’32 Fords are played out. Sure, it’s the quintessential hot rod, but to me that just means everybody has one. In fact, I’m pretty sure there are more reproductions now than Henry Ford even built in 1932. So knowing how I really feel about the Deuce, why are you looking at a ’32 Ford on Speedhunters?
Take a quick look at this image and you will probably draw the same conclusion as I would: it’s just another ’32. From this angle you can’t quite make out which side that steering wheel is on though, can you?
Look a little closer and notice the driver sits on the right. That sets the tone: this is a new translation of the ubiquitous ’32 Ford.
It was only after sufficient schooling by our own Mr Jonathan Moore on the historic Brooklands race track that the concept for this ’32 fully sunk in. The car’s owner, Ron Lee, is apparently a fan of European classics, but he wanted Hollywood Hot Rods to build him a roadster. HHR knows how to build a roadster and if I know anything about proprietor Troy Ladd I’m sure he leapt at the chance to build one with vintage European DNA.
First you need to understand who Troy Ladd is. Owner of Hollywood Hot Rods, 2007 Trendsetter of the Year and 2010 Builder of the Year, Troy’s mantra is ‘Respect Tradition’. Not satirize, plagiarize or bastardize: only respect. A profound ethos to be sure; those two words have a huge impact on what comes out of his shop.
It seems like custom shops either throw tradition out the window or are slaves to it. Hollywood Hot Rods has built a slew of cars that respect tradition without being constrained by it, meaning Troy is not afraid to put a new Coyote motor in a hot rod and he will retrofit an old part with modern innards to make sure it’s reliable. Think of it as the best of both worlds, and tastefully done too.
The Brooklands Special is a nice illustration of everything that is right about Hollywood Hot Rods’ mission statement. By mixing in traditional American cues with touches from the other side of the globe, we get this brilliantly cohesive build. But what makes this car look so right?
To start with, it’s the section job they did on the new Brookville steel body. In the ’50s, custom shops tried to make thick-bodied American cars look more European by sectioning some sheet-metal out of the middle. Valley Customs was king at sectioning cars like the Dunn Shoebox to give a Euro feel.
Although this practice was used more on the full-size cars on the ’50s, HHR used the same technique here. A two-inch section streamlines the body, and the rear wheel arches have been moved up five inches to perfectly frame the rear tires.
Stretching the grille shell three inches rearward gives a whiff of 1920s Bugatti. In fact, Troy says he looked at a lot of Bugattis when researching this build, which clearly led to the choice of Bugatti lighting front and rear.
It’s common in hot rodding to select a simple, round tail-light from another car and french it into the rear panel, but the Bugatti tails are a new one for me. They follow the hot rod formula, but in a subtly different way.
Hollywood Hot Rods hand-formed the rollpan below the custom triple-blade rear bumper. I dig the license plate frame made of the same stock. If you find a picture of a stock ’32 you can spot the differences in the rear of the car: namely a complete relocation of the trunk.
Wood ribs hearken back to the racers that ran at Brooklands.
The extension of the grille required reforming the chrome around the radiator cap, but it looks so stock you would never know. And wait, weren’t Ford ovals blue? Not in Europe.
Heavy gauge stainless mesh, again inspired by early racers, was used on the hood, grille and front valance.
The valance is an interesting touch. All HHR did was fill the void between the frame rails, but it really looks the part. The cowl in the center is where a hand-crank would have gone if this was 1908, but luckily the Brooklands Special has an electric starter.
Moving around the front we get to see a lot of detail: Bugatti headlights on handmade stands, dropped and paint-filled axle and finned backing plates. There’s an electric fan hiding behind the mesh grille too… because they work.
The headlight stands look great from this angle.
Atop the Howard Alan Flathead sit Elco Twin heads with two spark plugs per cylinder. The finned motif picks up in other places as well, like the beehive oil filter on the firewall. Also notice the brass hose clamps, likely sourced from a European sports car catalog, and the modern alternator that blends in with its matching polished finish. Speaking of polished, look at the work that went into the head bolts.
The thing about doubling the number of spark plugs is that you have to figure out how to hook up 16 spark-plug wires! Troy sourced a 1929-1941 Nash Twin 8 distributor, then gutted it and added electronic ignition for better performance and reliability.
More cast fins are found on the Italmeccanica oil pan. According to the Orosco catalog (which the boys apparently raided), this was originally designed for a post-WWII Italian sports car that never made it into production. Besides looking the part it also doubles the oil capacity for the Flathead.
A single exit exhaust for a V8? Such restraint! I really like the mesh inserts too.
You might recognize the vintage Dunlop Racing tires from early Brooklands race cars. The Veda Spec centercaps are a traditional hot rod part, but they look Euro in this case, especially when mounted to 16” and 18” wire wheels.
