2024 Meguiar’s Street Rod d’Elegance Finalist – Father and Son Built 1937 Ford Sedan
The 1937 Ford model year witnessed several styling innovations for the blue oval Company and the introduction of a more rounded and streamlined appearance for passenger cars. Gone were the fabric top inserts, as all-steel roofs were now found on coupes and sedans. The four-piece hood also gave way to a one-piece hood top design hinged at the rear. Flanking the hood and V-shaped grille were stylish faired-in teardrop-shaped headlights that reflected the Art Deco influence of the era.
Despite those design advances, the 1937 Ford has not always been well-received in street rodding. Many rodders avoided the model for years, favoring the more conventional ’30s styling of the ’35 and ’36 Fords, or the even rounder ’39 and ’40s. That began to change in the late-1980s and 1990s, as fat-fendered street rods soared in popularity, frequently being treated to the smoothed-off custom look of the era.
Joseph and Al Gonzalez’s 1937 Ford sedan is an excellent example of how well these cars respond to the smooth and slick street rod treatment. The father-and-son duo bought the car as a completed street rod from a fellow member of their car club, the Road Kings of Burbank, and they’ve spent a good portion of the last two years refining and updating it.
The slant-back sedan body is seriously sleek thanks to a 3.5-inch top chop, lowered roof crown, deleted bumpers, widened front fenders, lowered headlights, smooth running boards, and shaved trim. Beautiful black paint by George Gray enhances the smooth look, along with a billet grille, one-piece windshield (that still opens), and ’39 Ford taillights.
The custom body is supported by a boxed frame with an independent front suspension featuring Ridetech air springs and Wilwood disc brakes, and a fully polished Kugel independent rear suspension with coil-overs. The stylish rolling stock consists of Schott Tomahawk 18×7- and 20×12-inch wheels supporting Michelin rubber.
Rumbling between the frame rails is a healthy 383c.i. stroker small block Chevy equipped with aluminum heads, an MSD ignition, and dual Edelbrock four-barrel carbs. There’s plenty of polish, including Billet Specialties valve covers and air cleaner, while Sanderson headers lead to a custom exhaust. A Hurst shifter controls the Tremec five-speed transmission.
Custom tan leather upholstery by Bill Heath provides a nice contrast inside and covers power bucket seats. VDO gauges are housed in a custom billet panel on the modified dash, while a Billet Specialties wheel tops a chrome tilt column.
While the sedan is a definite beauty, even more important is the bond it helps create between father and son. “We’ve been doing shows since I was three years old,” Joseph says. “I’m a third-generation Road Kings member for seven years now; my father has been in for 15 years. We do everything together.”
See the other Meguair’s Street Rod d’Elegance Finalists:
Photos by Michael Christensen and Damon Lee
