It may have taken Ron Johns a lot of years to realize his dream, but it was sure worth the wait! Ron's three-window is true no-nonsense hot rod, no bells and whistles and just the right amount of modern amenities.
A short time ago I was lucky enough to pull the Goodguys show coverage assignment up in Loveland, Colorado, and my first evening there was spent enjoying the hospitality of the crew at Pinkee's Hot Rod Shop. While wandering aimlessly around the shop and grounds checking out the huge crowd of cool hot rods I happened to run into a couple of fellow hot rodders (Ron Johns and his son Kurt) and struck up a conversation. One thing led to another, and a mobile bench racing session ensued as we wandered around Pinkee's. Eventually the topic turned to Ron's story, one that may well ring a bell for a lot of us.
His story started back in '54 when a then-16-year-old Ron spotted a complete and runnin' '33 Ford coupe for sale in the lot of Light Brothers Junkyard in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That hot rod immediately sparked Ron's lifelong love affair with the '33 Ford coupe, but that baby was $150 and way out of young Ron's reach at the time. Sound familiar? Well, not havin' two nickels to rub together at the time, Ron had to pass on that one. So, as a youngster he never did find a '33 of his own. But 27 years later (in 1981) he finally did run across a solid candidate-and this time around, he had a few more than two nickels handy.
With his dream car in his possession Ron rested easy, knowing that eventually he'd build the '33 coupe he'd wanted since he was a kid. Well, eventually ended up being 21 years later, when in 2002 Ron finally found the time to transform the three-window body into a finished and drivable hot rod. First on the list was a good solid foundation. Ron chose a Total Cost Involved roller outfitted with a dropped I-beam, a Vega box, hairpins, and mono-spring up front, and a 9-inch held in place by a pair of coilovers and a four-bar setup out back. In keeping with his traditional styling aim Ron decided on a set of black powdercoated Wheel Vintiques wires and black walls as rolling stock, as well.
After waiting all those years for his '33 coupe to become a reality, Ron planned on driving this baby. With that in mind, he figured he couldn't go wrong using a small-block Chevy backed by an overdrive trans, so he went with a stout ZZ4 crate engine backed by a 700-R4. In his younger days Ron imagined his coupe with a hot little Flathead under the hood, but after opting for a more modern SBC he did dress it in a nice array of traditionally-styled finned accessories.
When it came to the coupe's body, Ron appreciated its original styling so much that he opted to leave it in Henry's original configuration, passing on a chop or channel. Along with a bunch of much-appreciated help from his pal Greg VonRuden during the build, Ron also enlisted the aid and expertise of Charlie Kaplan of Kappy's Auto Restoration for the coupe's restoration and paint. Once painstakingly massaged back into shape, it was sprayed with multiple coats of Black single-stage Martin Senour Tech One enamel and then treated with some classy apple green striping by Dave Ecklund. The coupe's interior ended up a heck of a lot nicer than it would have back in '54, as well. Ron left the installation and fabrication of the '33's tan leather interior in the more than capable hands of crew at Stitches Upholstery & Trim Shop, and he was more than pleased with the results.
Though it was pretty long in coming Ron's dream of owning and enjoying his all-time favorite coupe had finally been realized, and he's been enjoying the fruits of his efforts for the past few seasons wracking up lots of miles and plenty of smiles.
Though not quite the runnin', drivin' version of the '33 three-window Ron lusted over back in '54, his later find was a great starting point for completing the project he dreamed about as a youngster. | 
Again, not the hopped-up Flathead V8 he'd hoped for as a kid, the ZZ4/700-R4/9-inch combo he chose provides the coupe with way more horsepower and a much more highway capable mill. Good thing, too, cuz Ron doesn't hesitate to hit the road whenever the spirit moves him. | 
We're sure the classy and comfortable interior Ron ended up with is quite a bit nicer than he ever would have enjoyed had he built this baby way back when. Though it may not have made a difference to Ron back in 1954, supple leather, air conditioning, and a host of modern instruments really do beat the heck out of a leaky oil pressure gauge, a blanket, and the cowl vent it would have been equipped with. |
The coupe's total cost involved chassis and big 'n' littles go a long way in providing the perfect hot rod rake, and the classic black finish and touch of apple green striping provide a nice traditional look. | | |