Notice the paint detailing HHR did on the centercap and wheel hoop. It doesn’t jump out at you but it ties things together nicely.
The frame rails have been massaged to closely follow the body, and the gap between the frame and body is the same as the door gap! The brass door hinges coordinate with other hardware.
Leather boots act as grommets for the brake lines to pass through the body…
…and they match the boots around the pedals. The notch in the brake pedal caught my eye. Turns out it’s just to clear the steering column should the pedal ever go to the floor.
Another leather boot lets the vintage-looking shifter pop through, but the shifter actually controls a modern five-speed transmission. Remember, Troy Ladd knows when he can get away with using new parts.
Instrumentation looks like it was lifted straight from a Brooklands racecar, but was modernized by Redline Gauge Works.
I approached this feature with a certain amount of hesitation, simply because the car is a ’32 Ford.
The beauty of this build though is that when properly executed, a good builder can bring fresh appeal to any car – even one that has been overdone.
To me the Brooklands Special is much more about the DNA that Troy and Ron infused than the choice of bodyshell.
I leave you with a shot that’s not too different from the one we opened with. After seeing the details of the Brooklands Special and learning about the inspired design that went into it, I bet you see a different car now.
Keith Charvonia
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OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
I usually hate, haaaattteeeeeee this things. Tacky paint, ridiculous interiors, some stupid amount of horsepower that is never used, the same Hotwheels-esque style rims on every. single. one... but dear lord...
It's just so beautiful. Why can't more cars be like this.
Awesome writeup, and awesome shots, as usual.
I usually hate, haaaattteeeeeee this things. Tacky paint, ridiculous interiors, some stupid amount of horsepower that is never used, the same Hotwheels-esque style rims on every. single. one... but dear lord...
It's just so beautiful. Why can't more cars be like this.
Awesome writeup, and awesome shots, as usual.
I usually hate, haaaattteeeeeee this things. Tacky paint, ridiculous interiors, some stupid amount of horsepower that is never used, the same Hotwheels-esque style rims on every. single. one... but dear lord...
It's just so beautiful. Why can't more cars be like this.
Awesome writeup, and awesome shots, as usual.
Awesome! My kind of Hot Rod. I do enjoy the rat rods and such. But this style is what I enjoy most. But this is one of my favorite examples of a 32 Ford. LOVE IT!
Awesome! My kind of Hot Rod. I do enjoy the rat rods and such. But this style is what I enjoy most. But this is one of my favorite examples of a 32 Ford. LOVE IT!
Awesome! My kind of Hot Rod. I do enjoy the rat rods and such. But this style is what I enjoy most. But this is one of my favorite examples of a 32 Ford. LOVE IT!
Greatest thing SH has ever featured. Bloody amazing.
Greatest thing SH has ever featured. Bloody amazing.
Greatest thing SH has ever featured. Bloody amazing.
Greatest thing SH has ever featured. Bloody amazing.
Greatest thing SH has ever featured. Bloody amazing.
Beautiful and classy...
Beautiful and classy...
Beautiful and classy...
Beautiful and classy...
Beautiful and classy...
@xracer6 My goal is to show Speedhunters readers that there are much better cars out there than the rat rods that we keep seeing. Glad you enjoyed it.
@xracer6 My goal is to show Speedhunters readers that there are much better cars out there than the rat rods that we keep seeing. Glad you enjoyed it.
@xracer6 My goal is to show Speedhunters readers that there are much better cars out there than the rat rods that we keep seeing. Glad you enjoyed it.
@xracer6 My goal is to show Speedhunters readers that there are much better cars out there than the rat rods that we keep seeing. Glad you enjoyed it.
@xracer6 My goal is to show Speedhunters readers that there are much better cars out there than the rat rods that we keep seeing. Glad you enjoyed it.
@gtuned Because it is a popular car and much like the Honda Civic of the 90's you get a ton of horrible examples and a few nice ones.
@gtuned Because it is a popular car and much like the Honda Civic of the 90's you get a ton of horrible examples and a few nice ones.
@gtuned Because it is a popular car and much like the Honda Civic of the 90's you get a ton of horrible examples and a few nice ones.
great job guys...
great job guys...
great job guys...
Man this is pretty. Love the details.
Man this is pretty. Love the details.
Man this is pretty. Love the details.
A beautiful Deuce, but dangerously close to being gaudy in some of its elements. If he'd left off a couple of the superfluous details (like the wood over the trunk lid) it'd look a lot cleaner. As it is, such details are slightly jarring.
A fine line, though. Lots of brilliant little ideas in this one. I always appreciate these throw-back rods that are clearly inspired by the imaginings of the headline designers from the '30s.
