Words & Photos: Gary Rosier
Don and his wife Nora Lipscomb of Ormond by the Sea, Fla. own this cool '34 Ford 3-window coupe. Yes, it's an all-steel body. It's mounted on a '34 Ford frame that he bought at the Daytona Turkey Rod Run nearby - with a little bartering, some swapping of this and that too - as is often the case there!
Now, Don has always been into cars, as he had a paper route for some spending cash as a young boy growing up in Greenville, SC. A GREAT place for a lot of early iron lying around then, he says with a chuckle. Seems a '32 B Model pickup was the first one he owned at barely 16 years old, then a '32 Roadster at the same time. He and his good friend (Jerry Neely) were always hanging out, wrenching on various projects together and messing around with ANYTHING that had a motor!
Having owned some 100 plus cars in his lifetime, including numerous tri-five shoe-boxes, more than qualified him to build this '34. He recalls that Jerry Neely once totaled his beloved '55, escaped without a scratch, and still to this day apologizes for wrecking that one! They have remained friends since childhood, even though they are miles apart now.
Don moved on over 40 years ago at the age of 25, moving to West Palm Beach. A client of his in West Palm Beach had this '34 in his yard with a bunch of other junk that Palm Beach County said he needed to clean up. Don had been pestering the guy for about 10 years - always asking "was it for sale?" "No" was always the answer, but once he was ordered to clean up the place, the guy finally relented. A deal was struck and it was his! Only recently (just over 2 years now) did he move to the Daytona Beach area (Ormond by the Sea).
The frame he acquired was a mix of boxed rails and tubular steel (manufacturer unknown). It has a tubular 4 inch dropped straight axle with radius rods and disc brakes on all four corners. A small block (327 chevy) found its way between the rails, along with a 700R4 transmission shifted by a LOCAR shifter. The small block has been upgraded with a Thumper Cam, Crane roller rockers, ported and polished Chevy 202 "double hump" heads and a Quick Fuel Holley 4 brl carb. Sanderson headers direct the spent exhaust gasses.
Don did all the mechanical work, but had the help of Jim Records for body & paint; JC Blanchett was responsible for the 4 inch chop as well as the floor pans, and Peewee Honetcutt skinned both doors. By the way, "Suicide doors" were standard on these models ('33 and '34's). Friends helped muscle the body on and off the chassis many times, he said, getting her to sit just right! It was painted by Jim Records Restorations of West Palm Beach after the flames were laid out. It's a Candy Apple Red (House of Colors) with three coats of clear.
It has power windows, an Ididit tilt column, SW Tach and gauges, and steering chores are handled by a cut-down '58 Impala steering wheel. A Vega steering box helps with the steering duties as well.
A Ford 8 inch with 4:11 gears, coil-overs and a 4 link keeps the car moving quick and true. Devil's head taillights with blue dots let those behind you know what's happening in the stopping department. Vintage A/C helps to keep ya cool, as if this car needed anything else to be cool!
While Don has personally owned over 100 cars, most of them hot rods of all types, this one is one of his favorites! It's low, loud, has "eyes" as they say and is one VERY Cool '34 Ford!