Slide 1

From a straight-on view, hot rod tradition meets pure intimidation. Check out the
383’s unique twin intake scoops and the coupe’s increasingly rare un-chopped top. “I had the pillars marked with tape where we were going to make the cuts, but the guy who agreed to help me never showed up!” says Mike.  “And I’m glad he didn’t, because I think it looks right like this.”

Slide 2

Another rare sight? Mike elected to keep the rumble seat out back (upholstered in the same tan and buckskin leather as the interior seats), rather than tucking a gas tank in that space. The fuel still goes in just north of the dashboard on this 1930 Model A, like Henry intended. What’s definitely not stock are the Billet Specialties wheels (Alterds up front, Vintecs in the rear) and BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tires, which provide an aggressive rake and plenty of grip.

Slide 3

Right behind the coupe’s 1932 grille is where tradition takes a backseat to ingenuity. Here, Mike swapped the original timeworn four-banger for a one-of-a-kind Chevy 383. Pull your eyes away from the polish and chrome, and you’ll notice the towering intake setup, featuring a pair of 2GC Rochesters feeding a 750 cfm Edelbrock Performer. Valve covers emblazoned with “Father Time” give a nod to one of the car’s previous owners, a clock maker from Mike’s hometown.

Slide 4

Give yourself 10 points if you correctly identified the Sanderson Limefire headers, but these aren’t your garden variety pipes: inside each main tube is half of a glasspack muffler, which Mike “re-engineered” to fit snugly inside. The motor still has plenty of bark when you get on the gas, but the fiberglass insulation is enough to take out some of the bite when Mike buries the pedal deep into the plush stuff.

Slide 5

Drawing on his background in welding and fabrication, Mike was able to salvage the Model A’s rusted-out cab, but thanks to 70 years of Ohio weather, the chassis was too far gone to reuse. Mike sourced a new frame from Brookville Roadster to get the build back on track. Custom-mixed House of Kolor Candy Apple Gold paint applied by McCombe Body Shop in Columbus, OH highlights the coupe’s classic bodylines with modern flair. Black primer gives the paint added depth.

Slide 6

The Model A was never known for having a lavishly appointed interior, so don’t expect to find touch-screen navigation or massaging seats inside. Instead, Mike kept it sleek and straightforward with a Lokar Nostalgia Series double-bend shifter and Billet Specialties Chicayne steering wheel. Bob Evans of Zanesville, Ohio reupholstered the cockpit in a tan and buckskin leather, and swapped the original bench seat for Mustang buckets. The nitrous bottle tucked into the passenger foot well serves as a not-so-subtle hint of things to come.