Vehicle Description
In the 1950s the hot-rodding craze was taken to new heights;
America's love of speed and power was combined with the burgeoning
youth culture's need for individual expression. The result was a
golden age of car customization, one that gave rise to some of the
world's most iconic custom cars. This is one of them. Known as the
"Hula Girl," this beautiful "full-fendered" roadster serves as the
ultimate example of what can be done with the iconic Ford. This
award-winning, all-steel roadster made its debut at the 1952
Oakland Roadster Show. Then, two years later, it was channeled,
which allowed the body of the car to sit lower without altering the
suspension. The beautiful roadster would later be converted into an
alcohol-burning dragster and campaigned all over Northern
California. The hot rod would end up parked for 34 years until the
1990s, when it was rediscovered and painstakingly restored back to
its show-ready 1955 look. The "Hula Girl" is finished in an orange
base coat followed by three coats of pearl. The beautiful interior
features a walnut dashboard carved from a single tree and embedded
with the original gauges from 1952. The pearl dyed leather seats
are offset by a set of Berber carpets. And in true '50s style
Hot-Rod charm, a skull shift knob was contributed by famed
hot-rodder and actor Norm Grabowski. The custom wire wheels are
from a 1953 Buick Skylark and have been widened 0.5 inches up front
and 2.5 inches in the rear and wrapped in 60 Series Goodyear tires.
Power comes from a 1953 Ford 8BA Flathead V8 engine. The Flathead
was bored out to 278ci by H&L Machine of Stuart, FL, and fitted
with Forged 7:1 pistons, a Schneider camshaft, Smith Brothers
connecting rods and Mellings oil pump. A rare set of ported and
polished Ardun cylinder heads (#180-181) heighten performance and
give the Flathead its signature look. The engine is fed by a BDS
4-71 supercharger topped with three Stromberg 97 carburetors. Both
the supercharger mount and carburetor intake were hand-formed,
along with the lakes-style 1.75-inch chrome headers. The superb
engine creates a timeless and wonderful sound, and directs power
through a 1939 Ford Manual gearbox with Lincoln Zephyr 25-tooth
gears and onto a '48 Ford rear end. Stunning in its design and
execution, the roadster serves as the epitome of what a hot-rod
roadster should be, and made an appearance in the Forza video game
franchise appearing as part of the Barrett-Jackson Car Pack. This
vehicle is offered from the personal collection of Barrett-Jackson
Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson. **SOLD ON BONDED TITLE** **TITLE IN
TRANSIT**
