Deuce: the original hot rod 9780760351857, 0760351856

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DEUCE THE ORIGINAL HOT ROD

32 X 32

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MIKE CHASE

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DEDICATION © 2016 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Text © 2016 Mike Chase Photography © 2016 Mike Chase First published in 2016 by Motorbooks, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA. Telephone: (612) 344-8100 Fax: (612) 344-8692 quartoknows.com Visit our blogs at quartoknows.com

This book is dedicated to my wife, Twila. Her unflagging support and willingness to keep the daily flow of life going has made this book—and seemingly everything else—possible. Perhaps more importantly, she knows a deuce when she sees one.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a subsequent reprinting of the book. Motorbooks titles are also available at discounts in bulk quantity for industrial or salespromotional use. For details contact the Special Sales Manager at Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN: 978-0-7603-5185-7 Digital edition: 978-0-76035-305-9 Hardcover edition: 978-0-76035-185-7 Names: Chase, Mike, 1945- author. Title: Deuce : the original hot rod : 32x32 / Mike Chase. Description: Minneapolis, MN, USA : Motorbooks, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc., 2016. Identifiers: LCCN 2016018948 | ISBN 9780760351857 (hc w/jacket) Subjects: LCSH: Ford automobile--Customizing--Pictorial works. | Hot rods--Pictorial works. Classification: LCC TL215.F7 C36 2016 | DDC 629.228/6--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016018948 Acquiring Editor: Zack Miller Project Manager: Alyssa Bluhm Art Director: James Kegley Cover Designer: John Sticha Layout: John Sticha

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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

SECTION TWO: CLOSED CARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 12 . JUST PLAIN TOUGH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 13 . LO FO DO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 14 . OVER THE TOP UNDERSTATEMENT . . . . . . .100 15 . PRESERVATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 16 . THE MEDEUSA COUPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 17 . TOM WALSH 3-WINDOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 18 . THE COPPER COUPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 19 . VICTORIA’S REIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 20 . SINISTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 21 . THE COLOR PURPLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 22 . GEORGE LUCAS, EAT YOUR HEART OUT . . .150

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SECTION THREE: RACECARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 23 . THE QUINTON-JOEHNCK COUPE . . . . . . . . .158 24 . A . J . FOYT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 25 . FAT TIRES FOR FAT TUESDAY . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 26 . THE B&M SEDAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 27 . WALSH, WALSH & WALSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 28 . A LONG TIME COMING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188 SECTION FOUR: COMMERCIAL VEHICLES . . . . . 194 29 . SPECIAL DELIVERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196 30 . GOT WOOD? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 31 . FAMILY DELIVERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 32 . THE MERC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 SPECIAL THANKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

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SECTION ONE: OPEN CARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 1 .THE TARDEL ROADSTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2 . THE MINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3 . ORANGE CRUSHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 4 . THE B-400 CONVERTIBLE SEDAN . . . . . . . . . . 32 5 . THE RODFATHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 6 . A REAL FLIVVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 7 . ROADCHAMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 8 . HOT TUB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 9 . HE CALLS IT “THE ROADSTER” . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 10 . RASCHE’S ROADSTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 11 . DEUCARI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

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INTRODUCTION:

THIRTY-TWO ’32s W

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hen I was about nine years old, my parents moved our family into a new house. We moved in at night, and the next morning, when I ventured out the front door, I was struck speechless. What I saw was red and I loved it. I later came to understand that what I was looking at was a 1946 Mercury coupe. It was very red, stood on its nose with a deeply dropped front axle, and it had a louvered hood and deck lid. That’s how I contracted the disease. I soon became the kid who cleaned up and fetched sodas for the guys who worked on cars across the street. Those guys hanging out at the neighbor’s were much older than me, and they were seriously into customs and hot rods. Chopped tops, flames, and loud pipes became the hallmarks of my ambition. I never recovered from that infectious early chapter of my life. For a kid focused on hot rods, growing up in California in the 1950s and 1960s was living at the epicenter of something called cool. Cool was what you wanted to be. From pegged Levis to chopped deuce coupes, the influence of cool and coolness imbued your entire consciousness. Burgers were cool, cruising the main drag was cool, and even rolling up that pack of Luckies in the sleeve of your T-shirt was cool. But the most important and the coolest of all the badges of cool was the hot rod. At first I thought that any car that was even slightly modified was cool. As my enthusiasm grew, my tastes in cars became more refined. My epiphany came when I realized that, although all cars were cool, one car was cooler,

even coolest: the deuce. Just calling a ’32 Ford a “deuce” was so, so cool. In my world, there were two types of cars: ’32 Fords and everything else. We took what we could get, but what we really wanted was a deuce. Eventually, I co-owned and operated a hot rod shop and built cars for customers. I owned a variety of hot rods and a few motorcycles, American and British, and generally was a greasy gearhead. Before I had a driver’s license, my similarly unlicensed friends and I would hitchhike to Cotati Drag Strip and try desperately to become permanently absorbed into the car culture. Later, I became an automotive photographer and started to write about hot rods and Harleys. Today, people talk about what they would do if they won the lottery. In times past, all we talked about were the endless possibilities of what we would do with whatever ’32 we could get our hands on. “If I had a roadster, I would get rid of the fenders right away and build a highboy.” “If I had a Tudor Sedan, I’d chop the top and paint it black.” Hours were spent speculating on which engine: Flathead or Chevy? What motor modifications would be best? A fourspeed or ’39 box? The permutations were limited only by our fervent imaginations. We voraciously consumed Hot Rod, Rod and Custom, and every other car magazine we could find. When we finally got cars, they were always steppingstones on the way to Deuce Heaven. We all had theories on what was the

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one would ever condone such illicit activities (wink, wink)— is being replaced by cruising and touring. It follows that a modern, good-driving hot rod is one that is safely functional on today’s roads. Those conditions don’t preclude using the flatheads and drum brakes of yesteryear, but a good case can be made for performance overhead engines, automatic transmissions, and disc brakes. Deuce offers a wide interpretation of the quintessential hot rod, Henry’s 1932 Ford. This book is divided into sections: open cars, closed cars, race or racing-themed cars, and commercial cars. All are hot rods, but from differing perspectives. Some are old, some are new, and others are just famous. Some owners are the gods of the hot rodding Pantheon, while other guys are not so well known—but their cars represent unique directions in the hot rod world. I was once with Blackie Gejeian at his unique car show in Fresno, California. Blackie is truly one of the original hot rodders. He raced, he built, and he promoted. Blackie knows car shows. I had the temerity to question him about a car that struck me as unqualified to be among the finest cars in the country—it looked like a refugee from an Ed Roth cartoon. “Really, Blackie, you’re putting that thing in your show?” I asked. That was when Blackie taught me something important about car shows and the automotive hobby. “Something for everybody, Hoss. Something for everybody,” he replied. Hopefully, the cars in these pages reflect that energy.

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best or right way to style a 1932 Ford hot rod. To this day, the hot rod world is filled with opinionated owners and dreamers. The total number of Ford passenger cars sold in 1932 both domestically and abroad was 322,962. That included cars in the US, Canada, Australia, and the rest of the world. Sadly, many were destroyed at a point in time when they were just “old cars.” Inevitably, the shortage of cars for enthusiasts led to reproductions fabricated from fiberglass or steel, and even re-bodying out of scraps and decrepit donors. Addicts will do anything to feed their compulsions. Unquestionably, the roadster was the most popular model. Seen on dry lakes, salt flats, drag strips, and the mean streets, the roadster cut the iconic hot rod figure. Sunburn, skin cancer, and a lack of availability of roadsters led enthusiasts to embrace other, more practical models with equal fervor. It’s not a stretch to speak of the cult of the deuce. Movies featured the ’32. Deuce debates—which to own, best looking, most rare, coolest, and so on—raged as ’32 fever grew. As the overhead valve V-8 grew in popularity and automatic transmissions became widely available, contemporary engineering became adaptable to old cars and opinions on what was the “correct” thing to do to a deuce flourished. This contentious state of affairs is a key element in the ’32 Ford narrative. Hot rodding had its roots in racing. Horsepower was king in the beginning. Today there are so many cars on the roads that good old-fashioned hot rod street racing—not that

SECTION 1:

OPEN CARS TOP OFF, SPF 45 ON: BLOWOUT FUN

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op-down driving in a hot rod, like riding a motorcycle, provides the sensual experience of sun, wind, and speed. Blasting along with the elements damaging your skin and the heady rush of acceleration raising your adrenaline levels is the ultimate thrill for hot rodders.

Roughly a third of the Fords produced in 1932 were “open,” or convertible cars.

Several permutations of automobiles that could be converted from weathershielded status to raw, unprotected driving were produced by automobile manufacturers worldwide. Of course, the element of “sportiness” was, and is, a major component of the appeal of the open car. The earliest hot rod builders chose roadsters because they were the lightest cars available. Reducing weight and increasing horsepower are the essential basics of the hot rod ethic. The original concept for hot rod building was “stripping down” a car. Fenders, running boards, and hoods were considered expendable. Hot rods were originally built as economically as possible, so starting with the lightest car simply made sense. The deuce roadster has become the image of the hot rod. Let’s face it, cars without tops just look cool. That

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may well be enough.

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THE TARDEL

ROADSTER P

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atina may not be the right word for the finish on this venerable contender. Perhaps tarnish is more accurate. Owned and built by flathead and vintage hot rod maestro Vern Tardel, this 80,000-plus-mile roadster is the epitome of a traditional deuce highboy. It came together in the early 1980s over a two-year period with “tireless help from my friends,” according to Tardel. He crafted his version of an old-time hot rod using only original parts. The practiced eye will notice the unsplit wishbones, short Pitman arm, and the Lakes plug exhaust diverter peeking out from below the cowl— details that simply scream old school. Period authenticity is the hallmark of a Tardel car. Cleaving assiduously to the idea of building a hot rod out of old parts, Tardel was insistent that this topless triumph have no new pieces other than internals for the engine, bearings, and brake linings. The original Ford body is weathered and creaky, with a few cracks in the body and some panel shifting. Eschewing the virtues of the body shop, the panel work was left untouched. Reliability is the key factor in Tardel’s concept of a car. That meant holding the modifications to a minimum—no quick-change rear end, modest horsepower increase, or ’39 transmission. Modifications to this roadster are centered on the sibling notions of remove and replace. Fenders, running boards, and hood were deemed disposable, as they so frequently were during the postwar hot rod era. Lightening the car was the first step toward performance and aesthetic improvement. The original Ford chassis was retained intact, with the tweaks all suspension focused. Although Tardel manufactures replacement center crossmembers for 1932 Fords, his own car uses the original, unbutchered piece. Typically, the center crossmembers have been brutally hacked to accommodate a later (and nearly always) ungainly powerplant and transmission. Proper stance is the first step in any successful hot rod project. For a traditional ’32 Ford, the first and foremost step is to install a dropped axle. In this case, the axle

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to 35∕16 inches with a 4-inch stroke, the final displacement is a healthy 286 cubic inches. A pair of original and leaky Stromberg 97s atop a Thickston high-rise manifold quench the flatties’ thirst. Fuel mixture in and exhaust gases out are syncopated by an Isky 404 Junior cam. Red’s headers carry the fumes to the rear. The steering column and wheel are ’40 Ford versions, the steering box is from a ’56 Ford pickup and cockpit access is controlled by 1934 Ford door handles. The dash is a stock ’32 unit with a machine turned inset featuring Stewart Warner aircraft-style instruments. Illumination is provided by King Bee lights up front and ’46 Ford passenger-car units mounted in the deck panel out back. Tardel was finally willing to make a concession to comfort and had the roadster reupholstered at around 70,000 miles. An original car built from original parts by an original hot rodder.

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is a 3½-inch version. The spring eyes on the deuce spring have been reversed to get the front crossmember just a shade nearer to the axle. The same step is employed on the 1937 rear spring, which is positioned above the ’40 Ford rear end assembly. Sometimes, certain leaves are removed from springs and either left out or replaced with leaves from other Fords. Which ones come out and which go in is never revealed by the maestro—“secrets baby, I keep ‘em to myself!” Monroe aircraft-style 50/50 shocks are used at the corners. The engine is a French-block 8BA-style flathead. These motors were built in France from the 1950s to the 1980s and were used primarily in military applications. Nearly identical to their American cousins, the French motors arrived here in a massive shipment in the late 1990s and immediately became popular with vintage hot rodders, who couldn’t find serviceable blocks in the United States. Tardel’s hop-up configuration is typical for flatheads. Bored

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THE MINT I

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f you want to build a ’32 Ford that’s weather-tight on demand and topless without a lot of hassle, the Dearborn Deuce is probably your best option. By concealing the top behind the seat under the rear body cowling, a modest amount of space is left, leaving the trunk open for luggage. There were 322,962 Ford passenger cars of all body types produced worldwide in 1932. Of these, a mere 7,847 were cabriolets— single-seaters with roll-up windows. Although they were a practical solution to the closed-/open-car design, not many were produced. The top storage was clumsy and took up a lot of space too. With the original cars hard to come by, the world of deuce-focused adoration and recreation would be nonexistent were it not for aftermarket bodies. Authenticity and originality take a back seat when providing ’32s to the future. Up in Washington State, where the Mint was built, colorful weather is the norm. Just south of the Canadian border, this region experiences snow and rain for much of winter. Really, if you live there and you want to drive your deuce, it makes sense to have the top as an option. And if you drive your hot rod a lot—on cross-country tours, for instance— having a top becomes a necessity. Steel-bodied, fendered, and well-appointed for hot rod touring, the Mint was built to drive. Pyramid Street Rods used aftermarket parts almost exclusively to create this reliable and weather-ready hot rod. Departures from tradition include a threepiece handmade hood, which is tighter and quieter than the original four-piece hood. Liberal use of louvers to ventilate the hood and the deck lid give that desirable vintage flavor.

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The Mint is resplendent in Seafoam Green with dark red scallops accented with striping. The adornments are the work of legendary Seattle striper Mitch Kim. The eye-catching color is unusual and, in fact, could be the most distinguishing factor of this car’s appeal. Somehow, it just looks so 1950s. Exterior trim details include stock bumpers and stock taillights, although the lights have been relocated to the sides of the frame. Dearborn Deuce bodies don’t come with door latches, so the ’33- and ’34-style door handles activate electric solenoid latches in a fabricated recess. The white tuck-and-roll upholstery is period perfect and complements the modernized ’40 Ford dash. The Mint was created to drive, and it’s reported to have traveled upwards of 40,000 miles thus far. It is frequently and erroneously assumed that the name of the car refers to its unusual color. Others speculate that the appellation refers to the ability to print your own money, something you’d need to do if you wanted to build such a car.

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The chassis has been Pyramidized with their usual array of tubular crossmembers and reinforcements. The front end is all Magnums, holding things back when needed with disc brakes. A Vega steering box is connected to the 1940s style wheel with a tilt column. The rear end is a tried-and-true Winters version of the ubiquitous 9-inch. As is typical with Pyramid cars, it has a four-bar, coil-overs, and a Panhard bar suspension system. Definitely a reflection of the “Ford in a Ford” philosophy, the Mint motivates with a Ford 302 crate motor with aluminum heads. Three Holley two-barrels and a Mallory ignition complete the performance additions. A T5 5-Speed transmission retains the fun in shifting, although three pedals are becoming increasingly rare in street rods. Manual trannies are great for making those delightful tire chirps between gears, effectively trading in convenience for unadulterated fun.

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ORANGE CRUSHER Z

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ane Cullen, Cotati Speed Shop proprietor, designed and built the Orange Crusher as a road-worthy, high-performance street rod inspired by the cars that used to race on weekends and motor to work on weekdays. Modern amenities abound and cockpit-occupant comfort is thoroughly addressed, but that mean drag-race look defines the aesthetic. Couple that with some reliable yet necksnapping performance and you have yourself a hot rod. The Dearborn Deuce-bodied convertible takes its name from the once-popular soft drink, Orange Crush. It’s also an indication of how the car treats competitors in racing situations. At the risk of acknowledging illegal behavior as acceptable, this car is one hell of a street (or strip) racer. A Dearborn Deuce is a modern, steel-bodied convertible with roll-up windows and a panel behind the driver’s compartment that lifts up to allow storage for the top when enjoying the sun and breeze is the order of the day. As driving hot rods long distances has grown more popular, many builders appreciate the idea of a deuce that is airand water-tight and offers modern interior heating and cooling. While you’re at it, let’s make sure that the seats are comfortable and well upholstered. In other words, this car is built to drive.

