1932 Ford Coupe owned by Ken Warner

This 1932 Ford Coupe is owned Ken Warner

Engine/Transmission:

Ken's 1932 Ford Coupe has a 350 Chevy tuned port injection engine, aluminum radiator and flowmaster exhaust.

Chassis:

Total Cost Involved (TCI) frame, Kugel front end, rear 4-bar link w/coil overs, Wilwood disc brakes, Ford 9" rear, Billet Specialties "Legacy" wheels and knock offs and Goodyear radials tires.

Body & Interior

This 1932 Ford Coupe has an all steel body with a Bitchin' Products steel firewall. The seats are designed by Tea's, power windows, Ron Francis wiring, Classic Instruments gauges, tilt column w/LaCarra steering wheel and a remote CD player.

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air owned by Craig Doolittle

This 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air is owned by Craig Doolittle

Notes from Craig:

Modifications
Engine, Transmission and Rear End came out of a 1987 IROC Z-28 Camaro. Tuned Port Injection, SLP Runners, Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator, PPG Aluminum Cross-Flow Radiator, Electric Fan, Trunk-Mounted Optima Battery. 605 Power Steering Box, 4 Wheel Power Disk Brakes, 2 _” Dropped Spindles, 2” Dropped Rear Leaf Springs with 1” Lowering Blocks, Urethane Bushings, Front Anti-Sway Bar, Gas Shocks, 17” American Racing Torq Thrust Wheels with Nitto NT 450 Tires. VDO in-dash Gauge Cluster, Billet Dash Insert, Ididit Steering Column, LeCarra Steering Wheel, Custom-Stitched Red & Black Upholstery, Custom Autosound Stereo with Subwoofer in the trunk.

History

I purchased this car about 95% finished off of Denver’s Craigslist in May 2007. The car’s builder is a Broomfield Fireman by the name of Jack Trelease. Jack is an award-winning builder of hotrods and motorcycles. He’s a great guy and builds these incredibly cool rides in his 3-car garage. He bought this California born BelAir in original unrestored condition. It took him over a year to completely rebuild this car. He drove and showed the car for about 5 years all the while tweaking and changing it to what it is today. My son and I showed the car at the June Colorado Nationals Good Guys event at the ranch in Loveland. A guy from Rod & Custom took some shots of the car, but it didn’t make the magazine …. yet!

Awards

The 1st award was my foster kids’ smiling faces when they climbed in the back seat and rolled down the windows. Previously to that, the car won the People’s Choice Award at a 2004 Federal Heights Car Show. Jack told me the car also won a Best Paint award at a local show he couldn’t remember the name of.

1939 Chevrolet Coupe owned by Roselaine Warner

This 1939 Chevrolet Coup is owned by Roselaine Warner

Chassis

Stock with Heidts independent front suspension, disc brakes, Ford 9” rear with drum brakes, Air Ride Technologies air bag suspension front and rear.

Engine

Chevy small block 350 that has been balanced and blueprinted with two Edelbrock 600 cfm carbs mounted on a polished tunnel ram manifold. Mallory Unilite distributor, Jet coated block hugger headers, and to top this off “NOS”. All this is cooled by a powder-coated Mattson radiator A 700R4 tranny with a lock-up converter helps the bowtie roll around on the Colorado Custom wheels w/knock-offs.

Body Modifications

All body and sheet metal work done by Kilgers Kustom Metal, San Bernardino, CA. The Hagen headlamps have been mounted into 40 Chevy headlights and have been recessed into the front fenders. A Hagen fuel door was added to the body along with a third brake light. Hagen Hidden hinges give the body that smooth look along with the three-piece hood and smoothie running boards. The doors have been slightly rounded. To see and be seen, halogen headlights, taillights and turn signals were installed. Finishing touch was the Dupont frost beige, 2-stage paint.

Interior

The Honda Prelude front seats and overhead console have been covered in a fine biscuit colored leather by Elegance Auto Interiors in Upland, CA along with the wool carpeting. The trunk also has the leather trim and wool carpeting. The GM tilt column is topped with a Colorado Custom Wheel. The re-done dash has Dakota Digital gauges and the controls for the air/heat system. The Painless Wiring system with the help of an Optima battery, power the Alpine sound system with Kenwood amp, bazooka base and 6-disc CD changer.