A beautiful Deuce, but dangerously close to being gaudy in some of its elements. If he'd left off a couple of the superfluous details (like the wood over the trunk lid) it'd look a lot cleaner. As it is, such details are slightly jarring.
A fine line, though. Lots of brilliant little ideas in this one. I always appreciate these throw-back rods that are clearly inspired by the imaginings of the headline designers from the '30s.
A beautiful Deuce, but dangerously close to being gaudy in some of its elements. If he'd left off a couple of the superfluous details (like the wood over the trunk lid) it'd look a lot cleaner. As it is, such details are slightly jarring.
A fine line, though. Lots of brilliant little ideas in this one. I always appreciate these throw-back rods that are clearly inspired by the imaginings of the headline designers from the '30s.
If you guys get a kick out of this one and also like the racier side of hot rodding, do look up the "Dynaliner." Another very fine deuce with some European flair.
If you guys get a kick out of this one and also like the racier side of hot rodding, do look up the "Dynaliner." Another very fine deuce with some European flair.
If you guys get a kick out of this one and also like the racier side of hot rodding, do look up the "Dynaliner." Another very fine deuce with some European flair.
If you guys like this one, check out the 'dynaliner deuce' (there are a couple by that name, actually, but here's the one I'm talking about). It's also got some great Euro flair to it, quite purposefully, and a much racier concept behind it.
http://uraniumdiaries.blogspot.com/2008/11/ford-dynaliner-deuce-roadster-1932.html
If you guys like this one, check out the 'dynaliner deuce' (there are a couple by that name, actually, but here's the one I'm talking about). It's also got some great Euro flair to it, quite purposefully, and a much racier concept behind it.
http://uraniumdiaries.blogspot.com/2008/11/ford-dynaliner-deuce-roadster-1932.html
If you guys like this one, check out the 'dynaliner deuce' (there are a couple by that name, actually, but here's the one I'm talking about). It's also got some great Euro flair to it, quite purposefully, and a much racier concept behind it.
http://uraniumdiaries.blogspot.com/2008/11/ford-dynaliner-deuce-roadster-1932.html
Such fantastic work on this car. I am truly in awe of it's craftsmanship. Great photos, too!
Such fantastic work on this car. I am truly in awe of it's craftsmanship. Great photos, too!
Such fantastic work on this car. I am truly in awe of it's craftsmanship. Great photos, too!
The decking on the back is awful. Fantastic otherwise! Nice post!
The decking on the back is awful. Fantastic otherwise! Nice post!
The decking on the back is awful. Fantastic otherwise! Nice post!
Fantastic photos, and a very nice write-up Keith. The attention to detail on something like this can easily be overlooked, nice job pointing out all the little things that add up to make one damn nice car.
Fantastic photos, and a very nice write-up Keith. The attention to detail on something like this can easily be overlooked, nice job pointing out all the little things that add up to make one damn nice car.
Fantastic photos, and a very nice write-up Keith. The attention to detail on something like this can easily be overlooked, nice job pointing out all the little things that add up to make one damn nice car.
Simply unreal.
Simply unreal.
Simply unreal.
Great read ! I was capture immediately with the statement 'not sure how you feel about the deuce" Great photography, also. Really nice work team
Great read ! I was capture immediately with the statement 'not sure how you feel about the deuce" Great photography, also. Really nice work team
Great read ! I was capture immediately with the statement 'not sure how you feel about the deuce" Great photography, also. Really nice work team
I approached this article with a bit of hesitation and curiosity, why is Speedhunters shooting this specifically? and Wow.. you're right. Totally different car after reading through.
I approached this article with a bit of hesitation and curiosity, why is Speedhunters shooting this specifically? and Wow.. you're right. Totally different car after reading through.
I approached this article with a bit of hesitation and curiosity, why is Speedhunters shooting this specifically? and Wow.. you're right. Totally different car after reading through.
@gtuned And you call yourself a gearhead, shame on you.
@gtuned And you call yourself a gearhead, shame on you.
A '32 ford RAF Spitfire
A '32 ford RAF Spitfire
@Luka024 @gtuned I say more '90s Civics and '32 Fords then, please. Both are hot rods of their respective generations.
@Luka024 @gtuned I say more '90s Civics and '32 Fords then, please. Both are hot rods of their respective generations.
@Slight I was thinking the same thing when I first saw it in person. It took about 30 seconds to realize.
@Slight I was thinking the same thing when I first saw it in person. It took about 30 seconds to realize.
@gliebau I see what you mean, but in person the wood really adds to the look of the car, but that is just me.
@gliebau I see what you mean, but in person the wood really adds to the look of the car, but that is just me.
Tying the first and last photos together with that last paragraph...well done. Very well done.
Tying the first and last photos together with that last paragraph...well done. Very well done.
