Vehicle Description
1932 Ford Roadster
VIN: 1890827
Pearl Garnet
Full custom build by Moal Coachbuilders
454 cubic inch 500 horsepower big block Chevrolet V8 engine
Borg Warner 4-speed manual transmission
Halibrand Champ quick-change rear end
Hand formed aluminum top
Modified Roy Brizio chassis
Sid Chavers interior
As seen on cover of Street Rodder in April 1995
When the name Moal is mentioned in the hot rod world, there are few
others that are held in such high regard. Either in their design,
quality or production, each aspect is without exception to being
world-class. When the coach builders began the undertaking of the
'32 Roadster, it would take the Oakland-based family of hot rod
builders almost two and a half years to complete the latest Moal
"California Speedster".
Steve Moal began with the modified Duece frame and crossbraces,
courtesy of Roy Brizio. Having the frame stretched four inches,
this allowed the front suspension to be moved forward and increase
both stability and handling of the hot rod while handling increased
torque from the big block. With the engine balanced and blueprinted
by Cub Barnett, the Chevy puts out 500 tire-smoking horsepower.
Boosting power comes courtesy of a Comp Cam camshaft, Edelbrock
intake manifold, Holly carburetor and MSD ignition. 15 inch Real
Wheels allowed Steve to add extra rubber to get extra traction out
of the roadster. A custom 40-gallon fuel tank ensures that you can
use that power more often than not before stopping for fuel. The
Borg-Warner 4-speed transmission sends power back to the Hallibrand
Champ quick-change rear end with 3.08 gears, making highway driving
possible.
Moal decided that in the pursuit of perfection by blending both the
traditional and evolutionary practices, sourced a Wescott
production body as a starting point. The fiberglass bodies were
well made and were accurate in every detail. The removable hardtop
is hand formed aluminum built around steel tube supports for
strength. Structural improvements were also made, from stainless
honeycomb flooring to the gusseted dash, cowl, and firewall which
allows no cowl shake.
With the exterior and mechanicals well on their way, Steve
contacted Sid Chavers to create a custom interior that would match
both the quality and uniqueness of the roadster. Magnolia leather
covers both the seats and door panels, complete with crinkled
leather door pockets. Steve's father, George, created the
hand-laminated mahogany steering wheel, and custom gauges with
George's signature are covered in convex glass on the
dashboard.
Steve Moal would end up holding onto the hot rod and driving it for
some time before selling it to a collector in California in June of
1998. This same collector would keep the '32 in his collection for
almost two decades. Upon arriving at Canepa, the car was in
stunning condition and hard to believe that the hot rod had been
finished over 20 years ago, a testament to the quality of the Moal
Coachbuilders. The pearl garnet paint and stainless were polished
to a stunning shine and the engine bay was washed and detailed by
hand, ensuring that it looked just as good that it did in April
1995 for Street Rodder magazine. Now ready for its next owner, the
'32 Roadster will not only leave tire marks for as long as you dare
to push the go pedal, but will have you arriving to the next
roadster show in timeless style.
