Vehicle Description
1932 Ford 3-Window Hot Rod
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Original 1932 Ford 3-window hot rod
Featured in The Rodders Journal #39
5" drop to the front axle for an aggressive raked stance
Custom-valved Bilstein shocks designed and installed by Canepa
Extremely comfortable long-distance driver
Equipped with modern comforts
The original Henry Ford '32 has become a platform for so many
award-winning hot rods that the mere search for one can yield
hundreds of permutations, all with their own distinct and unique
character. With countless ways of modifying and with more parts
than anyone might know what to do with, the amount of customization
able to take place is staggering. This 1932 Ford 3-window coupe
began its hot rod journey relatively recently in 2006, undergoing a
thorough restoration and modification that created a unique
"Ohio-style" hot rod that is also an incredibly comfortable
performer for long travels.
Larry Henderson of Waynesville, Ohio was the originator and builder
of this stunning black '32 Ford coupe, intent on styling his hot
rod with the Ohio look. The Rodders Journal call this an excellent
example of the "Ohio" look, a traditional hot rod styling with the
emphasis on getting a heavily raked ground-hugging stance.
Beginning with an original steel body from a 1932 Ford, Henderson
and a number of his hot rod friends made one of the first primary
steps ensuring that it would be low enough. A Magnum tube front
axle was used which allowed a 5-inch drop of the front while at the
same time being narrowed to 44 5/8th inches. Narrowing the axle
this much allowed Henderson to really pull the tires in and hide
them. To lower the car even further, the coupe's headlight bar was
completely taken apart and not only was drilled to run wires for
the 1934 Commercial lights internally, but widened by one inch to
push the front fenders a little further down over the tires. The
front wheels are custom built, using 40 spoke Kelsey-Hayes wire
centers and 15x4 Volkswagen outer hoops. The rear wheels are custom
built as well, using Chevy 51x8 outer hoops to complete the heavily
raked look of this hot rod.
With the aggressive rake taken care of, the rest of the '32 Ford
could be addressed. The tried-and-true formula of a Chevrolet 350
V8 with a GM Turbo 350 automatic transmission were used, with
plenty of low-end grunt and comfortable to live with on long
drives. A 625cfm 4bbl carburetor along with a '55 Pontiac air
cleaner dresses up the engine bay. The brakes are '65 Buick finned
aluminum drums, and a late 60's Chevy half-ton pickup master
cylinder was used. The interior is another example of the "Ohio"
style. With the surfaces covered in Claret vinyl and leather, the
seat uses wide pleated inserts along with big rolls on the seat
back and bottom have been a part of the understated look since the
70's. The dash is original, modified for the gauges to get the
perfect fit. Autometer Phantom series gauges present the necessary
info to the driver, while a Bell-style leather wrapped steering
wheel sits comfortably in their hands. An excellent feature of the
interior for shorter drivers is the 70's Chevy tilt steering
column, allowing the perfect driving position for anyone in the
driver's seat.
Larry intended to drive the hot rod quite a bit and focused efforts
on everyday usability and comfort. Too often hot rods are excellent
for short sprints to and from a location but spending more time
inside them can cause unwanted discomfort. Not wanting anything
like that, Larry set to work. For those hot Ohio summers Vintage
Air GEN-1 air conditioning was added, keeping the occupants cool no
matter what the temperature. The large '65 Buick finned aluminum
drum brakes are effective, the suspension compliant, the exhaust
note is subtle (but not quiet!) and a reliable drivetrain allows
the driver to enjoy stress-free miles.
Henderson finished his restoration in 2006 and drove the car for a
little less than 2 years, putting on just under 8,000 miles. The
longest drive, and the reason for the majority of the miles on the
car, was when he took the car for a cross-country road trip to
Pomona from Waynesville, Ohio.
In March of 2008, the hot rod would arrive at Canepa for its first
time. With 7,978 miles on the odometer, the restoration was still
fresh and presented as a new hot rod. The single-stage black paint
was stunning, the auxiliaries all working correctly and car rode
extremely comfortably. Not one to leave things alone, Bruce Canepa
did his initial visual and driving inspection, citing that the car
was comfortable but could still be improved. In addition to the
"Canepa Difference" process, which consists of a full
concours-level detailing and mechanical inspection and servicing,
Canepa also added a few mechanical upgrades to the car. New
custom-valved Bilstein shocks were designed and installed to
improve the ride and handling. A Cardan U-joint was installed to
improve driveline performance, a new speedometer was installed and
the brakes were completely serviced, including turned drums matched
to arched shoes with new linings for consistent quick stops.
The Ohio-built hot rod would remain at Canepa until April of 2009,
where it would go to its new excited owner to add to his
collection. Leaving Canepa with 286 miles on the new odometer, the
owner would keep the car in his automotive collection for more than
9 years, driving the car in total less than 400 miles over that
period of time. Now back at Canepa and looking as sinister as it
did when it was first built, this Midwestern-styled '32 Ford Coupe
is a hot rod for the hot rod enthusiast than wants to travel for
more than just a single day with plenty of stress-free miles.
Specifics of the Build
Body- 1932 Ford 3-window Coupe
- Original steel
- Roof insert filled
- '32 Ford reproduction steel front fenders, running boards, rear
fenders, chromed bumpers, stainless grille insert
- Original grille shell, filled
- '34 Ford commercial headlights
- '34 Ford commercial tail lights welded to shortened '32 Ford
stanchions
Paint
- Spies Hecker Black single-stage urethane
Interior
- Claret vinyl and leather upholstery
- Glide Engineering bench seat
- Original dash, modified for gauges
- AutoMeter Phantom series gauges
- Bell-style leather wrapped steering wheel
- Mid 70's Chevy van tilt steering column
- So-Cal Speed Shop pedals
- Vintage Air GEN-1 air conditioning unit
- SecretAudio CD player, Jensen speakers
Chassis
- 1932 Ford frame rails, original
- Frame rails notched, cut and boxed
- Model A front crossmember
- Rectangular tubing rear crossmember
- Tubular center crossmembers
- Flaming River Vega-style steering box
Front Suspension
- Magnum 5-inch dropped tube axle, narrowed to 44 5/8th inches
- '40 Ford spindles, steering arms removed
- So-Cal Speed Shop hairpins, chromed
- Durant transverse monoleaf spring
- Pete and Jake's tube shocks, chromed
- Duece Factory sway bar
Rear Suspension
- Ford 9-inch rear end, narrowed to 55 inches
- 3.00:1 gear ratio
- 31-spline axles
- Pete and Jake's tube shocks, chromed
- Posie's parallel leaf springs
- Deuce Factory sway bars
Front Brakes
- '65 Buick discs brakes inside finned aluminum drums
- Wilson Welding Lincoln back plates
Rear Bra...for more information please contact the seller.
