SUBTLE AND SMOOTH

John Cox’s Rebuild Journey Begins
Cox bought the ’34 with the intention of rebuilding it, so he started by disassembling the completed coupe. He then bought a fully equipped Pete & Jake’s ’34 Ford frame and had the body blasted before placing it over the new rails. From there, Cox talked with Jason Slover at Pete & Jake’s, where he was directed to Bob Schumacher and his shop, Vintage Fabrication. Located in Independence, Missouri, Vintage Fabrication is less than an hour away from Cox’s hometown of Raymore, Missouri, and builds some of the finest street rods in the Midwest. Every aspect of the build, aside from paint, was handled at the Vintage Fabrication shop, and Cox was certainly pleased with his choice of builder.

The Perfect Chassis and Suspension Setup

The Pete & Jake’s chassis is a perfect fit for the genuine ’34 Ford tin and is adorned with a nice selection of components to lower the stance and improve the handling of Cox’s five-window coupe. A pair of boxed framerails adds strength, while tubular crossmembers and braces keep the perimeter sturdy without adding excess weight. Chrome four-bars connect to a Super Bell dropped axle, which places the front fenders 4 inches closer to the ground without sacrificing ride quality. The rear also uses a four-bar setup to locate the Ford 9-inch rearend, but it uses adjustable coilover shocks rather than chrome shocks and a transverse spring pack, which reside up front. A Vega box controls steering, while braking consists of Wilwood discs on all four corners. Polished aluminum calipers are visible through the Foose Nitrous II wheels, measuring 17×6 inches up front and 18×8 inches in back. Goodyear Eagle tires hug the road and provide much-needed traction, while a healthy small-block Ford engine rides on custom mounts and makes life hard on the sticky rubber.

Power Under the Hood: The Heart of the Build

A four-piece hood covers the killer Ford engine, and a slick firewall also surrounds the fire-breathing mill. Displacing 392 ci, the small block came out of a Ford Motorsports crate and packs plenty of power, while still providing a moderate 10:1 compression ratio, so pump gas can be the primary fuel. Inside the Windsor-based Sportsman block is a forged-steel crankshaft that slings a set of forged connecting rods and pistons and increases the stroke to 3.85 inches. Atop the bulletproof short block is a pair of Z304A cylinder heads that provide much-increased airflow and put this powerful small block on a diet with their aluminum construction. A set of 2.02-inch intake valves and 1.60-inch exhaust valves is motivated by a Crane hydraulic camshaft, which keeps valvetrain operation effective and reliable. Air is drawn through an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake manifold, while the Edelbrock carburetor supplies fuel to create a potent vapor before entering the combustion chambers. From there, it’s a smooth path through a set of Ford Motorsports headers, and Cox has the option to run his stroked small block through open headers or through Flowmaster mufflers thanks to a pair of electric cutouts. Polished aluminum and chrome-plated components decorate the small-block Ford, keeping the engine bay clean and uncomplicated.

The Transmission and Drivetrain

Behind the well-dressed powerplant, an AOD automatic transmission sends power to the differential, and features a Gennie shifter and tubular aluminum cooler. Without question, 475 hp is plenty for this ’34 Ford, and the 392ci mill has a warranty, to keep Cox’s mind at ease, whether he’s cruising the coupe around town or embarking on a long trip to a rod run.

Body and Paint: Craftsmanship at Vintage Fabrication

Though Jason Slover and the guys at Pete & Jake’s handled the chassis work, and Ford Motorsports provided the crate engine in complete form, Cox enlisted the help of Bob Schumacher at Vintage Fabrication to complete the other aspects of the build. The body arrived in bare steel and was soon massaged to the sculpture seen here. Vintage Fabrication filled the roof insert, converted the rumble seat to a conventional decklid and flush-mounted the windshield, but the list of body modifications ends there. Cox wanted his coupe to bear a simple exterior appearance, but he also wanted a more reliable hot rod. The repairs and modifications aren’t obvious, thanks to countless hours of blocking, priming and more blocking. Aaron Carrander handled final paint preparations and applied the DuPont materials. A custom mix of hues resulted in the elegant Papyrus color seen here, and Carrander followed that with several coats of clear, so the finish could be sanded and buffed to perfection.

Interior: A Classy and Comfortable Cabin

Vintage Fabrication is a multifaceted shop with a strong crew of professionals, and nearly every aspect of a high-end build can be addressed in the Independence, Missouri-based facility. Twisting the stock exterior door handles actuates bear-claw latches and reveals a tasteful interior, stitched at Vintage Fabrication. A pair of ISS buckets is wrapped tightly in Papyrus Ultraleather, as are the custom interior panels in the coupe’s tight confines. The stock dash holds Ford Motorsports gauges, and Cox keeps the coupe straight with a Carriage Works steering wheel. Hot Rod Air retains a comfortable temperature inside the cabin, while a Pioneer CD player distributes tunes through an assortment of Pioneer speakers.

Final Thoughts: A Show-Winning Result

There’s no doubt about it—this coupe is classy and attractive, and Cox has a ’34 Ford to enjoy with his wife, Barbara. A comfortable and stylish car is all Cox could ask for, and that’s exactly what he got when all was said and done. Chad Davis, Bruce Schumacher, Aaron Huhs, and John Man contributed their efforts at Vintage Fabrication and produced a show-winning piece after only a year of work. One look at Cox’s coupe shows the effort put forth, and one look shows the subtle modifications and smooth lines throughout. Subtle and smooth sums it up.