Modern Rodding Tech
InTheGarageMedia.com
Having
it Both
Ways
You Can Have a Traditional Build or a Modern Version of the Same—Your Choice
By Brian Brennan Photography by THE AUTHOR
I

t sounds like an oxymoron—“modern traditional”—but that appears to be what’s going on today when we take a knowledgeable look at what appears to be old-timey hot rods running the streets. There’s nothing like a traditional-built car. While traditional builds are true to form, adhering to the old-time look and performance via nostalgia parts and pieces, there’s also the modern-traditional build that visually replicates the bygone era look but taking “license” as to what’s required to get the job done for today’s look and performance.

And that’s where we find ourselves when taking a look at effectively the same car before us but with notable changes. A quick inspection tells us they aren’t the same, with each getting its own “point” across. In our story the basis for both hot rods is the Brookville Roadster steel 1932 Ford three-window coupe body. Both coupes are highboys, both have three pedals, both are chopped (well, the modern traditional is yet to be chopped but it’s coming), both run solid front axles (one an original tube and one a modern drilled I-beam), and both run a venerable version of the Chrysler Hemi (one vintage and one a modern V-8), but for all of the similarities there’s no mistaking they are 180-degree different approaches. Let’s take a look at what it takes to arrive at your destination from two different build routes. On a current visit to Veazie Bros. Fabrication (Evin and Justin) in Pomona, California, we found two similar but different builds. One was clearly the traditional execution and the second build showcases the modern traditional implementation.

A Little Background
If there’s a familiarity to the city’s name and location of “Pomona, California” that’s OK because there should be. Once upon a time SO-CAL Speed Shop (SCSS), of Pete Chapouris and Alex Xydias fame, occupied a set of buildings at this location. The Veazie Bros. run their business out of the building that was once the fabrication side of SCSS. They started business by signing the lease the day before California was shutdown to comply with COVID-19 restrictions. (Editor’s note: Modern Rodding came into being the week before, on Friday, March 13, 2020.) Oftentimes their builds are traditional in appearance but when we looked around the shop it told us a different story. They’re branching out with their efforts and Modern Rodding will be there to get the lowdown. By now everyone is aware that the Veazie brothers learned from some of the best in Southern California, beginning with Evin at Tommy Sparks Automotive and then onto SCSS. Evin was the first in the door at SCSS and then Justin followed suit. Evin was initially working in fabrication and Justin “up front,” but in time Justin moved alongside Evin, as the pair would handle all manners of fabrication through assembly on the various builds progressing through the shop. A true “launching pad” for the two brothers came when they found themselves “eyeball deep” on the final assembly of Bill Lindig’s 2012 AMBR-winning roadster. (This roadster began its life through the initial crafting of Jackie Howerton.)

But, let us get back to the subject at hand: the traditional versus the modern traditional build.

Traditional: 1932 Ford Three-Window Coupe
Sundeep “Sunny” Koneru (San Dimas, California) originally wanted a car that could be used in the Race of Gentlemen but that idea rolled to the curb after he found himself at the Rolling Bones soiree held at El Mirage. While there he became captivated with an early OHV V-8 and Koneru knowing that Mel Stultz, from the Race of Gentlemen, would allow early ’50s engines at the Santa Barbara get-together, the proverbial wheels began to turn. Koneru now had a home for his “baby elephant” that measured out as a 270-inch Dodge Red Ram Hemi. And that’s how the coupe build began. As we go through this traditional build you will quickly notice where there are subtle liberties taken with traditional parts but done to enable the car to function at today’s demands. All the while the hot rod maintains a strikingly traditional appearance and function.

On the subject of the coupe’s powerplant, let’s take a peek inside and out of the Red Ram. Howard Allen handled the build utilizing Ross pistons, a Crane cam, Powermaster PowerGEN alternator, an Offy single four intake, electronic ignition, and Sanderson block hugger–style headers. To make the early Hemi fit lengthwise, abiding by the restrictions of a stock 1932 Ford coupe firewall, a small-block Chevy water pump was used as modified via a Hot Heads adapter. This adapter shortens the inclusive engine length by 2-3 inches over a stock Hemi pump. All this time the Hemi rests on a Speedway Motors front engine mount kit. The 270-inch Hemi is buttoned up to a TREMEC TKO five-speed with a Hurst mid-mount shifter via a Wilcap flywheel and adapter, while a Wilwood hydraulic clutch and master cylinder package is used.

