Goodguys 2026 Top 5 Finalists for Tanks, Inc. Hot of the Year – Kent Thomazin’s 1930 Ford Model A Coupe
It’s safe to say that we’ve all dreamed of stopping by an estate sale and finding a classic car tucked away in the corner of the garage. Alas, in reality, it seems that most cars found at these house-clearing sales are Camrys, Accords, or similar boring transit beaters. Thanks to the help of a good friend, though, Kent Thomazin realized the gearhead dream of discovering a cool vintage car at a clearance sale.
“A friend of mine reached out after becoming aware of a 1930 Ford coupe coming up at an estate sale,” Kent says. “It was original, all steel, and last licensed in 1975! He said, ‘You need this car,’ and after an hour of garage beers, I told to him to let them know it was sold!”
Once the sale was final, Kent rolled the Model A over to Jared Hancock and his team at J-Rod & Custom for a top chop and some metal repair, but it didn’t take long before the project took on a more ambitious life of its own.
The factory frame was rolled right out of the shop in favor of a Boling Brothers assembly fitted with a dropped and drilled front axle with a four-link setup in the rear supported by coil-overs to dial in the ride quality. Early Lincoln drum brakes were mounted behind the classic Firestones on Wheelsmith 16- and 18-inch wire wheels. What’s surprising is how little of the underpinnings you see, as the J-Rod crew built an entire aluminum belly pan that wraps from the top of one frame rail around to the other, concealing everything underneath and adding an extra measure of style in the process.
A vintage Flathead V8 was the only drivetrain Kent could picture in his hot rod coupe, so he worked with Mike at H&H Flatheads on a detailed 8BA fueled through a trio of Stromberg carbs directing air and fuel into a polished Navarro intake and matching heads. A Tremec TKX five-speed adds an overdrive ratio to keep engine rpm low, and the engine stays cool thanks to a radiator from Johnson’s Radiator Works.
The interior was outfitted with a custom bomber-style bench seat, a Limeworks wheel topping a custom steering column, and gauges from Classic Instruments in a Model A panel. The car was then handed over to McFarland Upholstery, where all the soft interior parts were stitched in brown leather with classic hot rod styling. Note the custom aluminum transmission tunnel and the wooden shift knob, which was whittled from the car’s original wood framing pieces!
“I never imagined I’d have a car like this,” Kent says. “The build process with Jared and his crew was so much fun and a great experience. I’m glad to have it on the road and just couldn’t be happier with the end result.”
Photos: Marc Gewertz, John Jackson, Damon Lee
