Words & Photos: Tommy Parry

With the car’s skeleton residing at the bottom of a canyon, Brian and his brother-in-law began the arduous build appropriately – by uncovering a series of boulders and removing the buried ’28 Ford Sedan. Eerie. However, as Brian said, “the price was right,” and so the two started an ambitious project.

Naturally, the car had been rusted pretty thoroughly, but that didn’t dismay Brian – sheet metal is easy to replace. A little steel patching here and there would be enough to get this project along. The frame had been significantly tweaked, and thankfully, a friend with a shapely ’29 Ford sedan offered a tape measure and some sweet tea so Brian could figure out the standard dimensions of the vehicle. A few nights of stubborn hammering and a leveling tool, and the old Ford was taking shape.

With a Ford 9″ rear and the radius rods delivered to his doorstep, Brian began working at the frame and the underbelly of the rusted Ford. With the links and bags mocked up in the rear, the undercarriage showed promise.

Next came the motor itself. An ambitious addition – the big-block Ford 534ci would not be an easy fit. A sturdy front end would be needed to support the behemoth, which tipped the scales at 900 pounds. Thankfully, the accompanying dash setup was swiped from the rusting truck the motor was plucked from, which gave the interior a bit of class.

Then, continuing to emphasize the budget build, a set of wire-mesh wheels and tires were found for $100. Once mounted, the sedan’s arms were notched for the air lines to fit, and the body placed atop the frame. With everything mocked up and the engine sitting astride the donated grille, it was beginning to look like an actual car – one that sat only 4.5″ off the ground. The front end used a set of modern spindles, hubs, and disc brakes that keep this monster on the road when the full force of that 534 is unleashed.

Then the alarming weight of the 534 had to be considered, since at that point in the build, failing bags would turn the frame into a spark-throwing emergency brake. With the radius rod braces on and added to the bag arm bracket, and a set of gusseted motor mounts, a little more support was offered. Continuing to make minimal impact on the build costs, a gas tank was found for $15 – so it was impossible to pass up.

When Brian’s father dropped by unexpectedly, he implored his son to see if the mammoth motor would turn over. After dumping some fuel in the carb and hot wiring it, the lump started up! The two were elated for a brief period, until a heater hose was sucked into the alternator belt. That might’ve soured the mood a bit.

After a frustrating attempt at laying out the floor, it was time to give the old girl a haircut. With a friend’s assistance and plenty of blue painter’s tape, 6 inches of metal were chopped off the top. The interior eventually received a serious overhaul, including a floor made from sheet metal, a sky-high shifter, and seats with surplus WWII fabric. Then, with a Mercruiser dash insert donated by a friend, Brian fitted his Ford gauges, and gave the interior a finishing touch in the form of a sparkling red steering wheel from Jegs, which didn’t excite the wife too much.

The final touches included a burlap hops bag as a roof and a set of leather straps to keep the old-fashioned, cylindrical gas tank in place. With plenty of style, presence, and serious torque from the enormous Ford motor, this build has it all. However, the build wasn’t complete without a set of flamethrowers to accompany the home-built headers. Some rat rods might have flash and pizzazz, whereas others are simple, brutal, head-turners. This Frankensedan fits comfortably into the latter group.