The Hemi, while fitting lengthwise, even with a stock firewall, does have the traditional “bump” over the ’rails where the outsized Hemi cylinder heads poke through where the hood side panels would normally rest. Speaking of resting, the powertrain and body are all positioned on a non-pinched SCSS Step-Boxed frame that uses a flat Model A front crossmember, which allows the car to sit an inch lower in front, a center crossmember, and a lowered rear crossmember fabricated to accept the Winters quick-change. Another touch to the American Stamping Corporation ’rails that SCSS uses are the fender and running board holes that are drilled to give an even more authentic traditional look.

The front axle is a V-8/60 axle that was dropped 2 inches, utilizes Bowling Brothers reproduction Lincoln drum brakes, rebuilt Houdaille lever action shocks (yes, the real thing), stock 1932 Ford wishbones split with a Corey Tolbert kit, and the SCSS GT2 reversed-eye six-leaf spring with Nyoglide inserts. The Winters quickie in back is surrounded by 9-inch-style drum brakes, tube shocks, a reversed-eye leaf spring, and a split ladder bar kit all from SCSS. Rolling stock fore and aft is all-traditional in appearance with 1940 Ford 16-inch steelies in front with Firestone/Coker 550-16 rubber, while in back DIVCO (milk truck) 18-inch reproduction aluminum wheels are used with Firestone/Coker 700-18 rubber.

The body is Brookville Roadster tin that has undergone a 5-inch top chop and the A-pillars leaned back while at Flop Custom. Eric Vaughn punched the louvers in the decklid and the Rootlieb hood and an additional 25 on the hood side panels. The roof insert comes by way of Bobby Walden of Walden Speed Shop that the Veazie Bros will turn into a lift-off element later on. While the body is a long way from paint, the early money is on a gray color sprayed by Joe Kennedy.

Inside a quick look tells us that the stock Deuce dash is outfitted with ’40s-era Stewart-Warner curved-glass gauges, the speedometer flanked by the oil pressure to the left and the water temp to the right, positioned within an engine-turned insert. Directly in front of the driver is a single Stewart-Warner gauge that displays the gas level and amp output. Other interior appointments include an ididit 36-inch Old School paintable steering column decked with a Bell 17-inch spoke wheel. The bench is a modified three-window coupe seat that eventually Elegance Auto Interiors will stitch and accessorize with World War II aircraft four-point seatbelts.

Moving on.

Modern Traditional: 1932 Ford Three-Window Coupe
OK, you have just had a steady diet of building a traditional-looking hot rod. Now let’s take a look at another 1932 Ford three-window highboy coupe that is traditional in its appearance but with a decidedly “modern” flair. Bruce Fortie, of Magnolia, Texas, is a hot rodder and has been one for many years. The time came when he wanted to do something a little different and while he knew he wanted a Deuce coupe he didn’t want just another small-bock Chevy or even Ford-powered three-window. No question the late-model Hemi motor took care of that!

The iron block Dodge 5.7L Hemi was massaged with a slight overbore and stroke to yield a nostalgic 392 ci by G&G Machine. They made sure to bump the compression to 10.5:1, install a Comp Cams ’shaft, all along maintaining the aluminum heads and adding the aluminum valve covers from The Crank Shop. These valve covers intended for the dual plug cylinder heads are painted in black wrinkle and finned with the Hemi logo cast. When the time comes the proper accent-colored plug wires (red, blue, or black) will be selected.

The eye candy sitting atop this late-model Hemi is the Borla Stack Injection. The V-8 will pump out in the neighborhood of 500 hp with the Borla injection good for a 50hp bump. The system comes with a billet valley cover and vacuum accumulator and cast-aluminum intake manifolds and throttle bodies. There’s also an adjustable fuel regulator, high volume (-10 AN) fuel rails, and billet capstan linkage kit. The exhaust will be made up of headers that will push the spent fuel along to a pair of Borla mufflers with all fabrication handled by the Veazie Bros. The Dodge Hemi neatly links to a TREMEC TKO five-speed that ushers the power back to a Ford 9-inch rearend with 31-spline axles. This iteration of the Hemi weighs in at approximately 500 pounds, making it suitable for an early hot rod; the use of a flat firewall makes fitment a non-issue.

