One of Michigan’s best-known early hot rods, the 1933 Ford built by Oliver Hine, is headed to the auction stage in Fort Lauderdale on April 1. Here’s a closer look at the pioneering homebuilt.

Known to hot rodders everywhere for its distinctive, flamboyant grille, the 1933 Ford five-window coupe of Oliver Hine is one of Michigan’s pioneer hot rods. Built over a four-year period between 1951 and 1955, the unique rod was built from bits and pieces from dozens of makes and models, hence the nickname “Hine’s 25 varieties.” The engine is a 1950 Cadillac overhead-valve V8, the sweeping front fenders are 1937 Chevrolet, and the fabulous heart-shaped radiator shell is a rare piece from a coachbuilt 1930s Brewster town car.

The channeled ’33 custom was displayed at the 1955 Ford Rotunda hot rod show, and also won Best in Show awards at the 1955, 1956, and 1957 Detroit Autorama shows. Magazine features included a cover story in the April 1959 issue of Rodding and Re-Styling and a spread in the 1959 Hot Rod Annual. Although Oliver Hine passed away in 1985, the car has remained with only two families since it was built, and it was a familiar sight on the Michigan street rod and show car scene for decades.

In 2011,  the rod was treated to an authentic restoration and returned to the Detroit Autorama, where it won the show’s prestigious Preservation Award. In 2013, the Hine coupe became part of the renowned American Legends show of historic Midwestern hot rods at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan.

Now the historic hot rod is in search of a new home—headed for the auction stage at the Auctions America Fort Lauderdale sale on March 31-April 2. The gold five-window is scheduled to cross the block on Saturday, April 1, where the auction house specialists estimate it will bring $110,000 to $130,000. Below you will find a selection of photos from Auctions America and from MCG’s coverage of the American Legends exhibit at the Gilmore Museum. Click on any image to start a slide show.