Monthly Features

Hot Rod Of The Year

Hot rodding has many facets. The builder can personalize his own car in an unlimited amount of ways. They can be built as new designs, as clones of old designs, or even as concepts of what could have been. Mike Tarquino’s ’32 from Pittsburg does the latter, illustrating what might have been offered if Edsel Ford and his father had seen eye-to-eye a little better and the Zephyr line was introduced in 1932 instead of 1936. While not a nuts and bolts correct rendition, this hot rodded roadster pulls its lion’s share of inspiration from the Zephyr line.

For a little history… Edsel Ford was Henry Ford’s only son, and was groomed to take over the company. He grew up tinkering with cars and developed a passion for flashier types of cars than his father. He even had the very first imported MG. He was appointed president of Ford at 25, but under a ploy of his overbearing father, who was in the midst of buying up stockholder shares so he could assume total control. Edsel, though a bright designer, lived under the torment and discomfort of his father before his passing at a very young 46. One of Edsel’s lifetime highlights was the Lincoln and subsequent Lincoln-Zephyr line.