Pinball Wizard

1954 Ford Pop 2-door Saloon

Owner: P Le Grice

Originally built by Mickey Bray in the early 1970s, Pinball Wizard ran a 383cu.in Mopar V8. It was one of the first Ford Pops fitted with an American V8 big block. In 1974 at Crystal Palace Custom Show, it won 3 categories: Best Street Custom, Best Street Car and Best in Show. It featured in Custom Car magazine in May 1974. The car was sold in 1976 to Peter Frampton; Pinball Wizard then changed hands a number of times and was purchased by its current owner in 2003.

The car still has its original steel body with wide fibreglass rear wings, fibreglass boot lid and one-piece fibreglass front air scoop. It was originally painted by Mickey Bray (who worked for Metal Flake), and then repainted around 1990 in PPG base yellow (plus 20 coats of lacquer) by Paul Franklin. All windows tinted black with Perspex side windows installed by Mickey still in place. Underside of vehicle polished aluminium plate. Body flips like an LA funny car. Full roll cage fitted to strengthen body when raised.

Buttoned Draylon upholstery, including bench seat and headlining. Steering column is Vauxhall Velox with Mountney 10” deep dish; foot brake home made with chrome Lokar foot accelerator pedal. Gear shift is Hurst Selectormatic with polished aluminium piston. Panasonic sound system with 4 speakers.

Chassis built with 3x2 box section steel, built like a stock ‘T’ chassis, front axle is from a MGB steering rack. Coil over kit with Koni shocks (lots of chrome). Fitted with a Wilwood brake kit. Rear axle from Jaguar Mk10, narrowed 8”, runs a 3.54 diff ratio. The axle is been modified, limited slip diff, Jaguar vented brake discs. 4 new Gaz shockers.

Engine is 440 big-block Mopar, bored out to 446 (a 30 thou overbore). Rebuilt Torqueflite 727 gearbox. Prop shaft is only 12” long. Header pipes in stainless steel with heat wrap. All the above combines to produce approx. 600 horse power, now stands at 7.3 litres.

Wheels are one-offs, made by the Chassis Works in London. Billet aluminium rims bolted to the centres. Rear wheels are 10”x15”.

Fuel tank in the boot approx 2’ square polished aluminium with filler cap in centre of body under the rear window. Polished aluminium radiator. Exhaust is polished 4” stainless with Super Trapp cones, stainless steel plates to the end.