|
|
Rick Ilguth has
been driving top flight cars for some years now - the last was his
big block powered red
'32 hiboy roadster
that flashed by on every episode of the TV show, Cruisin.
Warren Wilkie, from the Toowoomba Rod Shop,
built the roadster, then, more recently, this deuce 3-window coupe.
The coupe is everything that the roadster was, and then some. It is
also powered by a big block Chevy, but it has more creature
comforts, as in air conditioning, a roof, and real steel fenders
that keep the spray down to a minimum. |
|
Seen here in the street outside the Toowoomba Rod
& Custom Shop premises, the Deluxe coupe shows all the style and
grace that befits such a well built rod.
The axle is a SuperBell forged aluminium that
comes drilled and polished, out of the box. The light weight unit
reduces un-sprung weight considerably, which gives a better ride.
Pete & Jake shock absorbers, and stainless steel
hairpins are just visible underneath.
Drilled & slotted Holden discs are used front &
rear - the diff is a Ford 9"; 3.35:1 ration, with 31 spline heavy
duty axles.
The black leather trim was fitted by R & R
Upholsterers, Toowoomba.
Classic gauges keep Rick informed about the state
of the system. The shifter is a Lokar.
|
This wall, outside Warren's shop, has been seen
in quite a few street rod magazines, as various new projects have
been built & featured. This particular day it was the coupe's turn.
This overhead shot reveals the mock fabric insert
that helps make the Deuce Customs 'glass body look closer to an
original. The fenders are the real deal though - all steel.
The day of the photo shoot was stinking hot, so
the 'screen was cranked out to let the hot air out, before the a\c
was turned on.
Thats a 454 Chevy crate engine, fitted with
Bowtie alloy heads, and Hilborn electronic fuel injection, which
draws air through K & N filters. Toowoomba Rod Shop fabricated the
HPC coated headers, which pass the waste to a stainless steel
system, including Wilkie fabricated stainless steel mufflers.
The Rootleib hood was smooth sided when the
images were made, but has since been louvered, to assist in keeping
the temperatures down.
|
Warren and his team began
with a set of stamped steel repro rails, then boxed the rails and added the
various cross-members, pedal assembly, suspension points and
bracketry, before installing the suspension.
The body is one of the high quality jobbies from Deuce Customs,
complete with a 3" chop, and, in a departure from the norm, the
guards are steel units from Brookville Roadster.
The motor is a high dollar, high performance Chevy 454, which is
bolted to a Pat Laub rebuilt Turbo Hydro 350 transmission, modified
to stall at a streetable 2800 rpm.
Rick & Ann have been to a lot of local runs, in the 11 months or so
since the car first went on the road.
The wheels are old timey Halibrands, running
Michelins on the front, and BF Goodrich on the back. The paint is
from Glasurit, and it is straight black - very straight.
Rod Tech coil-overs are almost visible below the
steel repro gas tank.
Rick's fellow hot rodder friend and neighbour
Kyren O'Loan was the only one who would get up early enough to
photograph the coupe in the early morning light, and he did a great
job.
Accreditation:
The Editor, & Kyren O'Loan. |
|
|
