Dearborn Deuce 1932 Ford Convertible - Street Shaker

Rick Smith, of Quincy, Massachusetts, is one whose personal rodding history personifies life in the fast lane. While working as a teen at his dad’s sheetmetal shop in the ’60s, he caught Billy Sexton blasting past the business in his hopped-up ’33 Ford coupe. From that point he was hooked. He has built a number of muscle rods, including a ’33 Chevy coupe and ’37 Ford roadster, but it was time to move on.

To get the ball moving, Rick contacted Deuce Steel Products for one of their stout ’32 Ford rolling chassis to give the car a signature low stance. The new spine was inset-boxed and tied together with a double tube K-member incorporating an integrated driveshaft loop. Up front it received a 3-inch pinch along with a Model A crossmember and in back a 3-inch kick while an integrated four-link is mounted amidst a C-notch. Building the frontend, Rick added a polished Super Bell 4-inch drop aluminum axle combined with a monoleaf spring and Aldan Eagle coilover shocks to smooth out the bumps while spindles and hairpins from Hot Rods & Custom Stuff round it out. Navigation is through Unisteer Performance box linked to a Flaming River column. Out back a polished Currie 9-inch aluminum rearend is suspended in place along with a four-link suspension and Panhard bar while Aldan Eagle coilover shocks keep everything grounded. Bringing the car to a halt, a Wilwood master cylinder lets 12-inch Wilwood discs at each corner get the job done. Billet Specialties Apex model wheels in 17-inch front and 18-inch rear sizes and wrapped in slim profile Dunlop SP Sport skins give the Deuce great handling.

Rick has a history of living on the wild side of life when it comes to the engines and this roadster is no exception to the rule. He contacted Tiggis Racing of Holbrook, Massachusetts, to build him a nasty stroked Ford small-block. Starting with an ’07 Ford block, it was machined to 408 ci and filled a SCAT crank and rods, Diamond 10:1 pistons and a COMP Cams stick. TrickFlow heads help bring the power on while a custom Kinsler SFI stack injection system sucks air and an MSD ignition lights the fire. Headers from Tubular Automotive dump spent gases through a custom 3-inch polished stainless steel exhaust. Real hot rods have three pedals so a Tremec TKO five-speed trans linked to a Hurst shifter transfers the oats through a South Shore Bearing’s driveshaft. The versatility offered by the Dearborn Deuce won the race hands down on body choice and it was delivered to Pep’s Rod Shop in Hanson, Massachusetts, to get massaged and prepped for paint. With his spray gun loaded with plenty of PPG Money, Pep laid down a lustrous vibe. Keith Hanson of Hanson Custom Design in nearby Stoughton then created the car’s signature flames, bringing it to life. Since the car was going to see loads of road miles, the interior would need to be both functional and comfortable. Keith’s Custom Upholstery in Wurtsboro, New York, covered a TEA’s Design bench seat with burgundy leather complemented by sculpted door panels. To monitor vitals, Classic Instruments gets the job done while a banjo-styled steering wheel from Juliano’s helps set the course. With the roof and glass up, the interior becomes a tight and quiet business office sealing out the elements when the weather gets iffy. After thousands of miles behind the wheel, Rick recently let the Deuce move onto new owners as he concentrates on his newest shaker under construction . . . we can hardly wait to see it.