The rear suspension is more SCSS goodies, including their rearend housing with drum brakes, monotube shocks, ladder bars, all hung from the Step-Boxed frame. In front the polished I-beam drop and drilled axle grabs onto SCSS early Ford (1937-1941) forged steel spindles wrapped with SCSS faux finned Buick drums hiding the Wilwood disc brakes, based on Wilwood rotors and calipers, utilizing a Borgeson steering box and a reversed-eye leaf spring with a Panhard bar. The wheel and tire combination is based on the SCSS Hot Rod wheel that’s a one-piece cast-aluminum alloy with a pin-drive knockoff and Excelsior/Coker Stahl Sport radial rubber. The front combo is a 16×5.5 wheel with 550R/16 rubber while in back a 16×8 wheel with 750R16 rubber is mounted.

The body is more Brookville Roadster sheetmetal, this time the 1932 Ford three-window coupe body will undergo a 2-inch top chop. The four-panel hood comes by way of Rootlieb while the side panels feature louvers by Jimmy Shine of Shine Speed Shop and a pair of blisters to accommodate the largeness of the Hemi heads. The cowl vent was removed but note the grille shell retains the radiator cap while the insert retains the crank hole.

Looking inside you can see the beginnings of the seating based on a Glide 1932 Ford bench that in time will be stitched by Ron Mangus Hot Rod Interiors. Right now, the tin work is nearing completion on the floor to house the TKO five-speed. You will also see that a stock appearing yet flat firewall is used to gain engine room clearance.

