Fabulous Forty

Like so many hot rodders, Tom started hopping up cars when he was a teenager. With an Archie Bunker-like father who discouraged Tom’s interest in cars, the motivation was all from Tom himself. Building his first rod, a souped-up Model A, was a learning experience. His next was a ‘40 Ford. Then came marriage, children and a regular career, all of which took money and time, so hot rods became a thing of the past, gone but not forgotten. That is until he took a ride in his brother-in-law’s ‘40 Ford two-door sedan street rod. When his wife Diane said, “Honey, you should get one,” Tom needed no second opinion. He found one in Redding that was already on its way to being a street rod, but had been sitting for years and covered with dust. It still needed a lot of work, with no wiring or interior and a gas tank full of holes instead of gas, but it was a good start. After some negotiation, Tom paid the asking price. Since then he has done extensive work on the car, including the needed upholstery and wiring. Amazingly, after hours of polishing the red paint came back to life.

Since they got it in 1998, Tom and Diane have put 80,000 miles on the Ford, traveling with Roamin Angels as far as Victoria, B.C., Laughlin, NV, and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and the Ford ran absolutely fabulously.

Story and photos by Roamin Angel Ron C.