At this point the car racked up a few thousand miles from local and regional blasts, however the week after Fonseca finished his job my pop hit the road for the 2004 Americruise. Over the next season he used the car as semi-daily transportation and for jaunts up and down the West Coast. He used the 2005 Tom's Fun Run as an excuse to recreate the prior year's journey. By the time he returned from his most recent trip-just a tick over two years since the car's tires hit tarmac-the clock read 45,000 miles.
My ol' man's fussiness paid off; the car burbles along at 1,900 rpm at 60 mph in Fifth and returns fuel economy figures from the high teens to low 20s-even when subjected to a pretty heavy foot at times when the ol' man decides to really pour it on ... which he does regularly. The roadster traverses the quarter-mile in a tick over 14 seconds. Keep in mind that this car achieves that figure on a rock-hard bias-ply tire whose footprint measures less than 5 1/2 inches wide. While I have a vested interest to credit my ol' man for a job well done, he's the first to reassign the praise to Gafforini. "This wouldn't have happened-at least not as fast or as well-without him," he says. "This car is more than I expected, and I can't thank him enough.
In its relatively short life, this car developed quite a bit of character. It now wears a distinguishing rock-chip beard to prove each one of my dad's colorful stories. He punched one of its frame covers by backing into a '60 Cadillac bumper. The carpet recently started to unravel in a spot or two and the seat bears a distinctive bum-shaped wear pattern. It's starting to acquire imperfections in the wonderfully flawed way a shabby teddy bear displays its owner's adoration for it, and he probably won't ever fix them.
Make no mistake: This car will probably never boast the charm a true historical hot rod does. However, even with just a bit of charm, this roadster may well build more authenticity than any perfect clone could ever aspire to.
Jim SheltonLas Vegas, Nevada1932 Ford Roadster
DrivetrainJim started with a '65 small journal 327 and sent it to Keller Racing Engines in Las Vegas. When he got it back, Scott Gafforini assembled it with 9.6:1 pistons, a COMP Cams XE262H hydraulic cam, and topped it with a set of GM Vortec heads and an aluminum intake with a Barry Grant 575-cfm Speed Demon with annular boosters. A Richmond five-speed aided by a McLeod 10.5-inch diaphragm pressure plate and 12lb aluminum flywheel puts the power to a Currie 2.75:1 geared 9-inch.
ChassisSO-CAL Speed Shop is responsible for the step box frame and the majority of the underpinnings. SO-CAL hairpins, a buggy spring, and Bilstein shocks support a 4-inch dropped Chassis Engineering drilled beam and spindles with SO-CAL Buick-style drums hiding Wilwood four-piston discs. A Flaming River Vega-style 16:1 quick-ratio box keeps it in control. Pete & Jake's ladder bars, a SO-CAL '40-style spring (with the two shortest leafs removed), and Bilstein shocks handle the rear suspension duties.
Wheels & TiresOriginal FoMoCo wheels are one of the only original parts on this hot rod. Some '40 Ford 16x4s up front are wrapped in 5.00/5.25 Firestones from Coker and '40 Lincoln Zephyr 16x5s in back hold Firestone 7.00s.
Body & PaintThe Brookville body was tweaked to perfection by Bill Stewart at SO-CAL. PPG rep Andy Ganderton found a traditional-looking and conservative color within oddly named Dark Wild Berry. Winner's Circle Kustom Autobody rendered the color in single-stage Concept DCC to avoid the unnatural luster of clearcoated applications. A 2-inch chopped windshield and Bop-Top complete the look.
InteriorGeorge Fonseca at George's Upholstery in Las Vegas covered a Glide bench and the surrounding panels in Tobacco Brown leather. A SO-CAL panel housing Mooneyes gauges and a Borgeson/ Mullin's 1 3/4-inch column capped with a 17-inch four-spoke wheel from Antique Ford Parts keeps the traditional look going on inside. A Vintage Air Gen II AC/Heat system keeps the cabin comfy.