1934 Ford Five-Window Coupe - Multiple Personalities

It's not uncommon to find a car that's been purchased from its "project father." That's how Bill Reichenberg happened upon his tasteful 1934 Ford five-window coupe. He set eyes on it for the first time in 1996. The owner, Karl Roberts, was a long-time friend and business associate who let Bill take it for a spin so he could see what he liked (and didn't like) about it. In late '96, Bill purchased a nice '33 Ford that was similar, but it was ultimately traded for a '47 Ford Sportsman in 1998. September of 1999 rolled around and Karl decided to sell the '34 and Bill jumped at the chance to own it. The coupe underwent a great deal of its original buildup at Masterpiece Rodding & Restoration-Gary Vahling's Denver-area cool car emporium. However, from there it went to Lee Bumgardner's Zoomers Hot Rod Shop for even more of its make-up. Lee is a former Masterpiece employee who sought self reliance by opening his own shop. The result was a nicely finished hot rod, but that wasn't enough for our friend Bill.

Yet another well-known builder also gets credit for this one, as Reichenberg contacted SO-CAL Speed Shop for the car's next incarnation. It seemed he just wasn't satisfied with its '90s-style smoothie look. Originally, the car was devoid of its bumpers, door handles, and other semblances of original equipment, and as it turned out, Bill was being totally honest with himself when pondering this latest version. When all is said and done, we all have to be totally satisfied with every aspect of our chosen hot rod. It doesn't matter whether we're talking about shoes, lounge chairs, or hot rods-if you don't start out liking something right off the bat, there's often no way to make yourself like it. We all have preferences. Good for you, Bill. You followed your instincts and ended up with the car you really wanted. Some rodders are not that fortunate to finally satisfy their desires completely.

Perhaps the most striking characteristic of this coupe lies in its stock roof height. These days, it's really refreshing to see an un-chopped top because they always stand out in the crowd of whacked and welded rooflines. Many times, an unaltered roof appears much more tasteful and also more proportional, when compared to many of their altered cousins. And this is one instance where the proof is in the pudding, as the overall stance and build theme goes perfectly with the unadulterated roofline.

During its prior state, this saucy coupe had the monochromatic theme, where everything (and everything else) was painted the same shade of blue. It also featured Subaru bucket seats and a leather-covered dash. Keep in mind, though, there was no lack of craftsmanship here. Truth is, Bill just couldn't hang with it. He had another plan and that included the expertise of SO-CAL Speed Shop. Reichenberg had long admired the company's signature build style. So much so, he also owns one of their trendy '32 highboys, so it seemed natural for Bill to collaborate with Pete Chapouris in developing the desired new/old look.

Bill's beauty started its previous hot rod life with a chassis from the Roadster Shop. Features include a Heidt's Superide IFS with all the stainless accoutrements for both flash and long service life. Wilwood brakes slow the inertia up front while drums reside at the rear wheels. The chassis plumbing is stainless, as well, complementing a stainless triangulated four-bar and a 9-inch Ford rear with 4.11:1 cogs. Painted Steelies came from Santa Ana, California's Wheel Smith, along with '46 Ford hubcaps with trim rings for that extra snazz factor. Silverstone whitewalls from Coker Tire support the corners, while providing a much more modern ride when compared to those nasty old bias-ply tires we used to run on. Though it's known for every rod building talent imaginable, SO-CAL nailed the stance and the overall look Reichenberg was looking for. With that element accomplished, the rest of Bill's want list could be addressed and checked off-one item at a time.

Virtually nothing was touched on the engine, drivetrain, or suspension, as the first go-around found that top-quality parts were used on the initial buildup. Some slight cosmetics were addressed under the hood in order to step away from the previous monochromatic treatment. Certain engine components were returned to a more industrial look, offering the necessary contrast along the way. The Corvette TPI motor originally came in a crate, so nothing was needed internally. It's backed by a 700-R4 trans and a Walker Radiator cools the powerplant for smooth cruising.

Outside, SO-CAL fabricator Jimmy Shine carefully bent, shaped, and welded the trick nerf bar up front along with the tasty 'n' tubular rear bumper bar. Those crafty items go a long way toward cementing the theme of this '50s-era driver. Commercial headlights also lend a certain flavor, as do the plated grille surround and silver-painted insert from Dan Fink Metalworks. Ryan Reed, Aaron Broughton, Scott Howard, and Sean Dooley all need proper credit for fabricating and assembly chores, as a theme-styled re-do like this one certainly can pose a host of difficulties along the way. This coupe arrived at SO-CAL with a stationary glued-in windshield, so the team replaced it with a stock-style, crank-operated unit, much like it had when rolling off Henry's fabled River Rouge assembly plant. Now, Mr. Bill can crank up some fresh air while adding smiles to his miles. The addition of OE-style rubber runningboard inserts was yet another touch that adds to the flair of this overall package.

For comfort, SO-CAL called on Southern California's most respected trim shop-Gabe's Custom Interiors. Chapouris consulted with Gabe Lopez on the desired theme, while the Bloomington-based super crew started making panels, shaping foam, and cutting leather. The result was simple but tasteful, where basic black combines with pleated white leather inserts for form and function. Gabe started with a seat frame from Glide Engineering, shaped the foam cushions by hand, and covered the seat using the preferred "French Seam," also known as the triple top-stitch, where each respective panel is joined together. Just as he's done on countless award-winning hot rods, the work of Gabe Lopez served as the crowning touch to the overall appeal of Bill Reichenberg's coupe.