This 1953 Chevrolet 150 is owned by Jim Miller

Notes from Jim:

This car is a true family airloom. It was purchased on February 6th 1953 by Lester and Esta Miller, my great grandparents. The cost was $1957.57 with the extras. Which included a dealer installed heater, factory turn signals. I have all the original invoices and sales slips. This was the basic Chevrolet of the time. It has no radio, no armrests, a single driver side sun visor. Of course those were availible as an option.

Modifications

This 1953 Chevrolet 150 is nearly original. The heaters suck. Turn it on and pop open the wings to defog the windshield. The window wipers are vacume powered... You have to speed up then let off the gas to get them going faster or at all. The 6 volt battery was switched to an 8 volt with a new voltage regulator in early 2006, the lights would have dimmed until you pressed the gas pedal again.

I added seat belts, something about sliding around the seat made me nervous. Original interior, motor has never been apart, the original spare is still in the trunk and holds air ( would never use it). It was painted sometime after 1968. When I got it I put new tires on, replaced the spark plug wires and double checked all the hoses. It leaks and drips oil, but it's 54 years old can't complain and keep extra oil in the trunk. One final thing, this car will stay as is.

1932 Ford Coupe owned by Mike Wells

This 1932 Ford Coupe is owned by Mike Wells

Notes from Mike:

This 1932 Ford Coupe was originally built by his neighbor, then sold once before Mike bought it. It has a Fiberglas Chopped (2.5 inches) Outlaw body. It has a GM 400 engine with a TH350 automatic transmission, and a gear vendor supplying a gas saving overdrive gear. The car has Kelcey Hays wheels in shining yellow that match the striking flames branded along the side of the car at the bottom. With the Chevy 400 and the light weight of the body, it moves pretty well, he said.

Awards

I have awards from Road Knights in Loveland Colorado. Blue Dots in Grand Junction Co., Cheyenne Rod and Custom, Early Iron in Alamosa, Colorado State Patrol, Denver Roadsters, Route 385 Cruisers in Nebraska, Firefighters and I got a reps pick at the 25th Street Rod Nationals in Kentucky in 1994."

Miscellaneous Info:
I have had 4 cars over the past 19 years besides this 1932 Ford Coupe. I have many stories and lots of memories of Rod Runs and vacations over the years. I have been to the Street Rod Nationals in Kentucky, Columbus Ohio, Oklahoma City, and St.Paul. We have also attendend many many local shows and functions over these years."

Over the years, I have owned classics such as a 1933 Ford Resto-Rod, a 1934 Ford and a 1937 Ford with a Carson top that my wife, Linda, picked out. I likes the style of the old '30s Fords, that much is certain.

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air owned by Joe Lopez

This 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air is owned by Joe Lopez

It's a 2 door hardtop with a custom interior. Z24 engine with an MZZ 4 speed tranny. Painted white over black with a black interior. It has a set of 17 inch Crager s/s, rumor has it they were the first set in Colorado.

After this project, one thing Joe realized is that there isn't enough time or space to account for all the weird things that happens to a real hot rod enthusiast.

1939 Ford Cabriolet owned by Joe Lopez

This 1939 Ford Cabriolet is owned by Joe Lopez

1939 Ford Cabriolet was built in Polson Mt. by Jack Ellenwood. Originally the a 1929 highboy big block was traded for this beauty. Of course that was years ago and numerous.

Awards
The Latest award was the Gold Award (2nd) in it's class at the 2007 Rocky Mountain Rod & Custom Show in Denver.

1957 Chevrolet Pickup Owned by Ted McArthur

This 1957 Chevy Pickup is owned by Ted McArthur

In April of ‘95, he purchased this 1957 Chevy pickup for $1,200. After driving it home and cleaning it up a bit he decided it was time to start with a new engine.

He got a 327 cu.in. motor out of a ‘66 Impala that his Uncle had acquired. He rebuilt the motor with a crank built up and rechromed. Bored the motor .020-over, new pistons with a set of 202 heads. He put on Edlebrock split level intake manifold with and Edlebrock street performer 750 carburetor. To this combination, he installed an overdrive to a 3 speed transmission that was a column shift and changed the differential to a 3.56:1 for highway driving.

