Knowing the car would need a fresh frame capable of handling the new demands, a call was made to Grant Schwartz of Bloomingdale to design and fabricate a rock-solid base. He started with a fresh set of Deuce ’rails from ASC, stretching them 10 inches forward of the firewall and boxing them for added strength while also adding custom crossmembers to the mix and sculpting the ’rails to match the body lines. Out back, a Winters V-8 quick-change spins 3.70 gears through matching axles, suspended in place by a combination of Pete & Jakes ladder bars and a Welder Series Panhard bar while a transverse Posies Super Slide spring and Ridetech Hot Rod shocks soak up the bumps. For a wicked stance, a 4-inch drop-and-drilled Super Bell axle was deftly matched to Pete & Jakes spindles with matching Viper-Series hairpins, Posies Super Slide transverse spring, and Ridetech Hot Rod shocks. When it’s time to stop on a dime and give change, a Kugel Komponents reverse 90-degree underdash brake pedal assembly with a Wilwood dual master moves fluid through stainless lines to 11-inch finned Ford drums from John’s Industries out back and SO-CAL Speed Shop front discs with finned aluminum drum covers in front. For the perfect bit of dazzle linking it all to the street, a set of Wheel Vintiques chrome Artillery-styled wheels topped with Shannon Cones, sized 15×5 in front and 15×6 in rear, are shod with Coker American Classic Radials, sized 5.60R15 and 8.20R15 respectively.

When it came time to address an engine for the coupe, it was obvious the beat would need to come from a vintage Hemi. To handle the task, Paul contacted Big Al’s Toy Box of Gaylordsville, Connecticut, to assemble a fire-breathing ’56 Dodge Hemi packed with a speed shop full of go-fast goods. A 354ci block was massaged to perfection and filled with a Scat forged steel crank with matching rods capped with JE forged aluminum pistons getting bumped by a Comp Cams stick. Up top, a set of warmed-over iron heads make seamless power, especially when matched to a Weiand intake wearing a 71-Series 6-71 supercharger from The Blower Shop breathing deep through a pair of Quick Fuel Q-Series 750-cfm carbs crowned by a BDS scoop. It all sparks to life through an MSD ignition with hot exhaust moving through a set of Sanderson headers and 2-1/2-inch stainless pipes with four Flowmaster Hushpower II mufflers all fabricated by Schwartz. Other cool bits include Mooneyes finned aluminum valve covers, Edelbrock aluminum water pump, Powermaster alternator and starter, as well as Hot Heads timing chain cover, water crossover, distributor adapter, and oil pump with drive. To move the goods, a TCI Automotive Torqueflite 727 Super StreetFighter trans links to a custom driveshaft from John’s Industries.

With the degraded condition of the rare factory sheetmetal, it would take a true master to bring it all back to life. Rob Allison of Pinhead Metal Craft in Elmira, Ontario, Canada, took on the task, starting with fabricating fresh floors and the lower trunk followed by all lower side panels and new wheelwells. He followed by filling and smoothing the firewall while also metal-finishing the body and setting all the gaps. Schwartz gets the credit for all body mounts and alignment to then prepare it for the final steps. When it came time to give the coupe a subtle elegance, Paul’s wife, Raquel, selected PPG’s ’66 Ford Seafoam Green. John Miles of Vintage Performance in Waterdown then handled the final bodywork and laid down the vibe. With just enough plating from the dunk tank adding brilliance, the final icing came from the brushes of Rollie Guertin who added the fine lines to the body.

For an equal amount of allure in the business office to match the rest of the build, the factory dash was smoothed and treated to a refreshed ’36 Dodge instrument cluster, converted to Plymouth by the team at Classic Instruments to monitor the vitals. A ’46 Plymouth steering wheel restored by Vintage Performance mounts to an ididit tilt column to carve the course while shifts move effortlessly through a Lokar stick with a Vintage Air Heritage-Series underdash unit, adding a cool breeze on hot days. An American Autowire Builder-Series kit installed by Cam Wadsworth of Guelph, ties it all perfectly together. For the ultimate in comfort, Peter Giampa of Tack Auto & Marine Upholstery in Loretto, Ontario, Canada, covered a Tea’s Design bench in a combination of caramel and beige leather while also crafting all side panels and headliner, wrapping it all up with complementing French-weave carpeting. Finally, special thanks to Paul Henderson for continued support ofthe project from start to finish. This is one rare coupe packed with a newfound elegance that’s racking up the miles and to us that’s as good as it gets!