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Proof 1 2CT

Cullen has designed his own version of a ’32 chassis that features arched crossmembers that accommodate modern plumbing and equipage. He calls his design the “ribcage” chassis, and it is used in almost all of the ’32s he builds. The race-themed convertible uses a Chassis Engineering dropped-and-drilled chrome front axle with a Durant monoleaf spring in the nose, while aft it sports a Winters Champ quick-change rear end that is located using a triangulated four-bar system with coil-over shocks. The rear brakes are 11-inch drums from a Ford Police Interceptor shrouded with So-Cal Speed Shop trim. Returning to the front, stopping chores are handled by Wilwood discs snuggled inside So-Cal machined housings. The master cylinder, also a Wilwood unit, is positioned in specially constructed bracketry integrated in the ribcage chassis beneath the pilot’s feet; it’s accessible from below or through a panel in the floor, should additional brake fluid be needed. All of the chassis plumbing, handmade by Cullen and crew, is stainless steel tubing and Earl’s plumbing fittings. The competition persona of the car is defined by its ET wheels. Dragster-style deep-dish monsters in the back and the early racecar “twelve spokes” add to the racer look and help create the distinctive “California rake” stance that adds to the overall sense of unforgiving meanness. To ensure adherence to the themes of “drivable” and “fast,” a Chevrolet LS1 V-8 engine, stroked to 383 cubic inches, provides motivation. Induction is provided by combining Chevrolet fuel injection with an intercooled Magnacharger supercharger. The Moon tank nestled between the front frame horns is not mere jewelry; it does real duty as the coolant tank for the intercooler. Engine coolant works its way through a Walker radiator. Jim Foley, a premier engine builder and widely acknowledged electronic fuelinjection expert from Reno, Nevada, balanced and blueprinted the small-block monster and managed an honest 500 horsepower at the rear wheels. The engine compartment is enclosed with an aluminum hood hand-built by Jack Hageman Jr. Humans sit on black leather upholstery stitched by Sid Chavers and guide the orange missile by hanging on to a Bell steering wheel atop a Mullins column that’s connected to a Borgeson steering box. Because that the car has roll-up windows, a Vintage Air AC unit controls cockpit climate. Information germane to piloting success is supplied by Classic Instruments. Whether cruising all day or racing all night, this traditional yet modern convertible reliably crushes the competition.

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1 2C

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THE B-4OO CONVERTIBLE

SEDAN T

Proof 1 2C

3C

here aren’t a lot of B-400s, restored or hot rodded, floating around. Only 1,296 were manufactured worldwide and a scant 884 were produced for Ford by the Murray coachwork company in the United States; as would be expected, fewer remain. That makes the convertible sedan the least produced car of any of the 1932 Ford passenger cars. While roadsters and phaetons left passengers unprotected from buffeting winds, the convertible sedan kept the breezes out and let in the sunshine. Doug Clem’s B-400 is a real—that means driven, not trailered—old-time hot rod. The car may look stock but it is a true hot rod. Out of respect and admiration for something that already looked perfect, Clem left the entire exterior intact, with the exception of General Jumbo wheels. The 1930s brought the advent of the higher profile “balloon” tire, and General Tire Company was the leading producer of the new tire, and certainly the best known. The wheels were manufactured for General Tire Company by Cleveland Welding. Each wheel was stamped with the identifying mark “Cleve Weld.” Balloon tires provided a smoother ride than earlier tubed tires and allowed cars to travel more successfully over softer terrain by spreading the load over a wider contact patch. The General Jumbo wheels, built in 1932, are 16 inches in diameter and, at 4.5 inches, are the narrowest version available. Wider rims were available, but Clem didn’t want to have to perform surgery on the side-mount wells in the front fenders to accommodate the wider versions.

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Proof 1 2C

3C

4 33

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positioning the fatter tires completely under the outer lip of the fender. It’s an arcane trick known only to old-time hot rodders. Remember, you heard it here first. The grille insert is an original accessory, the Pines Winterfront. In the original version, a vacuum-operated switch controlled the shutters; Clem has converted his to manual control via a choke cable. Living in Reno, Nevada, means driving over the Sierra Nevada mountains to reach California, and in the winter the engine temperature can drop to dangerous lows. He shuts his Winterfront and reasonable heat—a minimum of 160 degrees—can be maintained in the engine compartment. Clem has had a long affair with his car. He’s owned it for forty-one years and it has some 80,000 miles under its belt! In that time, the car has never seen the inside of a trailer. The Murray body, #20, has never been off the frame, the wood top bows and irons are all original and intact. The top was replaced in 1971, but Clem still has the original. This classic B-400 is the real thing: real car, real guy. American history at its finest.

Proof 1 2C

3C

His car is dialed in for driving under modern travel conditions. The nose is down just a bit with a modestly dropped axle. Chassis components are mostly stock ’32, with the exception of the engine, transmission, rear end, and braking system. The motor is a 1936 21-head-stud LB insert block with a 41∕8-inch stroke Mercury crank, John DeLong cam, original Eddie Meyer heads, and a prewar Eddie Meyer water-heated intake manifold with two Stromberg 81 two-barrel carburetors. The ignition is a Harmon Collins dual-coil unit and the exhaust headers are porcelaincoated, vintage Fenton cast-iron units. Shifting is improved dramatically over the stock configuration with a ’39 Ford box with synchro rings and Lincoln Zephyr 26-tooth gears. The rear axle is a much-coveted Columbia vacuumoperated two-speed with 4:11 gears and an overdrive ratio of 2:96 to 1:00. Fords built in 1932–1934 can be configured as a “Columbia” by using later Columbia internals and marrying the parts to ’34 center sections and axle bells. Columbia expert John Connelly, who owns Columbia Two Speed Parts, performs this service. The brakes are ’40 Ford with ’41 Lincoln drums. Using these “pancake drums” moves the wheel inward one inch,

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Proof 1 2C

open cars

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1 2C

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THE RODFATHER

A

Proof 1 2CT

ndy Brizio, il capo di tutti capi (“boss of all bosses”) of the hot rod mafia, is one of California’s most wanted men. Everybody loves Andy. A San Franciscan of Italian heritage, he has risen to the top rank in the hot rod family not spraying rivals with a hail of .45 caliber slugs from a Thompson submachine gun, but by the overwhelming force of being a really good guy. When he was a milkman, housewives who were charmed and heartened by the appearance of the tall, handsome young man in the white cap eagerly awaited Brizio’s door-to-door deliveries. Andy’s romantic affections, however, were reserved for the real love of his life: hot rods, most notably roadsters. After working as a milkman, a starter at two drag strips, a garbage man, and a teamster, Brizio fell in with some real hardcore hot rod enthusiasts, namely Ted Gottelli and Jim McClennan of Champion Speed Shop fame, and the talented engine builders Cub Barnett and Bruno Gianoli. In 1963, Brizio married Sue, who proved to be hot rodding’s female embodiment of horsepower. Sue presided over many of Andy’s money-making schemes. The Instant-T VW-powered roadster, Andy’s Wheels and Tires, the famous worldwide T-shirt company Andy’s Tees, and picnics and events. There are six Brizio children, the most visible of whom is renowned hot rod and custom builder Roy Brizio. Sue said, “We knew Roy would be fine after people began talking about ‘Roy Brizio’s dad’ instead of ‘Andy Brizio’s son.’” The elder Brizio started a series of outdoor events known as “Andy’s Picnic,” which took place at several venues around the greater San Francisco Bay Area. You weren’t really in the scene unless you went to Andy’s picnic. Although the California image of hot rodding centers around Los Angeles and adjacent southern California environs, Northern California has long had a highly developed hot rod culture. Brizio, like any enthusiast, wanted to win the coveted World’s Most Beautiful Roadster award at the Grand National Roadster Show. He entered the competition three times, eventually taking the big trophy home in 1970. Andy and the late, great Lil’ John Buttera were close friends; they made the trip to Indy to race, built competitive street rods for Hot Rod magazine, and John gave the most excoriating roast of Andy probably ever recorded at a Goodguys event. His 1970 AMBR winner featured a blown small-block Chevy, and against all advice he drove it to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for a national event. Rootstype superchargers are not considered viable for long-distance driving, but Brizio made the trip without incident. The wild, psychedelic paint job on Brizio’s roadster was done by another Bay Area legend, Art Himsl. Brizio didn’t love the fancy graphics, but the judges did, thus clinching his AMBR prize. When Brizio started the T-shirt business, he sold his hot rod to help fund the project. Several friends got together and collectively gathered parts and pieces and enlisted Brizio’s son Roy to assemble a roadster for the Rodfather. First purple, then purple with Art Himsl flames, Brizio’s roadster is one of the most recognizable hot rods ever built. This car was built to run. Starting with a Wescott body and a Roy Brizio chassis, it features the reliable combo of a normally aspirated small-block Chevy backed by an automatic transmission to produce a car that has seen both coasts of the United States on frequent occasions. Now in his ninth decade, the durable Andy Brizio continues to thrive as an inspiration to hot rod enthusiasts worldwide. It has always been his contention that hot rods are made to drive and not just to display. If you’re wondering whether Brizio puts his money where his mouth is, the answer is a resounding “yes.” He has driven this hot rod deuce roadster over 240,000 miles. Yes, you read that right. Without question, Andy Brizio is the Rodfather.

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1 2C

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A REAL FLIVVER T

Proof 1 2CT

he earliest pre-World War II hot rod roadsters were sometimes called “flivvers,” slang for a stripped-down Ford roadster. Eventually the term was succeeded by the more familiar moniker, “jalopy.” Another, this Vern Tardel masterpiece, is a roadster that possesses that real not-yet-the-1950s look. The tall stance is a result of a stock deuce front axle and some mighty high wire wheels. The only lowering techniques employed on this roadster are reversed spring eyes on the front spring. Vintage cues abound. Stock wishbones, friction shocks with chromed “dog bone” links, and an early 21-stud engine all represent the earliest efforts of hot rodding. The aft section of the car is supported by a ’40 Ford rear axle with the spring behind the rear end. The engine is distinctive, an early flathead (1932 to 1936) with the water pumps mounted in the front of the heads. In 1937, the water pumps were relocated from the front of heads to the front of the block, integrated with the motor mounts. The number of head studs was increased from 21 to 24 with this revision. Additionally, the water outlets in the heads were moved to the center of the head, a configuration that remained in place until the next flathead revision took place in 1949. All of the speed equipment manufacturers began their product development on the early version, but they were quick to move to the newer engine style. This new configuration cooled better, and it also greatly improved the main bearings. The earlier bearings were poured (babbit), though; when the new model was introduced, the main and rod bearings were inserts. The competitive GM cars of the era continued with babbit bearings, giving Ford a considerable advantage when it came time to replace

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Proof 1 2C

6 47

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Proof 1 2CT

the bearings. Ford also used a high-pressure oil system that eliminated complicated oil-jet systems in the oil pan, again an advantage over its competitors. In addition, this system allowed for an accurate assessment of bearing condition by reading a cockpit-mounted oil-pressure gauge. Needless to say, amateur mechanics of the era preferred working on the Fords because of these simplified systems. The heads on Tardel’s car are very early Eddie Meyer high-compression units with the Meyer name surrounding the spark plug holes. The “high-rise” two-carburetor intake manifolds closely resemble one of Edelbrock’s early intakes,

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commonly referred to as a “slingshot manifold.” A pair of Stromberg 97s sits up top, completing the vintage racer look. Tardel’s roadster is finished in Ford’s Light Winterleaf Brown, complemented by the brown Naugahyde upholstery executed in a wide tuck-and-roll pattern. A Ford banjo steering wheel and original ’36 shift knob in coordinating shades of brown combine to make a simple interior look elegant. While the body of the roadster is stock, the louvered deck lid and ’39 Ford teardrop taillight provide the subtle hot rod cues that cement its authenticity.

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Proof 1 2C

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3C Proof 1 2C Deuce 001-083_11313 C3.indd 50 Deuce 001-083_11313.indd 50

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ROADCHAMP S

Proof 1 2C

teve Moal is the hand on the helm at Moal Coachbuilders in Oakland, California, where the Moal clan has maintained their address and phone number for seventy years. His father and grandfather were both coachbuilders, so Steve comes by his predilections honestly. Moal has turned out a number of special cars, sports-hot rod crossovers, restorations, and pure hot rods over the decades. Very much a dyed-in-the-wool hot rodder, Steve nevertheless has a fascination with all types of cars, and he tries to incorporate influences from a wide range of automotive enthusiasms into the cars he designs and constructs. His personal car, aptly named the Roadchamp, combines a traditional ’32 roadster body with a sophisticated tubular space frame chassis. Sports car drivability with a vintage Ford look is a sought-after combo. The intention here was to have a fast, reliable hot rod that handles like a slot car and goes like a bat out of West Hell. Admirable goals, indeed. The chassis sits behind the dropped-and-drilled I-beam front axle and is suspended upfront with deuce springs, adjustable shocks, and parallel torsion bars. Traditionally styled hairpin radius rods locate the front end. The Heim joints on the hairpins are concealed by diminutive fairings made in Moal’s shop. Fabricated frame horns with a bit of design flair keep the front end looking traditional while concealing some of the hardware. The aft section of the chassis sits atop a Ford 9-inch rear end that uses a transverse torsionbar suspension snubbed, like the front, with adjustable tubular shocks. The light and strong Moal chassis is fabbed from 4130 chromoly tubing and consists basically of two parallel tubes, one above the other, connected with triangulated supports. The bare chassis looks like a road race unit and functions that way too. Quickratio power steering directed by a Saginaw 625 steering box translates into responsive handling. Motive power is supplied by the Ford Motor Company’s highperformance edition 351 Windsor. Aluminum heads, roller rockers, and a thirsty Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1

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the rear (which conceals the bladder fuel tank) simply screams “salt flats!” Liberal louvering adds to the racecar theme, venting air from under the car and giving a little breathing space to the engine compartment. The cockpit is appointed in red leather stitched by area local Ken Naminic, complete with a custom dash insert and a scratch-built steering wheel. The seats are low in the car, with just the driver’s head sticking up above the door. Low seating keeps the pilot’s face behind the one-off windshield made by Moal and his crew. Low, fast, and it handles. No wonder the French-racing blue roadster has in excess of 40,000 miles on the odometer!

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Proof 1 2C

distinguish the factory race engine from its more pedestrian brethren. That combination makes 385 horsepower from 351 cubic inches—more than one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement—a sound formula for high performance. The Ford rear end connects to the 351 Windsor motor through a Tremec five-speed transmission. Clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals were all handcrafted, as were all brackets, hangers, and mounts throughout the car. Moal used a steel Brookville body for his car, but he built the rocker panels, hood, and deck lid from aluminum. There’s something about that fat-belly-pan look in the over-the-frame aluminum panels that, when combined with the rolled pan in

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1 2C

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HOT TUB F

Proof 1 2C

ord made its last true roadster and phaeton in 1937. The distinguishing factor for these models is the lack of roll-up windows. The phaeton or “tub” is a roadster with a back seat. Some people think that putting a top and windows in a car is what turns you into a “cage pilot.” Gary Monnich, owner and builder of this phaeton, had previously owned two roadsters; with a growing family, though, he wanted expanded seating. Gary began the build in 1978 when he bought a deuce from Andy “The Rodfather” Brizio for the princely sum of $25. That was the last cheap Ford part ever purchased by Monnich. Brizio probably thinks he should have gotten at least $50! The parts for this car were acquired the old-fashioned way: going from swap meet to swap meet and digging out gems one piece at a time. Only early risers need apply. It took Monnich—and most importantly his dedicated and good-humored wife, Sharon—a year and a half to assemble all of the pieces once they had been acquired. The Henry frame has the Roy Brizio massage treatment. The front end, centered on a deeply dropped Bell I-beam axle, is linked to the dropped crossmember by a reversed eye leaf spring and has been fitted with a custom sway bar. Fourbar radius rods à la Brizio are installed front and rear. Monnich used ’39 Ford spindles to which he ingeniously adapted 13-inch disc brakes pirated from a 1963 Volvo 122S. Brakes from the same donor source are mounted on the Ford 9-inch rear axle. Koni coil-over shocks provide the cushioning for the rear and a four-link setup combined with a Panhard bar locate and stabilize the rear end. Horsepower is supplied by a Chevy 327. That is a sincere tip of the hat to the notion of an old-school powerplant. A Comp cam and an Edelbrock 600 carburetor add a few ponies. The air cleaner and valve covers are Ford Cobra, in deference to old Henry and to keep it straight with the “Ford in a Ford” crowd. They are adapted to the four-barrel and the GM heads. Sharp-eyed hot rodders will note that the distributor location gives away the ruse. The shift-kitted GM Turbo 350 transmission is operated by a column-mounted lever. That’s helpful when squeezing a third passenger onto the front bench seat. Early Ford sedans and phaetons have front seats that are reminiscent of good furniture: couchy and comfy.

