TJ Cannon’s Custom Roadster Earns the Speedway Motors Homebuilt Heaven Title
Hot rodding is built on the do-it-yourself ethos of hands-on enthusiasts. Our hobby thrives thanks to gearheads who work diligently in their home garages and backyard shops to build the cars and trucks of their dreams. Goodguys and Speedway Motors celebrate this spirit with the Homebuilt Heaven parking area and corresponding Homebuilt Heaven award bestowed at each event during the season. At the end of 2023, all of the Homebuilt Heaven event winners were placed on an online ballot to determine the yearend champion – congrats to TJ Cannon for earning the Speedway Motors Homebuilt Heaven of 2023 with his custom built “35” roadster!
Rebuilding an old car is one thing, but crafting one from scratch is an entirely different level of hot rodding! That’s just what TJ Cannon did to create this one-of-a-kind aluminum-bodied roadster, a fitting winner of the 2023 Speedway Motors Homebuilt Heaven award.
“From a young age, I thought it would be cool to build a car from scratch,” TJ says. “I’ve been building up my tools and skills for years. I wanted to learn how to shape metal. This car was a reason to learn and get better at it.
“I blame my dad,” TJ continues. “He gave me a ’35 Ford axle, and I kind of built the car around that.”
That axle was attached to a custom frame based on ’32 Ford dimensions and built from 2×3-inch square tubing. The front axle rides on a transverse leaf spring, and the S-10 rear axle is suspended by coil-overs. TJ designed and built the radius rods locating the front and rear axles. The custom chassis rolls on 16-inch wheels wrapped in Yokohama tires and topped with Ford hubcaps from Speedway Motors.
TJ says he bought the used 350c.i. small-block Chevy crate engine from a friend, and then cleaned and detailed it to look at home in the chassis. It’s backed by a TH350 automatic transmission and exhales through custom headers.
The aluminum body is a custom design that TJ envisioned and brought to life. “I saw it in my head,” he says. “It’s kind of a mix of all the different cars I thought were good looking.”
Using tools like an English wheel, planishing hammer, shrinker/stretcher, and bead roller – plus knowledge picked up from online videos – TJ crafted the aluminum body skin, which is supported by framework built from ½-inch aluminum tubing. Even the windshield frame is scratch built using aluminum skinned over a steel wire form. The custom bed has a floor built from ¼x4-inch brushed aluminum slats for a wood-like look.
There’s more hand-crafted handiwork inside, where TJ built bomber-style bucket seats and a custom dash, which is fitted with Dolphin gauges. He also whittled a custom steering wheel and shifter on his CNC machine, and then bought a sewing machine and taught himself to sew so he could stitch the upholstery.
TJ estimates he has about 3,000 hours invested in the car over a three-year period. But the satisfaction of driving a car he built from scratch is nothing short of priceless.
Congratulations to TJ Cannon for his winning homebuilt ride! TJ will receive a gift certificate, custom jacket and prize swag from Speedway Motors, in addition to the satisfaction of knowing he’s helping to keep the do-it-yourself hot rodding spirit alive. If you’ve got a garage-built beauty you’d like to show off, look for the Speedway Motors Homebuilt Heaven section in the Saturday Special Parking area at Goodguys events this season!
