Custom 1934 Ford Pickup - Colorado Cruiser

Sometimes all it takes is a little motivation to get a hot rod build up and running. Maybe the motivation comes from attending car shows and rod runs. Maybe it comes from your friends and fellow hot rodders who egg you on to get your car built. Perhaps it's your significant other who puts it simply: "Either do something with it, or get rid of it." The point is, sometimes our projects languish for no reason other than living life gets in the way of finding the time to enjoy our hobby. Jerry Smith had picked up an old hot rod in the form of a channeled, full-fendered '34 Ford pickup and knew this feeling all too well. Because of the car's dilapidated shape, Jerry was unsure where to start with the project and therefore let the pickup sit in his garage for nearly two years. It wasn't until he contacted Gary Vahling at Masterpiece Rodding that the motivation to get his project rolling came about.

Jerry stole a few ideas from his brother, who raced modifieds and was a hot rodder as well. His idea was simple; he wanted to build a chopped, highboy pickup. Under normal circumstance, this would be a fairly straightforward build for an early Ford. But in Jerry's case, building a highboy using a body that has been channeled opens up a whole new can of worms. The body would have to be brought back up to stock height on top of the framerails and a new floor created. But Jerry knew the pickup was in good hands with Gary and his crew and let them go to town.

The stock '34 frame was nice enough to use and the Masterpiece boys decided to box the 'rails and leave the majority of the stock crossmembers intact. A Magnum axle with a 4-inch drop was slung up front under a POSIES transverse spring. Super Bell disc brakes provide the stopping power directed to the chrome wheels shod in Coker wide whites. Jerry decided to go all Ford when it came to the running gear. A 302ci small-block transmits power through a C4 trans to an 8-inch Ford rearend. The motor also received the usual chrome and polished goodies, including an Edelbrock carb, polished intake and valve covers, and coated Sanderson lakes-style headers.

Before the body was to be painted, it had to be relieved of all characteristics of a channeled car. Once that had taken place, 2 inches were whacked out of the top and the whole ball of wax blocked out smooth. The bed, body, and chassis received liberal coats of DuPont Prowler Yellow, sprayed by Matt Halverson. From there, Greg Franks stitched up the tuck 'n' roll white vinyl upholstery over the custom-made bench seat, keeping with Jerry's idea of a traditional hot rod.

What began as a dilapidated old hot rod in Jerry's garage got a new lease on life thanks to the talented crew at Masterpiece Rodding. The motivation and direction Jerry sought was found there and proved to be the essential ingredient to get his hot rod project done.