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Proof 1 2C

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Monnich reports that this car’s fun index is particularly high. A member of the Bay Area Roadsters for more than twenty-five years, he has spent a lot of time traveling in open cars. This one is “just a lot of fun.” Apparently, friends and family share that sentiment: I remember coming back to the San Francisco bay area from the LA Roadsters annual swap meet and stopping midway at the Harris Ranch. There were four of us guys and our kids, no wives, and we stopped to eat and do some thirst quenching. After spending just a little too long at the bar, the kids drove the rest of the way home. We had fun in the bar but the kids, years later, are still talking about how much fun they had driving the hot rods home.

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Proof 1 2C

With one trip to Deuce Day in Canada under its belt and more than 60,000 miles on the odometer, the tub might just be the very definition of fun.

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HE CALLS IT

“THE ROADSTER” B

Proof 1 2C

ill Williams has been hot rodding his whole life. Apparently Abraham Lincoln was still president when Bill got his first hot rod. Since then, of course, technology has shifted its focus from horses to horsepower, and Bill’s car certainly exemplifies that shift. Williams, the owner of Willy’s Garage Car Care Products, is very involved in the airbrush industry. Williams owns several hot rods and has shown, driven, and raced cars since the end of the Civil War. Although this roadster is not his only deuce, it’s his favorite. Williams’s inspiration was to put together a car that was barely there as transportation and all there as a fire-breathing, sparsely appointed performance monster. We are definitely talking straight-line street racing. The chassis began life as a ’32, but it’s been remade into something more akin to a modern Indy car chassis in terms of details. There are plates welded into the top and bottom of the frame to box in key components and create a partial belly pan. The pan is vented with some really big holes to preclude lift. Exhaust, steering, and plumbing components run from front to rear, all concealed inside the chassis package. The dropped axle is sprung in an unusual style, with the Posie’s spring well behind the axle instead of above it. Historically, when this “suicide” or “bulldog” positioning was employed, the front frame horns were abbreviated and the radiator and shell sat behind the spring and front crossmember. In this application, the horns are intact, the shell is in front of the axle, and the long look of the car is not only maintained but also emphasized. Placing the suspension where it is helps lower the car, because in hot rodding there’s no such thing as too low. The front hairpins and bracketry are all custom made, as is the triangulated four-link suspension out back. The rear end is a Winters Champ unit hung with coil-overs that are ingeniously mounted in front of the axle. The wheels are made by Billet Specialties and the front wheels are one-offs. Beautifully made brackets and components abound, many hidden under the chassis. Everything top and bottom has been thoroughly smoothed. The Brookville body is unsectioned but has been mildly channeled and dramatically customized. The cowl is lengthened and the cockpit opening has been reshaped. The door top shape has been echoed where the body curves into the cowl section, a detail reminiscent of the ’36 cowl graft made famous on the legendary Doane Spencer roadster. The rear section is pruned back to reveal the rear end and the steeply angled belly section of the pan mounts the 1950 Pontiac taillights.

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1

The paint scheme on the heavily reshaped body has a subtle differentiation that the red pinstripe divides: below the red line, the paint is gloss black and above the line it is in satin finish. Inside the cockpit and trunk, red leather upholstery echoes the pinstripe color. The dash panel and the panels on the doors and in the trunk feature exquisite gun engraving. This decorative touch is not commonly employed on hot rods. In this case, the engraver is the guy who custom engraves Browning shotguns. Williams sometimes goes by the nickname “Wild Bill,” and the engraving does suit the Wild West nickname. The chassis and body are unique and exceptional, but let’s get serious: the motor in this car is what it’s all about. It is nothing less than a 426-cid Keith Black aluminum Hemi. The heads are Indy-style sixteen-plug aluminum versions. Every part in the engine—from the roller cam to the crank, rods, and pistons are custom-racing pieces. This motor is a fully race qualified monster. Monster, as in scary! Jim Foley, one of the West’s leading fuel injection specialists, adapted electronically controlled Hilborn injection to the engine. It starts and idles just like a regular car—assuming your regular car has more than 800 horsepower on tap. The roadster switches identities like Jekyll and Hyde—from car to rocket ship in two seconds. With several cars under his belt, Williams regards this one as a truly singular effort. He thinks of his creation not as “a roadster,” but more correctly as “the roadster.” If the car echoes the man, it seems “Wild” Bill Williams, like the car, is aptly named.

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open cars

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open cars

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RASCHE’S

ROADSTER T

Proof 1 2C

here’s a lot of conversation in the hot rod universe about authenticity. Hardcore or intermediate purists, guys who like all versions of 1932 Ford hot rods, and a reasonably sizeable contingent of enthusiasts who are drawn to more contemporary interpretations of the venerable deuce all thrown in. When hot rodding really got started in postwar America, the idea was to make the cars go faster and look cooler—and that innovative approach to making a car your own eventually had a profound influence on domestic automobile manufacturers. Back then, mechanical brakes were discarded by hot rodders and hydraulic brakes were installed in their place. Cars were lowered to lessen air resistance as well as to improve stance. Today’s hot rod builders are taking the same path that their aging predecessors did, but now the available technology has moved the idea of car modification to a new dimension. Many people love more than the car—they groove on the nostalgia behind putting something together that combines reminiscence with usability. Other enthusiasts aren’t as driven by a past not their own, choosing instead to reinterpret the hot rod as a contemporary performance car that is functional, thoroughly modern, and respectfully representing a version of the past. Modern hot rods? Same goals as old-fashioned ones. Gary Rasche has a long history with hot rods, bikes, and boats. He is well known in drag boat racing circles—yes, the crazy people. Gary campaigned a series of Top Fuel boats and garnered championship wins like other people pick daisies. Find some YouTube videos of Top Fuel boat drags and learn the real definition of certifiable insanity. Rasche has had several prize-winning show cars and street rods over the years too. Most recently, he decided to pick up a modern hot rod and found a roadster on the Internet that wasn’t quite finished; it was so fresh, in fact, that it hadn’t been tested or sorted out. He acquired the car and engaged

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Proof 1 2C

1O

fully ground and polished GM 4L60E operated by a Lokar shifter. Since slowing it down is as important as getting it going, Wilwood discs are placed on all four corners. Billet Specialties provided the wheels (17- and 20-inch), the Tru-Trac accessory drive system, and the steering wheel. Illumination up front comes from Lucas-style lamps and the taillights are ’37 Ford units cut into the roll pan. Passengers and pilot sit comfortably on leather upholstery and, because the top goes up, so do the windows. When it’s too hot to drop the top, a Vintage Air system cools the interior climate. No matter what your style preference is for a 1932 Ford, this one is an eye-catching beauty that certainly makes a good case for the modern hot rod. And it does have at least one hot rod tradition under control: It really scoots! After all, there’s no substitute for cubic inches.

Proof 1 2C

3C

Zane Cullen at Cotati Speed Shop to bring the car up to today’s exacting show standards. The first thing one notices about this smooth and unadorned beauty is the stunning paint. The Dearborn Deuce body is cloaked in Burgundy Pearl Spies Hecker paint. The elegant three-piece hood was handmade in aluminum by West Coast metal-shaper Jack Hageman Jr. The fenders are steel reproductions. The chassis and suspension are the creations of master innovator Jerry Kugel. All of the suspension components are handcrafted in Kugel’s shop. The components are chrome steel and polished stainless; his tried-and-true technology is track tested and guaranteed to make an old ride handle like a slot car. The powerplant is a Chevrolet LS2 making 425 horsepower, so if you have to pass an elderly driver in a VW microbus, you have the ponies to do it. The transmission is a

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open cars

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DEUCARI B

Proof 1

ill Harrah, Nevada casino mogul, preeminent car collector, and owner of what once was one of the finest car collections in the world, was a man of eclectic tastes and a wicked sense of humor. For a guy with several warehouses full of desirable cars, it is surprising to discover that one of his cars was what appeared to be a rather mundane Jeep Wagoneer. The Jeep was collectible because it was powered by a Ferrari engine. Car and engine eventually parted company and the sophisticated Italian motor found its way into a new home in, of all possible things, a deuce roadster. Brian Burnett, the original owner and creator of the Deucari, is the son of legendary automotive illustrator Rex Burnett. Rex’s cutaway drawings revealed to the public the innermost secrets of many types of cars. Rex’s drawings showed many a young enthusiast how the parts related to each other and probably spread more automotive awareness than the typical photographs of the assembled and regrettably not transparent vehicles. With a dad like Rex, it is no surprise Brian grew up loving cars. Mixing a passion for sports cars and hot rods is somewhat unusual, but Brian’s highboy hits all the right notes. Dick Megugorac, better known as Magoo, put Brian’s dreams on the pavement. He started with a Ford ’32 frame, which he lengthened four inches to accommodate the longer Ferrari engine. The chassis is pure hot rod with a 4-inch drop Super Bell tubular axle up front pinned in place with four bar links. A transverse leaf spring shackled to a Halibrand quick-change rear end, long ladder bars, and Koni coil-over shocks suspend the rear of the chassis. A handmade three-piece aluminum hood, built by the late West Coast master metal-shaper Jack Hagemann Sr., manages to shroud the lengthened front quarters without sacrificing proportional harmony. In the late 1970s when the car was built, the lunchbox latches were perfectly acceptable. There is a certain functional beauty inherent in their simplicity and practicality. A little nostalgic humor lingers there too. The heart and soul of the car is, of course, the Ferrari V12, extracted originally

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Proof 1

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Proof 1 2C

from a late ’60s, early ’70s Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 and then subsequently from Bill Harrah’s “Jerrari” Wagoneer. This rare, sought-after engine has finally found its final resting place. The 60-degree V-12 makes 320 horsepower from 268 ci/4390 ccs at 6,600 rpm. Yes, screaming is the appropriate description of this little monster at speed. This is an earlier version of this engine with SOHC configuration. Later versions sported a pair of cams on each bank. Notably, the engine has two distributors, one for each row of six pistons. Three Weber 40 DFI carburetors are employed to deliver the fuel from the stock tank to the thirsty V-12. Sophisticated stuff for a hot rod! Power from the engine is translated through a four-speed Muncie gearbox to the Halibrand rear end.

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The Ferrari-red Wescott body keeps its door hinges and features a DuVall windshield, a dash-mounted mirror, and a concentric instrument configuration to maintain the sporty car theme. The Ferrari steering wheel and the Borrani wire wheels really finalize the sports car image. Burnett sold the car to the late Ed Hegarty, who was a near-legendary Northern California hot rodder. Hegarty loved to tell the story of taking the car to the Monterey Classic vintage car event when the Ferrari was the featured marque of the show. He delighted in driving amongst the Ferrari purists and burning more than a little rubber, just making the point that nothing at all is sacred. Not even a Ferrari. Those hot rodders, what are you going to do with those guys?

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SECTION 2:

CLOSED CARS WEATHER TIGHT, OUTTA SIGHT C

losed cars were the preponderance of passenger cars manufactured by Ford in 1932: cars that were weather tight by nature of their steel tops that were integrated to the body. Coupes and sedans, both Tudor and Fordor, were the people-movers of the era.

Closed cars offered protection from the forces of nature. Most consumers naturally tended

toward cars that relied on practicality as their primary selling point. These cars had tops, which differentiated them from roadsters and other convertibles. Hot rodders, always searching for ways to individualize their cars, attacked the tops, of course. The chopped top is perhaps the most recognized modification to a car’s profile. Many modern cars are evocative of this styling cue. Even open cars fell victim to the slicing efforts of customizers and hot rod builders. The top chop started as an effort to reduce the frontal area of a car to combat wind resistance. Eventually, the whacked top on a deuce became a symbol of an era, a cultural style and the sure identification of a hot rod. From the Beach Boys’ “Little Deuce Coupe” to the Bonneville racers of yore (and today,) the low-profile lid shrieks hot rod in any language. Every deuce-lover has his favorite model. Even though the roadster is likely to be the most recognizable version, coupe and sedan aficionados are as slavishly dedicated to their weatherproof automotive enthusiasms as are their Proof 1 2CT

topless-loving compatriots. Even if it is hard to see out of them.

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JUST PLAIN

TOUGH S

Proof 1 2CT

ometimes cars just look so tough—“tough” being a modifier indicative of an inherent cool, a charming wickedness, and an ability to defeat all challengers. This five-window coupe is tough. It looks fast, competitive, and intimidating. Okay, it is fast and competitive—and if you’re not intimidated at the starting line, you probably should be. The singularly fierce profile of the Classic Clay coupe comes from the application of two time-honored hot rod traditions: chopping and channeling. Here the chop is severe and the channel subtle. A whopping 4½ inches were removed from the vertical roof structure. Whatever is lost in driver visibility is more than made up for in visual appeal. The original Henry body had the top filled and it was left that way. Channeling is usually accomplished by narrowing the frame and dropping the body over the frame. One of the unfortunate results of traditional channeling is that the top of the frame is visible inside the car. Builder John Barbero chose to notch the top of the frame rail to bring the body down a full two inches. From the Brookville firewall forward, the full frame is visible and appears stock. Usually, channeling is reserved for fenderless versions of the deuce. To accommodate fenders, the quarter panels have been completely reconstructed and the wheel wells moved upward, effectively raising the fenders two inches. The rear fenders are bobbed and all four fenders have been massaged to keep the proportions congruent. There is a tall tunnel

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crank-trigger ignition works with the distributor, which offsets to clear the injection system. Hey, there’s a lot of stuff jammed under that low hood. A high-performance C-4 transmission with a Gennie shifter gets the power back to the Winters quick-change rear end. Long ladder bars angled inward keep the Strange coilover sprung rear end in alignment under hard acceleration. As usual, Barbero and the Pyramid boys installed a Panhard bar. The competition look of the car is emphasized with louvered hood and deck panels and ET drag style wheels. Fifteen-inch hoops are six inches wide up front and ten inches in back. The deuce radiator shell was chopped to match the new body profile, the rear pan was rolled, and 1950 Poncho taillights were frenched into the sheet metal. Tobacco-colored leather covers the Sid Chavers–made seats. A Tri C steering column, which tilts but retains a very slender profile, mounts a 1977 Malibu wheel. Owner Jerry Logan, former head of Bushwacker, the wellknown off-road accessory company, judiciously plans on keeping his personal ride on the road. Traction may be a problem.

