Jon Kosmoski's 1932 Ford Dearborn Deuce convertible - Koz Is In The House

Jon Kosmoski is a dean emeritus of the hot rod and motorcycle paint world. He is the guy who started the famed House of Kolor custom paint company, and his multihued Scarab logo can be seen displayed at every indoor show of note in the country. Not only was Koz an innovator with the application of paint and design, he was and is an actual product developer-a bit of a chemist, you might say. As a teenager, a car-crazed Koz started working as an apprentice mechanic and went to night school to learn autobody and paint. At the rather advanced age of 18, Jon started, in his parent's basement, what was to become the House of Kolor. He mixed paint, applied paint, and sold paint. In 1965 and a few years out of high school, Jon-who had been selling paint that he custom mixed-labeled his first product and started the business that has become the most famous custom-finish provider in the industry. Evidently no one told the young man that he was far too youthful to accomplish such goals. With a single-mindedness and purpose that is nearly incomprehensible, Jon Kosmoski stuck to his teenaged dream and forged for himself a decades-spanning career as the leader in his field.

Like most hot rod guys, Jon developed an early affinity for drag racing. He campaigned a chopped and channeled Deuce three-window that was Flathead powered. Unlike a lot of guys, Jon has an affinity for common sense. After losing three transmissions three weeks in a row, he figured out drag racing could become a yawning hole in the asphalt one poured money into and subsequently tabled his three-week-old 1320 career permanently.

Always an innovator, Jon installed a '56 Chevy 283 with Powerpack heads into the '40 Chevy, matching it up to a '36 Buick tranny and eventually hooking up with a '50 Olds rearend. That may not sound so innovative at face value, except that the year was 1956! Hot rod historians in Minnesota agree that Jon's swap was only the second of its kind in the state.

Although the list of Jon's hot rods (which is far too lengthy to chronicle here) has been populated with primarily 1934 Fords, his latest inspiration came when he encountered the Dearborn Deuce from Hot Rods & Horsepower at the SEMA show. Having done a bit of roadstering in his day, Jon knew that having the option of putting the top up now and then would greatly increase the drivability of the car. The idea of being able to stow the top behind the seat for the clean roadster look was even more appealing, and he ordered a body.

Jon, who truly built the car himself, credits his friend Kirby McLaughlin as the guy who made all the difference in helping to complete the project. All of the fabrication on both chassis and body was done by Jon and Kirby. While Jon expresses admiration for the quality of the steel body, he notes that it still took a lot of hours to bring the finish to his standards. The most difficult part of the project was fitting the fenders to the car. The fit between fender and body is so good that no fender beading was employed to complete the seams. The fenders and the stock-type hood reflect Koz's taste for the original look-that look is always enhanced with the use of a stock firewall. The Dearborn Deuce firewall is smooth, so Jon acquired a 14-gauge steel original reproduction firewall from Randy Clark at Hot Rods & Custom Stuff. After widening the firewall to fit the Dearborn body, Jon installed it in front of the factory piece. This created a space between the two that he used to conceal the plumbing and wiring. When all the panels and pieces had been installed to Koz's satisfaction, he naturally painted it himself. After applying the two-tone finish, Jon executed the oxblood triple-row 'striping himself.

The heart and soul of Jon's Deuce is the small-block Chevy assembled by Myron Cottrell of Cottrell Racing engines. Myron has a reputation as a motor builder that extends into all types of motorsports. The question is not whether or not Mr. Cottrell can assemble the engine of your dreams but whether or not you can wait for it. Myron's skills are legendary in the Midwest and his talents are always in demand. If he builds them, they will run!

Paul Lovas and his son, Jack, of River-town Upholstery, upholstered the richly appointed interior. The sumptuous oxblood leather on Wise Guys seats offers a luxurious cockpit experience for pilots and passengers alike.

With this latest successful project from Jon's shop, one would suppose he would be about ready to chill out and coast, or cruise, on his considerable laurels. Hah, wrong again! At the time of this writing, Jon is expecting delivery of his new steel '32 three-window any day. Just in case you think that will be it, the ambitious Mr. Kosmoski is already in line for the not-yet-released '34 convertible that will debut soon from the same source as his Deuce. Jon expects to finish the three-window in time to start on the '34. "I've always been a '34 guy," he said. "I'm glad that I'll be able to get this new version so that I have something to work on." Indeed, Jon, it would be a shame if you were to just cruise around, wasting time.