Adams Hot Rods Knows 1932 Fords – Just Ask Billy Tilley
When it comes to ’32 Fords, Billy Tilley is a lucky man. He’s owned nine Deuces over the course of his many years of hot rodding. He knows what he likes and sticks to what he knows, which is why five of his cars have been built by Chad Adams and his team at Adams Hot Rods.
“I know they build beautiful cars and well-built cars,” Billy said. “There’s pride in owning a beautifully built car and I wouldn’t have done anything different with this car.”
Adams Hot Rods, based in Rydal, Georgia, started this build with a chopped Russ Nomore Streetrods fiberglass five-window coupe body to mount on a custom chassis built at the shop. A 4-inch drilled Super Bell axle and hairpin radius rod combo works in concert with steering by Flaming River. Out back, a triangulated four-bar setup secures a 9-inch rearend with adjustable coil-overs. Tucked under the Brookville fenders are a set of American Rebel wheels up front with custom ET Fuelers in the rear.
The body features a chrome fold-out windshield, steel drip rails, and a flush-fit roof insert covered in Hartz cloth. It’s fitted with ’32 Ford headlights and taillight assemblies from Johnsons’ Hot Rod Shop and once everything was prepped and pre-fitted, Adam’s blew the car apart to cover it in a mirror-like finish of PPG black.
A little Deuce coupe doesn’t need a lot of horsepower to be fun, so to keep the performance level strong and simple a 300-horsepower 350c.i. crate engine was sourced from Chevrolet Performance. Adams installed an Edelbrock aluminum intake, AVS carb, and valve covers, while a PRC radiator and fan setup keep the temperature in check. An equally simple TH350 trans is operated via a Lokar shifter with the cruising rpm staying in check thanks to 3.00 gears with a tall Firestone 265/70/16 rear tire.
The comfortable interior features a stock-style dash with a So-Cal bezel and gauges. A ’40 Ford wheel is perched atop the Flaming River column and to keep Billy and his wife Reeva cool, a Southern Air A/C unit is tucked up under the dash. The team at Adams stitched the leather and fabrics together with vintage style, while the billet Lokar pedals and handles add some finishing flair.
Having the good fortune to own nine different ’32s gives one a sense of what they want and expect out of a hot rod. It sounds like Billy is all set for the long haul with this five-window coupe, but the question must be asked: will he go for 10? We’ll have to wait and see what other Deuces come up at Adams Hot Rods!
Photos by Todd Ryden
