Hello all, I'm trying to find my dad a present for Father's Day.

He's said that if he could have any classic car, he'd get a '49 Ford. I can't get him the car, but I wanted to see if I could get him the source of his inspiration.

When my dad was a kid in the '50s, he read what I suspect was a pulp novel about hot rods. All that I have to go on is that the protagonist had a '49 Ford, and that he died in the end.

I realize that's not much information to start with, but I'm hoping maybe something might strike a chord. Even any leads on where I should start looking would be appreciated. Google hasn't been very helpful, as most of the search results are "how to" stuff, rather than fiction.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Have a great day,
-Austin