Goodguys 2024 Meguiar’s Street Rod d’Elegance – Ken Reister’s 1932 Ford Phaeton
Ken Reister brought some open-air, candy-colored beauty to the beach over the weekend when he showed up with his gorgeous full-fendered ’32 Ford two-door phaeton for the Goodguys 23rd Del Mar Nationals presented by FiTech Fuel Injection. And he headed home on Sunday with an incredible honor – the coveted 2024 Meguiar’s Street Rod D’Elegance title, part of the annual Goodguys Top 12 awards presented by BASF.
Reister is no stranger to major awards and accolades. His past cars have won some of hot rodding’s highest honors, including Ridler Awards, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, and multiple Goodguys Top 12 awards. His phaeton – which he says will be his last street rod – is based on a limited-production steel body built by Brookville Roadster and designed by Chip Foose. The concept Foose had was to imagine a two-door version of the touring body style, using suicide-style three-window coupe doors. It’s a phantom phaeton – or “Phanton” – and Brookville only built 32 of the bodies.
“I dreamed about it and looked at a picture done by Darrell Mayabb ever since I was released from the military,” Ken says. “When Chip told me he was going to do a similar steel body with Brookville, I jumped on it.”
The build began at Ken’s shop, Reister’s Rod Shop, where the custom frame was equipped with polished Kugel independent front and rear suspensions, with Wilwood disc brakes up front and inboard Kugel discs in the rear. Ken’s desire to achieve an elegant, timeless look led him to use chrome Truespoke wire wheels, 15×6 in front and 16×8 in the rear, with two-bar knock-off centers and smoothed Michelin tires.
Ken kept things all-Ford on this build, using a 340hp 302c.i. Ford Performance crate engine topped with triple-carb-style fuel injection and equipped with Mallory ignition. Naturally, the engine is exquisitely dressed and detailed with finned aluminum valve covers and plenty of polish and paint. It breathes through custom headers and a stainless exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers. A 4R70 overdrive transmission backs it up.
The project made its way to Squeeg’s Kustoms for metalwork, bodywork, plus a lot of additional fabrication, detail work, and final assembly. Matt Tomb did some metal shaping on the rear of the car to refine the look a little, and there were many subtle nips and tucks made elsewhere to achieve a shape and flow that looks graceful, natural, and clean. The body was ultimately bathed in one of Squeeg’s signature candy apple red finishes using custom-mixed PPG materials. Look closely and you’ll even find subtle and tasteful details like ghost scallops on the front fenders. Finishing touches include ’32 Ford commercial headlights, Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop taillights, and beautiful chrome by Russell’s Polishing and Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating.
Tracy Weaver and his crew at Recovery Room got the call for the interior and knocked it out of the park with gorgeous two-tone brown Apex leather in a clean and classy design with diamond-stitched inserts, custom trim from Atomic Machine, and many thoughtful details. The dash was fitted with restored ’37 Buick gauges and a wood-rimmed Nardi wheel atop an Ididit tilt column, with Vintage Air tucked back behind to provide some climate control. Upholstery veteran Sid Chavers finished the top in tan cloth.
Designer Chip Foose had an interesting observation when the Brookville Phanton bodies first started production. “Why would you build a phaeton” he asked? “Well, you can haul your friends with it. And when you’re driving a car like this, you want to share that experience.” That thought truly resonated with us while photographing Ken’s Deuce in Del Mar, a place where you can imagine two distinguished couples cruising along the coast in this gorgeous street rod on their way to a beachside dinner. It seems like a fitting visual for the 2024 Meguiar’s Street Rod D’Elegance winner, don’t you think?
See the other Meguair’s Street Rod d’Elegance Finalists:
Photos by Michael Christensen & Damon Lee
