When it comes to building a hot rod, Dave Cano of Thunder Bay, ON never takes the easy way out. “I always start with a rough car,” he says. “I like the challenge.”
     Well, when he purchased this 1928 Ford 2-door coach in 2001 he got his wish. There wasn’t a lot left of it but that didn’t matter. Cano, who has owned numerous hot rods over the years, including a 1932 5-window that made the pages of American Rodder magazine in 1995, always wanted a Model A.
     His plans for it didn’t include using the original floor or chassis so this field find was the perfect candidate. He set to work building his own frame from 2x4 and 2x3 tubing to Model A specs with ’32 Ford front and rear frame horns so he could accommodate a Deuce shell and gas tank. The chassis was built so the body would appear to be “deeply” channelled over a ’32 Ford frame and the rear kick up was designed to accommodate an 8” Maverick rear end with Posies parallel leaf springs.
     Yep, no buggy spring for Cano, who says the leaf springs make the car that much more enjoyable to drive. Up front a custom front crossmember supports a drilled super bell 4" dropped axle with Posies spring, hairpin radius rods, cross steering and panhard bar. A Vega steering box handles the curves with front disc brakes and rear drums going into action when Cano hits the binders. The tires are bias ply Firestone wide whites (fronts 560x15 and the rears 820x15) from Coker Tire.  They are mounted on Wheels Vintique wheels; 15x5” front and 15x7” rears. 1941 Ford script hubcaps and ribbed trim rings dress up the wheels. The body mods on this Model A are extensive. I’ll let Dave explain. “I started with a  full 4” channel over the frame plus an extra 6” body girth extension below the doors on the sides, with an accentuated curve to the extended cowl side.  To accommodate the channel, a pair of early Chevy rear wheel wells were installed higher up in the body to make the channel appear stock.  A full 10” was cut from the rear of the body to accommodate the ’32 Ford gas tank.  A 1 1/2" reveal molding was installed around the wheel wells and completely around the rear of the body as well.
     “To make the body more rigid the wooden top bows were removed and replaced with similarly bent 1” square tubing.  Wood strips were then added to these for a nailing strip to install the soft top material the original way. The soft top cover is black tonneau cover material and stretched to the nailing strips the old way with carpet tacks — the only way....you have to listen to old timers.” While the parallel leaf springs make the car nice to drive, the attention to detail means the car is also quite quiet for a Model A.  Cano removed all the original tacks and nails from the door jams and welded  them in place while the completely new floor pan was designed for the channel and welded into place as well as an angled firewall keeping the original firewall top.
     Body colour is 6P Ford Cream with a suede/satin clear coat developed by Steve at Auto Home paints in Thunder Bay.  The scallops, grille shell, engine, wheels, suspension parts and firewall are a base/clear Ford Spitfire Orange. The dash and inside window moldings are gloss Ford Cream.  Shaun Hopkins sprayed the body, grille shell, gas tank, and all the scalloping. Joe Phillips gets credit for the pinstriping.  Cano did the rest.  While a traditional hot rod screams for a vintage motor, Cano decided to go practical, choosing a mild 305 Chevy with flat top pistons and high output heads. “I thought about a Nailhead but didn’t like the idea of breaking down and having to find parts if I was on the road,” says Cano. He did decide to use a set of vintage chrome Olds valve covers to at least give the illusion of a vintage engine. (The valve covers actually fit right over top of the Chevy covers - many thanks to buddy Steve).
     A Ford style 2x2 intake adapted by Vintage Speed aids the illusion, as does the set of Sanderson headers breathing into a set of glass packs and bologna exhaust tips. The interior sports a new steel ’32 Ford style dash with domed gauges set in a finned aluminum insert by Vintage Speed. The stainless steel column is custom made with a connecting rod column drop and topped by a vintage Cal Custom steering wheel. Seats are 1960s Ford Thunderbird units tuck ’n roll stitched in black vinyl. The stereo and power windows are modern updates as are black lap belts for safety.
     Of all the cars Dave’s owned over the years, he says the Model A is the most fun to drive. We can see why.