Page 15 - Issue 30

“this particular car, i’ve always had a erik has made a few modifications to
passion for…’20’s and ‘30’s-style hot rods,” that frame in that it’s been z’d 3” in the rear
says erik. “i tried not to venture too far and he’s added a set of ladder bars. a Ford
from a car you’d see at Bonneville or on 9-inch out back replaced the stock axle.
the lakebeds. i had a little bit of fun with it an original (original as in modified back in
with the camshafts used for the headlights the day and not purchased aftermarket)
and taillights. subtle things. i tried to keep drop front axle resides up front with split
it looking like something you raced and wishbones and a spring-behind setup. the
then kept in a barn forever.” it does hold front disc brakes are speedway, straying
fairly true to that theme, as the coupe still from the traditional ’40 juice drum brake
rides on the original frame that henry’s conversion in the name of safety and
boys threw under it so many years ago. the reliability. a reversed corvair steering box
fact that it was drag raced back in the ‘60’s rounds out the suspension mods up front.
makes that originality even more amazing.
the wheels and tires have now found
their way onto four different vehicles
that erik has built. “every time
i’ve sold a car, the guy didn’t
want the wheels. i said, ‘if
you don’t want em i’ll take
em.’” so the ’40 Ford
deluxe wheels and caps,
wrapped in coker radials
have become kind of an
unintentional tradition
on many of his builds.

14 Rat Rod Magazine issue thirty ratrodmagazine.com Rat Rod Magazine 15