Proof 1 2C

3C

to clear the driveline as the channel effectively moves the engine up. Notching the frame could conceivably weaken the structural integrity of the chassis. Forty feet of tubing were consumed, creating a series of crossmembers and bridging to ensure stability. Given the general rowdiness of the power plant, the chassis upgrades were really requisite. The rear frame section was bobbed and the gas tank moved behind the seat. Naturally, the floors had to be completely remade. With a low top and low body, the chassis needed to be near the pavement. A 5-inch Magnum dropped axle, monoleaf spring, hairpin radius rods, and aircraft-style shocks and spindles are all the usual suspects under the front crossmember. The steering box from Unisteer functions with a half-rack system. If you can’t see out of it, you should at least be able to steer it. The engine has a strong performance orientation. A Ford 351 Windsor stroked to 408-cid makes around 450 horsepower. Electronically controlled Borla injectors spray fuel as controlled with a FAST computer system. A

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closed cars

Proof 1 2C

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LO FO DO S

Proof 1 2 T

aginaw, Michigan, was once home to a GM plant that manufactured the famed steering components bearing the city’s name. Legendary American country singer Lefty Frizzell made his final No. 1 hit with his song “Saginaw, Michigan” in 1964. A cleverly wrought story about how young lovers outsmarted a greedy father-in-law, it is arguably one of the most famous country and crossover tunes of all time. Although the once-famous GM plant (along with Lefty) is gone, Saginaw is still home to a lot of car building. Jon Hall is an innovative and committed hot rodder who operates his business, Shadow Rods, in the snow-plagued area. Too cold for Californians, Saginaw weather provides an opportunity for hot rodders to spend the lengthy winters indoors conceiving and crafting cars. With an eye on the past, Hall builds cars that echo tradition while employing modern techniques to maximize function. Hall acquired the body in Texas—why isn’t there a video of the purchase? The seller brought the car to the trade on a running chassis. The body was unbolted and placed into Hall’s truck and the seller drove the chassis away. That should have been a movie. Jon’s four-door, dubbed LO FO DO, exemplifies his design philosophy. Using Shadow Rods’ components such as their deuce chassis, the unique car offers an amazing take on the ’32 formula. Hall says he built the sedan because he really needed a “go-to-lunch car.” It will comfortably seat as many as five people and deliver them to local eateries in what can only be described as “real style.” Hall belongs to a car club, Motor City Hot Rods, and all of the members have roadsters or other two-seater cars. In the interest of encouraging fraternity among the membership, a car with a greater passenger capacity was a necessity. Like you really need a practical reason to put together a hot rod, right? Many hours were consumed in planning the black sedan. The design priorities centered on creating a roomy and functional interior space and using the near-legendary Ardun motor. The Ardun is actually a Ford flathead engine wearing accessory heads that convert the valve-in-block motor to an overhead valve, hemispheric combustion chamber engine. Two Belgian-born brothers who migrated to the United States after fleeing the advancing Nazis in Europe developed the Ford heads. One of the brothers, Zora Arkus-Duntov, later became a well-known General Motors engineer who is widely considered the father of the Chevrolet Corvette. GM aficionados also know Arkus-Duntov as the party responsible for creating the first high-lift cam for use in small-block Chevrolet motors. The OHV-conversion heads were originally designed for industrial applications where the flathead V-8’s long travel exhaust path caused

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13

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Proof 1 2CT

overheating. Only much later did the heads become soughtafter performance applications. Automobile collector, builder, and race driver, Don Orosco has spent a lifetime preserving automotive history. One of his pet projects was recreating the Ardun Heads. Orosco is reputed to have made twenty-five sets of heads before selling the tooling for production to Don Ferguson, whose intention was to run the Ardun-equipped engines in his Bonneville racers. The engine in the LO FO DO was built to run as a blower motor at the salt flats, and blowers are known to put some serious strain on internal parts. The building of this motor was put into the capable hands of Mark Kirby at Motor City Flatheads. One of Mark’s primary concerns was keeping the internal temperature of the engine as low as possible. Flatheads have only three main bearings and, if an engine like a blown Ardun is making in the neighborhood of 600 horsepower, internal temps can rise high enough to break motors. Kirby created a water jacket in the main bearings and, using water from the heads, figured out a way to keep bearings intact through water-cooling. Novi used this technique at Indy in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He consulted with Ed Iskenderian about lifters, and the old pro suggested using International Harvester lifters, which Kirby then modified. A Howard full race cam with Don Ferguson roller rockers actuates the valves. Motor City supplied the full flow oil filter with forged aluminum pistons; a MCF cast-iron crankshaft moves 4340 steel rods. The thirsty Ardun gets its nourishment from four Stromberg 97s. These modifications

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bring the ponies up to a few hundred, all produced from a 306 cid motor. Impressive. To affect living room proportions inside, the body was left unchopped and the footwells were dropped. The front seat has eight inches of travel and adjustable recline. The back seat insures passenger comfort by adjusting for incline, movable fore and aft to facilitate getting in and out comfortably. The slightly lengthened frame has been kicked up five inches in the rear and the front crossmember is positioned to place the spring behind the axle. The rear wheel wells have been moved up in the body and the quarterwindow glass runners have been modified for full travel of the glass. Rich red leather adorns the cabin and is accented by wool carpets. Hall fitted a ’39 dash into the sedan that houses a full complement of Classic Instruments gauges. An aftermarket ’40 Ford wheel connects to a Borgeson Vega-style box through an Ididit column. The chassis components are primarily Pete and Jake’s: a 4-inch axle up front hung with Posies leaves, while Ride Tech Shock Waves tether the Ford 9-inch out back. The big and breathy Ardun uses a Tremec World Class T5 5-Speed transmission operated with a Hurst shifter to connect to the rear axle. The five-gear overdrive allows the car to cruise with comfortably low revs at 80 miles per hour. Hall suggests that his motive for building the sedan was to have a safe, comfortable, suitably fast car to take to lunch with his friends. Hopefully, the menu will be as good as the transportation.

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Proof 1 2C

closed cars

OVER THE TOP UNDERSTATEMENT G

Proof 1

eorge Baur’s coupe is truly the story of the man. If you know the car, you know George, and if you know George, you know what to expect from the car. Baur has a family, a business, and lots of friends. He is also an accomplished and devoted historian who has written a history of his hometown, Petaluma, California. Baur also has a secret, though it isn’t really a secret to anyone who knows him well; out in the world, though, he can keep it under wraps. Plain and simple, he has an obsession that fuels his fantasies and his reality. George is hopelessly addicted to 1932 Ford automobiles. Not just a hobby, an addiction. I had visited a very special collection of ’32s and, in recounting this to Baur, I happened to mention that the collection’s owner also had a very nice ’40 coupe. “Oh, a forty,” said George less than enthusiastically. “What, you don’t like forties?” I asked, somewhat taken aback. “Mike, I like all cars. I like early ’32s, mid-year ’32s, and I like late ’32s. I like all cars.” Baur owns three finished versions of the darn things, for Heaven’s sake! He has a truly venerable, full-fendered roadster—the three-window profiles here—and a beautiful sedan delivery. As a child, Baur began reading Hot Rod magazine at the barbershop. They also had Playboy, apparently, but he only read the articles. George says, “The ’32s were the best, in the car magazines anyway.” In 1960, a young Baur convinced his mom to take him to the Grand National Roadster Show (the show was still in Oakland, California, back then). In 2006, he made his hot rod circle complete by debuting his red coupe at the GNRS in Los Angeles. A man obsessed is a man compelled by details. Baur’s intention was to weld a 1960s feel to a car rich with contemporary function. Planning is always a strength, and that’s Baur’s forte in any project he works on. A friend had stored the sound and bone-stock coupe body in Baur’s barn for twenty-five years, until Baur finally purchased it and forgave the back rent. The first step in the planning process is decision making: to chop or not to chop, that was the question. Since admirable restraint is the watchword in Baur’s design philosophy, he went for a two-inch chop, the hood extended just one inch, the radiator and shell shortened—none too much.

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Proof 1

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Proof 1 2C

Then there was getting the tire and wheel combination just right and giving the car the ideal look Baur wanted, “making it look like a baby Lincoln.” To start, Baur built a frame jig and started cutting and welding. The frame was boxed, lengthened two inches, pinched two inches, then the front crossmember moved ahead one inch and notched front and rear for clearance. He added a Currie Ford 9-inch rear axle with Ford Track Lock posi stays in place with TCI four-link suspension, a Deuce Factory sway bar, an owner-built Panhard bar, and Aldan coil-over shocks. Wilwood 11-inch brakes slow things down on all four corners. A Magnum dropped axle and spindles with a Durant monoleaf spring comprise the traditional front end, held straight by hairpin style radius rods. Halibrand Sprint wheels are traditional and in keeping with the street-competition look of the car. The term hot rod usually implies performance, and the performance chores here are handled with a 383-stroker small-block Chevy outfitted with a Comp cam, Edelbrock aluminum heads, and 670 Holley Street Avenger carburetor.

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The engine was machined and assembled by West Coast master Cub Barnett. The transmission is a Richmond sixspeed that connects to the motor with a Hays 11-inch clutch and a Ram aluminum flywheel. Little tricks abound in this car. The stock-looking grille bars have been replaced with stainless steel versions. The stock 12-plus-gallon fuel tank hangs out back, but a stainless steel tank with a 16-gallon capacity is sandwiched between the cockpit and the trunk. All the way from Frisco to L.A. on one fill-up! A steel firewall separates the fuel cell from the passengers. When the trunk is opened, the stereo system, which is extensive, conceals the auxiliary tank. Baur says his wife, Karen, was agreeable and pleasant throughout the build. Respectfully, he ensured that the car included the creature comforts that would help maintain her enthusiasm. A Sid Chavers leather interior, air conditioning, and that over-the-top stereo keep the driving comfort level at its peak. Not only was Karen a peach during the build, she is now a willing and enthusiastic partner for those long road trips. They don’t call him “Lucky George” for nothing.

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PRESERVATION J

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Proof 1 2CT

ay Souza is no stranger to hot rods. When he was just 14 years old, he was already wrenching on a ’30 A coupe in his parents’ garage in Hayward, California. Since then, he’s owned a number of memorable rides, including a modern-style deuce highboy with big wheels, big motor, independent suspension, and a futuristic Art Himsl paint job. While his tastes have become somewhat more sedate, Souza recalls that Himsl car as “really fun to drive,” which we can translate as “hellishly fast!” During that period, he also owned a nostalgic pinstriped primer deuce coupe, so he’s never really strayed far from his roots. Souza’s latest automotive romance has quite a history in his neighborhood. The car was featured in the “Teenview” section of the Berkeley Gazette, a now-defunct newspaper from Berkeley, California, sometime in 1957. Reading the article is a real step back in time. The deuce’s original owner was Tim Carlson, who appeared to be a high school junior or senior at the time the article was written. The piece is accompanied by a very cool front three-quarter shot of the car, sans hood, with Carlson showing his thirteen-year-old brother the finer points of engine detail. The article, written by teen editor Peggy La Violette, rhapsodizes about the coolness of the car and extols the virtues of having a productive hobby. La Violette quotes Carlson’s friends as characterizing the three-window as “the absolute end in hot rods.” His more modest self-appraisal of his efforts was, “It’s a kid’s car—but then, I’m a kid.” Charmingly self-effacing for a youngster who is, after all, featured in the “Teenview” section of the local paper! The car was a hobby that consumed him. Working on the car at his dad’s auto repair shop at night and on Saturdays—then running it hard at the drag strip in Vacaville, California, on Sundays—kept this young man out of trouble. Certainly, this scenario strikes a resonant chord with many formerly young men, particularly those who came of age in the 1950s and 1960s. Having a job meant having money to own and fix up a car. Not just a car, though: your own personalized car—a real-world version of American Graffiti. Current owner Souza has an abiding affection for young Tim Carlson and the three-window, even though he’s never met him. Years later, Souza discovered the car in a warehouse. Souza believes that the car should remain, as it was, a tribute to what has gone before. To that end, all of the significant mechanicals remain intact. The Buick binders are the gennie items, not repros, and certainly nothing that would conceal more modern braking devices. The flathead motor is as authentic as they come, and the rear end and tranny are equally original. By contemporary standards, this car just shouldn’t be functional enough to drive in today’s traffic. But it’s no trailer-borne museum piece. Souza drove it to the photo studio some one-and-half hours from his home, over freeways that are notoriously overused and crowded. His only concession to modernity is the mid-driveline overdrive unit that keeps revs down was positioned between the torque tubes. The cast finned aluminum unit looks at home while performing a life-preserving function ensuring extended motor life. Souza hasn’t strayed far from the original version of this “real” hot rod. While much is made of keeping the original flavor of cars, he has accomplished something more. Instead of producing a restored display piece, he gives us an honest-to-goodness old hot rod that he drives regularly, just the way it was driven back in the good old 1950s. He is truly a preservationist.

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Proof 1 2C

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THE MEDEUSA

COUPE T

Proof 1 2CT

he Medeusa Coupe represents some real hot rod values. Make it low, make it frighteningly fast, and throw something wild on the car that will make it distinctive. Low? Yes, very low: With a Hot Rods and Custom Stuff frame, arched front and rear, a dropped front axle, a full-frame depth channel, pronounced sectioning, and a severe top chop, low really does not cover it. Passengers sit with their heads tilted to the left in a vain attempt to see through the tiny sliver of glass that serves as a windshield. With the seat cushion on the floor, anybody over about 5 feet 8 inches tall will need chiropractic assistance after a cruise of any duration. Further neck damage occurs when the loud pedal is shoved down hard, and whatever you do; don’t punch it when you’re cornering. Sideways or even full circle could be the result of accelerating with the steering wheel turned. Medeusa owner Steve Andersen has a long history of drag racing and horsepower addiction. In the mid-1960s he campaigned both gas and fuel dragsters. Later, he built his first five-window, a car that defied classification by The International Show Case Association (ISCA) in 1979 until Bob Larivee, legendary show promoter, created the Pro Street class to accommodate the car. A deuce frame in front with a Pro Stock drag racing chassis from the firewall back made his first car a street-driven racecar—just like our feature car, Medeusa. The almost-400-cid small-block Chevy with Brodix heads, along with all of the other requisite horsepower enhancing goodies, cemented the car’s reputation for extreme speed. Andersen has a reputation for extreme cars. He’s also the owner of Frankenstude, a bullet-nosed Studebaker custom that was truly ahead of its time. Frankenstude, rendered by well-known designer Thom Taylor, featured an all-wheel drive chassis and Lamborghini-style scissor doors. Today, Andersen contents himself with campaigning a cackle racer, the Tom Hoover Fishbowl car. Originally created and subsequently recreated by dragster wizard Tom Hanna, Hoover’s famous car is considered by many to be one of the most beautifully executed examples of an early Top Fuel car.

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Proof 1 2C

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Proof 1 2CT

Medeusa has plenty of unique features that distinguish it from the pack. The engine comes from the shop of Myron Cottrell in Chaska, Minnesota. Normally aspirated, the 372-cid Chevy relies on a rowdy cam, a 750-cfm Holley AFB fourbarrel carburetor, and Cottrell’s secret massaging techniques, all of which produce the 565 horsepower that moves this car. A GM 700R4 transmission connects the power to the Ford nine-inch rear end. Well-known California sculptor, Mike Cooper, handcrafted the exotic exhaust system. Cooper’s Tubester ’34 Ford pickup hot rod is known globally for its unique styling, high-quality craftsmanship, and perhaps the most outrageous exhaust system ever put on a hot rod. Medeusa’s version is a more modest version of the original theme. It sounds good too. The stretched proportions come courtesy of the lengthened hood and extended chassis. A further portion of Medeusa’s visual impact comes from traditional features like the chopped top, channeled body, extensive louvers, and Halibrand wheels, all contrasted against more contemporary notes, such as the one-of-a-kind flames over the otherwise staid black body. If you want outrageous and innovative, why not enlist Chip Foose? Somehow, Andersen managed to talk Foose into flaming the car. Given free reign to design and execute the paint scheme, Foose did a hard twenty-four-hour stint drawing, patterning, and painting the car in a Foose-only “tribal” pattern. It was a whirlwind. As Foose headed for the airport, master striper Lenni Schwartz trimmed out the flames. Andersen credits Bo Vescio, owner and operator of Vescio’s Customizing in Rogers, Minnesota, with pulling all the elements together to finish this very challenging build.

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Proof 1 2C

closed cars

TOM WALSH

3-WINDOW I

Proof 1 2C

n 1932, Ford listed the car that hot rodders know as the three-window coupe as its “Deluxe Coupe.” Tom Walsh’s three-window certainly is deluxe. Hot rodders prize using original parts in their creations. While the burgeoning aftermarket industry keeps the hot rod hobby alive, reverence for the past is expressed in taking pride in the originality of the components of any car. Tom Walsh, racer and rod builder, is justifiably proud of his all-“Henry” steel coupe. Frame, body, fenders, deck lid, hood top (Steve Moal made the hood sides), and even the wheels are all original Ford steel products. The top was left unchopped and the body is basically in its original form. Jim Hendricks, metalsmith of the first order, massaged the tin and got it into shape for the unforgiving black finish. It really must be straight if it’s going to be black. While opting for a stock look for the body, Walsh chose a bright red to keep the accents looking “real hot rod.” A 4-inch drop forged I-beam axle sets the stance. Walsh made hairpin-style wishbones, and aircraft shocks dampen chassis travel. Unconcealed disc brakes are used in the front while drum brakes handle stopping duties at the rear. The rear axle is a Ford 9-inch, connecting to the chassis with coil-over shocks. Power comes courtesy of a Walsh-built 1970 Chevy four-bolt main small-block engine, backed by a GM Turbo 400 with a Gennie Shifter gear selector. Bored with a comp cam, massaged GM Performance heads, three twobarrel Ford carbs, Jet Hot coated headers, and an MSD ignition, the engine makes about 675 horsepower. The obvious eye candy under the hood is the Walsh-crafted air cleaner. Reminiscent of early GM units, it has a unique look. The exhaust system is all stainless steel and routes through S&S mufflers. Luxury abounds inside the cabin. The rare, handsomely wood-grained, and in this case completely intact, three-window dash even includes the original glove box. The green glass jewel

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Proof 1 2C

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in the in-dash cigar lighter is the only color compromise in the otherwise red-leather, Ken Naminic–stitched interior. The wood-grained steering column is supported by an original Ford key-and-lock system. A ’39 Ford Banjo steering wheel tops the column and Auto Meter gauges inform the pilot. Vintage Air and a well-concealed stereo system make for a creature comfort list designed for travel. Dietz headlights sit atop a dropped light bar and ’37 Ford taillights with blue dot inserts illuminate the rear of the car. Fast, comfortable, and authentic, this three-window is a finely crafted and wellconceived example of a hot rod with traditional appeal and contemporary manners.