Traditional Versus Modern Traditional
Well, there you have it. A traditional-looking hot rod is timeless and will forever be cool and something to be proud to own and drive. But hot rodding is all about building a car that reflects your dreams and as such, as we now see, a traditional build can come in different looks.
Hot rod in shop
1. The 1932 Ford highboy three-window speaks volumes about a traditional build using many vintage pieces but also making exceptions with modern pieces to make it functional for today’s rodding around.
Front motor mount
2. The front motor mount kit for the Red Ram Hemi comes by way of Speedway Motors.
Engine
3. The early Dodge Red Ram sports 270 inches and fits neatly between the Deuce framerails from SO-CAL Speed Shop. Note the small-block Chevy water pump from Hot Heads; it shortens up the engine package by 2-3 inches. Also, note the Vega box steering.
Hemi
4. The Hemi fits in the allotted space even with the use of an original stock firewall.
SCSS frame
5. The SCSS frame has a provision for the under the floorboard bracket to hold the dual reservoir master cylinder.
TREMEC
6. For the three-pedal hot rod, the TREMEC gives us everything we want: ease of use, manual shift, and overdrive. This TKO bolts to the Red Ram Hurst via a Wilcap flywheel and adapter, while a Wilwood hydraulic clutch and master cylinder package along with a Hurst shifter.
Steering box
7. The Vega steering box has been around for 50 years, giving us the illusion that it’s a vintage part but it’s great for any hot rod build.
friction shocks
8. A pair of rebuilt original Houdaille friction shocks are used on the traditional build, keeping the early look and road feel.
interior bench
9. An original Deuce coupe bench will be used in the traditional build and at some point upholstered and four-point aircraft seatbelts will be used—all adding to the vintage look and feel.
Hurst shifter
10. Remember a Hurst shifter sits on the TREMEC but the shift lever, well, that’s pure vintage adding to the look.
Ford dash
11. The original 1932 Ford dash has an engine-tuned insert fitted with early Stewart-Warner curved glass gauges. Another single gauge monitoring other functions is in direct driver line of sight.
SCSS ladder bars
12. A Winters quickie is held in position with SCSS ladder bars, tube shocks, and a reversed eye buggy spring.
Rear side view of car
13. The rear wheel is an 18-inch reproduction aluminum DIVCO wrapped with Firestone/Coker 700-18 rubber.
Rim
14. Front wheel and rubber is a 1940 Ford 16-inch steelie wrapped with Firestone/Coker 550-16 rubber.
Man wokring on rear of car
15. Evin Veazie is fitting the Eric Vaughn–louvered decklid to the traditional Deuce coupe.
fit of the four-piece Rootlieb hood
16. Evin is seen checking the fit of the four-piece Rootlieb hood with three staggered rows of Vaughn-pinched louvers on the traditional Deuce. Note this Deuce maintains the cowl vent as well as the radiator cap hole on the grille shell; it adds to the traditional appearance. Note the filled roof comes from Walden Hot Rods; later-on the Veazie Bros. will make this section a lift out.
Front side of car
17. Traditional in appearance but with a number of concessions to a modern build, this 1932 Ford three-window coupe looks vintage but will perform like a modern hot rod. Top is yet to be chopped several inches.
HEMI Engine
18. Late-model Hemi is positioned by modern engine mounts.
5.7L Dodge Hemi engine
19. The 5.7L Dodge Hemi is vintage in name but totally modern in performance. Note the use of a flat firewall giving the appearance of stock but the advantage of additional engine bay clearance.
Men working on engine
20. Veazie Bros. Fabrication is made up of Evin (left) and Justin (right) seen here going over how the plumbing and so on will run on the Borla Stack Injection system.
Aluminum valve covers
21. The Crank Shop aluminum valve covers are intended for the dual plug aluminum cylinder heads and nicely dress them. The covers are painted in black wrinkle and finned with the Hemi logo cast.
Deuce firewall in car
22. Note the use of what appears to be a stock Deuce firewall but it’s flat in its configuration, allowing for ample engine room, making the V-8 fit much easier.
Fan for car
23. A Walker radiator and a SPAL electric fan are used to keep the 500hp Hemi cool.
Front of grille
24. The Rootlieb four-panel hood will be trimmed to fit and later feature louvers and a blister to account for the largeness that is the Hemi head as it hangs out over the framerail.
Fender
25. The hood side panels now show off the Shine Speed Shop–punched louvers and the SCSS blister fit by the Veazie Bros.
Front side of car
26. The modern traditional build features a hot rod look with a dropped headlight bar and stock headlamps, Borgeson Vega box steering, SCSS polished drop and drilled I-beam, tube shocks, and SCSS faux finned Buick drums concealing the Wilwood disc brake package.
1932 Ford dash
27. The reproduction stock 1932 Ford dash will be fitted with center mount modern-era hot rod gauges. Note the glovebox, a worthwhile accessory on any hot rod.
Bench of car
28. The Glide bench seat for a Deuce Ford coupe in the near future will be visiting Ron Mangus of Ron Mangus Hot Rod Interiors for its final look.
Pedals
29. Once again three pedals make a hot rod feel like a hot rod and here a TREMEC five-speed will be used in the modern traditional Deuce build.
clutch assembly
30. The clutch assembly is another SCSS item to accompany the Step-Boxed frame.
Floorboard dual reservoir
31. Also note the under floorboard dual reservoir master cylinder mount also provided with the frame.
Man wokring on car
32. Evin making a template that will be used to create the transmission bump.
transmission
33. The finished transmission cover in place.
SCSS shock
34. SCSS shock and mounts, reversed eye leaf spring, drop and drilled I-beam, steering arms, forged spindles, and Wilwood disc brakes hidden by the faux Buick drums with air scoop make up the front suspension.
Rim and Tires
35. Front wheel and tire combo is made up of the SCSS Hot Rod wheel that’s a one-piece cast-aluminum alloy (16×5.5) wheel with a pin-drive knockoff and Excelsior/Coker Stahl Sport 750R16 radial rubber.
Under of car
36. The ubiquitous Ford 9-inch rearend is used with ladder bars, tube shocks, reversed eye springs, and drum brakes all from the SCSS list of hot rod parts to make this modern-traditional Deuce look the part but drive like a modern hot rod.
Rear of hot rod
37. The omnipresent Deuce gas tank from Tanks is located in its stock position between the rear framehorns. This look gives a more traditional appearance but oftentimes on a highboy we will see the gas tank moved to within the trunk, giving the rear appearance a cleaner look.
 SOURCE
Veazie Bros. Fabrication
veaziebrosfabrication@gmail.com
Instagram: @veaziebrosfab
Modern Rodding
VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 8 • 2021