Frame Up Built Outlaw Coupe 383 Stroker 700R4 with A/C

You know that Ford 3-window coupe you've been meaning to build? The one with all the cool tricks you've seen on the other cars, all rolled into one awesome package? It's the one with the right stance, the right powerplant, leather-lined interior, and black—yeah, definitely black. Well, forget about the expense and wait of building your own, because this is your car, ready to rumble immediately and for not a lot of money.

It's an Outlaw body with exceptionally nice prep and paint. Outlaw makes some nice stuff, no doubt about that, and by starting from scratch they could chop the top and rake the A-pillars back to achieve the perfect hot rod look. This particular kit comes with factory fitted doors which include hidden handles and hinges for a completely clean appearance and factory installed glass which looks good and seals great. Other Ford details are notably preserved as well, including the belt molding and beautifully sculpted hardtop roof shape; and to complete the body, a louvered steel hood was installed, along with an Outlaw fuel tank cover and a full set of fenders. Of course, to paint any car black means you need to go the extra mile to get everything straight and even starting with a fresh body shell doesn't guarantee success. Fortunately, the guys working on this one understood the mission and sanded it until their fingers were bleeding. The results were worth it though, as this stylish '33 Ford utilizes a mirror-like shine and virtually unbroken reflections to create one attention-grabbing street rod that is both subtle and impressive – Just as you envisioned.

There's also a good deal of bright trim, including original style dipped bumpers fore and aft, big headlights that are a refreshing change from the little King Bee units so many guys use, and a pair of peep mirrors that are critical on a chopped 3-window. The glass all carries a slight tint, enough to help the looks without attracting the attention of the local constabulary, and 1939 Ford taillights with LED bulbs are a traditional rodding touch. A traditional narrow-frame 1933 grille has framed in painted Outlaw stainless and filled with a billet insert, and the Ford emblem has been shaved—as if anyone could mistake this car for anything else!

You wanted big power, of course, but not a heavy, clumsy big block. Instead, there's a 383 cubic inch small block Chevy that dynos at over 475 horsepower—more than enough to make this '33 scary fast on the road. Topped by a reliable Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and intake, it is happy to cruise around at idle speeds, but rears up when you mash the throttle. The engine bay is accessible by removing the 3-piece hood, giving unparalleled access for service and revealing a clean, functional powerplant that obviously someone spent a lot of time thinking about (sound familiar?). Matching Edelbrock valve covers and air cleaner add some vintage dress-up, while bright red accents like the plug wires and block offer a splendid contrast to all that inky black paint. Up front there's a massive radiator with electric fans, along with an A/C condenser that stays hidden out of sight behind the grille. Block-hugging ceramic-coated headers dump into a true dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers for a traditional hot-rod sound.

The chassis is an Outlaw piece too, which you already know is a smart thing to do—why reinvent the wheel? The transmission is a 700R4 4-speed automatic, whose quick reflexes make this car feel nimble on the street, but with a tall overdrive so cruising is effortless at modern highway speeds. Out back, Currie supplied one of their indestructible Ford 9-inch rears stuffed full of 3.50 gears and hanging on a 4-link setup with coil-over shocks. Up front, a custom cross member uses a Mustang II independent setup with rack-and-pinion power steering and power disc brakes—a big step up from Ford's beam axles, leaf springs, and mechanical drum brakes. And since you plan on driving your rod everywhere you went, the Poplar and steel reinforced floors were coated in durable black paint, but not over-detailed so that you'd be afraid of a little road rash. Even the Torque Thrusts are just what you had in mind—traditional, with a polished finish that really pops against the black paint. And not crazy big, either, just modest 15x6 up front and 15x7 out back wearing appropriately tall radials that totally stuff the fenders instead of looking like goofy O-rings on an SUV.

You know all those tricks and tips you've been photographing at car shows and clipping out of magazines? They all made it into the interior of this ultra-cool Ford. Finished in black leather (what else?), it includes all the amenities that you'd expect in a modern car, but artfully combined in a way that makes this one stand out. Open the door and the first thing you notice are the door panels, which have a traditional pleated pattern. Then you notice the armrest, which houses controls for the power windows as well as an A/C vent. The seats are obviously buckets borrowed from a late-model, but not so over-bolstered that they look comical in the vintage rod. Overhead there's a suede headliner with an LED dome light, while behind the seats you'll find additional A/C vents as well as the popper for the trunk lid. The dash is full of TIP Tech white-face gauges, and the Lokar shifter is a work of art all by itself, along with the original style emergency brake handle next to it. The fat leather-wrapped steering wheel seems to draw inspiration from a track wheel from the '30s, and the stereo system is nicely fitted below the dash. Seat belts, keyless entry, and powerful A/C are all part of the deal, making this a no-compromises piece. Even the steel hinged trunk is beautifully finished with matching carpeting, pneumatic cylinders to help lift the lid, and a courtesy light. Access to things like the battery, stereo equipment, and A/C duct work is through a fitted panel, and with the gas tank under the car, there's a ton of trunk space for long-distance cruising.

Titled with an assigned serial number from the State of Ohio, this one will be easy to register, too, with all the bureaucratic nonsense already handled. All the cool features are already built in, and this '33 Ford has a cool swagger that's exactly what you had in mind. Forget building your own, this one is available for less than half of the build cost, and it's a turn-key piece ready to rock today.