Driving the Passion Forward
Bob & Gale Baker, 1964
This website is dedicated to my parents, Bob & Gale Baker. My father loved cars. He founded the first Hot Rod club in Georgia with three friends in 1960 and that club (The Creepers Car Club) is still one of the largest car clubs in the South East 63 years later.
His passion was finding and restoring classic cars and driving them to shows all over the country. He had many cars over the years but was especially known for his 1932 Ford Roadster named “Mister B” that has been in the family for 60+ years. This car has been featured in many magazines and every hot rodder in the South has seen or heard about Mr. B. His life in cars began in the 50’s in high school where he had a ‘32 Ford coupe, he then began drag racing in the early 60’s, had a Top 10 Show car in the U.S. in the mid 60’s and was an early pioneer of street rodding where cars had to be driven to shows to win awards. He also loved Mustangs and was one of the first members of the Mustang Club of America that was founded in Atlanta in the early 70’s and is the largest Mustang Club in the U.S.
And let’s not forget my mother who fell in love with a car guy and then became one herself and could talk cars with the best of them. They are truly missed and driving their cars built with their sweat and love makes me feel like they are right here. I used to ride with them to car shows - now they ride with me.
“Classic cars make people happy. You can’t drive one without a thumbs-up or a friendly wave. What makes me happy is keeping my parent’s passion and legacy rolling forward and sharing what meant so much to them.
— Bret Baker
Timeline
1932 Ford Coupe - “Lil Jewel”
While still in High School (1955), Dad traded a Cushman Eagle scooter and $275 for this ‘32 Ford 5-Window coupe. He saved money and had it painted black with black & white rolled and pleated interior. It was named “Lil Jewel” and ignited a car passion that lasted a lifetime.
1936 Ford Roadster
Dad traded the keys for the ’32 Coupe he drove in high school for this ’36 Ford Roadster at a car show in 1957 at Lakewood Fairgrounds. It was a Rod & Custom feature car and was painted a deep Claret wine color with white top and interior and chromed reverse wheels. That is me being held by mom in the car in 1961. The car was called “The Nameless Doll” and was shown extensively throughout the South.
1932 Ford Roadster (Part 1)
Also in 1961 the same year I was born, Dad acquired an original 1932 Ford Roadster that was fully disassembled but still wearing its original factory black paint. The car had been bought new by the owners in Dalton, Ga. This car would eventually become the famous Mister B but more to come on that. The car was was first Jet black with a white top, white running boards, chrome reverse wheels and Royal Masters tires with skinny whitewalls. Dad loved 32’s but had his eye on a show car with a massive engine and he couldn’t afford two cars so The ’32 Roadster was sold to a gentleman in Florida with the promise if he ever sold it he would call Dad first.
1923 Ford T Bucket - The Dixie Hustler
Dad then bought a 1923 Ford T with an all-steel body and a monster 464 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi with Hilborn Fuel Injection. The car had an all-chrome chassis, and was painted “Candy Apple Red Metalflake”. The car was aptly named “The Dixie Hustler”. It became one of the top 10 show cars in the United States and toured for three years in an enclosed trailer and featured a full display with mirrors under the car. It was on the cover of Rod & Custom magazine and Popular Hot Rodding. We had friends that lived a few miles away and they could hear the engine when Dad cranked it. The car was rarely driven for fear of the pure show car getting a scratch but once sold the guy who bought it said it would lift the front wheels in the air on every gear shift.
1932 Ford Roadster (Part 2)
Mister B
Due to timing, fate, and a divorce in FL, Dad was offered the Roadster back four years after selling it. Dad brought the car home from Fl and built the car that became Mister B. The biggest show in the US was the Street Rod Nationals which had just debuted in 1970. The roadster underwent an extensive restoration which was capped off by a gorgeous deep candy apple red paint job and we were Tulsa bound for the 1972 Nationals with me in the rumble seat the entire 800 mile trip. Over 5000 cars attended the event and Mister B took home both Best Paint and Best Engine. Check out the air brushed art on the panel above the rear bumper. Details. It is what set Mr. B and my father apart. This led to numerous magazine and calendar features. The car continues to win awards to this day and the body is still 100% original Henry Ford as it came off the line. By the way, the Mr. B logo was designed by Tom Sapp who famously created the Hairy Dawg logo for UGA and was hand painted by the talented pinstriper Bill Abrams.
Creepers Car Club est. 1960
Dad and four of his close friends (Scott Jackson, David Jordan, Bobby Craine and Ray Carson) founded the Creepers Car Club in Smyrna, Ga in 1960. The club grew and became the largest hot rod club in the South East. I was born in 1961 and my entire childhood was car shows and events. They made me a replica club shirt that said “Lil Creep” on the back. I logged many hundreds of miles in the rumble seat of the roadster where Dad had rigged a small light where I could close the lid if it rained. I also have the original BELL silver full Drag suit you see in the picture along with the gloves and mask.
