I’ve known Dan Collins for damn near 20 years. Whether he’s taking pen to paper or a torch to steel, he just has a knack for the aesthetic of cool. In his early days, he was one of the young punks behind the traditional hot rod renaissance movement with both his art and his builds. From there, he took a keen interest in bikes and ever since only seems to take time away from his two-wheeled builds to create truly special hot rods. This ’34 coupe is one of those…
Dan built the coupe under his Old Gold Garage Banner and with the intent of debuting the car at the Grand National Roadster Show. That in mind, no expense was spared. He started with a steel ’34 Ford body, chopped the top 3-inches, and filled the cowl. From there, about a million hours were spent getting the car straight and prepped for what the owner calls a “flawless” paint job in Montego Blue Pearl Metallic. Saticoy Auto Body is responsible for the outcome.
It all sits on a stock ’34 frame with a traditional dropped axle hung by split bones up front and a 9-inch rear hung by a leaf spring with ladder bars out back. The brakes are early Ford with Lincoln backing plates. Wheels are chrome reverse, tires are wide and white, and the cheaters out back really prep the car for what’s next.
The drivetrain is something special. John Randazzo was called in by Dan to do the motor work. He started with a 348-inch dubbya motor featuring the factory “Super Turbo Thrust” tri-power (converted to Strombergs 97s with an adaptor), a mild cam (specs in the gallery), and a whole lot of polish work. It’s backed by a T-5 and the before mentioned 9-inch Ford rear with 3:55 gears. This combination provides a good traditional look, but without giving up anything to drivability – stoplight to stoplight or down a long stretch of highway.
The interior shouts “race car.” It’s simple, black, and all about the business at hand. The seats are vinyl with cloth inserts, the carpet is a high-end black weave, and the dash is painted body color. It’s all complimented with a ’51 Ford wheel, a Hurst shifter, and a Stewart Warner gauge set. A vintage Sun tach communicates the important data…
Questions From The Jalopy Journal:
What’s the worst aspect of the coupe?
”The car has only been driven 1,500 miles since completion. I’d say all of the bugs have been worked out at this point. That said, I have noticed that the throttle will occasionally stick. A quick blip fixes the issue. With a little tinkering, this could be ironed out easily. I just haven’t had the time.”
What’s the best aspect of the coupe?
”It’s a fresh all steel ’34 coupe that was built meticulously by a guy that knows what he’s doing. Plus it’s available for far less than it would take to build today.”
Thoughts From The Jalopy Journal:
To me, this is a late 1950’s to early 1960’s dual purpose street/drag car. The best aspect is that the car car is done in a way that it’s almost neutral in style and taste. If you like what you see, the reserve is set far less than the $98,344.90 that the owner has in it. Take it and run like hell.
But also, there’s room for some individual taste injections as well… Maybe you are more of a 60’s showrod guy? Get nuts on the interior, add some panel stripes, and buy yourself some mirrors for your show display.
Or maybe you are a diehard period race car guy? Collect some vintage gauges, maybe add a Bell steering wheel, and be sure to paint your helmet to match…
Point is, the possibilities are endless… But not required.
Got Questions?
No sweat, click on the “discussion” tab to quench any curiosities. The owner will be available with answers…
Are the vin numbers still visible on the frame rails in the original location?
Not on the tails.