Frame Off Built Speedster Roadster 383 Stroker V8 TH350

As enthusiasts, we all know the true appeal of building a classic car is expressing our individuality through a purpose-built machine which eventually becomes a rolling extension of everything that defines us. And whether that means constructing a canvas from the ground up, or taking a solid foundation and adding just enough detail for perfection, the hobby certainly has no shortage of ideas, inspiration or talent. However, if you've been a long-term car junkie, chances are you'll find yourself a bit jaded; and no matter how spectacular everyday classics are, you probably have a hard time rekindling the wide-eyed excitement that sparked your decade's old addiction. So, what does a seasoned gearhead do when he loses his appetite for striped Camaros and fiberglass Ford 3-Windows? He snatches up a super cool rarity like this 1928 Ford Speedster! A winner of the 2010 Goodguys Chrome and Suede class, this killer custom wraps a reliable small block V8 and a stalwart 3-speed transmission in a hand-built body and a custom leather interior. If you like to look good, win trophies and turn heads everywhere you go, your chariot has arrived!

The brainchild of A & J Southern Rod Shop located right here in Mooresville, North Carolina, this sleek Ford Speedster is the perfect mix of outrageous mechanical prowess and classic hot rod attitude. Its straight and solid panels display virtually no waves or imperfections, its even layer of subdued Old English White Dupont basecoat is smooth and glossy; and its thick clearcoat shell shows no signs of thinning or acid borne water damage. Naturally, that straight body provides a level of fit and finish which allows this razor-sharp custom's doors, hood and turtle deck to function fluidly and correctly. And overall, the car presents a unique flavor of cool which is so well done you'll find yourself looking at it again and again just to stare and smile!

What happens when you unleash a team of talented builders on a pile of old school Dearborn metal? You get a seamless custom which takes pre-war Ford appeal to a whole new level! At the front of this neo vintage roadster, a great looking pair of classic Edmunds and Jones Type 20 headlights, which are complete with ornate brass badges, flatter a custom '38 Ford track nose. Behind that chopped nose a hand-formed aluminum hood, which has been cut to accommodate a trifecta of chrome frog mouth intakes, cinches down over louvered aluminum side panels. Above those hand-formed side panels, a chopped green glass windshield rides in a custom fabricated frame that's decorated with gloss black paint and a small, antique driver's mirror. Below that mirror, a custom fitted all-weather tonneau stretches tight between shaved doors which swivel around correct bear claw hinges. And at the back of the car a 1925 Model T turtle deck, which anchors a hand-formed aluminum valence between familiar stainless Duolamps, pegs the Bonneville louver count at 176.

Twist the locks on this Speedster's rolled white hood and you'll find a hot small block Chevrolet V8 that's been punched out to 383 cubic inches of dino incinerating displacement, and juiced to roughly 375 horsepower of unmatched throttle response! At the top of that stalwart engine, three Rochester two-jet carburetors, which receive 93 octane pump gas through a traditional mechanical fuel pump and a network of stainless fuel lines, prop contoured chrome air cleaners above an aluminum Edelbrock intake. At the sides of that intake double hump Chevrolet heads, which have been capped with authentic finned aluminum Corvette valve covers, make good use of a mildly aggressive cam; and at the back of that intake, a high performance Pertronix points distributor shoots fire from a traditional gray coil, which is suspended in a cool Southern California Timing Association bracket, to hi-temp radio suppression plug wires. Cooling for the clean burning small block is provided by a beefy aluminum radiator that comes complete with a tall, polished overflow tank. Spent gases are ushered out of the cylinders by a slick pair of Lakes-style polished stainless headers that breathe through subdued Car Chemistry baffles. And charging is supplied by freshly installed V-belts which spin a modern alternator next to a traditional mechanical fan and a full set of chrome pulleys. As with its fully detailed exterior panels, nothing was missed in the engine bay of this sharp '28 Ford. Its super clean mill is layered in a bright coat of Chevy Orange paint. And show worthy ancillary items such as bright dipsticks, a chrome oil tube, a chrome thermostat housing and a finned aluminum oil pan add a nice finished look that turns heads and wins trophies.

All this vintage Ford style rides on a custom-built 2x4 frame which consists of .188 wall tapers and a traditional rear kick up. At the front of that frame, a dropped '34 Ford axle hangs between '47 Dodge wishbones and a slick pair of aluminum friction shocks; and at the back of that frame, a narrowed Model T leaf spring hangs between modified split wishbones. Motivation is provided by a Turbo-Hydramatic 350 3-speed automatic transmission which spins ground pounding 4.11 gears inside a Speedway Engineering Mini Stock Quick Change rear end. Stops are supplied by a solid set of traditional front disc and rear drum brakes. And turns come courtesy of an early Volkswagen steering assembly which does a great job of giving this featherweight taut and sporty reflexes. At the corners of the chassis, a vivid set of 17 inch 1930 Chrysler Artillery wheels, which are fitted with prerequisite '34 Ford “V8” center caps, spin all the small block's power through 4.75/5.00 Coker Classics and 6.00/6.50 Firestone Deluxe Champions. And everything under the car's Old English White floors has been exceptionally finished with niceties such as a finned aluminum flywheel cover, a finned aluminum transmission pan and high quality Earl's brake fittings rounding out the details.

You can credit Interiors By Scott for this Speedster's stunning, show-stopping cockpit. Covered in high quality Chocolate leather, the car's supple pleated seats feature a design that's both simple and effective. In the middle of those seats, custom Chocolate trim flows to the base of a slick Lokar shifter that's topped with a custom African mahogany shift knob. At the sides of those seats, pleated Chocolate door panels flow around simple billet door handles. And at the base of those seats, high-end Chocolate carpet rides below color-keyed floor mats and traditional Ford foot pedals. In front of the driver, a custom 17 inch steering wheel spins an African mahogany rim around polished aluminum spokes and an Old English White dash that's fitted with modern Classic Instruments telemetry and traditional Stewart Warner accessory gauges. And behind the cockpit, a custom fabricated turtle deck props a large fuel cell behind a modern battery that's wired directly to a dash mounted kill switch.

From its chopped grille to its louvered rear valence, this 1928 Ford Speedster is a completely sorted show stopper that's ready to hit the road today. A custom piece like this could never be duplicated for anywhere near our asking price; and when you consider the time and labor put into its build, the car's significance becomes very clear. Don't miss your chance to own a badass custom that has amazing street prowess and awesome curb appeal!