Randy Clark was charged with...
Randy Clark was charged with executing Mike Richards' vision of a '32, and this is the result.
In the December '07 issue of STREET RODDER, we presented Mike Richards' stunning '32 Ford. Based on a Dearborn Deuce convertible body, it was built by Randy Clark and the crew at Hot Rods & Custom Stuff. As we said then, this project started with a rather specific concept-what would a former lakes-racing, channeled '32 roadster look like if it had been updated in 1957 with an F-code supercharged T-bird engine? And while it's not uncommon during a complicated build such as this one for the original plan to get tweaked as it goes, in this case the only real departure happened at the outset when it was decided to use a convertible body rather than a roadster.
As with many cars of this caliber, it can be difficult to appreciate the amount of thought, effort, skill, and patience that went into the finished product just by looking at photos of the finished product. And for a variety of reason there often isn't much in the way of photography of such works in progress. But, we got lucky in this case-our own Brian Brennan, the car's owner, and others had the good sense to document much of the car's construction.
While we could fill this issue from cover to cover with all the work that was done on the Deuce at HR&CS, we're going to show what it took to channel the body, rework the wheelwells, and toss in a few extra tidbits all in the hopes of helping to get our readers' (not to mention our own) creative juices flowing.
One of the most complicated...
One of the most complicated procedures was channeling the body.
Although Randy is a low-key...
Although Randy is a low-key guy, he seldom lies down on the job.
Along with removing the floor's...
Along with removing the floor's crossbraces, the hinge and latch posts were notched and the sills were trimmed to allow the body to drop over the 'rails.
New doorsills were formed...
New doorsills were formed to extend from the bottom edge of the opening up and over the 'rails.
This is the inside of the...
This is the inside of the raised sill. The workmanship on this hidden portion of the body is as good as the areas in plain sight.
A portion of the frame protrudes,...
A portion of the frame protrudes, as the body was not dropped completely over the 'rails.
Typical of Randy's planning...
Typical of Randy's planning and execution, these floor braces match up with the frame's X-member.
Another subtle modification...
Another subtle modification was made to the rear of the body. The panel below the decklid was shortened.
A rolled lip was added to...
A rolled lip was added to the bottom of the sectioned rear panel.
The truck floor also required...
The truck floor also required modification and was raised.
A quartet of recesses for...
A quartet of recesses for the taillights was included in the trunk panel.
The first modification to...
The first modification to the quarter-panels was sectioning the corners to make the bottom of the body even.
Then came the step that would...
Then came the step that would make even the best bodyman think twice: cutting away the quarter-panels of the brand-new Dearborn Deuce.
One of the optical issues...
One of the optical issues with channeled cars is that the wheels and the fender reveals are noticeably mismatched.
Patterns the same diameter...
Patterns the same diameter as the tires were made to establish the shape of the new fender lips.
Cuts were made toward the...
Cuts were made toward the beads to allow the fenderwells to be shaped properly, and then the fenderwells were hammered to shape-not an easy task.
The replacement panels were...
The replacement panels were overlapped onto the existing quarters at the rear of the body.
Beads were rolled into the...
Beads were rolled into the sheetmetal panels the same gauge as the body.
This is the driver-side quarter...
This is the driver-side quarter panel after finish-welding-lots of work, but the results are worth it.
The dropped section in the...
The dropped section in the door, the modified quarter, and the tailpanel can all be seen in this view.
One of the problems with a...
One of the problems with a channeled car is getting the passengers down inside.
The new floor ties into the...
The new floor ties into the new doorsills and incorporates a tunnel to accommodate the trans and driveshaft.
Here are a few more things...
Here are a few more things to ponder: Levers for the shocks attach to the axle via original-style links.
However, the levers attach...
However, the levers attach to shafts that run through the frame and operate inboard-mounted tube shocks.
Unique tubular headlight mounts...
Unique tubular headlight mounts plug into sockets in the framerails.
Here's a cool little touch....
Here's a cool little touch. Note the bump in the frame to accommodate the upper steering box mount.
Here's the same bump viewed...
Here's the same bump viewed from the outside of the frame. Nice touch.
Even the engine mount is a...
Even the engine mount is a work of art.
The engine mount attaches...
The engine mount attaches to the frame with simple tabs and four-bar- style bushings.