Rodney Harris
Leighton, ...
Rodney Harris
Leighton, AL
Ford Racing is back at it for 2011 sponsoring another year of
Street Rodder’s Best Ford in a Ford presented by Ford Racing program. Car owners selected at a series of events from around the country will receive a custom jacket honoring their efforts of keeping their Ford all Ford.
The first stop this year was the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, and the first two recipients are Rodney Harris of Leighton, Alabama, and Jeff Chandler of Rancho Santa Fe, California. Harris with his ’32 Ford three-window powered by a 426-inch small-block Ford and Chandler with his ’34 Ford Cabriolet powered by a 327-inch Windsor small-block.
Harris’ full-fendered Deuce three-window sports a 351-inch Ford that is stroked to 426 cubes and is fed by a pair of four-barrel carbs, yielding 550 hp. Getting the Walker radiator cooled power to the polished Winters 9-inch rearend is a Tremec six-speed.
The Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop-built Brookville Roadsters coupe sheetmetal is covered in a PPG British Racing Green paint with Team III Wheels measuring 5x15 in front and 11x16 in back with BFGoodrich rubber at the corners.
Inside a very cool-looking ’34 Plymouth instrument cluster massaged by Classic Instruments rests in a burl wood painted ’32 dash also fitted with a LimeWorks column and banjo wheel. The stitching came from the shop of Paul Atkins.
Jeff Chandler
Rancho Santa...
Jeff Chandler
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
The ’34 Ford Cabriolet was built by Steve’s Auto Restoration and is based on original sheetmetal, Rootlieb hood, and a Bob Drake grille. The sheetmetal is painted in Glazurit Bentley Green. The lighting and bumpers are stock with the rear bumper being ’34 pickup.
The power comes from a Roush reworked Ford Windsor small-block sporting 327 ci and featuring an Autotrend electronic fuel injection. The 350hp and 390 lb-ft small-block features an Edelbrock intake, air cleaner, and valve covers, Sanderson headers, and MSD ignition. The Ford V-8 is backed by a 4R70W overdrive transmission.
The suspension is full independent from the shop of Kugel Komponents with coilover shocks and Wilwood braking. Other distinctive features are the Wheelsmith wires wrapped with Continental Conti Pro rubber measuring 195R55/16 in front and 235R65/17 in back.
The stock-appearing gauges were reworked by Classic Instruments while the steering column is a LimeWorks topped with a stock wheel. The green leather was placed over the Glide bench seat by Paul Reichlin.
Well, there you have it; our first two recipients of the Best Ford in a Ford for 2011. See you this summer.