The Heart of the Goodguys 2023/2024 Grand Prize Giveaway ’32 Ford Coupe Will Look as Good as it Performs and Sounds
We’ve spent the last couple installments focusing on metalwork and fabrication on the Goodguys 2023/2024 Grand Prize Giveaway ’32 Ford coupe being built at Streamline Custom Designs in Utah. Like any good project, though, there’s always more than one thing happening at a time on this coupe. In the midst of all that metal movement, the Streamline team has also been gathering, assembling, and fabricating a variety of parts that will help this hot rod go, steer, and perform the way it should. We’re going to take a look at a few of those things this month.
When we first kicked off this build back in November 2022, we told you it would be getting a Roush Performance Ford crate engine for power. The 347c.i. stroker small block should be plenty potent thanks to a roller camshaft, aluminum heads, and a host of other premium internal parts. Like true hot rodders, though, Goodguys and the Streamline team wanted to make it even better in both appearance and performance.
Here’s our Roush Performance 347c.i. Ford crate engine, looking pretty much like it did when it came out of the box. Rated a 410 horsepower, it’s built with proven parts like a roller camshaft, aluminum heads, roller rockers, and all the other elements you’d expect from a premium performance engine. Our goal is to make it look a little more vintage and tailored for this custom five-window coupe.
To that end, we reached out to Borla Induction for one of the company’s trick throttle body induction systems. This setup certainly looks the part with eight intake stacks, each funneling air to individual throttle bodies to feed each cylinder. With machined air horns, high-volume fuel rails, and a precision-machined manifold, this induction system straddles the line of classic cool and modern finesse and will perform beautifully when paired with the Holley Terminator X fuel injection management system and the MSD distributor and ignition controls.
From a visual and performance standpoint, we’re very excited to incorporate this stack-style throttle body fuel injection system from Borla Induction. It looks fantastic with eight aluminum air intake stacks, each feeding individual throttle bodies for each cylinder. With machined air horns, high-volume fuel rails, and a precision-machined manifold, this induction system brings a blend of vintage style and contemporary cool to the engine. It will perform beautifully when paired with the Holley Terminator X fuel injection management system and the MSD distributor and ignition controls.
Our friends at Borla also stepped up to help with the exhaust system, supplying the stainless pipes and mufflers so the Streamline crew could craft custom-tailored pipes. Fumes will be directed to the exhaust system by custom headers built from components provided by Stainless Headers.
Headers were one of the first projects once the engine was mounted in the chassis. These were custom built by Streamline using components provided by Stainless Headers. In this photo you can also see the Powermaster mini starter peering out from behind the header, plus the engine mounts from Speedway Motors.
In addition to the induction system, Borla sent us all the stainless exhaust tubing, clamps, mufflers, and other pieces needed to craft a clean custom exhaust system. We won’t get into exhaustive detail here, but the Streamline crew built a system that’s tight, tucked up high, and looks great. Check out the X-pipe above the Winters quick-change rearend – a clean and cool way to clear the exhaust over the rear suspension!
In addition to the nostalgia-influenced injection system, we wanted other elements to give the engine a more vintage flavor. One key was the Ford Y-block valve covers, which were installed using adapters from Wicked Fabrication. These are being augmented with Olds-style spark plug wire separators and Offenhauser valve cover breathers from Speedway Motors. We also got the ARP engine fastener kit and engine mounts from Speedway. The vintage-style plug wires came from Lokar, as did the engine and transmission dipsticks and throttle cable.
Flanking the fuel injection intake will be a pair of modified Ford Y-block valve covers. Our friends at Wicked Fabrication make machined aluminum adapters to allow these valve covers to be bolted to Ford small-block heads. To enhance them even further, the Streamline team adapted Olds-style wire separators from Speedway Motors to mount on top of the valve covers, showing off the vintage-style plug wires from Lokar. Note also the cast aluminum Offenhauser breathers, also from Speedway, that were fitted to the valve covers.
To keep the various vehicle systems functioning properly, a March Performance accessory drive system was bolted to the front of the engine. This system keeps everything tucked in tight, mounting the Powermaster alternator and Vintage Air A/C compressor up high above the valve covers to eliminate interference with the hood sides. Powermaster also supplied the mini starter for the Ford engine.
The front of the engine was equipped with an accessory drive system from March Performance. It’s designed to keep everything tucked tight in a narrow engine compartment like this ’32. Up top you see the A/C compressor from Vintage Air on the left and a Powermaster alternator on the right.
Behind the engine, shifting duties will be handled by a Bowler Performance Tru-Street 4R70W four-speed automatic transmission. This dyno-tested transmission got the full Bowler treatment, with new internal parts like clutches, seals, gaskets, and solenoids, plus a recalibrated valve body, an improved lubrication system, and other precision enhancements designed to deliver strong and reliable performance behind the potent Roush engine.
Behind the engine, this Tru-Street 4R70W transmission from Bowler Performance Transmissions will make easy work of sending power to the quick-change rearend. Like all Bowler transmissions, this dyno-tested four-speed automatic is built with new clutches, seals, gaskets, solenoids and other internals, and features a recalibrated valve body, an improved lubrication system, and other precision enhancements designed to deliver strong and reliable performance.
While working on things in the engine compartment, the guys at Streamline also built a steering shaft to connect the steering column (a LimeWorks unit we’ll show in more detail an upcoming installment) to the steering box. The Vega steering box came from Borgeson, as did the steering shaft pieces, U-joints, and support bearing needed to route the shaft around the driver’s side header.
As part of the floor fabrication and assembly we showed in last month’s issue, the new steering column and wheel from LimeWorks were mocked up. A steering shaft still needed to be built to link the column to the steering box. Borgeson supplied the necessary steering shaft pieces and U-joints for this. See the hole cut in the frame bracket for the engine mount? That’s where a support bearing was installed for the lower portion of the steering shaft.
Here you can see the installed support bearing, and the completed steering shaft assembly, as well as the Borgeson Vega steering box.
It’s exciting to see the powertrain coming together, and you can bet that it will look even more impressive after the guys at Streamline Custom Designs get everything painted and detailed to coordinate with the car’s exterior color. Bodywork, paint, upholstery, and detailing will be coming soon, so stay tuned as we see this coupe through to completion.
Photos courtesy Streamline Custom Designs
