"The Last Known Registration Is From Pennsylvania 1939"

Imagine walking up to a estate auction and seeing this.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The picker gods have decided to cast a light on you Dick Hickman…and best of all, you know it. In the barn.. as she was left there since the 1930’s “Annebelle” has been waiting to see the light of day. Below is one happy man for sure.

$410.00 later, the boat is loaded on the truck and the careful drive home starts. I wonder how long it took while going 10 mph?

Yes you are looking at a very very very rare Century Thunderbolt…. Her last known registration is 1939. All original down to the German silver cleats… Even the ignition key is there…OH! It gets better. Turns out she is a 1931 Century Thunderbolt. The earliest known such example out there. And almost 100% perfect wood. Only the dash and some small parts needed to be fixed… Needles to say the restoration needed to be special on this one.

Each item was painstakingly removed so as to preserve the tiniest detail.A correct motor was found and also restored.

Slowly but surly the little Thunderbolt was brought back to life. Dick spent the next few years enjoying her at shows and events. Below is a wonderful photo of Dick and Larry McKinsey who helped in the restoration..right before a show in 1992.l Those are still 2 happy guys for sure. After some time Dick finely decided to let her go to a major collector were she sits safely tucked away for posterity.