When a customer of ours decided to fulfill a life-long dream and build a ‘32 Ford highboy roadster, he pulled out all of the stops and spared no expense to create a true street rod which would show & go at a very high level. Rods are often very personal expressions of taste, but when you have a car this well done in a traditional style, its appeal is almost universal. This is a seriously nice roadster.

Starting with a “Show Me Rods & Customs” Fiberglass Body and a Pete & Jakes chassis, the build began. Fiberglass bodies have come a long, long way in the past twenty years, and this one is as nice as they get. Finished in a trailer-queen quality black paint job, this highboy glistens like glass, with nary a ripple or misaligned panel anywhere. Pin-striping and custom artwork was supplied by renowned striper Alan “AJ” Johnson. And unlike a lot of other tops that look like bad toupees, this car’s removable Sid Chavers Bop Top lets you cruise in any kind of weather and looks great.

Check out the detail work all over this car. Dietz chrome headlights with polished brackets add some flash to the front end, while 1950 Pontiac-style LED tail lights light up the rear. The polished stainless front spreader bar has flush-mounted integral signals and parking lights – very cool. A Billet Specialties fold down rear license plate holder with tail light is a slick way to stay legal. The 2" chopped chrome windshield and frame is brand new, and includes a rearview mirror. King Bee-style side view mirrors have been mounted on both windshield stanchions and offer a super-traditional look.

Mechanically, this highboy has a long list of goodies. The first time I saw this car, I was duly impressed by just how nicely it runs. It keys up instantly, settles into a nice, even idle, and isn’t obnoxiously loud or overwhelming. This is a car I’d be happy to drive all the time, not some temperamental show piece that needs constant babying because it was over-cammed just for effect. Power is supplied by a 350 Chevrolet crate engine, rated at 300 HP. It is fed by a polished intake, carburetor and thermostat housing. A K&N Air cleaner was used for maximum power. The engine exhales through Sanderson Limefire Headers with Powercaps, and sounds like a street rod should thanks to an all-stainless Magnaflow exhaust system. An aluminum radiator complete with a Billet Specialties radiator cap and overflow tank keeps things cool with the help of an electric fan. This car should be daily driver-reliable for decades with a minimum of fuss – try that with a blown big block using a .650” lift cam.

Behind the engine is a GM TH350 3-speed automatic transmission, with a chrome front cover and pan. Power gets to the ground via a durable Ford 9" axle with a 3.0 gear. This highboy stops courtesy of front 11" disc brakes with chrome show covers, and rear drums. All brake and fuel lines are stainless steel, of course.

The suspension is top notch, including a ladder bars out back with chrome coilovers, a 4-link drop tube front end with show chrome, and show-quality front shocks. 2-piece polished aluminum wheels have a vintage Halibrand look, which is a nice change from the Torq-Thrust overload that’s been going on lately. The big-and-little tire combination looks exactly right on this car, with 25×7.5R15 Hoosier radials up front, and giant 31×12.5R15 Hosier Pro Street meats out back. Flaming River supplied the polished tilt steering column with polished u-joints and shaft. An aluminum RCI gas tank is hidden in the trunk, along with a billet battery holder and Optima battery.

The Parchment leather interior in this highboy is a lot of fun, while retaining some class. Of course, the seats and door panels are high-quality leather, with a LaCarra banjo steering wheel, engine-turned gauge housing, custom-made Lucite flame shifter knob, Classic Instruments gauges, and three sets of seat belts! High-quality carpeting, with matching carpet mats are present as well. Turn signal and bright indicators were installed in the dash. You have to have tunes in a street rod, so accordingly, a Secret Audio AM/FM stereo was installed, with a matching CD changer in the trunk.

In short, this highboy has the best of everything, and is perfect for the ‘32 Ford fan who wants a fully completed and show ready car. It has less than 2500 miles since it was completed, and while it looks like a trailer queen, it’s itching to be taken out on to the street for years of cruising and hard driving. You could not build this street rod for the asking price, and why would you want to? It’s already done.