Make Them Mad

Do you remember the last time a hot rod made you mad? Maybe it was your own car? Maybe it wasn’t? But what about someone else’s car? Can you remember the last time someone did something to their personal vehicle that made you angry? So angry, in fact, that you felt the need to share it on the Internet?

Hot rods are polarizing. That’s what makes them fun. No two people have the same taste in cars, although we may agree on many things. Sometimes you just have to stir the pot to keep things interesting.

That’s what Matt at Iron Trap Garage in Pennsylvania did with his latest project. The premise is a simple one: take a restored 1932 Ford roadster and turn it into a hot rod. Right off the bat, he lets folks know that everything he does is easily reversible.

He ditches the bumpers, spare tires and headlights. He swaps out the steering wheel and adds perches for the hood latches. Sixteen-inch wheels help bring it down to earth, giving it the quintessential 1940s look.

When it’s all said and done, the car is still 100% functional. When Matt fires up the ’banger and pulls it out of the garage, I had flashbacks to the early days of my Model A roadster project.

Throughout the process, Matt made it very clear that this is only the beginning of the build. Things are undoubtedly going to get more involved, but there’s something appealing about a simple, high-riding early Ford set up in the early dry lakes style.

Some agree with that idea, but many do not. And in the comments section, they let Matt know. What do you think? Would you dig into a restored 1932 Ford roadster? I love the direction he’s heading, so I most certainly would. I can’t wait to see it with a chopped windshield!

–Joey Ukrop