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3C

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THE COPPER

COUPE

I

Proof 1 2C

3C

t does seem obvious that this car is called the Copper Coupe. However, assumptions that the reference is to the color would be erroneous. In fact, the name comes from the career description of owner Rob Wellborn, a retired officer from the Los Angeles Police Department. Copper is as copper does, one supposes. Back in 1968, Wellborn liberated the badly butchered five-window from a starving student and promptly squirreled it away for the day when he would be able to afford a build. That timeframe extended as his family grew, along with the financial responsibilities of parenting. Raising children is universally recalled as one of those things that “seemed like a good idea at the time.” In Officer Wellborn’s case, however, it was a good investment, because when he finally decided to exhume the coupe for resurrection, his kids stepped up to help. The car had been a 1950s hot rod and, judging by the build quality done back in the day, it may have been one of the first “rat rods,” though less by design than by simply doing a terrible job of modification. Dented, damaged, and dilapidated, the old contender needed a lot of TLC and a substantial portion of do-re-mi to begin its return to the kingdom of hot rodding. Upon dismantling, the dirtiest of its many secrets were revealed to “Rotten Rodney” Bauman, who built the car for Wellborn. Doing some detective work, the two determined that some nefarious demon, probably from the dark side, had put wooden walls in the trunk opening and used the ’32 for a pickup. This heinous behavior should be punishable. Fortunately for the perpetrator, time had intervened and Officer Wellborn was unable to track this felon down and arrest him for crimes against a deuce.

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Proof 1

The body had been roughly ground and poorly repaired and the whole thing basically became a do-over. Deciding what to do and how to do it took about three years and some parts-acquisition time. Some things just are not worth repairing, and that was the case with the frame. A new frame assembly from Classic Engineering provided a place to hang upgraded suspension components. A Lincoln nine-inch rearend with a 3:50 to 1:00 final drive ratio was suspended by Aldan coil-over shocks and the rear-end location was set with ladder bars from the same manufacturer. Up front, a Chassis Engineering-forged, dropped I-beam axle is tied to the front crossmember with a monoleaf spring, hairpin radius rods, and Pete and Jakes shocks. Disc brakes up front help restrain the beast when necessary. Reliable motive power is supplied by a fuel-injected Chevy 350 with a Turbo 350 transmission outfitted with a 2,000rpm stall converter operated by a Gennie shifter. The appealing features of this car are the subtle body modifications, the details, and the glorious copper-and-white

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paint scheme. The Rootlieb four-piece hood is ventilated by vertical shutters similar to those found stock on a ’32 Chevy. The spreader bars were constructed by Bauman’s wife (Mrs. Rotten) and feature tubes welded between the holes. The body work, Bauman’s pride and joy, was first a matter of repair and then a careful job of panel fitting. He also applied the paint. Using white under the car was a thing once upon a time, and while it may have fallen out of favor generally, it is a feature that is truly distinctive here. The interior copper tuck-and-roll panels with a white surround offer a perfect complement for the exterior finish. A woodgrain dash and Bell wheel from Limeworks keep the 1950s theme intact. The only incongruity here is the nickname of the builder of this fine and historical deuce. Bauman built the car, managed the body and paintwork, did what his wife told him to do, and then wrote articles about the car for magazines. So, he just can’t really be that “rotten,” can he?

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Proof 1

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VICTORIA’S

REIGN

T

Proof 1 2 T

here are ten different models in the passenger car series of 1932 Fords, and the most elegant of them all is the Victoria. Marketed as either a fivepassenger coupe or a close-coupled sedan, the Victoria (affectionately dubbed the “Vicky”) was perhaps most reflective of Edsel Ford’s desire to combine Ford styling with that of the upscale Lincoln. Certainly, the Vicky’s profile is Lincolnesque. The short roof with the baby bump in the back also echoes the influence of period luxury American cars and some of the grand European marques. Hot rodders, notoriously unconcerned with such notions as reverence for elegance in design or the preservation thereof, have chopped, channeled, and turned into racecars any number of rare Victoria specimens. Jim Hendricks is a longtime member of the Early Ford V-8 Club of America, as well as a noted restorer and talented metal man who went beyond preserving the dignity of the Victoria by seeking to enhance it. Hendricks is not such a purist that he wouldn’t make the car a hot rod, but he did retain its classic feel. Hendricks discovered the Victoria in an insurance holding yard in Los Angeles, California, where it awaited a trip to the auction block. The car had been badly burned in a garage fire, smoking the interior and bubbling the paint. He bid on the car and was stunned to win the bidding war. That was the good news. The bad news was that, now that he had it, he had to do something with it. The car had been hot rodded, so restoration didn’t really make sense. Thus, Hendricks set about constructing a hot rod with all the class of the original Victoria. Starting with new rails from Chassis Engineering, Hendricks assembled a familiar package. A dropped front axle and chromed hairpin-style radius rods and brakes from a Ford F-100 pickup make up the front end and follow the tradition of using old parts to engineer something new. A lusty Chevy V-8 built to 383 cid by

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Hendricks. The Victoria was only offered with the Deluxe trim package, and Hendricks kept the cowl lights and the accessory luggage rack that indicate Deluxe over standard. The interior continues the stock body and trim flavor exemplified by the exterior. The dash in this car is probably one of the best ever created in a deuce hot rod, using a complete 1932 Lincoln dashboard to house the instruments. Dual glove compartments and an unbelievably beautiful, hand-painted, woodgrain finish look perfectly at home. The upholstery is reminiscent of the original, finished in Bedford Cord fabric. The Victoria really looks stock, although cognoscenti will know it is not. Instead, it serves as a creative and respectful acknowledgement of Ford’s design. Refined, restrained, original, and fast as hell, the Hendricks Vicky exemplifies everything a hot rod can be.

Proof 1 2C

3C

West Coast legend Cub Barnett provides motivation. Barnett’s tried-and-true efforts result in a reliable 400 horsepower. Fuelin and exhaust-out duties are handled by an Edelbrock intake manifold and carburetor combo, and Sanderson headers while a Tremec five-speed transmission transfers power. A Brass Works radiator keeps things cool underhood. Hendricks eschewed the debatable virtues of experimentation, instead sticking to proven components at the rear as well as the front. Hence, a Ford 9-inch rear axle using stock Ford drum brakes. The black exterior paint, decorated only with stock trim and subtle maroon pinstriping, makes a simple statement and reinforces the idea that the car is a traditional hot rod. Henry Ford was known for his declaration that black was his favorite color for an automobile—that was good enough for

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Proof 1 2C

closed cars

SINISTER I

Proof 1 2CT

t simply looks sinister, as though Big Al Capone were about to emerge from the plush interior with a Thompson submachine gun in his hands. It’s gangster in the oldest sense of the word, when gangsters wore suits, spats, and snap-brim fedoras. Bruce Canepa’s low-profile sedan speaks loudly and, given the contents of the engine bay, carries a pretty big stick. Frequently thought of as a family car, the four-door sedan has typically been relegated to the back of the barn in the hot rod world. In the ’30s, though, any gangster worth his salt drove, or was driven in, a big black sedan. They were usually long, low, and capable of respectable getaway speeds. Big Al called on Steve Moal to build a Fordor that would “define the term hot rod, while being truly fast and have significant handling and stopping capabilities.” Moal went all-out crime boss with his interpretation. Starting with an original 18,000-mile car (thankfully, nothing in the hot rod world is sacred) meant shortcutting the path to a good, solid basis vehicle. The gennie Ford frame, body, and fenders were retained, although modifications abound. Certainly the most obvious styling change is the top. Four full inches have been removed from the uprights of the roof and the drip rails have disappeared in the process. The stock deuce body line was extended upward to meet the A-pillar. The standard headlight bar has been excommunicated, and the Guide headlamps now mount directly to the fenders. Extensive reinforcing was done at the mount points to compensate for the lost horizontal support that the bar provided. The deuce grille shell’s radiator cap and the badge surround were removed, but the familiar Ford oval was retained. A handmade four-piece hood stays closed by means of a concealed latch at the bottom center of the side panel. Twenty-five louvers provide much-needed air circulation to the engine bay. The rear of the body has been modified to incorporate a slight flair outward above the gas tank. The tank itself was pushed forward and the frame horns and covers were clipped back to keep the stock-looking relationship between the tank and frame. Painted stock deuce taillights and a nickelplated bumper help keep the rear area looking stock, perhaps better than stock. The bumpers, door handles, and hardware are nickel plated, and chassis plating is Black Zinc.

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Proof 1 2C

A 4-inch drop Super Bell beam axle mounting a Sprint car style, adjustable for weight-load, leaf spring is used in front while the rear has a typical Ford 9-inch with a fourbar setup and coil-over shocks. All four brakes are Canepa Design AP calipers—four-pin in the rear and six-pin versions up front. The outrageous wheels, 16s and 18s, are Halibrand pin drive Indy magnesium units sporting a unique Bronze Alodine finish. The angled spinners are very rare and just plain cool. Once you find that hidden hood latch and reveal the engine bay, a rare sight comes into view. Motive power in the sedan comes from a 427-cid aluminum Ford small-block fitted with the Indy-inspired Gurney Eagle Weslake heads. The late Harry Weslake, founder of Weslake Engineering, was an innovative engine development pioneer. Dan Gurney initiated a relationship with Weslake when he asked the company to design a V-12 racing engine. Later, the V-8

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version—or evolution—of that project entered production. Weslake heads are notable for several innovations. Two of the most widely acknowledged are the heart-shaped combustion chambers and the fact that there is no intake manifold. The carburetors or injectors bolt straight onto the heads. Weber carbs are employed in Canepa’s car. Horsepower is substantial. The engine snaps and snarls, and one wonders what it would be like to put the Tremec fivespeed into play behind that music. The interior echoes the exterior’s understated nature, where rich terracotta leather covers modified original Ford seats. A four-spoke steering wheel is covered in matching leather. The unique dash is a full 1932 Lincoln unit fitted with Stewart Warner instrumentation. Creature comforts include air conditioning and heat. It’s mean, it’s fast, it handles, and it is very comfortable. If Capone were here, he’d probably take it at gunpoint.

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closed cars

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THE COLOR

PURPLE R

Proof 1 2C

ich Guasco has enjoyed one of drag racing’s most enduring careers. A famous Fuel Altered rodder, Guasco is best known for his overt insanity. The clearest demonstration of his lunacy was his wheel time in the infamous Pure Hell Hemi V-8, bantam-bodied; extremely short-wheel-based, Fuel Altered roadster. Rarely defeated, the roadster owns one of the most spectacular histories of success in the annals of drag racing. Guasco has also competed in Top Fuel dragsters and the colorful and scary Fuel Funny Car ranks. A wrecking yard owner, Guasco has maintained his passion for hot rods throughout his life, relentlessly pursuing hot rodding thrills even when disaster loomed. After suffering a life-altering drag strip mishap in January 1963, Rich was released by his doctor two years later, on New Year’s Day 1965. Since then, he’s undergone a surgical procedure every year, most related to the original event. Both of his hips and both of his knees have been replaced twice. The crash that put him under the knife so many times occurred while blazing the lights at 180-plus mph. The rear end of the fuel rail that he was driving rotated in the chassis—ouch—crushing his pelvis and more. While in the hospital, though, Guasco began dreaming up his next racecar! Although he originally wanted a Fiat Topolino, he wound up much later with the Bantam roadster that would become internationally famous as Pure Hell. You’ve seen the pictures—apparently the front end was a little light on the 92-inch-wheelbase car! Talk about an exciting—and terrifying—ride. The current iteration of the roadster still runs at exhibition and nostalgia events nationwide and has been to Goodwood, Britain’s West Sussex-based Motor Circuit, as well.

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Proof 1 2CT

But enough drag strip backstory. Let’s talk about Guasco’s road-going hot rod cred. In 1961, his purple 1929 Model A roadster won the Grand National Roadster Show’s top award, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster. Although deuce enthusiasts always think 1932 Ford when they envision a roadster, the first award of that coveted prize to go to a deuce was in 1978—twenty-eight years after the show began. It was all Model Ts and As up to that point. Guasco’s ’29 was purple and dubbed Pure Hell, according to Roadster Show records. No matter how many hot rods a person owns in their life, almost everybody hopes to someday have a deuce in their stable. Guasco was no exception. He well knows that the real enjoyment in owning a hot rod comes from using the car. With usability in mind, he conceived and constructed his deuce coupe. With the possible exception of a vision-limiting top chop, the purple coupe is a practical example, at least for a hot rod. Guasco wanted to build a five-window coupe, but he had considerable trouble locating a good one. Though he finally tracked one down, the owner would only trade it for a ’29 roadster. Well, Guasco was not about to trade him his AMBR car, so he bought a Brookville body, traded that for the ’32, and the deal was done.

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Using a frame and components from Elite Street Rods in Oklahoma City, Guasco set the stance with a 4-inch-drop Magnum front axle and a Halibrand Champ quick-change rear axle. He built the front hairpins himself and the rear four-bar is an Elite item. Motational enthusiasm comes from a computer-controlled GM LT1 engine, and the horsepower is transmitted to the tires through a GM 4L60E transmission. The body of Guasco’s coupe is standard deuce, with the exception of the top, which was chopped 3 inches in the rear and 3½ inches in the front. The distinctive hood’s side panel louvers look very much like ’33–’34 louvers. In fact, they were punched into flat panels, which were then made into hood sides. It’s most definitely a unique styling cue. Bright blue striping highlighted the purple paint. Chrome wheels and whitewalls clinch a period feel for the car. Pilot and crew see a ’40 Ford dash and wheel, planting their hindquarters into comfortable white tuck-and-roll seats stitched by Santana. With a hot rod and racing history going back to 1953, Rich Guasco is firmly rooted in the stellar pantheon of hot rod stars. It’s simple, really: At the show, on the strip, or at the dragstrip, don’t mess with him.

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Proof 1 2C

closed cars

GEORGE LUCAS, EAT YOUR HEART OUT M

Proof 1 2C

ost folks who see Jon Hall’s blue five-window identify it with the film American Graffiti. In truth, this car outshines the yellow coupe of movie fame. Truly done in the 1950s style and eminently drivable, this chopped beauty really gets the attention of traditional hot rod enthusiasts. Dispensing with frivolous tin (like the hood and the fenders) and taking a giant whack out of the lid really gives the car the “back-then” look. Hall had purchased the coupe as a finished car, then the flathead let go after about 500 miles of driving. Of course, once the motor was out and a new one was being built by Mark Kirby—the flat meister from Motor City Flatheads—the rest of car was disassembled and completely reconstructed. Hall drives his cars, and he relishes knowing that if he flips the keys to a friend, his car is completely safe and reliable. Winters in Michigan encourage closed-car driving, while muggy summer driving is best done in a roadster. Oh, to have to choose from a hot rod stable! The chassis is an original 1932 Ford unit modified with a Model A front crossmember and a flattened stock rear crossmember. The center member is fabricated from 1½-inch square tubing. Front suspension features a 5-inch Mor-Drop axle, Posies spring, and Ford wishbones split and attached to the sides of the frame. Pete and Jake’s shocks snub all four corners. In traditional style, 1940 Ford brake drums have been lathe turned to ensure correct balancing. Hall and crew fabricated a Panhard bar, and pointing chores are handled with a Vega-style box. The rear end is a Ford 8-inch. Pete and Jake’s supplied the four-bar system, and a transverse spring from a ’37 Ford is positioned behind the axle. The transmission is from a 1950 Mercury, and the shifter is mounted on the steering column. Rod builders frequently eschew the “three-on-the-tree” setup, but it lends a nostalgic touch and makes it a lot easier for the girlfriend to sit close to the driver. Now that’s civilized. The ’40 Ford steering column carries a ’39 Ford Banjo wheel. The dash is a stock deuce unit with a modified instrument panel insert. Creature comfort comes from perching on traditional tuckand-roll leather seats. One of the best tricks on the car is the original 1932 Motorola radio mounted on the steering column and playing through a pair of decidedly

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Proof 1 2C

nontraditional Polk Audio speakers. Playing rap on the vintage radio is expressly forbidden. A 1950 Mercury 8BA version of the FOMOCO flathead provides motivation, and it has received the complete Motor City Flatheads treatment, including MCF parts like the cam, lifters, and full flow oil filter. Engine builder Mark Kirby takes a personal interest in every engine that MCF builds, and the end result is a reliable motor that makes substantial horsepower, pushing 300. The MCF-logoed Edelbrock heads are pocketed, then shaped and polished, and the combustion

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chambers are relieved. An Edelbrock manifold supports two Stromberg 97s. The top has been chopped 2½ inches, and the resulting angle just looks mean. Jon Hall Jr. handled the bodywork and applied the PPG Marine Blue paint as well. Steelies with wide whites really place the coupe in the nostalgia spotlight. Hall’s winter-time roller has been accumulating mileage and should be considered as a front-of-the-line applicant for any future movies about the 1950s and 1960s era of hot rodding.

