Table of contents for Issue# 34 in Rodding USA

Summer is Gone

This was a quick summer and an extremely memorable one, at least from my experiences. As spring arrived in March, the ’32 Ford Roadster Pickup was really starting to take shape as the bodywork was being completed, but I still wasn’t sure there would be enough time to get it completed to take it to the Los Angeles Roadster Show in June. The “hot rod gods” aligned the stars and we picked up the finished car on the way to the show and not only displayed it for the very first time but I was also able to drive it. I’m obviously ecstatic by the end result, and my mission of building a slightly traditional hot rod using only new parts from 61 incredible manufactures was accomplished. We did not…

3 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

The Avocado Hauler

Jim Quast had a real nice 1929 Ford roadster pickup; bright red, full fendered with a 347ci Ford, nice enough, in fact, to win the Street Altered Roadster Pickup class at the Grand National Roadster Show, but he ended up trading it for a ‘32 Ford 3-window coupe. He soon came to miss the little RPU and asked Don Lindfors (who had built both the previous RPU and the 3-window) if he would build him another one. Don had since closed his custom shop and gone to work for Pertronix as Director of R&D for their Exhaust Brands and wasn’t sure if he wanted to take this on in his home shop. He finally agreed when Jim kindly offered that Don could build the truck the way he wanted. A…

4 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

HRIA News

HRIA AT THE SEMA SHOW For those fortunate enough to attend the SEMA show make sure to swing by the Hot Rod Industry Alliance booth in Hot Rod Alley! After tedious debate, the booth and reception vehicles are selected! Don’t miss the killer builds which made the cut to be showcased starting with the unveiling of the booth vehicles in the HRIA & ARMO booth on Tuesday at 11:00 PDT at the SEMA show, where Dutchboy’s will be unveiling a killer ’69 Camaro! Along with the booth unveiling, some of the top builds will once again be featured during the Hot Rod Industry Alliance reception at SEMA! The event is free to attend on Wednesday (Halloween!) at 5:30 pm PST. EDUCATION DAYS FOLLOW UP With 827 attendees over the 12…

3 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

1932 FORD 3-WINDOW COUPE

OWNER: Oscar Gamble – Paducah, KY. CHASSIS: Modified Brookville Roadster. FRONT SUSPENSION: 5-inch dropped Magnum axle, Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop split wishbones, Johnson’s Safety Stop Kinmont-style disc brakes, Posie spring, Ride Tech shocks, Vega steering box. REAR SUSPENSION: 9-inch Ford, 3.40 gears, drum brakes, Johnson’s ladder bars, Ride Tech coil-over shocks. WHEELS: Real Rodders Wheels, Front/6.5x15, Rear/8x16. TIRES: Front/145x15, Rear/255/70-R16. Engine: LS3 crate engine from Pace Performance, upright Borla fuel injection, dyno’d at 515hp. TRANSMISSION: GM 4L70E. BODY: The rust-free body had only minor dings after 40 years of storage. Red Axalta paint by Whistle at Randy’s Body Shop in Paducah, KY. INTERIOR: ’32 dash was extended downward to accommodate the Classic Instruments Big Ol’ Gauge and hydro dipped to provide the wood grain finish. The interior was stitched by…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

EAST COAST SURVIVOR

The “Right Coast” was always a hotbed of cool cars highlighted partially because of the magazine coverage the California scene always seemed to get. In the early days, the west coast was where was where all the main magazine titles were based, and with little staff and small budgets, they had no choice but to record the cars which were around them. At that point, in Southern California, there was so much going on they never seemed to run out of material. About the same time, in 1953, a kid named Joe ”Sonny” Mazza of Lynn, Massachusetts saw the handwriting on the wall as to be the demise of the flathead. He built a real hot rod Ford with a “Hemi” engine fifty years before they re-emerged on the scene.…