What an AMAZING car!
What an AMAZING car!
Stunning just stunning
This is really, really cool! Such a unique take on a platform that has had almost everything done to it! I love all the small details, and commend Troy for executing something so magnificent. I would not mind to have this parked in my garage... Nice article Larry, thanks.
"32 fords are overdone"
so all the s-chassis, vws, evos and gtrs that all look the same yet still show up on SH everyday are not overdone?
The beauty of hot rods is that every one is unique. maybe not anything new, but every one has something a little different. the difference between hot rods and more modern cars is that the differences aren't as obvious as a different set of wheels or the "stance". subtle things, like the beehive oil cooler here, or even the oil pan, not to mention the overall level of detail, are what make one deuce stand out from another. some guys can search for years just to find a rare intake manifold, then build an entire car around that one piece.
next time you see a high quality deuce, and are tempted to walk past without a second glance, stop, and take some time to appreciate the small things the builder has done, or at least to appreciate their dedication. the 32 is probably the single most important car in the entire history of the modified scene, no matter what your into, and it's a shame to hear hate from the community that it started.
Absolutely brilliant. Properly stunning..
I'm loving everything about it.
Its definitely at the point where I love it more as art, than as a car though; where It is just so much better to look at that I could ever imagine it is to drive (and that's not saying it would be anything less than a joy to drive!).
What a beautiful machine! I am not a huge hot rod guy, but you can't not respect the detail put into this one, and appreciate how it stands apart from every other cookie-cutter '32 Ford out there. It all works together so perfectly and appears as elegant as any Bentley or Bugatti from that period!
I am not a hot rod guy myself, but damn, this looks so clean and stylish! Epic car.
We have really pulled back from showing too many S chassis these days it has to be said...
This is excellent. i love how the leather boots on the clutch,brakes and gas pedals looks like laced up chucks taylors.Gangsta Sh*t! LOL
@hanablemoore Haha, yeah that was a really nice touch.
@VecTT How do you think I felt? I love this thing!
@RdS2 It sounded super mean, so I would hope they can drive it more often.
@datsunsss It's a good thing it does not rain much in Los Angeles, haha. Thanks for the support.
@hanablemoore AKA Baseball Stitching, I dig it too.
Best Hot Rod i have seen. HHR is TOP. RESPEKT Troy Ladd and Crew..regards from Germany..Butze
@Larry Chen @datsunsss They did leave the soft top mounting points in the body, although there is not a top for the car. But just in case the owner ever wanted one it is possible....
Live this car and feature thank you for bringing some hot rod flavor to SH
Live this car and feature thank you for bringing some hot rod flavor to SH
Thanks for all of the comments! We were honored to have the car featured by SpeedHunters. Remember we all have the same thing in common... the love of cars.
Troy Ladd.
@TroyLadd
@TroyLadd likewise it was an honor to visit your shop and cover the car. Thanks for taking the time to log in and comment.
thanks for the new desktop, I usually don't actively look or search for information on older cars such as this. But it was refreshing to see and definitely inspires a bit.
@TroyLadd Amen to that!
@hechtspeed Thanks for the support. We will be featuring more in the near future.
WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW. That is a damn tasteful rod!
Favourite. Hot Rod. Ever.
Favourite. Hot Rod. Ever.
Favourite. Hot Rod. Ever.
Wow a beautiful sight, nothing like seeing a hot rod of this magnitude
Perpetualroad.wordpress.com
Wow a beautiful sight, nothing like seeing a hot rod of this magnitude
Perpetualroad.wordpress.com
Wow a beautiful sight, nothing like seeing a hot rod of this magnitude
Perpetualroad.wordpress.com
Wow a beautiful sight, nothing like seeing a hot rod of this magnitude
Perpetualroad.wordpress.com
Achingly beautiful. Love the pedal booties, too!
Achingly beautiful. Love the pedal booties, too!
great feature! now you gotta hit up Troy Trepanier aka Rad Rides by Troy. That guy is pretty amazing too. =]
@TroyLadd Hi, Troy, I`m Tom from Germany and currently working on a 34 Ford Pickup for custom it to my 1st Hot Rod Project. I love especially the paint of this roadster; can I please know the paint Nr. /Name..? Your Roadster is a dream for every one who loves old cars! Kind Regards Thomas
@tom66
We call the color "Cohiba", but it was actually chosen from a sample of custom mixes the painter presented to the owner.
Good Luck on your project! 34 is a great truck. You guys are hardcore in Germany! Respect.
Very classy, nice attention to detail on the build!
Another home run By Troy and his outstanding team
How the heck can you top that?
This Deuce roadster from Hollywood Hot Rods' Troy Ladd is really special; check it out, ma fren's!