Hang out on the car show scene long and enough and you’ll inevitably hear people debate the issue of driving cars to the show, versus trailering them. While we’re not going to put anyone down for whatever decision they happen to make, if you were looking for a poster car to represent the “You’ve Got To Drive Them” movement, you’d have to look no further than Bill Cuebas and his 1932 Ford Hiboy Roadster. That’s because to say that Bill has logged a lot of miles behind the wheel of his Roadster would be a severe understatement.
Bill’s cool Roadster was started in July of 2000, and finished in September of 2001. It’s maiden voyage was to the NSRA Southeast Nationals in Tampa in 2001 while still living in Pennsylvania, and he’s never looked back in the 10 years since then. Stationed out of Melbourne, Florida now, the car has been driven to and from the LA Roadster Show in California twice, to Hot August Nights in Reno, Nevada, to the Salt Flats in Utah, and to the Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky several times. Add that to the many, many shows Bill attends every year all over Florida, and chances are he puts as many miles on his Deuce as most families do on their regular daily drivers.
The car was built using a So-Cal chassis, utilizing their trick front disc brake setup, which is concealed by finned aluminum drum brake style covers for a nostalgic look with modern performance. Under the hood you’ll find a 350 cubic inch Chevy engine topped with items from Edelbrock, which include the finned aluminum valve covers accented with red paint, intake manifold and carb, plus a Joe Hunt magneto. A remote oil filter is mounted on the firewall, which also sports the finned aluminum and red paint look, and topping the engine off is a Cadillac style air cleaner cover with pinstriping and a Von Dutch style flying eyeball. Shifting chores are handled by a 700R4 overdrive automatic with a Lokar shifter, and the power is ultimately transferred through a 9-inch Ford rear end with 3.90:1 gears.
The reproduction body is form Brookville, which was built using the same gauge steel as the originals, and every panel and part of this body is interchangeable with what came out of the Ford factory. Black paint, a set of Halibrand salt flat wheels, pinstirping, and the Clay Smith Cams style woodpecker smoking a cigar on the sides all lend to the nostalgic look. The interior is done up in red ultra leather, and features a Glide seat. The So-Cal turned aluminum dash insert is home to classic white faced gauges, and the banjo style steering wheel keeps up the nostalgic theme found throughout the car.
Bill told us the car is comfortable to ride in, and that is certainly something he knows about. To look at it you’d never know it has clicked off all those miles, but I’m sure Bill has the stories and smiles to prove it! CN |