3 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

1929 FORD ROADSTER PICKUP

OWNER: Scott Williams – Blaine, Minnesota CHASSIS: Stock. FRONT SUSPENSION: Dropped stock I-beam axle, reversed eye spring, mechanical brakes. REAR SUSPENSION: Stock with reversed-eye spring and tube shocks. WHEELS: Front/17-inch 1933-34 Ford wires, Rear/18-inch 1932 Ford wires. TIRES: Front/450-17 Excelsiors, Rear/ 700-18 Firestone’s. ENGINE: Stock Model A “banger.” TRANSMISSION: Stock Model A. BODY: 3-inch chopped top and windshield, dropped headlight bar, old lacquer paint. INTERIOR: Stock vinyl seat and panels. ACQUIRED: 2017.…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

HEAVY I-BEAM AXLE FROM SUPER BELL

Super Bell Axle Company began providing hot rodders and street rodders new axles when the late Jim Ewing started producing them in the early 1980s. Since then Super Bell and Pete & Jake’s owners, Jerry and Jason Slover have introduced several new versions and are now embarking on giving the rodding community their new forged 1932 Heavy Axle which is Made in the USA. The Heavy Axle will feature a 4-inch drop with a king pin width of 47-inches, spring perch width of 35-inches and the Super Bell logo on one side. The new axle will be available in early October, 2018. Options include raw steel, chrome plated and either plain (shown) or drilled. As for the manufacturing, the Heavy Axle is drop-forged on a 12,000 lb power drop hammer…

2 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

Goodguys 31st Pacific Northwest Nationals

As in previous years, the Goodguy’s 31st Pacific Northwest Nationals was presented by Griot’s Garage. Held at the Washington State Fairgrounds it attracted entries from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta. Entry numbers were approx 3000 cars on show both inside buildings and outside around the fairgrounds. With beautiful blue skies and temperatures in the low 90s the fairgrounds took on an almost party type atmosphere with cars slowly cruising around and people stopping to check out them out, talk to the owners, or just sit back in what shade there was and take in all the cool cars with a cold drink in their hand. Friday s were Friday Nite Vintage Drags at Pacific Raceway, where show entrants could park their rides at a special area at the track…

4 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

DEALER NETWORK

ARIZONA ALL WAYS HOT RODS 638 S. 27th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85009 602 442-5199 CHARLY’S GARAGE 948 W. 1st Avenue Mesa, AZ 85210 480 833 9080 DON’S HOT ROD SHOP 2811 N. Stone Avenue Tucson, AZ 85705 520-884-8892 INDUSTRIAL METAL SUPPLY 5150 S. 48th Street Phoenix, AZ 85040 602-454-1500 INDUSTRIAL METAL SUPPLY TUCSON Industrial Metal Supply 3757 E Columbia Street Tucson AZ 85714 520-441-5900 SO-CAL SPEED SHOP ARIZONA 3427 E. McDowell Road Phoenix, AZ 85008 800-732-0076 CALIFORNIA AUTOBOOKSAEROBOOKS 2900 W.Magnolia Blvd Burbank CA 91505 818 845 0707 INDUSTRIAL METAL SUPPLY CALIFORNIA Industrial Metal Supply 8300 San Fernando Road Sun Valley, CA 91352 818-729-3333 INDUSTRIAL METAL SUPPLY 2481 Alton Parkway Irvine, CA 92606 949-250-3343 INDUSTRIAL METAL SUPPLY 301 Main Street Riverside, CA 92501 951-300-9900 INDUSTRIAL METAL SUPPLY 7550 Ronson Road San…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

44th Annual Frog Follies

After returning home from the 44th Annual Frog Follies in Evansville, Indiana, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most popular pre-49 only rod runs in the country. This event, held at the Vanderburgh County 4-H Center, continues to grow almost every year. While many event organizers are in it for the money, members of E’ville Iron produce this event so that other rodders can have a good time without spending a fortune. During the weekend of August 24-26, 2018; the Frog Follies was the place to be. Rain on Friday and cloudy skies on Saturday may have deterred the turnout some, still, 3075 rodders showed up. Since its inception in 1975, the Frog Follies has always been a great deal for street rodders, as there are…

