Vehicle Description
SUMMARY
16-year body-off restoration completed in 2013
Winner of multiple national awards
6.0 liter GM V8
4L60E 4-speed automatic transmission
Full Lobeck chassis
Custom leather interior / Vintage Air conditioning / Modern
audio
Tastefully modified body / PPG DuPont Hot Hues Harvest Flame and
Ginger Bronze paint
Power rack-and-pinion steering / Power front disc and rear drum
brakes
17-inch Budnik wheels
Ford 8.5-inch rear axle
One day, we might look back and consider today the zenith of street
rodding. With an endless assortment of components, a deep pool of
talent and many ways to fuse the two together, the possibilities
are simply limitless. And the best part is: modern rods can be as
driver-friendly as production cars while offering twice the style.
Wrapping a svelte leather interior in a polished Hot Hues profile,
this award-winning Ford is about a nice as hot rods come. And with
a Lobeck chassis, an all-steel body and a smooth GM small block,
it's a fully sorted custom that's ready for years of enjoyment.
Want to view the street rod scene from the best seat in the house?
Take a close look at this awesome sedan!
BODYWORK/TRIM
Owned by the same enthusiast since the mid 1970s, this impressive
Ford is the beneficiary of a detailed, body-off restoration that
wrapped in early 2013. During that 16-year build, Lobeck's V8 Shop
married original Ford steel to a quality Bitchin Products firewall
and fresh Bitchin Products floorpans. Successfully shored up, the
car's newly solid fuselage was bathed in a killer combination of
PPG 2-stage that reflects DuPont Hot Hues Harvest Flame over DuPont
Hot Hues Ginger Bronze. And in the summer of 2012, this Ford began
an all-out assault on the East Coast show scene.
As with most first class street rods, much of this sedan's
detailing consists of subtle visual tweaks that manifested through
hours of labor, years of skill and decades of planning. At the
front of the car, custom stainless fenders hang a split bumper and
'39 Ford headlights beside a color-keyed DeLuxe grille. At the top
of that grille, a nosed hood centers an extended style line in
front of smoked glass, which is seated between polished wipers and
Vision Hot Rod Concepts mirrors. Beneath those mirrors, shaved
suicide doors balance rounded tops between extended drip rails and
smooth, extended running boards. And at the back of those boards,
custom stainless fenders hang custom taillights and a flush Hagan
fuel door behind a second split bumper, a custom Center High Mount
Stop Lamp, and a shaved and rounded decklid.
ENGINE
'Keep it simple' is a good philosophy when it comes to performance
and reliability. Pop this classic's custom VW hood latch and you'll
find six liters of General Motors small block that mixes road-ready
reliability with effortless, modern performance. Built to tear up
the street and wow show goers alike, that 2005-model mill employs a
sturdy iron casting, electronic fuel injection and coil-near-plug
ignition to create sharp throttle response and immediate torque. At
the top of the block, a polished air cleaner caps a factory
throttle body, which feeds a color-keyed Corvette intake. At the
sides of that intake, hand-fabricated valve covers, which took
roughly 250 hours to assemble, cap polished fuel rails and aluminum
GM heads. Beneath those heads, GM exhaust manifolds feed
large-diameter pipes. At the front of the block, polished Street &
Performance serpentine components spin modern power steering
between a polished alternator and modern AC compressor. In front of
those components, a Walker Cobra radiator secures a SPAL electric
puller fan beneath a polished cap and fabricated water tube. And
finer details include: braided hoses, pocket hood hinges and
complete American Auto Wire wiring.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
Every good street rod has a solid foundation. Flip this Ford upside
down and you'll find a roster of mechanical improvements that mix
classic looks with modern mobility. A 2005-model 4L60E 4-speed
spins power to a tough Ford 8.5-inch axle. That stout drivetrain
rides a sturdy Lobeck chassis, which mixes tubular control arms
with traditional leaf springs. Modern power rack-and-pinion
steering is a welcome addition. The car's power-assisted braking is
solid, thanks to color-keyed calipers and drums. There's a
2.5-inch, Mandrel-bent exhaust system that hangs stainless pipes
around polished Vibrant mufflers and custom engraved tips.
Everything rides on polished Budnik wheels, which spin 205/50R17
Yokohama S drives in front of 235/55R17 Yokohama S drives. And
items like fully polished hardware and a Rock Valley stainless fuel
tank finish an otherwise impressive canvas.
INTERIOR
Despite its custom leather digs, installed by Steve Holcomb of
Knoxville's Pro Auto interiors, 'simple' is still the name of the
game in this sedan's roomy cockpit. Front and center,
power-operated buckets ride opposite a custom '56 Chevy dash that's
finished with Classic Instruments gauges and Hot Rods by Dean
bezels. Beneath that dash, a full console centers stainless
cupholders and a quality Lokar shifter behind an MP3-compatible
Alpine CD player. Beneath that console, clean California Carpet
balances piped and color-keyed floor mats beneath Clayton Machine
Works foot pedals. Those components are framed in custom side
panels, remote door locks and a tight suede headliner. Vintage Air
conditioning offers refreshing reprieve from hot summer car shows,
while remote power windows allow for nice fall cruising. In front
of the driver, a polished Budnik steering wheel laps a tilting
Ididit column. And behind the passengers, an electronically
actuated trunk finishes more leather and more California Carpet
with Downs billet hardware.
AWARDS
Classic Instruments Pro's Pick at the 2015 NSRA Northeast Nationals
in Burlington, Vermont
Slick & Smooth award at the 2014 Goodguys PPG Nationals in
Columbus, Ohio
Classic Instruments Pro's Pick at the 2013 NSRA Street Rod
Nationals East in York, Pennsylvania
Best of Homebuilt Heaven at the 2012 Goodguys East Coast Nationals
in Springfield, Massachusetts
OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION
Restoration photos
Component literature
Despite the availability of parts, building a quality street rod
that looks, runs and drives as it should is still a serious
undertaking. The builders of this award-winning custom didn't cut a
single corner, and it shows from every angle. With all the right
mechanicals, and tasteful looks that will always draw a crowd, this
slick sedan would be a great addition to any garage. Don't miss the
chance to park it in yours!
