Thursday, December 8, 2011

1994 Rodder's Digest No.60 - Graffiti & Angle Hair

Continuing with this months Halloween theme to dress up your 1932 Ford like your favorite American Graffiti Coupe. Doug Halverson of St. Paul Minnesota does a very clean job. Not completely accurate but it has a nice Graffiti Flavor.
Jeff



Bonus. I couldn't let this period correct deuce go with out notice

Cruisin" Times July 2008 - Mario Calabreses' Graffiti Coupe





This is an encore presentation of Mario's American Graffiti Tribute.
"Fastest Car In The Valley" That rings true when describing Mario Calabreses' Coupe. Mario really did his homework. He knew what he wanted and collected most of the hard to find "Graffiti Correct" parts before starting his build. Employing this strategy Mario's Coupe was assembled in record time. I am happy to say even I helped a little. The interior and some small things need to be finished but this has not stopped Mario from passing the first oil change marker and is well on the road to the second.
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Bonus Section


Mario's got the headers plugs out. Must be expecting some action.

Street Rodder 1992 Vol.21 No.2 - Pacific Rim Shot

Built In American and sold to Japan. I bet that does not happen much. They say this Coupe has American Graffiti Style. I guess it does ,but it is just built in the style of alot of early California Hot Rods. 1932 Ford Chopped Top,Bobbed fenders,Over the frame headers,Open engine compartment. Milner didn't start the style he just made it more popular.
Jeff

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Street Rodder 1984 Vol.13 No.11 - Rob Marchese's American Graffiti Coupe

This is an encore presentation Of Rob Marchese's American Graffiti Coupe.
I have not talked to Rob....Yet. I hope to one day. I would like to hear Rob's Graffiti stories and I bet there are more than a few. Hey Rob Nice Door Handles! Thats a story I would like to hear first.

Street Rodder March 1986 - Little Deuce Coupe

This is an encore presentation of Steve Kimmel's 1932 Ford. It may be alot of things but it's not YELLOW.
Once again we join Mr Peabody and Sherman
Return to 1986. One day stopping by a buddies house as I hit the door he yells from the other room as I am walking in "Hey there's a blue Graffiti Coupe in the New Street Rodder Magazine on the kitchen table" I am thinking what?? So I grab the book pop it open and shore enough there it was. I must admit the first thing that came to mind was If I owned it I would paint it. (Sorry Steve) I told my friend save that for me when you are done reading it. He didn't.
Several Years later as I try to find all the Graffiti Coupe facts I can. I remember that article. I hunt and hunt but cant find what issue the blue deuce was in. Then it hits me Marth Quinn the MTV VJ was in the pictures of the coupe she would know. Now what do you think the odds are of me contacting Marth Quinn and her remembering a picture she had been in over 20 years ago??????.......We'll let me tell you Martha is a total sweet heart. She didn't remember the issue but did me one better by putting me in contact to the guy who owned the car back then.

Let me tell you it's a tad odd calling someone and asking "Hey did you ever own a blue 1932 Ford?" But when the somewhat surprised voice on the other end says "Yes". Me and Steve have been talking Coupe ever since.








Bonus section
A few of Steve's personal pictures along with quotes from the 1986 article.


"I found the car in Pennsylvania, an ex-drag car that had raced all over the east coast,with an Olds motor and trans, in the early 60's" he continues "When I bought it, it had no drive train, but was a fairly solid, full-fendered car with almost all of the parts and hardware. I paid $2500 for it, but after selling off fenders, hood, gas tank, etc I had about $800 in it" SK

Steve carried out almost all of the construction himself designing, building and installing all the chassis cross members, boxing plates and all shock, motor, trans, and spring cup brackets and mounts.


He also pulled the internally stock 300-horse 327 out of a wrecked, 33,000-mile '67 Chevelle.




"I have wanted a five-window coupe since I first saw the American Graffiti car" SK



Wow pretty cool story huh? Well unfortunately Steve sold the coupe years ago. He says he still talks to the present owner and that the car looks just the same as it did back then but the little deuce hasn't seen the light of day for a long time. Steve said that he never intended to build a clone of the Milner Coupe he just wanted that same look the American Graffiti Coupe had.
Now for the kicker. After dozens of phone calls, countless Emails I forward a link to a 1932 Ford 5 window for sale over on Steve's side of the country....... He bought it !!!!! and is now in the process of building another killer (don't tell his wife I had anything to do with it) Steve is still in the same mind-set as he was for his first build to the point he has not even picked a color yet. I made a photo for Steve to print out for his kids so they could show Daddy their color choices.
Feel free to download this paint shop it up and email it back to me and I will forward it to Steve.

Hey Steve can I just make one suggestion....... To quote
.................................................................It's not easy being green.
Jeff

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Journal Of Popular Film 1975 - The Epic World Of American Graffiti

In this 1975 article American Graffiti is compaired to the Knights of Arthur’s round table. The mythic land of American Graffiti is a country of city streets under a false day of relentless lights, of youths who live on wheels,where even the waitress are on roller-skates and where all are electronically linked through the pulsating beat of their radios. A Place where Milner is only complete when he dons the “armor” of his squinting ,visor-like hotrod coupe.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Kit Car Builder October 2011 - Revisiting American Graffiti

OK I understand not all of you are gaga for the Graffiti Coupe. After reading some of your letters I have learned that there are other cars in the movie. ( mmmmm never really noticed.....j/k ) So this week I am going to mention on of the other stars of the movie The 1956 Thunderbird "That's a White T-Bird"
So many people love the Tri-5 T-Birds that Regal Roadsters, Ltd of Madison WI. can't keep with the demand. Yep someone is recreating the T-Bird and has been since 1986. They pump out about six cars a year built to your specs. They say "if you want a piece of history buy an original if you want a car to drive buy one of ours" If you ever thought about a T-Bird of your very own take some time and check them out http://www.regalroadsters.com/index.html
I was really impressed and I am not a big bird fan. All the great looks of a classic Ford with out all of the classic problems...
Jeff