5 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

1929 FORD ROADSTER PICKUP

OWNER: Jim Quast CHASSIS: Modified 1932 Ford, pinched & stepped in the rear, Model A front crossmember. FRONT SUSPENSION: Super Bell I-beam axle drilled by Don Lindfors, Vega steering box, Pete & Jake’s shocks, hairpins, ’39 Lincoln drum brakes with custom backing plates by Don Lindfors. REAR SUSPENSION: Ford 8-inch, 4.11 gears, Pete & Jakes ladder bars and shocks, 1940 Ford spring. TIRES: Front/Coker-Firestone 155R15, Rear/ Coker-Firestone 8.20-15 dirt tracks. WHEELS: Front/Roadster Wires 14x4, Rear/Roadster Wires 15x7. ENGINE: Ford 2300cc 4-cylinder, 175 horsepower, dual Weber side-draft carbs, Esslinger Engineering aluminum head & race cam, Pertronix ignition, custom Lakester headers by Don Lindfors. TRANSMISSION: Ford C3 by Malone’s Transmissions, Orange, CA. BODY: Brookville Roadster steel cab & bed, ’32 Ford grille, ’32 style dash, Avocado green paint by R/Ts Custom Paint…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

San Luis Roadster Run

Rodders are a unique breed of people, we are never satisfied with how things are. If we think a car needs more power, we figure out a way to make more power. If we think that what our ride needs to look just right is a ’40 Ford Deluxe dash, we slip one in. We may sit around and moan about how much better things were in the good old days, but before that conversation is over, we’ve started to solve that problem. Tweaking and/or replacing what needs to be fixed is what we do. In the beginning, car shows and rod runs were distinctly different things. Car shows haven’t changed much over the years, rodders polish, deliver and park their rods either indoors or outside. Everybody hangs out in…

7 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

49 th NSRA’S PREMIER EVENT Annual Street Rod Nationals

The 49th Street Rod Nationals presented by the National Street Rod Association took place in Louisville, Kentucky on August 2-5, 2018. The 300 acre Kentucky State Fairgrounds was the location and easily accommodated the 10,400 entries. The event was rain-free this year, but the humidity and temperatures were up. Of course, one of the best features of the fairgrounds is the air-conditioned, 750,000 square foot Kentucky Expo Center that accommodated the vendors, Women’s World, Builder’s Showcase and food court and provides relief from the heat outdoors. Other events taking place over the course of the weekend included the StreetKhana Autocross, Classic Instruments Pro’s Picks, Vintage Air’s ’29 and Below competition, a large swap meet, and entertainment in Freedom Hall. Mark your calendar for August 1-4, 2019 and don’t miss out…

8 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

1930 FORD ROADSTER

OWNER: Jeff Minchef CHASSIS: 1932 Ford. FRONT SUSPENSION: 4-inch dropped Super Bell axle with homemade hairpins and ’48 Ford drums. REAR SUSPENSION: ’48 Ford, 4.11 gears with ’48 Ford leaf springs and tube shocks. WHEELS AND TIRES: 16x6 - 1948 Ford steel wheels, BF Goodrich 500-16/front, 719-16/rear. ENGINE: 1952 Chrysler 331ci V8, Howard cam, Imperial pistons, aluminum four-pot manifold with four Stromberg 97 carburetors, custom fabricated radiator. TRANSMISSION: 1948 Ford BODY: 1930 Ford FoMoCo steel, channeled, all seems filled with lead, 1948 Ford taillights. Pastel blue paint by the owner, trunk mounted gas tank. INTERIOR: White roll and pleat by Sonny, Stewart-Warner gauges, T-Bird shifter, ’40 Ford steering wheel, ’53 Ford radio.…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

