1934 Ford Hot Rod

- Built in 2000
- Two Tone Paint
- 350 V8 with Automatic Transmission
- 8k Miles Since Built

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1934 Ford Cabriolet on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 120 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

Automobile research site HowStufrfWorks.com provides an interesting historical tidbit on the '34 Ford: “The 1934 Ford DeLuxe Roadster was welcomed with much publicity and fanfare in the midst of the Depression. Among the new model's earliest champions were police officials who used its explosive speed to chase crooks -- and crooks who stole new Fords to outrun the law.”

“Infamous bank robber Clyde Barrow was one unabashed admirer who took time from his criminal pursuits to praise V-8 virtues in a letter sent to a surprised Henry Ford. It said, in part: 'I have drove [sic] Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got ever [sic] other car skinned and even if my business hasen't [sic] been strictly legal it don't hurt enything [sic] to tell you what a fine car you got in the Ford V-8.'”

Offered here is a customized version of one object of Clyde Barrow's affection (Bonnie Parker being the other), a 1934 Ford Roadster in two-tone pearlescent red and tan over the same two-tone interior, under a dark-red fabric top. Virtually every aspect of the car—including its complete powertrain—was re-crafted by Street Beasts of Miami, Florida in 2000 resulting in a beautiful and exceptional classic Ford. The roadster has traveled 8,000 miles since the build was completed.

The exterior paint work was professionally executed, and the result is a stunning, unique, and very appealing color combination. Upper portions of the bodywork (and the radiator surround) are pearlescent red while lower portions are pearlescent light tan, almost ivory. Not only is the combination appealing on its own, but its application on the '34 Ford's beautifully curved body panels is especially pleasing. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) The chrome finish on bumpers, headlight trim, side mirrors, teardrop taillights, and dual exhaust tips is excellent. The radiator grille includes the car's sole exterior emblem, “Streetrod” rendered in slanted script. Cabin glass and lighting lenses (including taillight lenses) are pristine, as is the condition of the well-chosen, dark-red fabric top. Chrome, staggered-size, 5-spoke American Racing® wheels are mounted with Delta® Majestic 235/75/R15 tires on the rears, and Firestone® 185/65/R14 in front. In a nice detail, body-color-painted rear brake drums are visible through the wheels.

Inside, the high-level custom work continues, as does the two-tone color theme. Door panels are fully customized in light tan with red inserts; armrests are of unique billet-aluminum design. Power-window controls are door-mounted. The upper surfaces of the bench seat are upholstered in light tan leather while the lower seatback and rear half of the seat cushion are vertically pleated red leather. Like the door trim and other interior surfaces, the leather remains in outstanding condition. Behind a 3-spoke, brushed-metal trimmed, wood-rim steering wheel, the dash retains its original, classic design painted in the two exterior colors. A full array of classic-look AutoMeter® gauges (in brass bezels) includes speedometer, tachometer, oil-pressure, coolant-temperature, and voltage-output monitors, with a separate fuel gauge in the center of the dash, below the air-conditioning controls and above a Pioneer® premium audio head unit. Dark-red carpeting with matching protective carpet mats cover the cabin floors. A custom, billet-fashioned shift lever for the car's automatic transmission is floor-mounted.

Under the side-hinged hood, the 350-cubic-inch V8 is as custom as the rest of the car. Polished valve covers, flame-embossed oval air cleaner, and braided-steel oil and brake lines all add visual impact. Viewed from below, the car's chassis is very clean, straight, and free of damage. Highlights include the rack-and-pinion steering system, dual performance exhaust system, front disc brakes, body-color-painted rear axle, and racing-style fuel cell. Minimal surface rust is present on some untreated metal.

While the more than 120 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '34 Ford Cabriolet in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

The next owner of this beautiful custom '34 Ford Roadster will appreciate the quality of the work and its on-road performance as well as receiving compliments aplenty at every stop. One bit of advice to any would-be Clyde Barrows looking for a new set of wheels: it'll be virtually impossible to “blend in” in this particular getaway car.