It’s time I start a proper build thread on the 34. It’s been a little while since I have written a build thread... so here it goes. Two years ago I met Brad Barrows. He was introduced to me through my friend Mike bowling. Shortly afterward meeting Brad I was able to buy my 1930 Coupe known as The Barrows Coupe aka “First Born” It was the first car Brad ever built in the Late 70’s. There’s a (Re) build thread on here... just do a quick search if you want to read it. It’s a quick over view of the rebuild. At the time I met Brad, he was in the process of selling a few other vehicles and he was busy speaking with a gentleman regarding another car. So Mike B gave me the tour of Brads amazing property and collection of vintage iron. Mike and I walked into Brads big shop and there sat this 1933/34 Ford Coupe that Mike said. “I’ve always wanted this car, there’s a lot of people who want this car. “ “But he won’t sell it, he just says “ oh yeah, that old car” and proceeds to tell it’s origins and how he was able to obtain it. So the story goes, Brad owned a hotrod shop years ago and one day a guy stopped in in the early 80’a and said he had an old hotrod that he wanted to sell. Brad said that got his attention, he said those kinds of things happened all the time. People popping in trying to sell things. But brad wanted to see this old hotrod the guy said he had. So the next day he set off to go check it out. The Guys name is David Shannon. He resided in Watertown Mass at that time. Brad said the car was sitting in the back of an old garage. The car at that time didn’t have a motor or transmission in it. The motor and trans were sitting beside the car on the floor with a hole in the block. The motor had thrown a rod at some point and was then removed. The motor was a 1963 Pontiac 389 with a Tri Power intake and carb setup. Brad did not know the history of the car, where it came from, when it was built ... After looking at the car Brad said he never thought 33/34 Ford Coupes were that great looking ... he was walking away from the car with the asking price of $2500.00. He stopped and said to himself “what am I doing?” He turned around, pulled the money from his pocket and bought the car. He left the motor and trans behind but took the tri-power setup. He laughed and said “I sold it for $1,000.00 shortly after and got almost 1/2 my money back.” Here are a few pictures of the car when Brad purchased the car. It didn’t live this way much longer ... Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Brad got the car as I said with no motor and trans. The firewall had been removed as seen in the pictures and the floors and complete interior were missing. Brad had the car a short time and started making changes. He chopped the roof 4” and sourced a 57/58 Olds J2 371 motor and trans from a hot rodders estate. He decided to run the Olds and convert the manual trans to a auto. He needed to stretch the frame in order to fit the motor and trans combo behind the front cross member. He stretched the frame 3” to be able to run the 32 style radiator and shell behind the cross member. At some point someone had offered brad a set of old headers from an Olds drag car. He didn’t know the history or brand but he purchased them for the coupe. So fast forward from the mid 1980’s 85/86 ish ... to the day I bought the 1930 Cabriolet body. Another build thread on here search “Cabrio to go”. I channeled the old hotrod body, put it on a stock model a chassis and built the floor structure and got the doors hung and latching. It’s a quick read... I told brad I wanted to throw my hat in the ring for the 34 Coupe. Again. He laughed and said “everyone wants that car.” I said I know there’s a lot of people who have asked to buy the car... I would just love the opportunity to own it and someday put it back on the road ... Here are pictures of the 34 the day I picked up the cabrio body Over the last year or so every time I speak to brad I tell him .. let me know when you’re ready to sell the 34. Brad has been a huge supporter of mine during and after rebuilding the 1930 coupe. He always said he would love to see the 34 finished someday like I did the coupe ... Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
So...just found this thread, but the suspense is already killin' me... Seems we need another update soon.
This past spring I spoke to Kathy (Brads GF) after they returned from Florida and she told me Brad was thinking about possibly selling the coupe. I believe at that time I was the only person who even knew ... I told friends close to me there was a chance I may end up with it. However there was no talk of price or even if or when it may happen. I post up often on my FB profile pictures videos and updates as I’m working on, driving the 30. Brad and Kathy always enjoy the updates and comment how they’re happy the coupe is in the hands of someone who cares and enjoys it. Months had passed and Kathy messaged me on FB and told me to call Brad. He wanted me to buy the 34 ... Man, the nerves just shot right up... reason being. I really didn’t have what money I thought it would take to buy the car. Even though we had never talked price. I kinda had a number in my head as to where I thought he may be. I called brad, we spoke for quite a while on the phone and agreed upon a price for the car. He said he was going to list it up for sale for a certain number but he really wanted me to have the car. So I could have the car for the “friends and family” discount. At that point I had to come up with the money ... I had some, but not all. I had planned to bring Brad a portion of the money as a deposit, like I did with the 30. However life has a way of just working out at times. I was able to come up with the money within the next week or so and I called Brad. I told him I was coming up with money and bringing my trailer ... he laughed. He said “are you serious ... I know you robbed a bank this time.” He asked the same question when I bought the 30. That following Saturday I drove up to his house with Pete Flaven and I had to call Mike Bowling to tell him to meet me there ... none of this would have ever happened if it weren’t for Mr B. I brought a media friend of mine to capture it on his cameras... (I never have seen that footage come to think of it) But here’s a few pictures of the car the day we picked it up. The coupe was filled with parts and pieces. Not only to it but other cars as well. Not to mention the entire car was literally sitting together. Everything came off and ended up in the bed of my truck. We laughed ... expecting the motor and trans to be sitting in there as well. Sitting on the trailer at home. Putting the pieces back on... That’s gotta hold ya off till later or tomorrow. My Dirtbike is calling my name... Wednesday’s are Moto days. Gotta do some maintenance and head to the track. Enjoy the photos.... oh here’s the link to the video I posted of Rescuing the 34 from its long term storage. Enjoy ! Mike aka- One hell of a lucky guy. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Being a 33/34 Ford coupe fanatic and loving every part and parcel of them, a question. Do you plan on keeping that immigrant grill, or putting in what it was born with?? no pre 40's grill was ever more stylish or said"Hot Rod"
Great find! Such a cool car with an amazing history. Looking forward to seeing you bring it back to its glory. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Cool car, I saw it on YouTube a few weeks ago. Good luck with the build. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Some of the parts that came with car were some nice old and hard to find parts. Here’s some pictures... Weiand DragStar 6x2 Unfortunately the intake will not work with the 371 Olds. It’s a late 371/394 Style intake. Old chrome HURST Motor mounts Headers brad picked up for the Olds unfortunlynthwy also will not work with the motor. Also late 371/394 headers Mallory Mini Mag dist Hikdebramt Starter crossover Early B&M shifter 15”’Chrome reverse F1 style front wheels 55/56 Chevy Chrome reverse rear wheels 1957/58 Chevy Posi rear w 3:54’s or 3:56. Whatever Chevy gear ratios were. I forget Old Yankee plate light /holder Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
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