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SECTION 3:

RACECARS

FAST, FASTER, FASTEST: RACE- AND RACE-THEMED CARS

T

he whole point of hot rodding is to make the cars go faster. Little car, big motor, go fast: These are the tenets of the High Church of hot rodding. The earliest hot rods raced in dry lakes and salt flats. Those cars inspired high-performance street rods. Of course, no one would ever

remotely consider racing on public streets. That is ill-advised. Hypothetically, however, it

could be possible that a street race could occur. Deuce builders would never endorse such juvenile behavior, but should the occasion arise, ya gotta be ready! The racecar look is essential to the hot rod tradition. Pressurized secondary fuel tanks, superchargers, and roll bars all imply that the vehicle so equipped is ready to blow the doors off lesser automotive examples. While some deuces are built specifically to race in officially sanctioned environments, others suggest that while not purpose-built for the track, they are indeed racecars. Perhaps the most accurate descriptions of these cars, without irresponsibly using profanity, is “scary fast.” Huge motors; roll cages and bars; harness-type seat belts, racing transmissions, and rear ends all provide the clues that should warn off lesserequipped competitors. Street, strip, track, or lakes, competition

Proof 1 2CT

deuces are the essence of the hot rod tradition.

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THE QUINTON-JOEHNCK

COUPE H Proof 1 2CT

ardcore enthusiasts and historians regard this car with awed reverence. A legendary early Bonneville Salt Flats racer that saw several iterations (including the scrap heap), it has been lovingly restored by Los Angeles grassroots hot rod and custom icon Rudy Rodriguez. One of the most sought-after Porsche mechanics in Southern California, Rudy is even better known as one of the young enthusiasts who strive to keep traditional hot rods and customs alive. Painstaking detail and craftsmanship are the hallmarks of Rudy’s work. Jack Quinton and Bob Joehnck were seminal developers of Southern California hot rod racing. Both men raced roadsters under Southern California Timing Association regulations at various dry lakes and at the Bonneville Salt Flats. In the 1940s, only roadsters, streamliners, and modifieds were permitted to compete at Bonneville. An offshoot organization, the Russetta Timing Association (RTA), came into being in 1948 and added sedans and coupes to the eligibility list. At this juncture, Quinton traded his roadster for a ’32 three-window body and Joehnck supplied a chassis from his own highly touted and successful roadster, and the two set out to conquer land speed racing. Racecars change and develop as they age. Engine changes, body mods, and chassis improvements tend to make the old car new. So, the coupe started out as two roadsters that used Mercury Flathead Power Plants and eventually evolved into the iteration seen here. The first three seasons of racing, 1951–1953, were great successes for the car and crew; they absolutely owned their class and finished the 1952 season as point leader in the RTA. In 1954, with an eye to the benefits of streamlining, the coupe was given its initial top chop. That year, in addition to the lakes and salt flats, the car was raced with success throughout Southern California at a rapidly proliferating series of drag strips. It was not unusual for cars to cross-dress in those days; many cars raced at the drags as well as at land speed events. A hemi was installed for the 1955–1959 seasons, and in 1961 the car competed with a Jay Roach-built supercharged Olds motor. With new SCTA rules in place, the coupe (driven by Don Torgerson, another Bonneville legend,) hit 173 mph the first year and backed that up the following year with an impressive 198.3 mph exhibition in 1962, which was the last year the car campaigned.

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Proof 1 2CT

Paul Hoffman, a young enthusiast and budding preservationist of vintage hot rodding from Santa Barbara, California, found the car sequestered in a garage in Santa Barbara in 2002. He had known that the car existed but had been unable to locate it. Eventually, one of Hoffman’s employees spotted the car; Paul managed to acquire it and exercise his determination to return it to the light of day. He contacted lifelong friend Rodriquez and entrusted the restoration/revision to him. The chassis was so butchered by all of its previous incarnations that new rails had to be acquired. The top was unchopped from its second version and returned to the height of the first chop. The engine used in the current version of the car is not a recreated flathead but the car’s original engine, which had been lovingly preserved by a high school auto shop instructor (remember when they actually had auto shop?). The fellow happily relinquished ownership for a modest compensation when he realized that the Mercury motor was going back to where it belonged. The 296-cid ’47 Merc mill sports some unusual speed equipment. Sharp finned aluminum high-compression heads

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flank a rare Tattersfield-Barron four-carb intake manifold supporting the quartet of, what else, Stromberg 97 twobarrel carbs. Racecars change frequently, with newer components added to improve performance and usability. Rodriquez decided to exercise his prerogative to deviate from authentic restoration by using a T-5 transmission and an open driveline, tying into a Halibrand quick change rear end mounted b etween ’37 Ford axle housings that have been reversed to place the spring in front of the axle, instead of the rear. That was the original rear end configuration, but the tranny is obviously new. All of the body and chassis work is immaculate. Even though the body was revised extensively, no signs of surgery are visible. The bulk of the chassis components—’40 Ford brakes, deuce steering, ’32 front axle, Model A front crossmember, ’32 split wishbones, and radiator and shell—duplicate the build of the original car. So, thanks to Paul Hoffman who launched the restoration by selecting Rodriquez to tackle this car, it is, in the best old racer tradition, nearly restored with just a couple of new touches—like always, the continuing reinvention of a racecar.

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3C

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A. J. FOYT

F

Proof 1 2CT 3C

ew names in the world of automobile racing resonate with the authority of A. J. Foyt Jr. The first of only three drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 four times, Foyt’s racing career is beyond stellar in scope and achievement. He’s the only man to win the Daytona 500, the Indy 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. An enduring legend, Foyt has survived major racing crashes, heart attacks, domestic accidents, and surgeries. Heart surgery, hip replacement, and heaven knows how many racing-related injuries have failed to impede the mightiest racer of our time. If it has four wheels, Foyt has successfully competed in it: midgets, sprint cars, champ cars, sports cars, stock cars (both USAC and NASCAR), and, sometime back in the 1950s, he drove modifieds and super-modifieds, affectionately known as “hardtops.” When not behind the wheel, he has served as the owner and operator of A. J. Foyt Enterprises through which he has fielded teams in CART, IRL, and NASCAR. Early hardtop racing efforts consumed a substantial number of 1932 Fords. Everybody’s favorite hot rod was apparently just another expendable commodity in the 1950s. In California there was an organization called the California Jalopy Association, one of several competing organizations that slaughtered a number of the then not-so-precious ’32 Fords. It’s painful now to consider how many of our revered deuces were crushed into oblivion in this period. Hardtop or jalopy racing was a contact sport in every sense of the term. Cars were set up to damage one other and to protect themselves. Nerf bars were testament to the idea that crashes and contact were the order of the day, an expected part of the action. Once a car was damaged, it was cannibalized as a source of parts for building a replacement. Not every one of these machines was lost, however; thankfully, the Foyt car has somehow survived. Foyt’s early racing took place in Texas, where the class was called super-modified. These cars were pretty serious racers. A pumped-up version of a typical hardtop, they were the next step up from racing stock cars. Foyt’s father, taskmaster that he was, built racecars that brooked no quarter at the track, and their construction was pursued with equal intensity. With his father on the team, A. J. set out to build a car that would win. His dad was relying on GMC sixes fitted with Wayne heads to win, and A. J. knew he would have to step up to beat them. The Ardun OHV conversion mounted on a Ford 24 Stud block seemed just the ticket. Foyt’s interpretation of the Ardun included mounting Hilborn

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Proof 1 2C

injection and using a Harmon-Collins magneto for ignition. With a flair for the creative, A. J. reputedly “tipped the can,” an old racing term for adding a little nitromethane fuel to the gasoline. A chemistry experiment that was perhaps not strictly within the purview of legality, it was certainly effective as a means of increasing horsepower. The coupe was set up to race, which was its entire purpose. The body was gutted, the roof filled, and the deck lid welded in. A single bucket seat and a roll bar are all that reside in the spartan cockpit. A ’39 Ford transmission connects the powerplant to the Ford’s heavy-duty rear end. Ford truck brakes are used, but the current owner opines that they probably did not see much use with Foyt at the wheel. The thing was undoubtedly sideways for most of its performance. The right-side rubber is larger than that on the left, facilitating perennial left-hand turns. Heavy U-channel bumpers and running-board-styled side nerf bars protect and

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help to damage opponents’ vehicles. The exhaust system is concealed inside the chassis and exits through the rear deck. Two angle-cut pipes visible at the back corner of the “running boards” may look like exhausts, but they’re actually there to eviscerate the tires of opponents who tread too closely. The seemingly incongruous taillights weren’t installed to warn competitors of Foyt’s braking, but because the racecar was flat towed to events. The coupe was a steppingstone in the career of one of the World’s Kings of the Indy 500. Racing in Texas at Playland Speedway and at North Houston Speedway, Foyt was leading in the Championship points competition in mid-1956 when he left the pilot chores to begin his sprint car career in the Midwest. The two things that endured from those early racing days were the hardtop racer—old Number 2—and the man who became one of the most accomplished racing drivers of all time.

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FAT TIRES FOR FAT TUESDAY N

Proof 1

ew Orleans resident Gabe Rodriquez has his own personal Mardi Gras celebration every time he pulls his silver roadster out of the garage to take it out on the town. Finely finished, the svelte exterior belies the simple truth that this is a rough-and-rowdy fire-breather thinly disguised as just another deuce highboy. Often, the racing roots of hot rodding are more a reference than an actuality in a street rod of today. Rodriguez doesn’t subscribe to any notions of civility or respectability: like a Mardi Gras costume where the mask doesn’t really conceal the true nature of the reveler, the flawless silver paint and rich red leather can’t cover up the real identity of this racecar with lights. The roll bars are silent testament to the fireworks that this southern belle is capable of discharging. John Barbero at Pyramid Street Rods built the chassis to withstand any and all challenges caused by extreme horsepower. Barbero pinched the deuce rails in the front and narrowed them in the back. He fabricated tubing crossmembers for the center part of the chassis to make it as strong as possible. Actually, the phrase “narrowed the rear part of the frame” is misleading: what he did was cut off the rails just ahead of the monstrous rear tires and built an inner chassis complex of tubing that allows the big meats to tuck in under the body. The rear end is a modular racing unit built from a Ford 9-inch by Mark Williams Racing. External ribbing adds strength, and it is designed to take the toughest punishment. You’d be hard pressed to break this differential. Gigantic ET 15x14-inch polished wheels bolt to Mark Williams axles and provide a home for the 31-inch wide Hoosier tires. Both the rear axle and the dropped tube front axle are suspended with heavy-duty Aldan coil-over shock absorbers. Wilwood discs are used at all four corners. Everything underneath, like everything on top, is chromed and/or polished. A four-bar system is used up front and, similarly, a four-link setup locates the axle at the rear.

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What really separates this roadster from its more docile brethren is the all-aluminum Keith Black hemi motor. It goes without saying that this motor is made for racing—in this case street racing. Well, it should and could be used at the drag strip, but how convenient would that be? The 426-cid block is fitted with Mopar high-performance heads stuffed with stainless steel valves that are pushed around by a Ray Barton Comp hydraulic roller cam setup. A Mopar Performance crank pushes Ross racing pistons via Manley H-beam connecting rods. Hilborn/BDS electronic system fuel injection delivers gas, which is in turn ignited by an MSD ignition system. The result of all these ministrations is a wheel dyno output rating that approaches 600 horsepower—oh my! The entire engine and all the accessories are chromed or polished, and the valve covers are modified units from Ray Barton. A little deuce body can’t contain this big engine, so the headers hang out the sides and the long, tuned injector stacks penetrate the hood in their search for air.

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All those ponies connect the monster motor to the abused rear rubber through a 727 TorqueFlite transmission specially prepared by Dynamic Racing Transmissions. The tranny makes neck-snappingly positive shifts. It is rumored that there may be some traction loss going between gears when the hammer is down. The body is smooth as silk with a rolled pan below the ’50 Poncho taillights, no door handles or hinges, and a slightly lengthened hood. Inside, safety harnesses cross the driver’s lap as he grips the racecar-style wheel and settles into the rich red leather seats. Five years in the planning and building, this roadster is definitely not a mail-order parts-catalog hot rod. It is an intentionally designed street rod that should never see anything but the drag strip. Or not. Instead, Rodriguez tools the streets of the Big Easy and intimidates lesser vehicles. We hear he also intimidates the New Orleans streets with a mean gumbo when he isn’t out in the roadster.

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THE B&M SEDAN I

Proof 1 2C

n the early 1950s, a new company stunned the world of drag racing by successfully introducing a four-speed automatic transmission. The B&M Hydro Stick brought the auto trans out of Grandma’s four-door Olds sedan and placed it squarely on the starting line at every dragstrip in the country. Missed shifts became much less of a factor at the track. Over the decades that followed, B&M became the trackside equivalent of a household word for hot rodders. Following their racing success, the company developed “shift kits” for street cars that made positive, mushfree shifts the norm. Tire chirps when upshifting were suddenly possible for noclutch cars—and that was and is a good thing. For one of their many successful advertising campaigns, B&M chose Roy Brizio to build four ’32 hot rods that would advertise the company’s performance equipment and promote their race-bred image. Three of the cars were fiberglass replica bodies; two were roadsters and one, a three-window Coupe. The fourth car was this original Ford steel-bodied Tudor sedan. As usual, Brizio rose to the occasion with considerable aplomb. Starting with a patented Brizio chassis, he filled it with a Super Bell tube front axle with a substantial 6-inch drop. Pete and Jake supplied the shocks and hairpins and SoCal provided the front shocks and disc brake assemblies. The rear axle is sprung with hefty coil-overs and features a Halibrand Champ quick-change center section. Viewed from the rear, the narrow axle width and fat rubber scream racecar, and one suspects that the sedan is equally comfortable screaming down the strip or in some other, possibly unsanctioned, venue. Of course, the latter would not be legal and no pilot of this monster would ever be inclined to disrespect traffic authority—wink, wink. Let’s be clear: the engine is made to race. In its detuned street version, the Bowtie 510cid Big Block Monster makes over 800 horsepower; with a different tune, 1,100 horses. Scary fast is what that’s called! Bill Mitchell Hardcore Racing Engines is responsible for this monster. A B&M 871 blower fed by a pair of monstrous Holley carbs forces the fuel/air mixture down to explosionville. Owner Scott Hawley topped the Holley with a

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chromed B&M scoop. Limefire-style megaphone exhaust dumps with muffler bound cutouts dominate the profile view of the sedan. Hawley credits Jack Stratton at Brizio’s for the chassis build and the header system. The race theme continues inside the cabin. The Briziobuilt roll cage should be the first clue for potential pilots that this car is deadly serious. Simpson belts lash the driver safely and firmly into the Howdy Ledbetter leather-covered buckets. The B&M shifter controls a B&M-kitted GM Turbo 400 transmission. Potentially terrified drivers will want to get a firm grip on the Pete and Jake’s steering wheel atop

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a column from the same source. Operational information is available with a full complement of Stewart Warner gauges. Power windows make a modest nod to the notion of creature comforts. The body’s radical look comes from a 4-inch chop of the filled top. The Moon pressurized fuel tank up front adds to the racecar look. Bright competition orange paint, fat tires tucked into the rear quarters, and a steep rake complete the image of speed barely harnessed. It looks fast. It is, in fact, brutally fast. Now, who the hell is going to drive it?

