Carter Colby

Courtesy of Carter Colby

Roughly six years later, Carter’s build is dry-fitted and rolling. At this stage, it’s near-ready to come back apart for paint. Courtesy of Carter Colby

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The Flathead Kid

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