Vehicle Description
1932 Ford Hot Rod
VIN: B5199778
Washington Blue
Dearborn Deuce all steel body
486 horsepower 383 cubic inch GM Performance engine
TREMEC 5-speed manual transmission
Currie aluminum 9" Ford rear end
Custom headers and exhaust
Monoleaf front suspension and coil overs in rear
Folding convertible top
Custom A/C system
Power side windows
As seen in Street Rodder magazine January 2018
Starting its life as a Dearborn Deuce metal shell in 2013, it would
eventually transform into Phil Cocuzza's rolling dream over the
course of the next two years. Cocuzza had been building hot rods
and race cars professionally since 1970 and decided it was time for
him to build his own.
Before starting the build, he spoke with Steve Young who was the
chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum, and talked about
building a hot rod. He also met Pete Chapouris of SO-CAL Speed Shop
whom he shared his plans with which prompted Pete to give Phil his
business card. He was soon put into contact with people that would
help him get on the right track. Phil then went to the Grand
National show and started taking in all of the cars there, picking
and choosing the features he liked and cataloged them to add to his
own car.
Metalwork on the Dearborn was done by both Phil and Jack Hagemann
in Morgan Hill, who is a world-famous sheet metal expert. The hood
was massaged, as well as the sides of the engine covers with added
louvers. Sanderson headers, in the San Francisco Bay Area, made the
custom exhaust system and Phil requested to have a merged header
specially made for the car. Sid Chavers covered the interior, now
presented in Italian Honey Saddle leather. R & C Custom Auto Body
and Magoo's Rod Shop prepped the body and sprayed the Dearborn in
PPG '35 Ford Washington Blue. A GM Performance 383 cubic inch V8
was chosen for the project, blue printed by Gregg Jacobson of PHD
Speedcenter in Bakersfield where Phil opted for a hotter cam and an
Edelbrock Tri-power manifold with three Rochester 2-jet
carburetors. A TREMEC 5-speed transfers the power from the 383 to
the Currie 9" aluminum rear end with 3.91 gears. Power side windows
and a custom A/C system completed the hot rod.
With the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona in 2015, Phil took
his hot rod out for the very first time since the completion of the
build. Consisting of 70 cars in his class, Phil took runner up in
Modified Street Roadster missing first place by only one point.
This is a fantastic opportunity for the '32 Ford enthusiast: a
well-executed hot rod, done correctly, sorted and customized by a
long-time hot rodder and racer. Between the unique features that
sets this Ford apart from the rest to the quality of the Dearborn
bodies bring to driving quality, this hot rod is just as
comfortable on the road as it is on the show lawn.