During this process he found a set of rims from a yard sale in Roxbourough off of some guy that said his Toyota pickup didn’t have enough power to get him down the road like he wanted. $40.00 got hime the set of four.

The frame was cleaned up and a bunch of rocks that had been wedged between the cab and the bed had to be removed. Somebody must have used the truck to haul some river rock back in the day. The chassis, except for the drive train, is all original, as well as the body.

He had to find a replacement door for this 1957 Chevy Pickup. The truck also needed a bunch of other bump work on dents and dings before he primed it. In was eventually painted Dove Grey with a Teal tinted clear coat over the top.

The seats were upholstered as a birthday present one year.

Since he uses the truck in a lot of parades, he installed two 200 watt amplifiers to power his concert speakers

Awards

He took it to many parades and car shows during the work stages. He took 2nd place in Albuquerque New Mexico at a show when I went down there.

He also won trophies for things such as the amount of primer on the vehicle, and for his exhaust pipe configuration at the Funplex Car Show through following years.

1936 Plymouth Coupe Owned by Butch Lapp

This 1936 Plymouth coupe is black and turquoise in color with a grey cloth interior. The engine is a Chevy 327, with a turbo 350 tranny and a 10 bolt differential.

Awards
It is an award winner with the "People's Choice at Jimmy Carter Benefit Show. It also has taken 1st place at Haxton Co. Old Fashion Saturday Night.

More Information

Butch bought this 1936 Plymouth coupe on ebay, and after flying to Texas to get the car, the car lost the alternator and battery in B.F.Kansas! It was towed 40 miles to Grainfield Kansas where it had a new battery and alt put in by the local tow truck driver and Napa owner. Butch told me that the tow truck driver also had a wall of shame with pictures of various broken down hot rods. Butch mentioned that he knew several owners of those hot rods that had issues.

1946 Chevrolet Pickup Owned by Harold Aldridge

This 1946 Chevy Pickup is owned by Harold Aldridge

Modifications

The truck has a full-boxed frame, Mustang II front with power steering, 10-bolt posi with parallel leaf springs, 700R4 trans, 4-wheel power disk brakes, A/C, tilt, cruise, AM/FM/CD, security system, steering column is out of a Trans Am, hidden trailer hitch behind the roll pan. Bumpers have been moved 4” closer to the body, gas tank moved from inside the cab to under the floor of the bed, new oak floor with stainless strips, bucket seats from a ’89 Dodge Daytona, engine has shorty headers, Edelbrock intake and carb.

History

I purchased the truck in November, 1995, from a man in Aurora who had bought it from a farmer in Greely. I had to winch it onto the trailer to haul it home and then it wouldn’t roll of the trailer because the brake cylinders leaked and seized the drums. I had to winch it off the trailer. I did all of the work except for: upholstery was stitched by Dave Schilling of Upholstery Plus and installed by me, Flowmaster exhaust system was installed by Ken’s Classic Muffler, Pin stripes by Mart Ford. Truck was first shown at the ColoRODans Twin Peaks Mall car show in 2001.

Awards

Platinum Award for Best Pre ’48 Pickup at the 2001 Rocky Mountain Rod & Custom Show. Also have several awards from regional shows for best truck.

Misc Info

We have had the truck to numerous shows in Colorado, Nebraska and Utah -with Moab, Utah being our longest. We had a great time in Moab but had to drive home in the rain-- make that snow over Vail Pass and the Eisenhower tunnel.
The Truck had been problem free until May of ’07. We went to Grand Junction with the Club and participated in the Gateway Canyons Car Show. What a great place to go!! On the way home on Sunday, the old Chevy truck decided to get rid of its Ford parts. We lost the right front wheel bearing on Vail Pass. Of course when you lose a wheel bearing you lose your brakes. It’s a good thing we were going up hill and the emergency brake worked, stopping the truck 18” from the concrete barrier. Thanks to all the fellow rodders who stopped to help. We managed to have enough tools to chisel the old bearing off the spindle. Fellow club member Joe Lopez stopped in Frisco at the local NAPA store and bought bearing sand seals and brought them back up to me on Vail Pass. Thanks Joe. We installed the new parts and drove on home with without further incident. Oh yes—it rained on Vail pass and we got wet.

