This isn’t a show car, it’s a hot rod that was built to be driven. The pick-up features vintage styling and components that have been reworked to create a reliable hot rod cruiser.
Sometimes projects have a way of finding you. Call it destiny, call it coincidence or simply call it a car guy that can’t say no to a good deal. For Dave Welles of Seabright Hot Rods and his ’28 Ford roadster pickup, it was a combination of all three. The project actually started out as a ’29 roadster that he inherited from his father. His dad built the hot rod in the ’60s and it was showing its age.
As Dave began the rebuild and started sourcing parts, including folding windshield posts, he connected with fellow Ford enthusiasts in the Model A Ford Club of America. He started searching for Model A parts and came across a complete Model A for sale. Turns out it was an AR ’28 roadster pickup that had been worked on a bit but remained in storage. He had in his possession the foundation for a great hot rod driver build.
The first block in the foundation was the chassis. Dave took the project up to Roy Brizio Street Rods where a 1932 frame was pinched just at the cowl for a more modern, sleeker look with custom cross members built throughout.
A 9-inch from a 1957 Ford with 3.50 gears was narrowed and placed under the bobbed rear rails outfitted with 1940 Ford rear suspension with ladder bars.
Up front, a drop axle was used along with a MorDrop reverse eye spring and ’39 Ford spindles with Lincoln brakes. Finned Buick drums were used for that timeless hot rod vintage look. A set of powder coated and pinstriped 16 x 4–inch 1940 Ford wheels outfitted with Firestone 550 and 700 bias ply tires complete the foundation.–
Next on the list was the engine. Staying true to hot rodding’s roots, a 322 V-8 Nailhead engine out of a 1954 Buick was freshened up at Santa Cruz Auto. After Word War II car companies began producing larger vehicles and needed more powerful engines to carry the weight. Hot rodders poached these to stuff into lightweight, stripped-down, forgotten cars.
Dave had the Nailhead outfitted with Egge Pistons, a ported Offy intake manifold with three carbs, two Holley 94s and a C&G truck carburetor. A custom set of Jet Hot-coated headers run to Smithy glass packs provided the air intake and exit with a sweet sound. A 1964 Falcon sprint four-speed tranny hooked up to a Mustang clutch and Hurst shifter crowns the hot rod power plant.
The body and box were pretty cherry when Dave picked them up so it came down to the rest of the components. Dave made the hood and used a 1932 grille dropped down 2 inches for a sleeker look along with the chopped windshield. A Brookville roll pan, 1938 Plymouth taillights and Purple Heart bed wood floor finished things off before it was sprayed in PPG Oakwood Brown. On the inside, the cabin was buried in Dynamat before a custom bench seat was made and wrapped in vintage plaid and red vinyl.
For the dash, Dave once again looked towards period-correct hot rodding with a deuce dashboard featuring Stewart Warner gauges and a Sun tachometer topped off with a 1940 Ford steering wheel and switches from a 1948 Dodge. Living in Santa Cruz, California, and having a roadster, the cool ocean breeze is all that Dave needs for air conditioning.Dave has the vintage hot rod roadster of which his dad would approve.
