Rod & Custom Feature Car
Harold Nicks
Riverside, California
1931 Ford Tudor Sedan
Owner contact info: harold@racingplus.com
Chassis
To Harold, it made a lot more sense to call Total Cost Involved for a brand-new Model A frame than to put a lot of work into the original 'rails. The TCI frame included a dropped tube axle with a monoleaf spring and a Unisteer Performance Products rack up front. A Speedway Motors Super Max quick-change rearend with Currie axles rides on coilovers in the rear. QA1 shocks and Wilwood four-piston, 12-inch disc brakes were added at the front and rear.
Drivetrain
The MSD ignition system fires a Ford 302 that was rebuilt at Wayne's Engine Rebuilders in Riverside, California, and dressed up with brackets and components from Street & Performance. The heads are capped with a pair of finned Mickey Thompson valve covers, which match the air cleaner cover atop a single Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor and manifold. The exhaust escapes through Sanderson block-hugger headers and custom-built exhaust tubes. The guys at Luke's Transmissions in Riverside built the Ford C4 automatic transmission, operated by a Gennie Shifter floor shifter. Inline Empire Driveline was the source for the polished aluminum driveshaft.
Body & Paint
Tommy's Auto Fab in Riverside made room in the shop for the sedan, and Frank Cusick did much of the construction and fabrication work on the car. The previous fiberglass fenders were replaced with steel, and the 2-inch chopped top was finished with vinyl which perfectly matches the interior leather. Out in front, the Dan Fink grille is followed by a three-piece Rootlieb hood with '34-style louvers. Metalman emeritus Eldon Crawford-who came out of retirement to work at Tommy's-got the sheetmetal perfect before the custom yellow PPG was applied at Abe's Custom Paint. All that yellow is broken up by a few spots of chrome on the custom spreader bar, King Bee headlight housings, and hinge pin mirrors. When it was done, pinstriper extraordinaire Dennis Ricklefs added the final graphics to the rear of the sedan.
Wheels & Tires
Harold and Ian opted to fill the fenders with Goodyear Radial T/A rubber-P235/65R17s at the rear and P195/65R15s up front-rolling on 17x8 and 15x4.5 Halibrand Sprint five-spoke rims, finished just right with a set of three-piece wing-nut knock-offs, also from Halibrand.
Interior
Inside the car, bucket seats out of a '66 Mustang (modified to fit) got treated to some high-quality brown and tan bison leather. The upholstery, which extends to the leather door panels, is the handiwork of Efrin Rosales, from Riverside. The Model A brow was retained but with a Deuce dash, filled with Haneline gauges. The GM van tilt column (along with all interior sheetmetal) is painted body color and supports a leather-wrapped Budnik GT steering wheel and tach. The lower dash panel houses the controls for the Vintage Air A/C system.