How to contact the owner:

1928 Ford Roadster Pat Frasher Ground Up Part 2

This 1928 Ford Roadster was built by Pat Fraser, Part 2

By Pat Fraser

Betcha you thought I'd given up on this project - surprise, I didn't. Since the last writing quite a bit has been done as the photo shows. One gigantic step was getting the suspension installed on the Brookville frame that I bought along with the body. I hunted around and went with a complete kit that has with Pete and Jakes short shocks and their four bar system. The front axle is a Super Bell four inch dropped beam model and the spring is by Posies-a Super Slide. There are 11-inch disc brakes.

The rear end has All American coilovers, and is located by a four bars suspension. The back end sits on an eight-inch Ford rear end that Bill Hinshaw sold me. The bad news is that it needs new drum brakes. Rear drums will be fine with such a light car that has front disks. The good news is that it has a 3.0 ratio, not fast off the line but should get somewhere in the vicinity of 931 1/2 miles per gallon. The other good news is that it was right here in beautiful Boulder, Colorado, so I didn't have to run all over the planet looking for one. Yet another bit of good news is that Bill threw in some junk wheels and tires, good enough for the car to get around on until it's roadworthy.

Incidentally, I may have left you with the impression that I'm doing the mechanical work on the car. Not so. The finished car must be safe, and everything must be done right. My mechanical ability is about that of a two year old. That, coupled with some physical issues, precludes my doing anything but grunt work on the roadster. Fortunately a member of the ColoRODans, Bryce Wollbrink, came to my rescue. He operates one of the premier shops around, Bryce's Street Rods in nearby Erie. Bryce is one of an almost extinct breed ... He and his crew builds rods, they also restore street machines, antique cars and do great paint work. In his spare time Bryce scratch builds and restores pedal cars. His metal work is great. I watched him build a cowl and fender for a 1912 Chalmers using only faint 90 year old drawings as a guide. Try that at your home shop, Buddy!! (Hey Bryce, is that a great plug or what??)

At the same time that the car grew wheels and all that other important rolling stuff, I bought a Chevy small block engine. It's basically stock except that it is .30 over, has flat top pistons, and a mild cam. It is newly rebuilt, never run. I think with headers, a good carb, and tuned intake that the roadster will have plenty of road thrills for an old duffer like myself. Frugal fellow that I am, a great swap meet find was a Model A center cross member transmission mount for $5. It almost fit, Bryce made it work. Before the engine went in there were a few other items that were needed. Motor mounts I bought locally. I listened to friends and then ordered what was essentially a custom built radiator from U.S. Radiator for well under $400. A bargain. Really. At another swap meet I bought a beautiful bright pink Vega steering box that is supposed to be new. Yes, it really was PINK. It's not pink anymore. Who says swap meets aren't the best?

I needed a transmission to go in with the engine. For years I'd lusted after a car with three pedals, I knew REAL hot rods did not use slush boxes. Whoops!! Yet another error in my litany of conceptual errors. An installed manual transmission in my car would run about three times what the automatic cost. Look around at a rod show to see how many cars you see with a stick transmission, pretty rare, huh. Maybe my next car will have stick, I simply can't afford it now. From the ColoRODans' good friend in Broomfield, Leonard Vasquez, I got a newly rebuilt GM turbo 350 transmission. He sold it to me for a very reasonable price, giving me the ColoRODans' discount.

I wish that my roadster was close to being finished but it's not even close. Perhaps with another 57 years and $228,000 I'll actually be able to drive it. This sums it up for now folks, parts and money; money and parts; labor and money; money and labor; parts and labor and money ... You get the idea.

July 2007- The roadster was featured on the annual ColoRODans Rod Festival artwork along with Harold Aldridge.

