The Road to the AMBR by Kim Vranas. . . my thoughts and then some (excerpts from the Voodoo Diaries over the last eight years)
Building a hot rod of any type or style requires foresight, vision, and dedication.
Initially we started the build with the idea of creating a simple car in suede paint with an Indian blanket interior. As the car began to evolve, it (the car) started to take over and lead us down a path of its own knowing what it needed.
I always hoped to create a car that would bring the post-war style of the late 40's together with that of an early 60's drivetrain, leaving the original car untouched except for the addition of the more modern engine and transmission.
One of my favorite all-time hot rods is the jet-black Deuce roadster belonging to Ken Gross that was built by Dave Simard and the team at East Coast Custom. To me the car embodies everything that a period hot rod should be with just the right combination of grace and vintage parts. Then there are the cars built by Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop which have soul and a story to tell. I hope that my car, like theirs, will remain timeless for decades to come as it gets the chance to once again lay down the miles as it gets reintroduced to life long after it left the Ford factory back in 1927.
The idea for the Voodoo Doll came from a sketch on a napkin over dinner by Street Rodder Senior Editor and great friend Eric Geisert incorporating ideas that my husband Chuck, Eric, and I had. Maybe it was always meant to be.
You can really find out who you can count on when you need them, mostly to move forward and aim high to accomplish the remainder of the build of a car. .
Real hot rods have three pedals and there was no question that the Voodoo Doll would retain its Muncie M20 4-speed just as it has been matched up to its engine back in '64.
For Christmas almost a decade ago, Chuck surprised me with a greasy, tattered rare 425ci Super Wildcat Buick Nailhead V-8 on an engine stand with a red velvet bow tied to it. That Nailhead was the crown jewel for this project and it was "the best Christmas gift I've ever received".
I always wanted to create a car with a simple elegance that had just enough attitude. A well executed hot rod should have all the right parts it needs and none that it doesn't.
As a youngster growing up, my Dad was bigger than life to me. Being a heavily decorated Marine Captain and later an Air Force fighter pilot through two tours of duty in the Korean War, to me he was Hemingway, Yeager, and Bond all rolled into one person. From a very early age I can recall his stories of what it was like piloting his F104 Starfighter and would never tire listening to them. I could only imagine the feelings of the rush he must have felt at what top speeds were for those times. He also possessed a hunger for speed on land as well, and his tastes varied from early Ford coupes and roadsters to exotic marques like Ferrari and Jaguar {remember now this was in the 60's}. I can recall my dear Mother looking out into the driveway at regular intervals, rolling her eyes at what happened to "follow him home" on occasion . . . be it an old coupe or a Jag that needed a new place to live. I have so many memories of him that have influenced me to become the person I am today. Dad passed on a number of years ago, but left my life enriched in so many different ways, especially my appreciation and respect for speed and hot rods. I wanted to build a hot rod that I hope he would have been proud of.
When I received the call from John Buck with the invitation of being one of the AMBR contenders for the 60th anniversary of the GNRS I was awestruck and honored. To be included in such an exclusive group of cars was like a dream come true. It also meant that the car had to get completed in time for the show.
As with many projects, sometimes they get stalled somewhere in the middle as they catch their collective breath. For the Voodoo Doll, there was a moment in time when it seemed like an eternity passed as I was trying to locate just the right color for the car. You know it's when you have that perfect hue in your head, but then you have to find it! Thankfully it led us to Sherwin William's Planet Color line for the dead-on root beer metallic that would become part of the signature of the car along with its Nailhead V-8. From a roughed out roller, the car was then resurrected thanks to the tireless efforts of a few very talented craftsmen whose dedication to the project matched my vision of what needed to get completed to bring the car to its final moments.
Setting the goal of finishing a car with a specific date in mind can create loads of stress, but working with the right team you can overcome any obstacles. Without Eli English and his time spent on bringing the body and chassis to life with immaculate bodywork and paint, it would have never been ready to roll out of his shop to the care of Steve Pierce at One-Off Technologies to have all of the final fabrication, interior, and assembly completed. Give Steve a goal and he'll take it on for all the right reasons. He took the Voodoo Doll under his wing and not only did he work tirelessly, the final outcome was nothing short of spectacular.
Never loose your vision when following your project build. So many cars take a wrong turn at some point and loose their way. Always stay true to what you want the car to look like when it's done.
Being with Chuck for the past 25 years has allowed me the chance to meet many amazing members of this hobby and to spend countless hours studying era's and styles to decide which direction I wanted the Voodoo Doll to take. I wanted to build a car that was unique and tasteful; I think I accomplished what I set out to do.
As Tom Fritz once told me, "Enjoy the journey".
Sincerely. . . .Kim Vranas