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WALSH, WALSH &

WALSH T Proof 1 2C

he 333 car is a record-breaking deuce roadster that has made its place in hot rod history. Brothers Tom and John Walsh, along with Tom’s son Justin, are currently campaigning this saltshaker and enjoying considerable success. Bonneville racing is singular in many ways; at best, it’s a thankless pursuit. All racing can be expensive and time consuming, but there are payoffs in other arenas. Top Fuel-drag racers can earn substantial pay. Indy, F1, and NASCAR are all big money arenas funded by fans, manufacturers, and—more importantly—advertising. Land speed racing, on the other hand is not financially sustaining. In fact, it is frequently characterized as a hole in the salt that you pour money into. The relaxed atmosphere at Bonneville Speed Week is a big part of the charm people feel throughout the event. Spectators are amazed to find that competitors in a class are friendly and inclined to help one another. (You probably don’t find that kind of camaraderie in the NASCAR pits.) A relaxed atmosphere, enhanced by the lack of prize money, can often lead to doing as much socializing as racing. Barbecuing, for instance, can get the same amount of attention as racing. Not so much for Team Walsh, a family enterprise in every sense of the word. It’s made up of lifelong hot rodders with a strong background in drag racing who take their racing very seriously. “We run it like we ran our drag racing program,” says John. “We’re there to race, not party.” They shoot for the maximum number of runs possible. That may have something to do with the fact that Team Walsh holds records in at least six different classes. The 333 car uses several different engine and body surface variations to compete in multiple classes. With the fenders and headlights in place, it runs in AA blown street roadster, A blown street roadster, and the B and C versions of blown street roadster. Without fenders and lights, the car runs in the same number of class variations, but the class is called “A” blown gas street roadster.

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All three crew members have driven the car over 200 mph and broken a record while attaining that speed. That has made them members of one of the most exclusive clubs in the (hot rod) world, the 200 MPH Club. What do you get with membership in that rarified gang of speed demons? Two things: the thrill and a hat with the club logo. The Wescott-bodied racecar sits on Deuce Factory rails and uses mostly familiar components, including a dropped Super Bell tube up front and a Halibrand Champ quick change in the back. The quick change and the torsion bar suspension reflect sprint car technology. The chassis was originally developed by Ron Attebury and Lem Tolliver. Both of these guys have deep roots in building and racing drag cars, salt flat racers, and sprint cars. Attebury owns Attebury Street Rods (ASR) and Tolliver heads up racebased Chassis Engineering. Tolliver’s chassis work is well known in racing circles, and he also designed and built the 333’s trick flip-up tonneau cover, subsequently covered in fabric by Sid Chavers. The cover and its workings have been photographed and copied in various permutations many times. The Walsh crew agrees that the suspension system is one of the key—if not the most important—components of their racing success. The original concept for what was to become the 333 car included using a Ferrari V-12 engine. After acquiring the

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car in the mid 1980s, early testing with the V-12 yielded top speeds in the 140 mph bracket. That was just too far below Team Walsh’s expectations, and the sweet-sounding Italian beauty was scrapped in the interest of more horsepower and some serious record setting. Almost nothing beats cubic inches when it comes to land speed racing. With the Sophia Loren of engines suitably retired, the Walsh boys went after a big-block Chevy. Starting with a Performance 454, four-bolt main engine with cast-iron Performance heads, the Walsh enclave added a comp design Crane cam, Mooneyham 871 blower, Hilborn injection, MSD magneto, and a water intercooler system fed by an 11-gallon tank that resides in the crowded cockpit. Various engine bores and strokes, in several engines, allow the car to race in different classes, but the formula is basically the same in all cases. The car runs on that most basic of fuels, gasoline. No nitro, no nitrous. Engine power passes to the rear end through a Jericho four-speed. The Walsh team has raced this car since 1986 with considerable success. With the exception of years when the track was flooded and racing cancelled, they have raced at Bonneville every year. “Our goal at Bonneville, like at the drag strip, is to make as many passes as possible,” says John Walsh. It seems that their diligence has paid off; they hold twenty records in six different classes.

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A LONG TIME

COMING C Proof 1 2CT

huck Spratling’s three-window coupes are another example of a thinly disguised racecar pretending to be a wellmannered street cruiser. But it’s fooling exactly nobody. Highway patrolmen lick their chops in anticipation when this traditionally inspired coupe heaves into view. Spratling once had a full-fendered three-window coupe (fenders being the emblems of modesty and propriety on a hot rod). Although that old gal had gone on down the road, his lust for that particular body increased unabated; decades passed while Spratling searched for a replacement. Eventually, a friend told him where a “good one” could be found. Upon inspection, the coupe had a couple of “small” problems—namely, it lacked frame, chassis components, floor, dash, and any trim. It was a bare body save for a pair of ’53 Buick taillights. Bonus! It looked like an insurmountable challenge that would require buckets of work if it were ever to see the asphalt. Spratling paid the $3,000 price of admission and dragged his new love home. He confidently told his wife what he had done. “You did whaaat?!” was her spirited reply. A little research disclosed the car’s history as a channeled coupe with a wooden floor that had once cruised the mean streets of the San Francisco peninsula. That, of course, is Roy Brizio’s turf. In keeping with the car’s history Spratling enlisted Brizio to build the car’s chassis. Spratling, a retired engineer, had Roy perform the practical application of Spratling’s specs and design. A 4-inch drop Super-Bell I-beam axle, P&J hairpins and aircraft shocks, a Panhard bar, and a monoleaf spring make up the front suspension system. The steering is a Vega-style Borgeson unit. Wilwood disc brakes handle stopping duties at all four corners. The rear axle is a Halibrand center section located with 28-inch ladder bars and a diagonal link, sprung with coil-over shocks. ET wheels contribute heavily to the dragstrip look of Spratling’s coupe.

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In this car, the motor is really the thing. A 427-cid Chevrolet cast-iron big-block with cast iron heads dominates the front of the black coupe. It dominates more than a few challengers as well! Modified for performance with a Comp cam, Carrillo pistons, and Howard’s aluminum rods inside and a 6-71 Jimmy blower with two Holley 750 cfm fourbarrels outside, the former Nitro motor is almost manageable. On Nitro, the compression ratio was 4.5:1; the gas version is almost double, at 8.5:1. Although the engine hasn’t been strapped to a dyno, it reputedly makes more than 500 horsepower. A 1970s vintage Vertex mag provides the spark. Spratling built the zoomies himself. The monster engine is backed by a 1967 Pontiac GTO Turbo 400 transmission featuring a B&M torque converter; a Lokar shifter operates the engine. It’s one thing to put a lot of expensive parts into a motor, but when that motor is assembled by drag racing luminaries such as Top Fuel Hall of Famer Frank Bradley and

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master machinist Sterling Cousins, the result is indeed more than the sum of the component parts. The original steel Ford body received a 3¾-inch chop, the only real body modification. The cheese grater deck lid is pure hot rod. Zane Cullen and his talented crew at Cotati Speed Shop straightened the body and applied the flawless black paint. Lavish chrome and polish on the chassis and drivetrain offset the simple black paint scheme and very traditional “Tommy the Greek”-style striping. It’s interesting to note that the three-window coupe is the only ’32 Ford closed two-door car to feature rear-hinged doors. The mohair-style interior echoes the stock version, but it has been updated with a contemporary flair. It looks pretty comfortable in that cabin. If you can see through the chopped windshield and around the blower, you’re in for a hell of a ride.

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SECTION 4:

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

SOMEBODY HAS TO DO THE WORK

I

f open cars are impractical and closed cars are considerably more practical, then commercial vehicles—the cars that do the work—are very, very practical. At least practicality was certainly the design impetus for these cars and trucks.

With total commercial production at only a third of total passenger car production and the rough life that these trucks lived, they are very rare. The commercial vehicles include station wagons, delivery vehicles, pickups, and a series of large trucks of several sizes and applications. For many in the hot rod world, there are two kinds of cars: 1932 Fords and everything else. But just because the commercial vehicles are practical does not mean that hot rodders will restrain their creativity when adding one to the pantheon of deuces. Let’s face it—trucks are just as lovable as any other model of Ford’s greatest model year. Hot rods by design combine looks and performance and the truck lovers provide both in spades. Whether these vehicles have a tiny scrap of practicality left is not a part of the discussion. They look good and they are reliably quick—or, at least, quick enough. It’s funny, even a little ironic, that vehicles designed to haul freight can

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be made to really “haul the freight!”

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SPECIAL DELIVERY F

Proof 1 2C

or over a century, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus had marketed itself as the “Greatest Show on Earth.” For decades it was a fair characterization. With no Internet, cable TV, or Netflix, people in the United States sought live entertainment. The biggest and most widely known circus attraction of the nineteenth century was the internationally revered, gigantic elephant called Jumbo. So famous was Jumbo that, some forty years after his death in 1885, the General Tire Company adopted the word Jumbo (which had become slang to denote anything oversize) as the name of their new balloon tire series. General Jumbos were large, low-pressure tires that provided a softer ride and the ability to operate on soft surfaces. To promote the tires, General developed a signature set of wheels known as artillery wheels. These wheels were constructed for General by Cleveland Welding Company and are stamped “CLEVE WELD.” George Baur, owner and builder of the Jumbo Delivery, has an abiding reverence for the past. A student of history (meaning 1932), Baur enjoys things like tying the wheels to the ad theme and the circus and incorporating his sense of humor into his cars. They’re not so much period perfect as period influenced. Old advertising and a flathead motor shout his nostalgic enthusiasms—but he’s not so retrograde as to leave out the juice brakes! The sedan delivery was Ford’s lightest closed commercial vehicle. With a carsized chassis, available space in the back, and limited seating, it was the perfect solution for small business deliveries. Designed as a single-use vehicle, it was intended to do only what the name implied: deliveries. The rear bumper reveals Ford’s ability to enhance the intended functionality of a vehicle without spending a lot of money. It’s simply a stock passenger car rear bumper with a deep and graceful curve, making it possible to step close to the open doorway to load or retrieve freight. Owner Baur did the bulk of the work on this car himself. Metal-meister Jim Hendricks did some fine finish on the original Henry sheet metal and helped with the rear-door re-creation and installation. Starting with an original chassis manufactured in 1932 by old Henry Ford, Baur began to tweak things to his liking. An original deuce front axle dropped four full inches gets the nose close to the pavement. Ford wishbones and Lincoln brakes and a ’56 Ford pickup steering box are interesting and traditional applications up front. The rear end is a Winters quick change, hung with TCI four-bar setup with a Panhard bar and QA1 coil-overs. Baur plumbed the chassis with stainlesssteel tubing. Under the original hood lurks a 1948 Ford 59L flathead built by Baur, who employed a cast of familiar characters to enhance performance. The balanced 282-cid flattie uses an Elgin cam, Edelbrock heads, Fenton cast exhaust headers, and Mallory ignition to make ponies. Spent gases escape through Flowmaster stainlesssteel mufflers. Intake duties are performed by three Stromberg 97s, each protected by a Stellings and Hellings air cleaner.

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The two things that the ’32 sedan delivery guys wig out over are the rear bumper and the rear door. Henry used a passenger car bumper and just bent it. That meant that the bumper brackets had to be specially made, because the regular two-door sedan brackets were too long once the bumper was curved inward. The delivery body was basically a Tudor sedan with a hole cut into the back of the body to accommodate a rear-loading door. The Ford latch was unique to that application. With a very limited production run, heavy use, and weather issues, sedan delivery rear doors are a rarity. Doug McRae in Topeka, Kansas, builds a kit to replace the latches in the rear door. Baur, however, after forty hours in, in his usual inimitable style, has managed to completely scratch-build an exact replica latch using a photo of the original from a McRae kit. The Jumbo wheels are 14-inch units in the front and 15-inch in the back. The original wheels were 14-inch, but Baur wanted a bigger tire in the back, so he put the original 14-inch centers into 15-inch hoops. Originally, the Jumbos

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also came in 15-inch diameter but the 15-inch had nine spokes and the 14-inch only eight. In order for the wheels to match, he had to make his own. Yes, in his shop, at home. We are talking Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) elevated to artistic levels. Baur has an uncanny—but very hot rodderly—ability to combine parts and pieces from widely disparate sources and somehow get them to come together for the final product. With LeBaron Bonney sun visors and top, an English broadcloth headliner, and the actual 1932 Ford top tack strip, it’s questioned, how did he come up with using Honda Accord seats? Electric Honda Accord seats! They somehow look and function just right in the old car. OCD is defined as a condition that causes the afflicted to develop obsessions and compulsions that consume a lot of time and get in the way of important activities that the affected person values. In Baur’s case, what could ever be more important than detailing and building a car like this one? Really.

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GOT WOOD? A

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reverence for the past is a key component of building hot rods from old cars, but not everyone agrees about what’s permissible when rebuilding a vintage automobile. For example, restoration enthusiasts maintain that hot rodders who modify old cars for appearance and performance are in fact profaning the sacred. If that’s true, Al Engel better get to the confessional in a big hurry. The woody profiled here had been the benefactor of a complete restoration. A Model B four-cylinder car, it had been returned to its original state of functional glory. Wagons, originally called “Depot Hacks,” were considered functional, even utilitarian, vehicles. Built to haul passengers as well as freight, the wagons were less about creature comforts and more about getting some work done. Over time, the wooden bodies were subject to damage from weather and collision, and very few original, unrestored cars survived the test of time. Yet this particular car somehow managed to emerge from the mists of time as an original, unaltered car, with only 25,000 miles on the odometer. Many would argue that it is criminal to turn such a perfect relic into a modern hot rod. Even though owner Al Engel is a hot rodder, he’s not insensitive to preservationist arguments. His solution for turning a virtually unusable old car into something that he could drive around was to remove the body from the chassis, build a modern performance chassis, and then shove the hot rod chassis under the car. The old complete chassis, still serviceable, went on the wall of his shop. “After all,” he notes, “I can always switch it back to stock if I need to.” That’s a very practical approach, Al. Engel, in keeping with his reputation for practical solutions, took the project to Roy Brizio. The chassis master Brizio put together a tried-and-true combination: a mild mouse motor and a massaged GM automatic transmission became the heart of the wagon. A dropped axle, hairpins, and aircraft shocks are employed up front, while a Ford 9-inch with coilovers, long radius rods, and a Panhard bar provide the rear suspension. The interior is nearly bone stock, seats and all. The dash has a new instrument cluster featuring Stewart Warner black face gauges. Labeled pull switches for the choke and the dash lights add a vintage touch. The helm is a stock ’32 wheel atop a column suspended with the original Ford drop, including the steering lock and on-off switch. The shift lever for the automatic transmission echoes a vintage lever. The wood on the body shows minimal water stains, but it has otherwise survived beautifully. The right-side-only spare tire carrier provides easy access for roadside repair and the wheel is secured by a locking mechanism concealed by the hubcap. Access mechanisms are all stock deuce and include the door handles and very rare tail gate latches. This depot hack is an amazing survivor. The fact that it has been reborn to usefulness is a testament to both Engel’s willingness to risk divine wrath, and Brizio’s ability to implement the appropriate heresies. Nothing, it seems, is truly sacred.

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FAMILY DELIVERY T

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om Holmquist just has several tons of ’32s. An avid and dedicated collector, he refers to his place in central California as the “Pickadeuce Ranch.” His collection includes at least one of every passenger car and several commercial vehicles. Holmquist, of course, loves the “real stuff.” The signage on the panel truck is a reference to his grandparents’ actual hardware store, which really was established in 1895. He recreated it in the perfect spot to honor his family. When you look closely at the artwork, you can see the anvil that so accurately represents a turn-of-the-century hardware store. The panel truck, though similar to a sedan delivery, has a much more capacious cargo space. The panel is well over a foot taller and 15½ inches longer than its counterpart. Passenger cars, sedan deliveries, and panels all share the same 106-inch wheelbase. Both panel and sedan delivery trucks are half-ton rated. Like all successful hot rods, Holmquist’s panel starts off with the right stance. A 4-inch Super Bell tube axle fitted with a monoleaf spring gets the nose down to business height. Four-bar radius rods locate the axle and keep it square to the frame. Disc brakes are used on the front while drums do the stopping work on the Ford 9-inch rear axle assembly. Less conventionally sprung, the rear has been converted to parallel leaves. What that arrangement lacks in authenticity it more than makes up for in practical usability. Keeping it simple in an effort to maximize usability, Holmquist settled on the tried-and-true combo of a Chevy 350 and a Turbo 400 transmission. Even the stock GM small-block provides more than enough ponies to get the truck to work on time. A tale of woe, tragedy, and rebirth make this workhorse even more memorable. One summer evening, Holmquist was returning from a hot rod buddy’s shop party when the right front tire on the panel truck blew. He overcorrected and the somewhat top-heavy truck slewed off the road and rolled over—all the way over— winding up on its wheels in a soft field. Holmquist was able to drive the rig back onto the road, where he waited for a tow truck. Strangely, only the right-side running board and right rear fender were destroyed, although there was roof and body damage. The rear fenders fit only panel trucks and woodies, so locating that part involved some serious detective work. Luckily, the front fenders and the precious radiator ornament survived intact. The first thing Holmquist did was put his hand on top of his head. The stock location for the fuel tank was under the passenger-side seat. Finding his hair dry meant that he had (at least temporarily) escaped blowing up in a fireball. In the original fuel tank location, the passenger seat was lifted to reveal the tank and filler. Please don’t spill gas when fueling!