Return to Part 1

Return to 1928 Ford Roadster

1928 Ford Roadster Pat Frasher Ground Up Part 1

This 1928 Ford Roadster was built by Pat Fraser, here's how Part 1

By Pat Fraser

Back in the medieval ages I saw my first Model "A" roadster hot rod and knew immediately that someday I'd have one. In the ensuing years I've owned 37 cars, including 4 roadsters, I phaeton, and several autos with sun roofs. There have been show quality cars, some that hurt your eyes to look at, a few super fast cars, and, yes Matilda, some real dogs that would lose a bicycle race. But none of those cars was a Model "A" roadster hot rod. About 2 years ago I decided that "someday" had come, it was time to have my dream car.

First I joined the Colorodans to meet other car people, and get involved with the local rod scene. After advice and thought, I figured there were three ways to get my dream car. First, I could buy one from a professional builder. Those cars cost a tremendous amount of money, way over my budget, and mucho buckos up front. I'm on a limited monthly budget. Hey, guys it's a budget NOT an allowance. Second, I could buy a car that was built or partially built from a private individual. Again, lots of cash in one lump sum, but no extra charge to worry about what's under the paint, inside the engine, and all that funny stuff underneath. Yup, Jethro, looks like I gotta build it from the ground up. This series of articles will chronicle the adventures and misadventures of that undertaking.

I started looking for a frame and a body. There were original bare frames available from $100. to $500. Once a frame had been sand blasted, boxed, and straightened, it would rival the price of a new one. For $900 I bought a new Brookville frame. I saw several original bodies starting at $2000. and going way up. They all needed a minimum of $3000. of body work and a jillion dollars worth of new panels, fenders, and running boards. New Brookville bodies were available, great steel reproductions but too costly for me, remember the budget. The alterative was to use a fiberglass body. On a trip back East I stopped at a glass body shop and liked what I saw. I saved my pennies and nickels and a few months later I bought one.

MISTAKES, MISTAKES, MISTAKES!!!

When someone buys a glass body, the number one priority should be to check out the company with the better business bureau. I didn't.

When a person buys a reproduction body, they should seek out both happy and disgruntled owners. I didn't. If you are in the market for a glass body, check out the workmanship, structural bracing, and overall finish quality compared to a competitor. I didn't. Make sure you don't just check out the showroom bodies, try to see ones ready to ship. I didn't.

Finally, if you buy a glass body, try your damndest to pick it up yourself, if you can't, go to the factory and thoroughly inspect your purchase. I didn't. Everyone told me I'd make lots of mistakes. They were right. I didn't think I'd make so many mistakes so soon. I really believed that the rod business was chock full or reputable business people. Once again, I was wrong and I'm paying for it. Hold on to your wrenches, I'll be back.

Return to car home or Go To Part 2

1928 Ford Roadster Owned by Pat Fraser

This 1928 Ford Roadster is owned by Pat Fraser.

Modifications

SBC 350, suspension upgrades, s.w. gauges, custom made roadsters, etc.

History

I bought this in pieces, id: 1st the body then the bare frame. Then suspension, then engine, etc, etc. Everything on this car is either new or newly rebuilt, except the seat."

"Bryce's Street Rod shop did all the work. Paint is and will remain, Black Primer. Interior will have a Mexican planket for a seat cover."

"This car is a reproduction of a late 50's midwest rod. Since everything is new or newly rebuilt, I don't call it a "Rat Rod", just a HOT ROD, Nor a street rod."

Awards

None, the car was selected to be on the poster for the 2007 Rod Festival with Harold Aldrige's '46 pickup.

Misc Info

"Minor bugs are still being worked out. I may build a removable top. Will it ever be "finished"? I doubt it, they never are. It took about 3 times as long to build as i had planned (4 years) and about $4,000,000,000 more than anticipated.

How to contact the owner:

Read how he built it from the ground up

List of the Hot Cars and Trucks

This list is organized by Year, Make and Model

1923 Ford Model C
1928 Ford Roadster
1932 Ford Coupe
1932 Ford Coupe
1936 Plymouth Coupe
1939 Chevrolet Coupe
1939 Ford Cabriolet
1946 Chevy Pick Up
1953 Chevrolet 150
1956 Chevrolet Bel Air
1956 Chevrolet Bel Air
1957 Chevrolet Pickup

Car Clubs

Links to Car Clubs around the world:

Ground Up Builds

1928 Ford Roadster Pat Frasher Ground Up Part 1

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