Steve's '40 is ready for final fit and assembly prior to being blown apart for paint and interior work. The new shop gives him more-thanadequate lighting during this part of the build, as well as the ability to have the body on a rotisserie.
Fate works in mysterious ways. The world is a really big place when you're young and impressionable, and it's easy to become ena mored with things you deal with on a daily basis. For a young steve ramsey of Fallston, Maryland, his earliest memories are consumed by the sights of Detroit steel and the heavy scent of racing fuel, as he grew up immersed in his dad's business long before he even made it to the start of school. This was the late 1950s and a time when his dad's auto repair shop was constantly filled to the brim with cars being refurbished, as well as being hopped-up with cuttingedge speed equipment of the time. steve's dad also had a passion for dirt-track racing, which led them both to countless tracks, sometimes three times a week, where the youngster would often sneak off into the pits to get a firsthand glimpse of just how hardcore the racing world was. Old Ford coupes with full-race Flatheads mixing it up on the dirt was about as real as it could get!
It wasn't long before steve started spinning wrenches at the shop, way before he even had a license, and he bought his first car by age 12-a '55 Chevy coupe-and started work on creating a real head-turner. Totally captivated by hot rods as the years passed, it was the perfect time to be a car nut; many of the masters were creating some of the most notable rides hitting the circuit, while an endless stream of magazines were keeping the fuel flowing as Steve began to buy and rebuild more cars.
Getting the call to stop by a local gar age and check out a potential lead on a '40 Ford coupe led him to an old '60s-era gasser that had just been brought out of dead storage complete with its straight front axle, nosebleed stance, 406-inch Ford linked to a four-speed, and metalflake bucket seats intact. A deal was made and the coupe was brought back to the shop where it got its first breath in years. After more than one white-knuckle ride around town, a decision was made to transform the gasser back into a more streetable hot rod. Once the car was blown apart, a call was made to Fatman Fabrications for one of the company's complete rolling chassis featuring a polished independent frontend and 9-inch Ford rear, while another call to stainless steel Brakes Corp. (ssBC) brought plenty of whoa into the mix.
Feeling the need for excessive power, steve opted for a newgeneration 502-inch big-block from Chevrolet that will be topped with a street & Performance intake coated with plenty of dazzle. To transfer all of the goods to the pavement, an aTI Th400 linked to a Gear Vendors overdrive unit will get all the oats to a 9-inch Ford rear, which will in turn put plenty of muscle to a set of hungry Goodyear eagles. add in endless custom fabrication to the gennie coupe's body and you have a rejuvenated hot rod that's almost ready for its trip to the spray booth for a new lease on life. As with all projects, there are always devoted contributors, and steve wanted to be sure to thank Dave Vrankin and Vernon Viers for their constant enthusiasm in making it all come together. all we can say is this wicked '40 should be a total terror when it hits the streets.
Thanks to the rotisserie, we were able to check out the neat custom stainless steel gas tank that was fab'd up to allow perfect routing for the dual exhaust. | 
Master fabricator and builder Dave Vrankin, who has been hard at work on the build with Steve since the beginning, was making some fine adjustments to some of the welding at the rear of the chassis. | 
We caught up with steve as he was fast at work dialing in Vintage air's new Front runner serpentine belt system. |
A set of Colorado Custom's highly polished empire wheels combined with Goodyear eagle F1 P225/40ZR17s up front, along with matching P275/40ZR18s out back, should give the '40 a wicked stance and just the right amount of dazzle. | 
The Front runner system, which is engineered to run all needed pulleys through one serpentine belt, brings plenty of glamour to the front of the engine. | 
To make sure the coupe will handle like it's on rails, steve opted for Fatman's highly polished stainless steel independent frontend, complete with Carrera coilover shocks. Braking will be handled by ssBC's elite Turbo-slotted discs with matching calipers. |
The steering on the coupe has been set up using a Flaming river power rack linked to a double-D polished stainless steel steering shaft for nice, tight handling. | 
Finally settled in the completed chassis, the big-block will get shifted through an aTI Turbo 400 transmission mated to a Gear Vendors overdrive, while a Fatman dual-reservoir power brake system will bring plenty of vigor when needed. | 
So nicely fab'd, it's going to be a shame to cover it up. Dave fabricated the stainless steel exhaust incorporating Borla mufflers, ensuring not only precise fit but also great looks. |
Dave spent countless hours installing the Bitchin Products recessed firewall to the body, as well as fabricating the body mounts, column support, and throttle cable housing. | 
Dave moved the rear inner wheelhousings on the body inward 2 1/2 inches to accommodate a larger wheel and tire combination. he also fab'd the rear frame pockets and rear roll pan with custom cutouts for the exhaust. | 
When it came to the interior, steve wanted to be sure there would be plenty of comfort features, so he opted for a Flaming river polished tilt column topped by a Colorado Custom steering wheel. |