Watson’s StreetWorks

As with so many companies in the street rodding aftermarket business, Watsons StreetWorks started as a hobby for a street rod enthusiast. Back in 1988 Steve and Carol Watson would load their products into the back of their street rod and set up tables at different events in the northeast and sell their wares. The business soon grew to the point where they quit their day jobs (building nuclear submarines) and became full-time owners. Watson’s StreetWorks quickly became known for high quality and unique products along with great customer service. Over the years, they have won quite a few national awards for new product innovations and are celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year. In 2012, the company was sold to Harvey Richardson and the new owner moved the business to…

2 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

A Lucky Guy

I had been looking for a 1934 Ford coupe for some time and had almost given up hope when I received a lead on a three-window. I found out this coupe had been through a thorough and complete 12-year body-off restoration but due to the owner’s illness, he was forced to sell and I was the lucky guy who purchased it in 2017. I like 32s, but there’s an abundant amount of them and it seems that most are red or black. I wanted something different. This is an all original steel Ford with no top chop. The color is what also sold me. The whistle straight Henry Ford steel body is professionally finished in early Ford Folkstone Gray/Desert Sand, (PPG Paint). All body parts are steel, all trim restored.…

2 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

PART 2: THE NORTH GALLERY THE NEON MUSEUM

In issue 32, we featured The Neon Museum, which is located in Las Vegas and offered a glimpse of the Boneyard and their vast collection of restored and aged signs. As new signs were acquired, the boneyard eventually filled up and the “extras” were stored in the North Gallery, which is located on the museum property just north of downtown Las Vegas. The outdoor display area has been arranged to highlight the more than 60 signs including signs from New York/New York, Palms, O’Shea’s, Golden Nugget, Lady Luck and other local casinos. The area offers ample space for private parties, wedding receptions, special events and commercial photo shoots. THE NEON MUSEUM 770 LAS VEGAS BLVD. NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV 89101 (702) 387-6366 WWW.NEONMUSEUM.ORG…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

Rodding News

Renaissance Roadster Wins H.A.N. Cup Buddy & Nancy Jordan have added yet another win to their already crowded trophy case for their hand crafted Renaissance Roadster. The all-aluminum roadster was selected as one of the “Reno 5” at the 2018 Hot August Nights. On Saturday it went on to win the prestigious “Hot August Nights Cup” presented by Reno’s own Eldorado, Silver Legacy & Circus Circus casinos. The one-off aluminum roadster was designed by the collective efforts of Steve Frisbie, Chris Ito and David Brost and built at Steve’s Auto Restorations located in Portland, Oregon. The roadster flows atop a unique tubular chassis and features custom machined suspension components, wheels and backing plates. A custom “tri-power” fuel injection unit feeds the limited edition aluminum 427 which has been deburred and…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

CUSTOM-FIT CAR COVER

Whether your custom car is parked in the garage or you’re out on a road trip, the best way to protect it is with a car cover. California Car Cover Company was founded by longtime car gearhead Jim DeFrank and his wife, Loraine. They began providing custom car covers to enthusiasts in May, 1989 from a small mail-order house in Van Nuys, CA before moving to their current facility in Chatsworth which includes a large showroom. We needed a cover for the Rodding USA Project Roadster Pickup, so I gave Jim a call and he sent me a sample card of the three most popular fabrics available for the cover along with a Dimension Sheet. I, like many of you undoubtedly have a CCCC cover in the trunk of your…

3 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

RED

Being involved in hot rods we all have that one car which has piqued our interest back when we were growing up. That one car we lusted after and we dreamed of one day owning. You keep up with that car hoping that one day you will own it. For Oscar Gamble of Paducah, Kentucky that dream became reality. In the mid-‘60s as a teenage boy, Oscar was walking to high school and would see a 1932 Ford coupe in between a chain linked fence and a small garage. The coupe originally came from California and made its way to western Kentucky after the owner got out of the service. Eventually, the car sold to someone in Paducah, Kentucky and was fitted with a Chrysler motor. A few years later,…

