It's not always easy to find the time to build a calling card for yourself when you own a hot rod shop and get paid to build customer cars. Nonetheless, Bill Osiakowski was determined to make some time for a new car. He'd built multiple T-buckets and a track T but was anxious to build a coupe. Luckily, he spotted a guy selling multiple Model T bodies while walking though a Pleasanton Goodguys swap meet. The one that caught his eye was the extremely rusted coupe body, which got his imagination churning. Time would be tight, so his original plan was to build a quick down-and-dirty rod. Once he started, though, the perfectionist within wouldn't really allow it, so it evolved into what we see here-a tribute to the show cars of the 1960s.
Bill knew from the start that he wanted the coupe to be as low as possible, and that meant it would get a heavy chop. The problem was Bill didn't like the mail-slot rear window that went with it. His solution was to remove the rear window perimeter, so it could be chopped separately. He also wanted something a little different than just a straight chop. When the dust and sparks cleared, the top was about 9 inches shorter at the B- and C-pillars and almost 12 inches shorter at the windshield. A gentle slope chop at the front was achieved by making many vertical cuts in the upper door frame. These cuts allowed for a smooth curve at the top of the door; all cuts were then welded, ground, and finally handfiled to shape the top of the doors. The rear window was welded back in to retain a proportioned size.
The cowl was filled, and the gauge pods were created from 4-inch mandrel-bent tubing that was reworked and welded in place to extend through the windshield. The pods house the speedometer and a four-in-one gauge cluster. The transmission tunnel was formed from steel using a section of a Chinese wok to create the curved transition at the firewall.
You might not be able to see as much of the chassis as the body, but that doesn't mean Bill didn't devote just as much time to it. The frame was hand-fabricated with a kick at the front and rear, and most of the brackets were detailed to carry the flowing metal theme. The engine mounts were custom-designed to raise the engine and keep it safely clear of any hazards.
The interior was crafted to carry that '60s show car theme from the outside through the inside of the car. Seat bottoms and separate backs, as well as the door panels, were custom-designed and upholstered with off-white pearl and gold metalflake. The transmission tunnel, seat wraparound, and headliner were fitted with off-white pearl. The Gennie Shifter stick has a custom-made shift knob that matches the interior door handles and the handmade steering wheel.
The resulting coupe might not be the down-and-dirty hot rod he originally planned, but we'd say the bold-and-gold one Bill ended up with was the better route to take.