Flare with Style
March 1, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
THE Z11 CHEVY DAYS
In 1962, General Motors’ performance car sales, namely those of Chevrolet and Pontiac, were steadily pulling away from the competition. On the dragstrip, the 409’s horsepower and torque were getting the job done, and so was that all-important driveline. The Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed transmission shifted perfectly, and the overall suspension, even slightly modified, allowed the car to launch without wheel-hop woes.
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
There’s a lot to like about vintage engines. Just the sheer fact that it isn’t a small-block Chevy is enough to inspire many hot rodders. Now, don’t get us wrong; the small-block Chevrolet is nothing less than awesome, but it is also the default engine of most hot rodders. Often, there is no thought involved as many rodders simply want the 350/350 treatment. That’s probably fine for most hot rodders, but there has been a real resurgence in putting vintage motors in vintage hot rods, and we love the concept. The Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Buick Nailhead and Hemi are all great candidates for powering a vintage hot rod. Parts are still available for most of these engines, some being tougher to find than others. A surprising amount of speed equipment survives for these engines, too, and companies like Offenhauser still produce a lot of vintage speed equipment.
Spotlighter
HIDING NOT FAR FROM HOME
The Hot Rod That Disappeared for 32 Years
Back in the days of hand-writing letters and lickin’ stamps, opening the mail at RODDER’S DIGEST was always interesting. In December of 1998 we received this letter and three photos of one very cool ’38 Ford Standard Coupe. While it is a great hot rod, the history of this coupe makes it even more compelling. Enjoy…
Author
Gerry Burger
Letter & Photos Marv Silverstein
12/17/98
Gerry,
Gerry, can I call you Gerry? Ok! You can call me Marv. Ask Lance about me, we go back a few years. (Marv is referring to our mutual friend Lance Sorchik).
Here goes, I am a 61-year-old hot rodder and I still have to work almost every weekend. I try to get to York and Macungie each year and a weekend event every so often, but somehow my car and I don’t get much press, Duh!
Anyway, it’s about this car of mine, not only is it a 1938 Ford Standard Coupe, but it was customized in 1951, it has to be one of the first chopped ’38 coupes in the country. I bought it in 1954 as a mess, after it had been abused by owner/builder Tommy Carr from West Virginia. It took until 1957, at the hands of Les Cove of Hillside, N.J. for the coupe to be almost refinished in primer with a few new ideas from me and Walla!! a First Place Trophy the first two times out!
To make a very long story shorter, I sold the coupe three times in a year, only to lose the car forever in 1958. “Forever” was until December 1989 when I advertised that I was looking for the coupe. FOUND! In Wilkes-Barre, PA. by a nice man, Sam Barbose. He called, seems the coupe was used only in 1958 and then garaged until my ad in STREET SCENE magazine. The coupe was out of sight for 32-years.
Sam brought the coupe to me in 1990 and I started to disassemble it in a garage down the street from my house. Once more the coupe was a mess. After three-years of chipping away at the project I heard of this great rod shop in Hummelstown, PA. No not Posies, but another great Hummelstown shop, Lang’s Custom Auto. Bill Lang and his wife Kay and their crew finished the coupe for the last time in 1997. What a beautiful job. It’s a 10! and very different and with my input and suggestions and their expertise I have a show winner, all I have to do is show up. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like trophies, but I think this car should have a feature article in at least one of the best magazines, RODDER’S DIGEST. Hint, Hint!
Thanks in advance,
Marv Silverstein
Lambertville, NJ
ARTICLE SOURCES
Gerry Burger
Gerry Burger has been immersed in hot rodding since the early 1960s, building his first hot rods as a teenager after being inspired by local racer Bob Zorn. A chance meeting with Tom Medley in 1972 launched a distinguished career as an automotive photojournalist, leading to freelance work for dozens of magazines, the founding of Rodder's Digest, and editorial leadership roles at Street Rod Builder and American Rodder. Today, Burger continues to write, photograph, and build hot rods, remaining one of the hobby's most respected voices.