3 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

THE QUIET ZONE

John’s Industries has been building 9-inch rear ends since 1978 and currently employs 12 people in their Michigan facility. A couple of years ago they began offering a service named The Quiet Zone. This service allows them to install a completed third member into a rear end and drive it 20-plus miles in their test vehicle to detect any unusual sounds. If something is detected, the third member is inspected to find the problem. The test vehicles (they have two) are Chevy trucks which have been outfitted with a hole in the bed for swapping out the third members and a sensor mounted to the housing. In the cab are two audio receptacles so the driver and assistant can plug in headphones to listen for any potential problems. This service…

2 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

Hot Rod Stock

Scott Williams of Blaine, Minnesota is known for souping-up and hot rodding Model As at his Swillco Speed Shop so it’s no wonder he had his eyes on this 1929 Ford roadster pickup. The car came to his storage facility as the owner wanted to make room in his garage during the off-season. When it was dropped off, Scott immediately contacted his friend/customer to let him know he wanted to buy it. The friend said he was flattered by the offer but he just couldn’t let go of it. Scott says that every time he walked by the rpu he could see what this stocker could become with a handful of modifications. The car stayed in the storage facility for several years and eventually was given to the son of…

2 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

OWNER’S BIO: HARVEY RICHARDSON

As a kid, Harvey would hang out in the pits while his Dad raced sports cars and he’s been a car guy ever since. In his younger days, he had an assortment of sports cars, beetles, and VW buses. Then came a family time and his driving days were full of boring sedans and minivans. When it was finally time for a project car again his memories of driving ragtops hadn’t faded and neither had the memory of constantly fighting rust. Harvey chose to build a Cobra replica car which now has over 115,000 miles on her and he enjoys working on it almost as much as driving it. Early jobs in his career included parts counter time at a NAPA store and at a dealership. Then came many years…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

1933 FORD THREE-WINDOW COUPE

OWNER: Ronnie James, Paducah, Kentucky. CHASSIS: Original 1933 Ford. FRONT SUSPENSION: Dropped axle, gas shocks, and 1940 Ford brakes. REAR SUSPENSION: a rebuilt stock unit with 354.1 gears and 1940 Ford brakes. WHEELS: Front 7x15, rear 8x17. TIRES: B. F. Goodrich tires, front 195/60-15, rear 255/70-17. ENGINE: 59AB Flathead V8, 276ci, polished Offenhauser, intake manifold and cylinder heads, dual Stromberg 97 carburetors. TRANSMISSION: 1939 Ford. BODY: Stock original painted early Ford Folkstone Gray/Desert Sand, (PPG Paint). INTERIOR: Stock ’33 Ford seat, upholstered in leather, custom gauge insert. ACQUIRED: 2017.…

1 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

products

32 % 32 PERCENTER is proud to offer apparel and unique products including license plate toppers specifically designed for people who are as fixated with Henry’s finest, the 1932 Ford, as we are. ‘32 Ford enthusiasts are a group of people bonded not only by their affinity for the ’32 Ford, but by tradition, passion and respect. We are dedicated to our iron (or fiberglass). Check out our products specifically designed for those people who are as enchanted with Henry’s finest, the 1932 Ford, as we are. www.32Percenter.com DEUCE GRILLE INSERT UNITED Pacific Industries now offers a stainless steel grille insert for 1932 Ford passenger cars. Available with or without crank holes, the grille inserts are crafted from one single piece of steel just as the original. Every detail of…

2 min

Rodding USA|Issue# 34

TECH THE MAKING OF A FORD GRILLE

The grille is probably the most recognizable part of any car. It’s proud and announces its maker with bravado. Ford designers were well aware of the grille’s importance and knew it had to be right, a perfect design which flows into the body. In the 1930s and ‘40s, Ford was at the top of its game, employing the best designers in the development of the famous V8 flathead and in the styling of its beautiful bodies. In my day, any kid on the block could tell you the year and body style of any Ford driving by. Ford actually had the advertising slogan, “Watch the Fords go by.” (Henry s son) was a very talented stylist of cars and worked closely with the chief designer, the famed Bob Gregorie. Mr.…

6 min