Sometimes it's an unlikely object that creates a world of creativity in a car guy's mind. Spotting a color or a design theme isn't always about cruising the aisles at a rod run or flipping through magazines for inspiration. For Dave Reinhold, of McCordsville, Indiana, a coaster in a restaurant is the object that grabbed his interest. It wasn't a plain coaster-it was in the shape of a shark fin, and it was a unique form of advertisement for Land Shark Lager. Dave filed away the idea, and decided it would be the theme of his next street rod.
Eric Brockmeyer penned the...
Eric Brockmeyer penned the original drawing and from here Dave Reinhold took over and built a hot rod very true to the initial theme.
Dave isn't new to cars, having grown up in Dearborn, Michigan, just outside of Detroit. He grew up attending the Autorama with his father, building model cars, and eventually cruising Telegraph Road when he got his driver's license. He was on the right track.
Fast forward a decade or two, and you have a car guy with a hankering for something of the deep sea nature. He wanted to build a Model A roadster and give it a shark theme without going too crazy with body modifications. He calls it a Bonneville racer with European influence-it's certainly a nice blend of styling.
Starting fresh with a Brookville '31 Model A body and Deuce chassis, he sent his new hot rod to Gary Brown, of Brown's Metal Mods, for the shark treatment. Brown is responsible for molding the taillight buckets to the body, developing the unique dash, and fabricating body reveals fit with custom trim. These reveals are located in the decklid and hood and flow nicely into the windshield frame, which is a custom creation by Jerry "Porkchop" Walker of Sinister Hot Rods. Walker also leaned and peaked the Deuce grille shell, giving the roadster a sleek appearance. Then it was onto the Deuce 'rails, where he drilled and sleeved large holes for the custom side-exit exhaust, clipped the framehorns, and tucked the Deuce fuel tank close to the rear pan.
Brown's Metal Mods is responsible...
Brown's Metal Mods is responsible for the outstanding metalwork on the Brookville body. Brown created the killer dash, as well as the custom body reveals in the hood and decklid. The seats are from Speedway Motors, and feature black leather upholstery by Matt Baldwin at Woody's Hot Rodz.
The efforts from Brown and Walker resulted in a streamlined look, especially when you combine it with a nicely equipped chassis. The framerails are boxed and they're notched at the rear to provide ample suspension travel yet low ride height. A triangulated four-link setup locates the Ford 9-inch rearend housing, while QA1 coilovers soak up the bumps and offer vast adjustability. All four corners are equipped with Wilwood discs fitted with 11-inch rotors and four-piston calipers, while rolling stock sports glossy black Dayton wires and Coker Classic tires. Front suspension is the standard street rod setup consisting of a dropped I-beam axle with a pair of hairpin radius rods. All suspension components are black, keeping with the stealthy theme.
Under the steel hood is a 302ci Ford Racing crate motor. The lightweight roadster moves easily as a result of the Ford V-8 but the Tremec five-speed does add measurably to the driving pleasure. The Blue Oval is close to stock but does sport an Edelbrock dual-quad intake manifold topped with matching Edelbrock four-barrel carburetors. A modified Technostalgia Olds breater covers the carburetors, while finned Ford Racing valve covers offer a nice finishing touch. The front of the engine is barren of accessories and the "almost" always present alternator was moved rearward and is driven off the rearend by a custom pulley setup.
The custom shark gauges rest...
The custom shark gauges rest within the center console.
When it was time for bodywork and paint the roadster traveled to Bright, Indiana, home of Woody's Hot Rodz. Chris Sondles and crew gave the fresh steel body plenty of attention, while Joe Shinliver handled most of the bodywork and treated the body to a coating of urethane primer before it went through a few cycles of block-sanding and re-priming. Shinliver painted the car using PPG materials mixed in a color called Angora adding two coats of blue pearl before laying down the final clearcoats. Brett Davis provided Shinliver plenty of help on the bodywork and paint with the results speaking well of their efforts. Countless hours of color sanding, buffing, and polishing took place to perfect the finish, while the rest of the Woody's crew worked hard (and patiently) to reassemble the car. The brightwork was handled by J&P Plating in Portland, Indiana, while the crew at Woody's installed Dynamat before starting on the interior.
While Dave's '31 roadster is larger than the earlier ('28-29 Model A) bodies, it still doesn't provide much room for upholstery with its tight confines, so the remaining real estate features simple black leather stretched over custom door panels, and a pair of bomber seats from Speedway Motors. Matt Baldwin at Woody's Hot Rodz took care of the interior, while the remaining parts, like the E&J mini headlights, were installed for the final time. Shark gauges ride in the custom dash, and a four-bar steering wheel attaches to the Flaming River column. Creature comforts are at a minimum, but Dave doesn't need a radio or air conditioning to enjoy spending time behind the wheel of his hot rod.
It was no easy process putting Dave's shark idea to paper, and then into reality, but a trio of shops got the job done, and made it work. Cool details from front to back entertain the eyes, while the throaty exhaust from a small-block Ford keeps the Blue Oval spirit alive and well. There's no mistaking this shark for any other car on the fairgrounds, and you can bet Dave prefers it that way. It's a sleek and stylish roadster with lots of unique details, and it was born from the simplest of ideas, which makes it even cooler. Car guy creativity at its finest.
Gary Brown, of Brown's Metal...
Gary Brown, of Brown's Metal Mods, fabricated the custom body reveals and this shark fin trim, which was sent to J&P Plating for a flawless finish. The stance is spot-on, and complemented by a set of Dayton Wires and Coker Classic radials.
The front suspension is based...
The front suspension is based on a dropped I-beam axle, hairpin radius rods, and Wilwood 11-inch disc brakes.
Nestled between the Deuce...
Nestled between the Deuce 'rails is a small-block Ford, which is more than enough to thrill Dave and and his wife, Victoria. Most of the fun factor comes from the Edelbrock dual four-barrel carburetors and the Tremec five-speed transmission.