Photography by THE AUTHORhe racing and “hot rod world” has had many changes since Henry Ford won his first race with a car he built. Customs of the day and what was the “in” thing at the time have come and gone. Now, as we look back at the highlights of the progression of these likes and dislikes, we tend to put them into categories—like the ’30s, ’40s, ’50s, and so on. When we look at old photos and see what defines each era, we see many shifts of what the people of each era thought was the best.
Debbie and Robbie Davis’ ’33 Ford may be the epitome of the ’60s era. From its wild purple paint, pinstriping by Mitch Kim, to its channeled body-over-the-frame stance, it screams hot rod. This is a period before radial tires. The 5.60 and 7.00 bias-ply wide whites by Coker and 15-inch American Classic chrome wheels are a few of the defining points that make it so, as is the fact that it’s an early 327ci small-block Chevy with a Weiand intake manifold topped with four Stromberg carbs. That transition alone says it was time to put the Flathead out to pasture.
The old three-speed gearbox was upgraded to a Muncie four-speed stick with a cool red shift knob. Interesting enough is the fact that it still has its original frame but with an early ’57 Ford 9-inch axle. The car has its ’33 Ford front axle with a bit of bending to drop the front, which is tied to the frame with a hairpin-style front suspension. Those huge Buick drum brakes indicate an upgrade from Henry’s mechanical ones, a much better way to handle the increased horsepower that now lurks under the hood. The nerf bars are a throwback from the ’30s Indy-style racing cars, and make a cool custom replacement for the original bumpers. Headlights are later models that actually light the road at night while the taillights appear to be ’47 Chevy.
