Remember the old saying, "If you want something done right, do it yourself"? Well, when John Oakes built his Deuce, he ignored that old motto and put his trust in Dave Lane at FastLane Rod Shop in Donahue, Iowa, and the result is a ride that'll knock your socks off.
The project started with a steel '32 roadster body from Brookville. Lane went after the body like a mountain lion pouncing on a rabbit, fabricating modifications over virtually every inch of sheetmetal.
The Deuce is distinguished by a modified cowl for an improved front-to-rear line, a Rootlieb hood, chopped windshield posts, and custom chrome trim on the cowl and grille shell. The rear panels were hand-fabricated to hug the fuel tank. A Sid Chavers Bop Top gives the roadster the perfect look when the weather gets bad, and the support mechanisms for the top were designed to retract into the body to keep the lines clean. In the back, '39 Ford taillights glow with a push of a pedal. Simple custom headlight mounts and an aftermarket grille from Bob Drake complete the overall outer appearance.
John chose a heavily modified Cornhusker frame to support the roadster, starting with the Currie 9-inch bolted in back that's loaded with 3.90:1 gears. The rear suspension is a transverse leaf with Pete & Jake's ladder bars. Rear drum brakes were treated to So-Cal Speed Shop chromed drum covers. To match the rear, Wilwood discs were dressed up with So-Cal drum brake covers up front. The front suspension includes a Pete & Jake's dropped axle with modified So-Cal hairpins and batwings and a Durant SuperLow monoleaf attached to the flat front crossmember.
For the ultimate in performance, a 350 Chevy Fast Burn crate engine was dropped between the framerails. With 385 ponies pounding out of the small-block, this machine doesn't drive fast; it flies low. The motor was mounted relatively high for better ground clearance and a cleaner look. Hugging the block is a set of Sanderson full-length headers. Rounding out the system is a custom-made 2.5-inch exhaust built using Ron Covell donuts and protected with Jet Hot coating. Converting all that power to the rear wheels is a TPI 700-R4 trans with a TPI lockup converter and trans cooler. Stand back, kids.
When the body and mechanics were finished, the Deuce took a trip to Clinton, Iowa, where Steve Pearson at Upholstery Unlimited covered the seats in worn brown medium leather. Custom-made compartments were added behind the seat in the trunk. The modified Bop Top can be dropped into trunk simply by folding the seats forward. The sunken dash panel houses Stewart-Warner Wings gauges in a black-anodized, engine-turned panel from So-Cal Speed Shop.
When it comes to paint, we don't know whether John just likes red or if he intentionally wanted to drive the baddest cop magnet in town. One thing we can say for sure is that this roadster is red! Sprayed at FastLane, this bombshell wears Dupont basecoat/clearcoat BMW Imola Red, and ohhh, how she shines.
Some of you may consider it crazy to give someone else full control over your dream machine, but for John, letting Dave Lane build his '32 was a stroke of pure genius. How can you argue with one of the baddest, cleanest, and most exquisite rides around?
John OakesGreat Falls, Virgina'32 Ford Roadster
Drivetrain: In the spirit of true hot rods, which are fast and painted red, this roadster does not fall short! A whopping 385 hp pours from the Chevy 350 Fast Burn crate engine. Hugging the block is a set of Sanderson full-length headers. Attached to the headers is a custom-made 2.5-inch Jet Hot-coated exhaust that was made using Ron Covell donuts. Converting all that power to the rear wheels is a TPI 700-R4 tranny with a TPI lockup converter and trans cooler.
Chassis: With a car like this, there is only one frame worthy enough to sit under the roadster body: a Cornhusker frame with a ton of modifications. Bolted to the back end of the frame is a Currie 9-inch reared, with drum brakes and So-Cal chromed drum covers. To match the rear, So-Cal drum brake covers were placed over Wilwood discs up front. The rear suspension is a transverse leaf with Pete & Jake's ladder bars. The front suspension is a Pete & Jake's dropped axle with modified So-Cal hairpins and batwings. A Durant SuperLow monoleaf is attached to the flat front crossmember.
Wheels & Tires: John wanted to choose a wheel that looked classy and sharp but was still tough enough to tear up any street on a Friday night. He chose to throw on a set of Halibrand 15x5 1/2 inchers up front and ETIII 16x11 inchers with custom-made center covers in the back. The tires wrapped around the Halibrands are Keibler 145x15 and in the back BFGoodrich 315-55x16.
Body & Paint: If you can't find the real thing, you might as well get the next best thing, and in the case of '32 Ford bodies, you can't go wrong with a Brookville body. John ordered a steel body from Brookville and then let FastLane Rod Shop have its way with it. They added a chopped windshield post, handmade rear corners next to the gas tank, modified cowl lines for a better front-to-rear flow, custom spears on the cowl and shell, and top support mechanisms that retract into the body for a cleaner look. He also added custom headlight mounts, a sunken dash panel, a grille by Bob Drake, and a modified Rootlieb hood. It's painted Dupont basecoat/clearcoat BMW Imola red.
Interior: Everything on the car was done at FastLane Rod Shop besides the interior. The interior required the expertise of Steve Pearson of Upholstery Unlimited in Clinton, Iowa. The seat was custom-made by Steve to fold forward in order to store the Sid Chavers BopTop. It was then covered in medium brown worn leather. The dashboard is a So-Cal Speed Shop five-gauge with a black-anodized, engine-turned panel sunken into dash. When it comes to air conditioning, John simply writes, "I don't think so, and the radio, it's 385 hp of pure muscle!"