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    REDEEMING THE FORGOTTEN Y-BLOCK

    When Ford introduced its Y-block engine in 1954, it labeled the engine the worthy successor to the venerable Flathead. The Flathead gained a loyal following of hot rodders and racers, but the big Cadillac overhead-valve V-8 and Oldsmobile’s Rocket 88 were stealing Ford’s thunder in terms of power, so something had to be done, and Ford decided to respond. The answer was a clean-sheet V-8 design, featuring overhead valves and improved cooling compared to the old Flathead. It was dubbed the “Y-block” because of the way it looked and because of its deep skirt and tall cylinder heads.

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    Detroit Riddles

    Why is it we build top-end hot rods? We all have many different reasons, but the underlying one will always be to get a little attention. Even though it may not be your sole intent, there is a part of you that wants people to tell you “nice car” or, better yet, to win an award at a show every once in awhile. Many hot rodders and builders create their cars to win major awards, which gives your custom creation or your shop “pedigree,” in much the same way the right wins give a racehorse pedigree.

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    Hot Rods Abound in the Nichols Garage

    Jerry Nichols Has a Backyard Shop Filled With Cool Projects

    Few things are more fun than spending a day doing a good old-fashioned garage crawl. No, that doesn’t mean getting down on your hands and knees looking for the washer that just rolled across the floor; we’re talking about doing the tour—runnin’ from one garage to the next just to see what folks are building, what kind of cool tools and memorabilia might be around, and of course, spending a little time swapping lies. Yeah, a garage crawl day is pure fun.

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    Picture of Gerry Burger

    Gerry Burger

    Story & Photography

    The Crawl Guide: Big Al Casteen

    On this particular day, our “crawl guide” is none other than “Big Al” Casteen, and we’re motoring through the countryside of Smithfield, Virginia, on the way to Jerry Nichols’ house. Jerry drives a very nice ’36 Ford coupe that we had seen the weekend before at the NSRA Richmond Nationals, so his garage was a must-do stop so that we could also shoot a feature on his five-window coupe.

    First Impressions of Jerry Nichols’ Garage

    Like so many great garages, this one is nestled behind his house, and since just one end shows from the driveway, we were a bit surprised to see how big the shop was. There was plenty of room for building hot rods in this shop, and to that end, there was a lot going on inside. From an air-conditioned, two-bay shop to a dedicated bay just for painting, Jerry Nichols has built a great shop and some very cool cars.

    Exploring the Projects Inside

    Inside the garage, we found everything from a ’54 Mercury awaiting paint and bodywork to a very cool Model A coupe that was once the primary focus in the garage but now awaits its turn for more attention. Jerry swears he’ll finish the car, “unless I get an offer my wife won’t let me refuse,” he says.

    Then there is the all-original ’39 Ford coupe. Well, okay—it’s not all original, with a later Flathead under the hood and 12 volts pumping through the wires, but beyond that, this is one rock-solid stocker. And there’s a ’37 Ford coupe in the mix that has already had all the floors replaced and rides on a chassis with Mustang II-style front suspension. All the parts to complete the coupe are in the shop with the exception of rear fenders and running board. And we almost forgot to mention the ’56 Lincoln that will someday make a great cruiser.

    Cool Extras in the Shop

    After spending some time going over all of these projects, we were busy checking out some very cool coolant recovery bottles that Jerry makes, in addition to some of the cool old stuff in his garage.

    A Lifetime of Projects

    We really enjoyed seeing all of Jerry Nichols’ stuff, and like so many of us, it appears he has a lifetime of projects going in his garage. Having said that, he has a great place to work, and what better way to spend your time than building cool hot rods in your backyard?

    Wrapping Up the Garage Crawl

    Of course, we took plenty of photos to share with you before heading off to our next stop on the one-day garage crawl. Check out the photos; we think you’ll agree that this a very neat shop filled with great projects.

