Dave Abell’s 1933 Ford 5-Window Coupe
A little over 40 years ago, when he was only 15 years old Dave Abell was gifted a 1950 Ford F-1 that was “Beat-Up and Ugly” he has always been a car guy. He restored and hopped up that truck so his buddies wouldn’t give him the business everytime they went out. And he hasn’t stopped yet. Owning over a dozen different cars in that time including multiple ’59 Cadillacs and a handful of ’49-’51 Mercs. The F-1 he still owns.
We are here for the fury. The Flyin’ Fury that is.
It took two years to put this beauty together. First off the body was found in the dry climate of eastern Colorado, nearly rust-free! The top was chopped in 2016 by Kenny “The Chopper” Baker in Elmer, MO. Later that year the Engine was built up by Flathead City in Oregon. It took the year between 2016 and 2017 for the custom built frame at Vintage Visions in Brevard, NC and it was on the road by 2018.
One of its first stops was the 2019 Grand National Roadster Show in late January. There it got a whole bunch of attention. It won the So. Cal Car Club’s “Top Pick” award. It has since won The Hullabaloo “Best Traditional”, Bootleggers Hootenany “Best Hot Rod” and “Best Motor” awards. The car was featured in ads for Coker Tire and Wheel Vintiques.
The frame was designed to look like the car was channeled when it was not. It has a drilled and dropped front axle and an early ’60’s Ford 9″ rear modified by Fernbach Speed Shop in Dow, IL. The engine is a ’51 Ford 1BA flathead V-8 with 286cu bored with Ross Pistons, Offy 2×2 Intake, and two Super 97 carbs. Custom dual exhaust with Porter Mufflers for that period “Hopped-Up” flathead sound.
The ’33 Ford 5-Window body is original with a 5″ wedge chop, ’34 Hood and Grill and sprayed Mercedes Benz “Selena Grey” by Jeremy Kemp in Spartanburg, SC. Tom Kelly “Crazy Painters” in Southern California, painted the bomber art graphics and numbers. Then it was flat-matte clear coat and wet sanded to give a bit of age and worn look.
A ’36 Ford Banjo wheel commands the cockpit above the red naugahyde Billy Murdock upholstery, Painless wiring and Honest Charley’s gauges. The hidden Pioneer sounds system and Vintage Air compliments the smooth ride. The car drives and goes like a modern car but with original parts as possible. Future plan is to drive it out to Bonneville for Speed Week.
Photos: Mike Slade, Story: Tony Colombini
