Rick and Roy Flake
1934 Ford Pickup
Fresno, California
Drivetrain
The '46 Ford 239ci Flathead was sent out to Steve Moody in Fresno for a cleanup and bored .060-over. Rick and Roy then worked together to assemble it with a 4-inch Merc crank, 9:1 Ross pistons, and an Isky 3/4 race cam. Sharp heads and 2x2 intake provide looks and some extra punch. The Flakes made their own headers and accessory brackets and modified the Speedway Motors Beehive oil filter for a full-flow system. A Wilcap trans adapter mates a '65 Ford four-speed to the Flathead. David Kee in San Antonio, Texas, assembled the trans and adapted a Jeep shifter.
Chassis
The Flakes started with a set of American Stamping '34 bare 'rails and proceeded to cut and weld until the 'rails were kicked in the back, pinched at the firewall, and then ran straight to the grille to fit the hood contour. A Chassis Engineering I-beam with Magnum spindles and Wilson Welding brakes is hung off a monoleaf spring with custom batwings and hairpins that allow the spring to mount behind the axle. A Vega steering box takes care of handling duties and '40 Ford rear lever shocks dampen the bumps. Under the bed resides a Winters quick-change with 4.11:1 gears supported by modified hairpins and Air Ride Technologies ShockWaves.
Wheels & Tires
The Rick and Roy custom wheels started as '33 Oldsmobile centers before they were welded in new 17x4.5- and 18x6-inch hoops. Adding the Moon discs when the mood strikes can change the entire look of the pickup. Firestone wide whites (6.00/6.50-17 and 7.00-18) from Coker provide some rubber rake.
Body & Paint
To get gloss black to look this good you either have to start with a really nice body or spend a lot of time getting it that way. Rick and Roy did some of both. They chopped the virgin cab 4 inches, modified the '33 truck grille shell to use a '32 passenger car insert, and custom-built the bed. Rootlieb supplied the 3-inch stretched hood top and sides. When they were done, they shot everything with a liberal dose of PPG Black. Guide headlamps on a modified bar and '37 Ford taillamps on custom mounts take care of the lighting issues. Roy's brother-in-law, Jimmy Ogawa, gave the pickup just enough accent with some subtle pinstriping.
Interior
The Flakes continued their work inside by building the bench seat, milling the custom dash inserts and overhead console, and installing a LimeWorks column, a '40 Ford wheel, and a Vintage Air heat/defrost unit. Richard Baskin in Fresno stitched the red Naugahyde and laid down the black carpet.