    One entire bay of Nichols’ garage is dedicated to bodywork. This is a great idea because it keeps dirt, dust and overspray from entering the main shop. Excellent lighting makes painting easier, too. Jerry Nichols’ ’54 Mercury is currently being prepped for paint and bodywork.
    This ’39 is just a great old car. The coupe has a later Flathead V-8 under the hood, and the wiring has been changed to 12-volt. Otherwise, it’s just a great stocker, and those headlight bezels are part of an old sealed-beam conversion kit that was available in the ’40s and ’50s for these cars. Since 1940 was the first year of the seal-beam light for Ford, many owners of ’39 Fords opted to upgrade to sealed-beam lighting with these aftermarket kits. Note the built-in parking light below the sealed beam.
    The work bay of Nichols’ garage includes a two-post lift among a host of other tools. The ’39 coupe is currently occupying the work bay, and while Nichols has every piece needed to convert it to Chevy power, he told us, “I’m in no real hurry to go that way as the car is fun just the way it is.” Epoxy-coated floors make for easy cleanup in the shop.
    The clean bays are filled with tools, and the walls are covered with memorabilia. The ’36 resides in here atop blue epoxy floors, making it the perfect place to detail a car or do general repairs and maintenance that do not require painting. This is a great garage.
    Tools, hardware and hubcaps—you can find it all in the clean work area of Jerry Nichols’ shop. Everything in the shop is neat and clean, but not freaky clean as this is definitely a working garage.
    The old Sun engine analyzer and tune-up machine is a great-looking piece. And guess what? It still works just fine! There was a day when any repair shop worth its salt had one of these units up against the back wall. Just think, today this massive console has been replaced by a hand-held code reader. We guess that’s progress, but it’s doubtful anyone will be collecting hand-held code readers in the next 25 years.
    Any good hot rod garage has “stuff” around. We couldn’t help but notice these intakes under the workbench: six-deuce intake for a small-block Chevy and what appears to be a tri-power unit for a Y-block. Few things add flavor to a garage faster than vintage speed equipment.
    If you’re going to have a shop, you should have a shop truck. You know, a little something to chase parts with. That concept wasn’t lost on Jerry Nichols as he has this Chevy panel truck that is just perfect for hauling parts.
    A flaming skull that appears to be spitting diamonds graces the side of Jerry’s garage panel delivery. The old truck makes the perfect shop hauler; it’s nice enough to turn heads and rough enough to have fun.
    Ahhh, yes…the view from above. There is something cool about looking down on an old Ford coupe that is patiently waiting to become a bona fide hot rod. This coupe is as solid as a rock and would make a very easy conversion to a hot rod. The original mohair interior is still inside the coupe.
    Standing outside the door and looking in, we can see that the workshop is filled with tools, and of course, the ’36 stays in this side of the building. This portion of the shop is heated and air conditioned.
    As we moved further from the front of the garage, we finally came upon a four-car area just for project storage. The Model A coupe could easily be finished, and we’re certain it will be completed in the future. Likewise, the ’37 coupe next to the Model A is well on its way to becoming a street rod. As Jerry stated, “All the dirty work is done…floors, rust repair and chassis work; it’s really just a matter of assembly at this point.” Both coupes will be fine street rods some day.
    The coupe rides on a Brookville Roadster chassis, and the bodywork is complete. A full set of fenders will attach to the frame; they are ready for paint but are being stored in the attic of the garage. The recessed firewall provides ample room for the Chevy V-8.
    Looking in through the second storage area door, we can see the ’37 coupe with the ’56 Lincoln parked alongside the coupe. Workhorses and bodywork platforms are also stored in this area, along with a cool Mobil Pegasus sign.
    While the ’54 Mercury chassis awaits completion of the body, it serves as a resting place for a ’36 Ford hood that is punched full of louvers. Multiple projects like this keep a guy real busy.
    The walls are filled with everything from awards to old license plates and signs. It all lends a lot to the overall atmosphere of the garage.
    Jerry Nichols makes some great coolant recovery tanks from those super-slick aluminum bottles that contain your favorite drink. He makes them out of everything from energy drinks to Budweiser number 8 aluminum bottles, and they sure look good. They work well, too.
    The ’36 coupe seems dwarfed by the big garage, but inside every door is a project well worth pursuing. The outside of the shop is kept neat and tidy, much like the inside of the shop.
    The coupe looks great coming or going, and the combination of black paint and orange steelies is a timeless look that will forever be in vogue. The car sees regular road service.
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