GMP has built us the quintessential “Deuce Coupe” and if you’re going to have just one coupe from the GMP series. This probably needs to be it!
In the spring of 1932, in the middle of the great depression, Henry Ford introduced a car that would change the image of his company and have an everlasting effect on car culture. The car was the V-8 powered 1932 Ford …… which later became known as the “Deuce”.
Although originally envisioned as a transitional model between the boxy 1931 and the more streamlined 1933 Fords, the Deuce was the first year Ford equipped its cars with an optional V-8, an engine developed in secrecy and meant to trump the Chevrolet’s straight-six and add a new level of performance and prestige to the lowly Ford. What Ford didn’t know at the time was that it was creating the car that would become the iconic hot rod.
Besides the V-8 engine, probably the most distinguishing feature of the Deuce was the streamlined radiator shell. And this became a favorite upgrade for Model A Fords from 1928 on. Even Norm Grabowski’s 1922 Ford T “Kookie’s Kar” was equipped with a ’32 shell.
At first, Southern California hot rodders were only interested in the ’32 Ford Roadster, perceiving the coupe and sedan as “family cars”. But eventually the coupes also won their place in hot rodders’ hearts as the tops were “chopped” and coupes started setting timed speed records at El Mirage Dry Lake north of L.A.
After WWII, veterans returning from the war and the many factory workers from the defense companies spread throughout Southern California kicked hot rodding into high gear. Pre-war Fords were plentiful and cheap and men like Vic Edelbrock, Barney Navarro, Fred Offenhauser and many others got into the business of building aftermarket parts to “soup-up” the Ford flathead V-8. High compression heads, multiple carb manifolds, hot ignitions, headers, clutches and quickchange rearends were added to these cars to give them more power and speed .
GMP’s Deuce Coupe is a very typical example of a car that could be found cruising the streets of Southern California in the late ‘40’s and throughout the ‘50’s. It’s a “chopped top” three-window fenderless high-boy. High-boy means the body hasn’t been “channeled” or lowered over the frame. In the interior, the stock Ford dash has been replaced with a 1940 Ford dash and steering wheel. It’s got a Ford flathead V-8 equipped with an Edelbrock dual-carb manifold mounting a pair of Stromberg 97 carburetors. It’s also got a set of Edelbrock finned aluminum high-compression heads and fabricated headers.
In the back, a Halibrand quickchange center-section has been added to the straight Ford rear axle. Out in front of the radiator, a small Moon fuel tank has been installed to handle whatever racing fuel the owner might choose to run. The front axle has been dago’ed or dropped and hairpin radius rods have replaced the rest of the stock Ford suspension. The stamped steel wheels feature beauty rims and baby Ford hubcaps. The car is “raked” (lowered in the front) and runs bigger bias-ply tires in the rear than in the front. And the bench seat and door panels have been covered in red “tuck & roll” upholstery by Tony Nancy (or maybe TJ’s Juan Garcia, who knows ?). In a word, the car is “period perfect” for its era.
GMP has done an excellent job with this car as they have with their whole Deuce series. Their choice of the pieces they added to and took away from this 1932 coupe shows that they got sound advice from a very savvy hot rodder. Most likely that was Roy Brizio who has been a collaborator on the whole series. The glossy black paint finish is excellent and the level of detail has been kicked-up a notch with the addition of a more-detailed hydraulic brake system. The steering actually goes through a geared steering box, a sign of their attention to detail and the red flocked “carpets” are reasonably convincing. I love the stance. The non-cognosenti (my father) referred to it as looking like a “stink bug” with its rear up in the air. But to hot rod lovers, it was pure heaven. Overall, the car is a real beauty and will make a nice addition to any collection. I highly recommend it.
There, I got through the whole review and didn’t mention the Beach Boys once……. Whoops !
-Bill Bennett