• Year: 1931
• Mileage: 12256
• Primary color: Black
• Transmission type: 3 Speed Automatic
• Engine: 239 Flathead V8

When you think the words "hot rod," something like this 1931 Ford roadster hi-boy is probably what shows up in your imagination. Pared down to the bare essence, black with flames, and powered by a warmed-over flathead, it's very much like what the original rodders were running back in the earliest days of the hobby. If you were there, you know, and if you'd merely like to relive the era, this roadster is a great way to do it.
The body is fiberglass, but does it even matter on something that looks so right? Without knocking your knuckles on the skin, you'd never know; even the reinforcing ribs in the rear wheel housing are still there! On the other hand, the grille shell, the hood top, and the rumble seat lid are steel, which helps with durability. Of course, the cars running around in the '50s never looked this good and this Ford benefits from seventy years of paint technology, so the black is deep enough to swim in and the flames were laid down under the clear for a totally seamless look. It's totally traditional, with a '32 radiator shell, King Bee style headlights, and a standard windshield that actually does a good job of keeping the wind under control in the cockpit. Other traditional details include the chrome spreader bar up front, a push bar in back and '39 Ford taillight lenses. A few clever details, like the tiny turn signal indicators on each side of the grille, are more proof that this is a really well-designed rod.
The red and white leather interior is playful in a way that so many rods forget to be. It's beautifully done, showing a craftsman at work (every pleat is straight and even), and with a number of upgrades, this is a far more user-friendly machine than its ancestors. There are plush red carpets on the floors, which help control noise and heat, a tilt column that makes the Model A's cockpit a bit more spacious, and there's an AM/FM/CD stereo stashed under the seat. A banjo steering wheel, complete with "suicide" knob" ties it to the era, although it's a modern reproduction, and a set of handsome Classic Instruments dials in an engine-turned panel look period-perfect. There's also a tach strapped to the steering column and a trick shifter for the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission. And unlike most rods, this one offers room for friends in the matching rumble seat as well as a modicum of weather protection with a black convertible top.
If you're into traditional, you'll want a flathead, and this 239 cubic inch flatty was pulled from a '49 Ford and rebuilt by the guys at H&H out in LA, so you know it's right. Topped by an Edelbrock intake with triple Stromberg 97s, plus a set of Offenhauser heads, it's got the 1950s speed look, but with upgrades like the Edelbrock electronic ignition system, it never gets fussy or cranky. Drenched in bright red, it just glows from inside the open engine bay. A set of ceramic-coated headers feeds a glasspack-style exhaust, so it has that wonderful flathead sound, and the 9-inch rear end has been modified to include a quick-change setup that's one of the car's coolest features. Suspension is totally traditional with leaf springs and control arms all around and drum brakes give it exactly the same look as the 1950s version (on something so light, the drums are plenty powerful). The frame is powdercoated black for durability and the red wheels with hubcaps and staggered wide whites really pop against the dark finish.
A beautifully built rod that's completely sorted and delivers the kind of old-school experience you've been looking for. Why build when you can get one already do for pennies on the dollar? Call now!

• 5400 Sandshell Dr, Suite 100,
  Fort Worth, TX, 76137, US
• (817) 764-8000
• sales-dfw@streetsideclassics.com

• http://www.streetsideclassics.com/
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