1932 FORD STREET ROADSTER
Blackboard Hotrod Chassis; 396ci/325hp Big Block
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR 180 PICTURES OF THIS 32
No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, it is a 32 Ford frame and roadster body. This roadster is something my customer always wanted to build in order to replicate the one he and his dad built in 1965. Back then they wanted to build a car to race on the beach/dunes so they had a 32 frame lying around that became the foundation. They didn’t have a trailer so they would tow-bar it to the dunes. That posed a problem. In 1965, California required the vehicle to be registered to be towed since it is “on the road”. Before you know it, the son had a finished product down at DMV getting a registration for the racer. This was before Special Construction (SB100) so the DMV rep asked how he wanted the car listed and he said “Dunes Roadster”, and that’s how it was titled and registered. My, how times have changed!
Fast forward to 2014. The original Dunes Roadster was long gone (frame damage and chopped up) but the title and plates were filed away by the owner. What was not filed away and yet still very top of mind was the ever-nagging itch to recreate a classic car that a son had built with his father. A call to Blackboard Hotrod Chassis got the ball rolling for the foundation of the build. Timeless Rods was chosen for the body manufacturer. When time came for painting, a jig was built for the body while it was in paint so the panels could be painted in place. A Speedway Motors straight (non-drop) front axle/brakes were selected to resemble the Gasser look of the previous Dunes racer while long ladder bars with coilovers handle the back end. As usual with the 32’s, a Vega style steering box from Speedway Motors was put in place. Meanwhile a dual carb, blown 355ci V8 was selected as the first powerplant (hence the round holes in the hood and “355” on the qtr.). Finally, after many months of “delicate urging” of Bob at the paint shop (sorry Bob, couldn’t resist ; )…. the assembly began and with a few tweaks like powder coated suspension pieces, turned dash, perfectly suited aviator seats, everything fell into place and a wonderful memory became reality again. Back to DMV with the original title and plates from the 1965 Dunes Roadster and viola, the new build had the old title and plates.
Being a constant tinkerer, the owner wanted an automatic in the Dunes. In 2019 he found a big block 396/325hp out of a 66 Chevelle that had been rebuilt and was still on the stand, never installed. As a lifelong machinist, he took it apart since it had been sitting for a while and re-lubricated everything prior to re-assembly and install. He noted the correct date-coded heads and crane cams. A high-rise tunnel ram intake and dual Edelbrock carbs with straight linkage were added. A TH350 drives the 63 Chevy PosiTraction rear end with Richmond 4:11 gears. Braking is managed by discs in front and drums in the rear. US Mags carry Mickey Thompson Sportsman 26×7.5/15 tires up front and Firestone 10×15 cheater slicks out back. A new odometer was installed with the 396 to track mileage.
The interior is simple and purposeful. Seats are upholstered aluminum bomber seats with 2-point seatbelts. Individual AutoMeter gauges in the turned aluminum dash panel monitor speed, oil pressure, water temp, fuel level and voltage. Sitting above the dash is an Autometer rev counter for easy viewing. The steering wheel is a simple 4-spoke design with a removable hub. A TCI shifter is floor mounted along with a hand brake. Interior walls and doors are lined with black upholstery matching the seats. A roll bar is also installed. The large trunk houses the battery along with a battery shut off switch.
Driving the Dunes is a blast. It makes noise but the baffles keep it from getting out of hand until you step on it… then it gets loud. It’s built to reflect the street roadsters of the past and that’s exactly what it does.
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Please reach out with any questions.
Thanks,
Classic Cars Ltd.
925-846-1451