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It took almost four years to complete the restoration, and the first and foremost improvement was the relocation of the gas tank. Holmquist moved the tank back to the rear of the chassis where the stock location for a passenger car would be. FOMOCO made that shift in 1933—just a minor afterthought at the time. When Holmquist bought the car, it was a bluish-green color. The new scheme is an Old Coach Maroon body accented with Henry black. Originally, ’32 panel trucks did not have a rear bumper. Newly vigilant in matters regarding fuel safety, Holmquist elected to mount a passenger car bumper in the rear, thus putting a narrow margin of protection between tailgaters and his fuel reservoir. The feature of this vehicle most commented on is, not surprisingly, the radiator ornament. Many people have asked to make a mold so they could duplicate the piece; under no circumstances is Holmquist going to let that happen. What’s all the fuss about? Its just a V-8 emblem!

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THE MERC F

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ord Motor Company has a long history in Canada. In fact, just one year after the company launched operations on the US side of the Detroit River, it started manufacturing in Windsor, Ontario, on the Canadian side. After World War II, sales in Canada were tilted in favor of lower-priced vehicles. This was largely due to a somewhat lower standard of living, not to mention Canada’s high sales tax and excise tax rates. The levies almost added an additional 20 percent to the US sticker price. Renaming Ford trucks as Mercury trucks was intended to broaden the appeal of the truck line and offer something not otherwise available in Canada. Today, we’d call this kind of marketing strategy “badge engineering.” The first vehicle to receive this treatment in 1946 was the pickup truck, and the Mercury pickup name continued in Canada until 1968. John Barbero, owner, chief cook, and bottle washer at Pyramid Street Rods in Bellingham, Washington, decided that he wanted a roadster of his own after having built award-winning hot rods for so many others. He didn’t want just any roadster, of course, but something unique. Bellingham, Washington, is close to Canada; in fact, the border lies at one end of the town, which is great if you’re looking for poutine and Moosehead beer! (Look up poutine if you’ve never heard of it—it’s the Canadian shortcut to cardiac arrest.) Barbero’s proximity to the land of the maple leaf exposed him to the Mercury pickup phenomenon. In his search for something different, he thought, “Why not a deuce-ish roadster pickup with a Merc dash and tailgate?” With a little digging, Barbero was able to uncover a pickup dash and a tailgate from a ’46 Mercury pickup. The roadster is based on a Brookville 1930 A pickup. Barbero says the most challenging part of the build was modifying the cowl section of the Brookville body to accept the Mercury dash and the Duvall windshield and give it the ’32 feel. The Merc logo was cut from the later model tailgate and welded into the Model A unit. Once the Mercury theme was adopted as integral to the project, Barbero felt that he was finally building his own roadster, traditional but with the twist offered by the Canadian branding. Diligently working on the truck while making a living building cars for clients, he had hopes of someday rolling his own ride to the shows. One day, when a former client checked in at Pyramid to see what was going on, he fell deeply in love with the Merc. He made an offer that was impossible to refuse. Barbero’s bank account swelled, but his heart deflated. Well, he says, “At least it got finished. I would have been working on it for another decade!” Most commonly mistaken for a deuce, the Brookville A model does make a ’32 style statement. The body perches on a Pyramid-engineered chassis. Barbero started with SAC Hot Rod Products ’32 rails and, after stretching them three inches and moving the rear axle position forward one inch, he connected the boxed rails with his signature racecar-inspired crossmember system.

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Traditional hairpins locate the axles at both ends. Speaking of axles, the front is a 6-inch-drop Magnum tube and the rear is a Winters quick change. The competition look is part of any build at Pyramid. In this case, the solidsteel wheels with relatively narrow tires keep the traditional theme alive. Frequently, Barbero’s cars are so horsepower heavy that a much larger tire is required if there’s to be any hope of traction at launch time. The engine in the Merc roadster is a 347-cid Ford Windsor motor with a comp cam, roller rockers, and a thirsty Holley 2300 handling the mixing chores. Not quite a race engine, but more than enough to raise the thrill factor. The engine’s vintage look derives from an old air cleaner and the Mercury valve covers. The Mercury stampings were cut out of original valve covers and welded into the Ford units. The gold paint on

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the engine ages it perfectly and that color is subtly echoed in the masterful striping done by Mitch Kim, Oregon’s brush legend. The red leatherette tuck and roll seats invite passengers to sit in a nostalgic environment while absolutely dripping in coolness. They’re comfortable as well. The bed-mounted, handmade aluminum fuel tank is covered in the same material as the seat and cleverly disguised as luggage. With the oak plank peeking out under the fuel tank, it looks like a vintage Samsonite suitcase on a living room floor. Although the truck is fairly conservative and traditional in appearance, it took a tremendous effort to get it there. Barbero was asked, “If you had it to do over again, what would you do differently?” His quick and unqualified response is: “Oh, take up trout fishing instead!” Sounds like he put some time into this one.

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INDEX A. J. Foyt Enterprises, 165 Aldan, 102, 126, 170 Andersen, Steve, 112, 114 Andy’s Tees, 40 Andy’s Wheels and Tires, 40 Ardun, 94, 96 Ardun OHV, 165 Arkus-Duntov, Zora, 94 Attebury, Ron, 184 Attebury Street Rods (ASR), 184 Auto Meter, 120 B&M, 176, 178, 190 B-400 Convertible Sedan, 32–39 Barbero, John, 86, 170, 216, 218 Barnett, Cub, 40, 102, 134 Barton, Ray, 172 Bauman, “Rotten Rodney”, 125, 126 Baur, George, 100, 102, 196, 198 Baur, Karen, 102 Bay Area Roadsters, 63 Bedford Cord, 134 Bell, 26, 60, 126 Bill Mitchell Hardcore Racing Engines, 176 Billet Specialties, 66, 74 Black, Keith, 68, 172 Bonneville Salt Flats, 158 Bonneville Speed Week, 182, 184 Borgeson, 26, 98, 189 Borla, 90 Borrani, 80 Bowtie, 176 Bradley, Frank, 190 Brass Works radiator, 134 Brizio, Andy, 40, 60 Brizio, Roy, 40, 60, 176, 178, 189, 204 Brizio, Sue, 40 Brodix, 112 Brookville, 55, 66, 88, 216 Burnett, Brian, 78 Burnett, Rex, 78 Bushwacker, 88 Buttera, Lil’ John, 40

Proof 1

California Jalopy Association, 165 Canepa, Bruce, 138 Canepa Design, 140 Carlson, Tim, 107 Carrillo, 190 Champion Speed Shop, 40 Chassis Engineering, 26, 126, 133, 184 Chavers, Sid, 26, 88, 102, 184 Chevrolet 327, 60 350, 126, 211 427, 190

LS1, 26 LS2, 74 V-8, 133-134 Classic Engineering, 126 Classic Instruments, 26 Clem, Doug, 32, 34 Cleveland Welding, 32, 196 Columbia, 34 Columbia Two Speed Parts, 34 Comp cam, 60, 102, 190 Connelly, John, 34 Cooper, Mike, 114 Copper Coupe, 125-131 Cotati Speed Shop, 24, 72, 190 Cottrell, Myron, 114 Cousins, Sterling, 190 Crane cam, 184 Cullen, Zane, 24, 26, 72, 190 Currie Ford, 102 Dearborn Deuce, 18, 21, 24, 74 DeLong, John, 34 Deucari, 78–85 Deuce Day, 63 Deuce Factory, 184 Dietz, 120 Doane Spencer roadster, 66 Durant, 26, 102 DuVall, 80, 216 Dynamic Racing Transmissions, 172 Early Ford V-8 Club of America, 133 Edelbrock, 52, 60, 102, 134, 152, 196 Elgin, 196 Elite Street Rods, 146 Engel, Al, 204 ET wheels, 26, 189 FAST computer system, 88 Fenton, 34, 196 Ferguson, Don, 96 Ferrari engine, 78, 80 Fishbowl car, 112 Flowmaster, 196 Foley, Jim, 26, 68 FOMOCO, 152, 213 Foose, Chip, 114 Ford 347 Windsor, 218 351 Windsor, 52, 55, 88 Banjo, 120, 150 carburetors, 118 F-100 pickup, 133 Track Lock posi stays, 102 Ford, Edsel, 133 Ford, Henry, 134, 196

Foyt, A. J., 165–169 Frankenstude, 112 French-block 8BA-style flathead engine, 13 Frizzell, Lefty, 94 Fuel Altered roadster, 144 General Jumbo wheels, 32 General Tire Company, 32, 196, 198 Gennie, 88, 118, 126 Gennie Ford, 138 Gianoli, Bruno, 40 GM 4L60E, 74, 146 700R4 transmission, 114 LT1 engine, 146 Performance heads, 118 Turbo 400, 118, 211 Turbo transmission, 60 Goodwood, 144 Gottelli, Ted, 40 Grand National Roadster Show, 40, 100, 146 Guasco, Rich, 144, 146 Guide, 138 Gurney, Dan, 140 Gurney Eagle Weslake, 140 Hageman, Jack, Jr., 26, 74 Hageman, Jack, Sr., 78 Halibrand, 78, 80, 114, 140, 160, 189 Halibrand Champ, 146, 176, 184 Halibrand Sprint, 102 Hall, Jon, 94, 96, 150 Hall, Jon, Jr., 152 Hanna, Tom, 112 Harmon Collins, 34, 166 Harrah, Bill, 78, 80 Hawley, Scott, 176, 178 Hays, 102 Hegarty, Ed, 80 Heim, 52 Hendricks, Jim, 118, 133, 134, 196 Henry frame, 60, 88 Hilborn, 68, 165, 184 Hilborn/BDS, 172 Himsl, Art, 40, 107 Hoffman, Paul, 160 Holley, 21, 102, 114, 176, 190, 218 Holmquist, Tom, 211, 213 Hoosier tires, 170 Hoover, Tom, 112 Hot Rods and Custom Stuff, 112 Hot Tub, 60–65 Howard’s, 190 Hurst, 96

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Jericho, 184 Jet Hot, 118 Jimmy, 190 Joehnck, Bob, 158 Jumbo Delivery, 196 Jumbo wheels, 196, 198 Keith Black Hemi, 68 Kim, Mitch, 21, 218 King Bee, 13 Kirby, Mark, 96, 150, 152 Koni, 60, 78 Kugel, Jerry, 74 La Violette, Peggy, 107 Lakes, 11 Larivee, Bob, 112 LB insert block, 34 LeBaron Bonney, 198 Ledbetter, Howdy, 178 Limeworks, 126 Lincoln, 134 Zephyr, 34 LO FO DO, 94–99 Logan, Jerry, 88 Lokar, 74, 190

Mooneyham, 184 Mopar Performance, 172 Mor-Drop, 150 Motor City Flatheads, 150, 152 Motor City Hot Rods, 94 Motorola, 150 MSD ignition, 118, 172, 184 Mullins, 26 Muncie, 80 Murray, 32, 34 Naminic, Ken, 55, 120 Nitro, 190 North Houston Speedway, 166 Novi, 96 Orange Crusher, 24–31 Orosco, Don, 96 Panhard, 60, 88, 102, 150, 189, 196 Performance 454, 184 Pete and Jake’s, 96, 126, 150, 176, 178, 189 Pines Winterfront, 34 Pitman, 11 Playland Speedway, 166 Polk, 152 Poncho, 88, 172 Pontiac GTO Turbo 400 transmission, 190 Posies, 96, 150 Pure Hell, 144, 146 Pyramid Street Rods, 18, 21, 88, 170, 216 Quinton, Jack, 158 Quinton-Joehnck couple, 158–163

Magnacharger, 26 Magnum, 21, 88, 102, 146, 218 Malibu, 88 Mallory, 21, 196 Manley, 172 Mark Williams Racing, 170 McClennan, Jim, 40 MCF, 96 McRae, Doug, 198 Medeusa Coupe, 112-117 Megugorac, Dick “Magoo”, 78 Mercury, 34, 152, 216, 218 Mercury Flathead Power Plants, 158 Meyer, Eddie, 34, 48 Mint, The, 18–23 Moal, Steve, 52, 118, 138 Moal Coachbuilders, 52 Model 18, 32 Model A roadster, 146 Monnich, Gary, 60, 63 Monterey Classic, 80 Moon, 26, 178

Ram, 102 Rasche, Gary, 72, 74 Rasche’s Roadster, 72–77 Ray Barton Comp, 172 Real Flivver, 46–51 Richmond, 102 Ride Tech Shock Waves, 96 Roach, Jay, 158 Roadchamp, 52–59 “Roadster, The”, 66–71 Rodfather, 40–45 Rodriguez, Gabe, 170 Rodriguez, Rudy, 158, 160 Rootlieb, 126 Ross, 172 Russetta Timing Association (RTA), 158 S&S, 118 SAC Hot Rod Products, 216 Saginaw, 52 Sanderson, 132

Santana, 146 Schwartz, Lenni, 114 Shadow Rods, 94 slingshot manifold, 48 So-Cal, 26, 176 Southern California Timing Association, 158 Souza, Jay, 107 Spratling, Chuck, 189 Sprint car style, 140 Stellings and Hellings, 196 Strange, 88 Stratton, Jack, 178 Stromberg 97s, 13, 48, 96, 152, 196 Studebaker, 112 Super Bell, 78, 140, 176, 184, 189, 211 T5 5-speed transmission, 21 Tardel, Vern, 11, 46 Tardel Roaster, 11–17 Tattersfield-Barron, 160 Taylor, Thom, 112 Thickston, 13 Tolliver, Lem, 184 Torgerson, Don, 158 Tremec, 55, 96, 134 Tri C, 88 Tru-Trac, 74 Tubester, 114 Unisteer, 88 Vega, 21 Vertex, 190 Vescio, Bo, 114 Vescio’s Customizing, 114 Victoria, 133–137 Vintage Air, 26, 74, 120 Walker, 26 Walsh, John, 182, 184 Walsh, Justin, 182, 186 Walsh, Tom, 118, 182, 184 Warner, Stewart, 13, 140, 178, 204 Weber, 80, 140 Wellborn, Rob, 125–126 Wescott, 40, 80, 184 Weslake, Harry, 140 Weslake Engineering, 140 Williams, Bill, 66, 68 Williams, Mark, 170 Willy’s Garage Car Care Products, 66 Wilwood, 26, 74, 102, 170, 189 Winters, 21, 88, 196, 218 Winters Champ, 26, 66 woody, 204–209

Proof 1

Ididit, 96 Instant-T, 40 International Show Case Association (ISCA), 112 Iskenderian, Ed, 96 Isky, 13

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SPECIAL THANKS Thanks are due especially to Steve Jameson for his encouragement; to Bill Grossi for sharing his vast automotive knowledge and experience; to Mike Bishop, well-known author and guru of all things vintage Ford hot rod, for his insightful suggestions; and to Richard Peden, who was always the first to jump in and support my efforts on the book and in the studio. Thank you to all of my friends and family for your support and affection. My deepest appreciation goes to Carol Beaman. Without your help and unflagging good sense of humor, Carol, I would never have made my deadline. Finally, thanks to Blackie Gejeian and to Andy Brizio. You guys taught me a lot and always had your arms around me. I am forever grateful for your friendship.

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Many people have given their time and resources to help me complete this book. My sincere thanks to all of the car owners who made long trips to my studio to have their cars photographed. (Jon Hall deserves special recognition, since he brought four cars from Saginaw, Michigan, as his contribution to this project!) All of the owners deserve acknowledgment for the cars and for their effort to get them to me.

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