1965 Ford Roadster

Description

With the sudden popularity of old-school rods from the golden age of rodding, why not own an actual old-school rod instead of building a facsimile? This 1929 Ford roadster dates from the mid-60s and has just come off of a major restoration that returned it to as-built condition for a genuine taste of what it was like to go fast without a catalog full of parts.

It's a steel body, not fiberglass, and it combines a 1929 Ford roadster body with a '32 Ford grille shell to create an iconic look. Well, the body isn't very stock, it's been channeled and sectioned to look low, and there's a very cool custom windshield with stanchions that give it a unique look. The bright red paint contrasts with a black deck and cowl, which helps it look even lower than it is, and quite honestly, the finish quality is probably light-years ahead of what it wore when it was first built. Clever details include filled fender wells, some shaved hardware, and 1950 Pontiac taillights built into the rear panel, which was a popular look then and even more so today. A black insert in the radiator shell ties it all together quite neatly and if you're a fan of exposed hardware and minimalist bodywork, this car delivers in a big way. Chrome King Bee-style headlights are about the only flashy parts on the entire car, and they work with the old-school look.

You can see 1965 sensibilities inside, where button-tufted leather seats and side panels were all the rage. Perhaps most remarkably, everything inside the car save for the carpets is original, a testament to the care the car has received over the past five decades, never mind the high-quality workmanship that some upholstery shop delivered. I don't know where those pedestal-style buckets came from, but I like them, and with a wrap-around belt rail, the line between inside and outside the car is very blurry. Doors? We don't need no stinkin' doors, not when your car is this low and there is no roof; just jump in and go! A real wood dashboard is full of vintage Stewart-Warner gauges that give a full picture of the engine's health, and the only really modern piece is the leather-wrapped steering wheel, which uses a yellow marker at the top just like vintage race cars. There's also a small trunk out back, but most of it is filled with a new fuel cell and the remote-mounted battery.

For power, this one uses a vintage 1965 Buick Nailhead. Displacing 425 cubic inches, this torque factory flings the featherweight roadster around like it was made of paper, and you'd better be sure you're pointed in the right direction when you crack the throttle. All eight barrels open up and the car lunges forward at any speed. The Nailhead is one of the cooler-looking engines, especially with those finned valve covers and it's certainly distinctive. Chrome headers dump into side pipes that sound outrageous on the go and the transmission is a genuine 4-speed manual feeding 4.11 gears in the Ford rear end. The ladder suspension and frame are basic, but that's this car's entire M.O., and thanks to the recent restoration, it's nicely detailed and ready to rock. Staggered whitewall tires on painted steelies complete the awesome retro look.

History matters in the rodding community, and this car has loads of it. Nothing's more authentic than a car that's already been there, done that, so if you're tired of all the catalog cars out there, this is the antidote. Call today!