Vehicle Description
You'd be forgiven for glancing at this car's lead image and
assuming it's just another fiberglass street rod. And there's
absolutely nothing wrong with that, as the hobby is flush with
awesome resin customs that continue to raise the bar for style and
performance. With that in mind, all-steel Fords are becoming the
exception rather than the rule. And all-steel Fords that are
one-of-a-kind showstoppers pretty much define the word 'exclusive'.
Looking over this '34 coupe, it's easy to understand why it's a
magazine-featured SEMA award-winner. There's a sense of timeless
style that's conveyed by classic aesthetics. A custom cockpit
ensures occupants arrive in stylish, air conditioned comfort. And
torquey EcoBoost power, taking the form of 3.5 liters of twin turbo
V6, puts a fresh spin on traditional hot rodding. If you're looking
for an innovative classic that's cool, classy and delightfully
unique, take a minute and get to know this killer Ford!
BODYWORK/TRIM
When building a top-notch showstopper, you have to start with an
excellent foundation. And in the world of modern street rodding, it
doesn't get much better than several hundred pounds of Experi-Metal
Inc. sheetmetal. That stock was shipped to Carolina Beach, North
Carolina's Detroit Street Rods to be prepped, blocked and sanded in
to a svelte fuselage that's fit for display. Since a profile that
nice deserved to be seen and celebrated, it was bathed in smooth
blue bases, dashed with red and pearl stripes and finished in a
trick combination of gloss and matte clearcoat. And, roughly
six-figures later, this coupe stormed the Vegas strip to win Best
of Show honors at SEMA 2009!
Officially a joint venture between Detroit Street Rods, Ford Motor
Company and OE stampers Experi-Metal Inc., this custom was
constructed to promote the 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6 that powers the
current-generation Ford Taurus SHO. And, given its timeless
appearance, it's easy to see how the car fits right in with Ford's
swathe vision of attractive, customer-specific mobility. Up front,
a polished, "Ford" branded grille hangs a custom "V6" emblem
between dual-mode headlights, a polished radiator topper and a
quaint bumper. Behind that grille, a custom Rootlieb hood runs
polished trim toward a tinted greenhouse, which centers tight vinyl
over a tilting windshield, a rolling backlite and polished hot rod
mirrors. Beneath those mirrors, unchopped doors hang traditional
handles and traditional hinges above padded running boards. And at
the back of those boards, old school DuoLamps illuminate a polished
fuel cap, polished nerf bars and a pinstriped deck that's finished
with a polished trunk handle.
ENGINE
Circa 2007, Ford introduced twin turbocharger propulsion, dubbed
TwinForce, that was designed to couple V8 performance with the
efficiency of a 6-cylinder. Production of the newly named EcoBoost
engines began midway through 2009. And today, EcoBoost adorns a
full range of 4 and 6-cylinder powerplants that motivate everything
from the Ford Focus to the Ford GT. The V6 nestled between this
street rod's fenders, installed by Ford itself, was the first
EcoBoost powerplant that, thanks to Livonia, Michigan's
Technosports, was adapted for use with rear-wheel drive; not an
easy task considering the engine's transverse design. At the top of
that all-aluminum mill, color-keyed cowl induction funnels wind in
to free-breathing tubes, which feed factory Honeywell turbos.
Behind those snails, a large-diameter tube feeds a FoMoCo throttle
body, which fronts a color-keyed intake manifold. At the base of
that intake, color-keyed valve covers frame modern coil packs,
which spark a steady stream of fossils that's provided by factory
direct injection. Those fossils combust through ceramic-coated
headers. Charge is provided by a Ford accessory drive, which spins
a fresh alternator opposite a fresh AC compressor. Cooling comes
courtesy of a tall Be Cool radiator that's complete with a polished
cap and large electric puller fan. And, according to Ford
Powertrain, the 458-mile engine is good for an even 400 horsepower
and a stout 400 lb./ft. of torque!
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
Under this impressive custom, a requisite hydraulic clutch jerks a
tough Tremec TKO 5-speed, which twists power to a proven Ford
9-inch that's fitted with big, 3.90 gears. That axle rides a Heidts
triangulated 4-link suspension, finished with polished control arms
and adjustable QA-1 coil-overs. Opposite that clip, a Heidts
Superide front-half sandwiches two more adjustable coil-overs
between polished control arms and a polished sway bar. That
suspension rolls under a proven Roadster Shop chassis that,
finished in gloss blue pigment, perfectly complements the car's
matte blue floors. Turns come courtesy of manual rack-and-pinion
steering. Solid stops are the product of polished Wilwood calipers,
which utilize a floor-mounted booster, a small proportioning valve
and bright stainless lines to squeeze a quartet of vented rotors.
Outside of those brakes, 15-inch Wheelsmith artilleries spin
205/60R15 BF Goodrich Radial T/A whitewalls in front of 255/70R15
BF Goodrich Radial T/A whitewalls. And a high-octane soundtrack is
provided by Hi-FLO custom exhaust, which hangs polished,
glasspack-style mufflers between polished, Mandrel-bent pipes.
INTERIOR
Inside this awesome coupe 'class' is the name of the game as
spectacular red and white vinyl, installed by Shelby Trim of
Sterling Heights, Michigan, creates a fun and stylish complement to
the car's patriotic paint scheme. Pop the doors and you'll find
retro bucket seats that are both firm and supportive. At the sides
of those mitts, blue frames, pleated panels, ornate flashing and
polished handles front modern power windows. Below those panels,
tweed carpet anchors an artistic shifter opposite old school foot
pedals. At the front of that carpet, a color-keyed dash frames
Classic Instruments All American telemetry. Above that dash, a
narrow mirror fronts a vinyl headliner. In front of the driver, a
polished steering wheel spins a wood rim around a painted, tilting
column. And behind the passengers, a fully upholstered trunk
provides a bit of utility.
OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ACCESSORIES
The car's SEMA award
A lot of cars claim to be the total package, but this SEMA-featured
Ford actually lives up to the hype. Its trick EcoBoost motor has
surprisingly good manners and, paired with a row-it-yourself
transmission and gilded hot rod style, assimilates one of the
coolest customs we've ever seen. So, buy it for the blue oval, buy
it for the build quality... Just make sure to buy it quickly
because unique, pedigreed customs never stick around very long!
SUMMARY
Built by Detroit Street Rods in 2009 / Featured in the April, 2010
edition of Hot Rod Magazine
Won Best of Show honors at the 2009 SEMA show / Award included with
the car's sale
3.5 liter Ford EcoBoost V6 / 400 horsepower
Tremec TKO 5-speed manual transmission / Ford 9-inch rear axle /
3.90 gears
Custom interior / Modern air conditioning
Experi-Metal Inc. all-steel body / A combination of gloss and matte
clearcoat
Roadster Shop chassis / Polished Heidts suspension
15-inch Wheelsmith artillery wheels
Wilwood 4-wheel power disc brakes
Rack-and-pinion steering
