LIL 37

1937 Ford 5-Window Business Coupe

Owner: Andy Crockett

Built by Vick Klein (USA) and Valley Gas Speed Shop (UK)

Before the coupe was bought in the US and shipped to the UK, it had a Chevy 305tpi with R700/4 which was on the button and very reliable. I used the car as much as possible and, on its first show after registration, it took a top 10 at Billing. I loved the car but still had this childhood dream of having a blower! So, I bought myself a 6/71 BDS polished blower, manifold, Edelbrock carbs and a Shotgun Bill scoop from UK Blowers. Last year I was invited up to Valley Gas for a BBQ and a chance of meeting Gene Winfield and also the Valley Gas team who subsequently took on the job of modifying the car. The new blower set-up turned into a new 350 crate motor, specially-built turbo 400, torque converter, anti-bloom plates, modded prop, recon back axle and 9” diff.

All-steel original body and grille, filled and smoothed with smooth running boards, rear panel modded in steel with frenched number plate and flush rear lights custom made by Vick Klein, with extra brake light below rear window. Bonnet modded for blower by Valley Gas, electric pull-down boot catch, remote door opener, electric tinted windows, with a one-piece Jefferies Hotrods laminated windscreen. Original stainless and chrome trim on grille and side panels painted in Toyota Super Red by Matt at Peels Motorkraft in Bristol.

Interior features bench seat trimmed in grey tweed, matching door panels and back shelf. Headliner and carpets are grey wool with matching overmats, dash and window trims covered in grey leather (dash is out of late Chevy Camaro), 4-speaker MP3 Alpine system, aerial frenched into rear deck panel, Frigette air-conditioning unit, electric tinted windows, power steering, auto-shifter on an adjustable column, chromed brake and throttle pedals, billet mirror.

Chassis is original ’37 Ford frame, boxed at front and rear for strength, frame cross member fitted and modded for gear box, Heidt’s Mustang II cross-member fitted.

Wheels are Colorado Custom Billets (directional) 18s on rear, 17s on front, with Continental 235/45 ZR and 205/40 ZRs respectively.

First outing after work was Billing 2008 where she took Competitors’ Choice and Overall Show Winner, which reflects the high standards of Valley Gas Speed Shop’s work.