2005 PPG / Street Rodder Road Tour

Once again, it's springtime and, while the rest of the country is gearing up for the summer car season ahead, the staff of STREET RODDER is breathing a sigh of relief. Albeit, only for a moment. For the past few months, the staff has been chasing down parts, running from shop to shop, and hurriedly putting words to pages for the companion books we do for the Road Tour car. Now, the fun begins. During the next year or so, the car you see before you, as in years past, will travel to National Street Rod Association events all across the wild blue yonder, clocking over 30,000 miles and making just as many envious fans. As you read this, our top pilot, Jerry Dixey, will no doubt be braving sleet, snow, hail, hurricanes, and thunderstorms to prove that street rod parts really do work!

This year's Road Tour car differs slightly from last year's version. For starters, this year's car happens to be a coupe. It's also full-fendered and slightly larger than the cars in years past. I'm sure this will make those thousands of miles traveled a little more comfortable, given what Jerry's had to brave in the past, driving open-wheeled roadsters with bop tops.

We started with a fiberglass '36 Ford three-window coupe body by none other than Arizona fiberglass master J.B. Donaldson and mated it to an Air Ride Technologies-equipped Total Cost Involved chassis. This chassis utilizes Air Rides Technologies latest technology in air-spring suspensions to ensure comfortable driving heights for those long highway miles and then still be able to get the car down in the weeds for fairground cruising. Stainless Steel Brake Corporation chipped in to get the coupe to a safe stop, with disc brakes at all four corners. A set of 16- and 17-inch, polished Wheel Vintiques were bolted on, wrapped in big 'n' littles measuring 195/55R16 in front and 235/65R17 in back.

As in years past, Roush Racing stepped up and provided a hi-po small-block stroker (342 inches) Ford motor topped by ACCEL DFI fuel injection. Delivering the grunt is a TCI Automotive-prepped Ford automatic trans and a Currie 9-inch rearend.

J.B. Donaldson Company has been in the fiberglass industry for years, making everything from aircraft parts to gigantic storage tanks, but when they started noticing the quality of the fiberglass street rod bodies available, they decided to step into the ring. To say the bodies they produce are phenomenal is an understatement. Once our body was out of the mold, a quick scuff job removed the flash, then the whole lot was sprayed with PPG product, cut, and polished to perfection. A minimal amount of bodywork was needed before paint because of the tight tolerances J.B. puts into his molds. This is a very important thing to think about when considering buying an aftermarket body as opposed to stock steel.

Our body fit together nicely, so once it was delivered to Hot Rods by Dean, the doors and fenders were hung and adjusted, then a hood-latch kit was installed and the body was buttoned up. The staff over at Hot Rods by Dean also wired the car with an American Auto Wire kit that ensured everything from the Dakota Digital gauges to the Vintage Air climate control worked in harmony. Once the car was together, wired, and running, it was sent over to get the Wise Guys seat and matching leather stitched up in traditional rolls 'n' pleats.

Building a street rod in a few short months can be very hard work. Building a street rod in a few short months that is expected to travel over 25,000 miles without skipping a beat is nothing short of miraculous. The sweat and dedication from all parties involved can never be repaid, but the fact that the Road Tour cars always receive a warm welcome from our readers and the car show fans make all the hard work worthwhile. Keep your eyes peeled for Jerry and the '36 in your neck of the woods, as you never know where he may be!