Lost Hot Rods: The All-Deuce Edition

1932 Ford 5W drag coupe Potvin blowerFor your viewing pleasure, here’s another assortment of lost and forgotten cars from the golden age of hot rodding—this batch made up entirely of 1932 Fords.

 

 

The lost hot rods theme has proven to be very popular here at Mac’s Motor City Garage. That’s great for us, because we really enjoy these cars, too. In this installment we’ve focused exclusively on the most coveted Ford model year in classic hot rodding: 1932.

As usual, we know next to nothing about the cars. Except for this: The decidedly amateur photography—fenders lopped off, odd composition, photographer’s shadow in foreground, and so on—tell us these aren’t magazine feature shots. Still, you know their owners loved these hot rods all the same. And so do we.

And as always, if you know anything about any of these cars, please help us fill in the blanks. Learning more about the hot rods and their owners is part of the fun.

 

1932 Ford 3W Taylor TX 1956A local parade in Taylor, Texas is said to the venue for this ’32 three-window, which sports mismatched Caddy and Olds wheel covers and a hotted-up flathead V8. Who were the Thunderbolts? We don’t know, but they built cool cars.

 

1932 Ford Sport CoupeHere’s a rare Deuce body style, the Sport Coupe. Ford built fewer than 3,000 units in the USA. The Sport Coupe featured a wood and fabric top resembling a Cabriolet, but fixed in place. This one is tricked out with a shaved grille shell, accessory headlamps, and a ’37 DeSoto bumper.

 

 

1932 Ford roadster drag carThis ’32 roadster is set up for the drag strip with a roll bar, clipped rear frame horns, and relocated fuel tank.. And judging from the similar racing stripe on the roadster parked just behind, it might be part of a multi-car racing team.

 

1932 Ford Roadster Moon discsThis Deuce roadster sports a number of unique touches, including square roll bar, Moon discs, late-model bumpers, lakes pipes, and accessory headlamps mounted low and wide. We bet there’s a heck of a story behind this ’32–if only we knew it.

 

1932 Ford Roadster heart grille insertThis photo appears to be from early in the hot rodding craze—late ’40s, we’re guessing. The heart-shaped paint theme on the roadster’s grille insert suggests that the young lady is the driver. We’d like to think so, anyway. Note the wire wheels, Ford rear fenders and fabricated front splash panel.

 

1932 Ford roadster with whitewallsThis ’32 roadster with full fenders has a great stance that is perfectly complemented by the wide, wide whites and hub caps with trim rings. And is that an overhead V8 we see peeking out through that choice 25-louver hood?

 

1932 Ford 5W drag coupe Potvin blowerHere’s our lead photo again. The drag strip at Santa Maria, CA, around 150 miles north of Los Angeles, is believed to be the setting for this ’32 five-window drag coupe. Check out the healthy engine setback and the Potvin-style crank-driven blower setup.

This ’32 five-window coupe, shown below smartly chirping the tires, also hailed from the Santa Maria area (far as we know) but sports a more street-oriented look with full fenders, a front bumper of unknown origin, and a white fabric top insert. Gorgeous, just gorgeous.1932 Ford 5W Santa Maria

8 thoughts on “Lost Hot Rods: The All-Deuce Edition

  1. Thanks, I like Hot Rods too. I was definitely born too late, as I would have done that too. Hot Rods( of that era) show such a personal flair, kind of like Rat Rods of today, only more sedate. Rat Rods, while cool, go a little overboard, like I can do better than you attitude, where Hot Rods were just good old fun with what ever was laying around.

  2. Naturally I’d be proud to own any of the cars pictured here, but why the Deuce? The 1933-34 Fords look much nicer to my eyes. Maybe that would have initially made them more expensive as used cars but that would have evened out over the years. Yet the ’32 is the icon.

    I was also born too late for the hot rod era but I still remember much about it because of the JC Whitney catalogs that carried many of the accessories up through the Seventies.

    • The deuce was the first with a V-8, plus its one year body style added exclusivity.

  3. Great selection of vintage photos, Mac…we never tire of looking at the old hot rod Deuces here!

  4. I HAVE THE SAME PIC OF THE GIRL w/ HEART GRILL SHELL! PICKED UP HERE IN CALIF. AT A FLEA MARKET! GOING TO RACE OF GENTS IN OCT. CANT WAIT!

  5. The black roadster with the square roll bar and moon discs. looks like Geno Ames car out of Washington state. Check out Dick Page’s photos on his facebook page as he was a history guru for the NW.

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