Last month we decided to tear back the shroud of secrecy surrounding the ROD & CUSTOM 50th Anniversary Roadster and reveal the true nature of how a high-zoot cover car comes together. After convincing premier shutterbug Steve Coonan to meander over to Roy Brizio Street Rods and burn a few dozen rolls of medium format, we got together with Roy to discuss his fine-tuned method for building extremely reliable and fun-to-drive rods. As it turns out, there are no black magic rituals or sacrificial sheetmetal slayings, just a tried-and-true combination of aftermarket parts and incredible attention to detail. After riding in the super smooth red roadster, we will happily testify, hand-on-heart, that this is one of the best-handling, silkiest-riding, donkey-hauling Deuces we've ever had the privilege of nestling our overstuffed editorial behinds into. And we're not just saying that because the car has R&C's logo pasted all over it. Really.
So how did Roadster Roy build a car that so completely embodies the spirit of the original R&C cover Deuce while maintaining the reliability and performance one has come to expect from today's modern performance cars? Through years of experience the Bay Area builder has figured out that he doesn't need a single part built by Henry Ford, as every piece necessary for a project such as this is now available brand new (and usually improved and at a lesser cost) through the automotive aftermarket. Careful selection and matching of parts is vital, as you wouldn't want to combine a giant, coolant-belching, fairgrounds motor with a stock gearbox. Proven suspension pieces from Pete & Jake's keep the car rolling straight and looking good, while a Durant monoleaf front spring provides an exceptional ride. A bulletproof Currie 9-inch rearend stuffed with pretty stout 3.70:1 gears offers loads of launch during the stoplight tango, and a brand-new World Class T5 trans from Ford Racing is stout enough to handle tons of power while still shifting smoothly and offering a fifth slot to keep revs low on the two-lane blacktop. Rounding out the package is a gorilla small-block in the form of Ford Racing's 430hp, 390ci Windsor stroker motor, which is actually quite docile on the street but a complete beast when the go-pedal hits the firewall.
Of course, no cover model is complete without a smokin' hot bod, and this one is to die for. Brookville supplied one of their super sano steel '32 bodies, along with a firewall and full running boards. Metalman Jack Hageman banged out a bitchin' steel hood, while Dan Fink provided one of his legendary grilles. Micky Galloway squirted a pot full of DuPont Red enamel all over the roadster, and a pinstriper known only as Rory capped the blood red coat off with a few licks of crme one-shot.
No custom cab is complete without a comfy couch, so upholstery god Sid Chavers was called in to stitch together a stunning ensemble for Roy's red roadster. A contoured bench was covered in caramel leather and matched with one of Chaver's famed Bop Tops. LimeWorks provided one of its timeless steering columns, and Classic Instruments kicked in a custom set of gauges sporting none other than the R&C logo.
Since we covered the basic components and construction of the chassis last month, we thought we'd wrap things up by taking a look at how the body was fitted together during the pre- and post-paint stages. According to Roy, patience is truly a virtue at this stage in the game. Every panel should fit perfectly, and each gap should be aligned before a drop of paint hits steel. Once everything is perfect, the pigment can fly, and soon everything is covered in Dracula's favorite color. Careful rubbing, buffing, assembling, and praying ensues, and within weeks the finished product begins to take shape. Follow along as Roy puts the wraps on one of the most righteous rods to ever grace the pages of R&C.