32 Ford Sedan Street Rod

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I found my 32 Sedan in south Jersey in '99, and I got most of the parts with it.  It had been off the road for 30 years and was completely disassembled when I bought it.  I fit the whole car on one trailer, but not in the traditional way.

I have done everything myself except making the frame, and making the exhaust.  

The Body:
The build up started with sand blasting the body down to bare metal and welding in a few small patch panels.  I replaced the stock firewall with a weld-in recessed panel and fabricated the floor panels.  I built a tubular steel roof structure with a compound curve, then filled the unchopped roof using a Chevy Celebrity wagon roof insert.  The floor pan is channeled in the rear to accommodate the triangulated four link and drive shaft for a nice low stance.

The Hood:
I used an aftermarket three piece hood, making a custom front opening design.  The hood sides hang on 1/2" square tubing supports and can be removed allowing the car to run with or without hood sides.  The side supports, house a custom latch mechanism using polished billet latches on each side, operated with interior pull cables.  It also includes a polished billet safety latch.  The hood hinges are made from plans I purchased on e-bay, using 304 stainless bar stock, which I sanded and polished.  I added a stainless gas spring, which I also polished, to raise the hood when actuated.

The Frame:
I purchased a stage three frame, made to accommodate a Chevy small block.  I modified the transmission mount to fit a T56 6-speed trans, replaced the Vega steering box and the rear calipers, added a front panhard rod and C-notched it front and rear.  The front suspension is a mono leaf spring in a Model A cross member.  It's got a 4" dropped I-beam up front and a four bar triangulated rear suspension with coil over shocks.  I made the steering shaft with three flaming river stainless joints, to snake around the exhaust.  I made a custom drop down battery box and mounted remote jumper terminals under the passenger seat.

The Interior:
I used 6-way power, heated, leather buckets and sectioned & narrowed the matching rear seat.  I hinged the passenger seat to allow entry to the rear seating and for a place to hide the remote jumper terminals and electrical cut-off switch.  The rear seat covers a full height spare tire, jack, 300 watt amp, 10" subwoofer and fuel pump solenoid.  I mounted a Vintage Air super cooler high up under the dash, using the stock dash to channel the defrost air to the windshield.  The inside door handles are 3/4 scale CNC machined polished aluminum, styled after the stock outside handles.  I added bear claw latches, tilt column, third brake light, and front & rear power windows.  I modified an old style Hurst shifter to shift the T56 from a comfortable position.  The interior panels are made from ABS sheet plastic.  The kick panels are heat formed from wood bucks to stretch the plastic into shapes to accomodate things like the computer, the A/C dryer, the hood latch handle, the wiper motor and anything else that was hiding behind them.  The rear kick panels are molded to fit over the rear wheel wells and have custom formed rear arm rests to hold the power window switches.  The headliner is a RodDoors "one size fits all" kit, which required extensive cutting and pasting.  I also used a modified S-10 blazer headliner console to house the driver's rear window switches, dome and map lights.

The Dash:
The Dolphin quad gauges are mounted in a custom made extension to move them out two inches to accommodate the super cooler up high in the dash.  I added a sub-dash to flush mount the A/C and heater controls, as well as the headlight switch and A/C vents.  I mounted the cruise control panel on a hinged pull down, so it can be hidden when not in use.  

Power train:  
I bought a complete '93 LT1 Z28 motor with the harness and computer, as well as a T56 6 speed trans from a junk yard.  

Motor:
I had to rebuilt the motor because it had some bearing issues.  I had the computer chip re-burned with the Hypertech fuel and timing curves.  I had the fuel injectors professionally cleaned and tested.  I took the heat shields off the factory manifolds and had them Jet-Hot coated.  This retained the GM "D" port engineering, and provided a nice unique look.  I made a custom air intake from 304 stainless, by splitting a 180 degree exhaust elbow and filling in the center to make an oval shaped Snorkle.  This allowed room to mount the air cleaner above the intake.  I also made a set of polished stainless injector covers to hide the injectors and wiring along both sides of the intake.  The A/C, heater and fuel hoses are braided stainless also.  The pulley system is a Street & Performance bracket that mounts the A/C pump and alternator low on the right, making a very uncluttered look, thanks to the back driven water pump.  

Trans:
The trans is a T56 6 speed with a hydraulic clutch. I put in a center force clutch and used the stock master and slave cylinders.  The computer prom re-burn included disabling the CAGS (Computer Assisted Gear Selection).

Rear:
The rear is a ford 8" with 3.23 gears. It has mid 80's Cadillac rear calipers, with an integral emergency brake.

Other:
The fuel system is an external in-line high pressure pump using 3/8" ID braided stainless hose

The exhaust is dual 2.5" 304 stainless using polished MagnaFlow mufflers and over the axle tail pipes.

All exterior bolts, hoses, brake cables, lines and clamps are stainless.  

The rear power windows are from a Toyota Celica and are ideal for a 30's sedan.

The headlights are from the fifties aftermarket and are on a dropped stainless bar.

I added a home built hide-away plate, using a vacuum servo and a Camaro hinged plate holder.  It is hooked up to engine vacuum, so it is down when the motor is on and up when it is not.

I added a front anti-sway bar from a Bronco II, using a custom set of brackets with nylon bushings.

The car has the right stance and sits on big and little tires with American Racing Torque Thrust D wheels.  It is full fendered with all Henry Ford steel (except the rear fenders, which are new steel from Brookville.

I painted each brake and suspension part separately with base coat/clear coat, including the smoothed engine block.  I left the body and frame in black sealer for now, but have plans to tear it down and give it a final paint job in a year or two.


Building this car has been quite an experience.  I have learned pockets of information about each phase and have gained a tremendous respect for the effort involved in building a car.  I put over 7,000 miles on it so far.  I will tear it down and do a Red/Silver paint job on it one of these winters.