Enter your search terms

Web HotRodFeatures.com Submit search form

Greg Thomsen has another project that is nearing completion in Darryl Kuhnemann's Maroochydore workshop. This '32 (Greg is a card carrying member of Deuces Unlimited, so it wouldn't be any other vintage) Tudor was rescued from the Arizona desert, and beaten into shape by Warren Wilkie, painted in Toowoomba, then the bits trailered to Maroochydore, where Darryl had the chassis ready. Look for it at a run near you in 6 or 8 months. You should recognise it - it wears the same paint colour as Greg's current roadster.

	The chassis was one of the RodTech jobs, from the short period where that company was producing their own chassis. The firewall is in place, just as was the case on the Dearborn assembly line, the first time that the body was married to a frame.
	Darryl's handy mobile gantry holds the Tudor, and the chassis is rolled in under the heavily wrapped body. The cloth protects the paint from the chain block's chain, and the webbing that is holding the body.
	Darryl appears to be saying "How hard can it be? You take a chassis, add a body, and you have a hot rod."

4 April, '07
Norm Snape has produced many fine hot rods at his place; an important component in the last few decades has been the assistance of his talented son, Shane. Shane's own car is almost ready for the road too, and it is an example of how two people can approach the same project from a different perspective, in that Shane's '32 3-window is the same body style as his Dad's car, but miles apart in appearance and style.

We'll feature Shane's car in an upcoming article...

	Darryl Kuhnemann drives Shane's 3-window out of the garage, to a round of applause, while Mal Case & Doug Mole look on. The car is even closer to completion as this page is posted, so you can check it out in person at an event near you fairly soon.
	Louvre loving Shane Snape has picked the Rootlieb hood with the most holes, and built the car very low to the ground. That's Norm's black 3-window in the background - what a great household.

4 January, '07.
Colin Chapman has some amazing projects currently; two of them will be finished this year - one is pictured below. The '31 closed cab pickup features exquisite metalwork, which has been Colin's trademark for more than 30 years. We visited Colin's workshop again today, and got some pictures of one of his projects. These previews are not features, but the cars will certainly be featured in every major publication later this year - they are already that good.

	The closed cab pickup body, itself a masterpiece of understated subtlety, in terms of the modifications, sits in front of the chassis rotisserie, where the louvered belly pan is being completed. That's Colin & Brenda's Mercury on the hoist, another project that should be on the road this year.
	Did we mention that this A-bone has louvres? The aluminium kick plates and inner door panel are hand made, of course, and will eventually be upholstered. This level of workmanship and detail helps us understand why some builders elect to leave their projects unpainted. The roof liner is also hand formed louvred aluminium.

Rumoured mill. There is a story going around that a South Australian company is making a limited run of reproduction 427 SOHC Ford conversion kits. The customer must supply their own 427 FE side oiler, and the company supplies the assembled heads, manifolds, cams etc. It gets better - they are also planning a 429 Shotgun, as fitted to Boss 429 Mustangs. If you have some details, let us know, and we will pass it on. They are only about $20k, and the first 10 are sold. The line starts on the left.

Contributors. If you have a good digital camera, an internet connection, and can string together some interesting yarns about the events you attend, technical articles or a feature story about a Hot Rod, please drop us a line.
It doesn't matter where in the world you are, all articles will be considered.  We will give you credit for your work, though we may edit the text.

Peter Crain.