Words: Gary Rosier
Dwight Winter owns this stunning '29 Model A Ford pickup truck. He's from Port Orange, Fla., but originally from a small town called Washington, Mass. (300 people!). His family were farmers in that area, turning out 40K chicken broilers every 10 weeks. No stranger to hard work, his childhood set his work ethic into high gear; after all, as a farmer and being so far away from everything, you were forced to improvise and do a lot on your own with regards to repairs.
After graduation from high school, he moved to Conn. to work as an apprentice for Pratt & Wittney as a tool and die maker. This would serve him well for the next seven-plus years and come in handy much later in life as well. He started his own businesses, remodeled homes, worked as a handyman and co-owned 10 car washes in the area of Hartford, Conn. at one time.
He has been a car nut ever since childhood, having owned a '49 Plymouth at the age of 14 and turned it into a truck to haul and sell wood! He also has owned a '57 Chevy, a '62 MGA Mark IV, a '66 383 Dodge Charger (4 speed - wishes he still had that one!) and many others.
He learned of this 1929 pickup, which was for sale from a friend of a friend. Divorce was imminent, he was told, and the friend had to sell the hot rod, so Dwight made an offer and it was his. Powered by a 231 V-6, he drove it for a couple of years, even to the Louisville Street Rod Nationals in '99. As is almost always the case, work and family got in the way and it sat around for years.
Fast forward to 2006 and he started rebuilding it from the ground up. A new frame was ordered from Total Performance, then he added a Super Bell dropped (four inches) and drilled I-Beam. A rear 4-bar suspension was added. A Grant steering wheel attached to a GM Tilt column points it all in the right direction. Willwood brakes were added all around with an emergency brake installation kit on the driveshaft. Alden coil-over shocks helped the ride, located on the 9" inch Ford rear (3:25 gears). Dayton chrome/stainless wire-spoke wheels (15 inch up front, 16's rear) shod with Diamond Back tires, with all the lettering buffed off, got it rolling down the highway in style.
It gets its get-up-and-go power from a 350 Chevy which he won at the local Daytona Turkey Run! It has a 350 Turbo to transmit the power, and a Comp Cam with gear drive and Sanderson cast/ceramic coated headers sends the spent gases through the custom-made exhausts. Ron Francis wiring was used throughout. A push button start was added and Stewart Warner gauges keep track of all the vitals installed in the owner-made dash insert. A Walker radiator (A/C built in) and a puller fan keeps her cool for when the front window, which still works as original, isn't being used. Heat/air and defrost vents were all cut into the dash as well.
The bed and body were completely baking soda blasted. Dwight replaced the lower panels of the doors and parts of the cab himself. All original wood is still located throughout the cab. He also added a custom reveal on the cowl to help the fit and finish of the notoriously ill-fitting hoods of these cars. The hood shelves are chromed, as well as the nerf bars, to give it a little sparkle.
The bed is original, but Dwight added the oak wood - cut, stained and shot with five coats PPG clear, with stainless steel strips. He went to great pains to remove all the rivets for a cleaner appearance. The tailgate received some hidden latches, while the chrome tailgate hinges and a Pro's Pick tonneau cover the beautifully restored bed. All the stainless steel bolts throughout the truck were polished by the owner. Once the body was massaged to perfection (with thanks to his friend, Pete Carpenter, for so much help), it was painted by Glenn Sinon in a PPG Custom Cherry mix with PPG Matte Clear to give it that unique finish.
Dual saddle tanks (7.5 gals ea.) are connected through the frame rails and filled via a motorcycle screw-in filler cap. LED brake lights, including one in the body that includes the turn signals, lets traffic know his intentions. Power windows, cruise control and remote door locks help too in the creature comfort department, as does the vintage A/C to keep everyone cool in the hot Florida summer. All the electrical wires run through the door stops for the power windows and remote locks. Newport Engineering electric wipers help him see in rainy weather. A Dual Master cylinder now resides behind the dash with two ECI remote fillers attached to the firewall. Running out of room, Dwight added all the electricals to below the seat, including the battery and all the switches/lights and emergency brake handle.
"Mr Bill" of Winterhaven, Fla. is responsible for the Hartscloth top (which covers the steel top Dwight added), German square weave carpet and tan leather interior. Dwight made the custom overhead console. which houses four of the six speakers in the system powered by a JVC (Bluetooth, GPS, back-up camera) CD-AM/FM radio.
Henry Ford never could have envisioned any of his Model A's looking like this nor, I'm sure, all the technology that's built into this little '29 pickup, but make no mistake: it was a build of passion, talent, time, money and technology like nothing Henry could have ever dreamed.