Poli-Form Celebrates 37 YearsPoly-Form's Dick Williams and daughter Lynda Grove celebrated the company's 37th year of supplying the hot rod world with high-quality fiberglass bodies and components.
Owner Dick Williams established Poli-Form Industries in 1968, 20 years after he began working with fiberglass as a hobby. His first project was to fill the roof on his first car, a '33 Chevy coupe. Dick continued working with 'glass, building car bodies, boats, and a variety of products. He repaired all kinds of things and continued to learn about the materials and the process of tool- and die-making for fiberglass products. He left the aerospace engineering industry in the late '60s to start Poli-Form. Some of the early products were gear case covers, tanks, ambulance bodies, auto styling kits, airplane parts, and agricultural and architectural components.
In 1972, Dick decided the hot rod industry needed a competitor and started building bodies and fenders. The company now builds over 600 quality fenders and components for '06 to '37 Fords and '29 to '36 Chevrolets. Ten Ford bodies are also in the product line. Dick and the crew do a lot of testing to make sure the product is worthy of the Poli-Form name, and they believe they are the only company that has "drop tested" their car bodies. In November 1998, Dick was awarded the Street Rod Marketing Alliance recognition award in appreciation and recognition of significant contributions to the growth and popularity of the street rod industry. Dick also received the Fry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame Honor for Manufacturer of the Year in 2004 for recognition of many racing achievements and contributions to dry lakes racing.
Another Cool Street Rod In The PipelineAfter slaving away on other folks' street rod projects day in and day out, Toby Caldwell (who some of you may know from both Bobby Alloway's and Rat's Glass' shops, where he splits his long work days) has finally got a cool ride of his own going together.
It's based on a Rat's Glass '32 three-window coupe body that's been channeled 2 inches, the wheelwells move up 2 inches, the cowl widened 2 inches on each side, and uses a SpeedStar floor board. It also makes use of an Alloway's Hot Rod Shop custom SpeedStar chassis with 110-inch wheelbase, a Heidt's full polished stainless open-wheel independent frontend, Wilwood disc brakes front and rear, Pete & Jake's rear four-bar setup with Aldan coilover shocks, and a polished 9-inch Currie rearend.
Powering this awesome coupe is an Indmar Marine, 350ci, 330hp, GM crate engine, outfitted by TBI industries and backed by a TH350 trans. And the interior is to be stitched by none other than upholstery wizard Paul Atkins. Artist Brent Gill penned the outstanding rendering shown here, and the car is destined to be every bit as cool as it's portrayed. Keep your eyes pealed for more on this baby in the future!