Many automobile owners customize cars to give them personality above and beyond the normal operating specifications that come from the factory. Yet there is something special about owning an antique vehicle that not only makes the automobile yours, but also turns you into a caretaker of the past.
The 1932 Fords were classic hot rod cars and represent a bygone era when all-steel construction was the standard. Chuck Niglio wanted to own a clean and classy-looking hot rod. He recognized the potential of the 1932 Ford Tudor he found wasting away in a garage in September 1999. After spending some time putting together a plan of attack, he pulled the trigger and began the toilsome effort of stripping down and rebuilding this classic.
After removing the interior and gutting the entire inside, which included taking off the doors, the entire glass paneling was unbolted and removed. After selling some of the original pieces, he made enough money back to reinvest in a new aftermarket subframe. The suspension was configured using a traditional straight front axle with a mono leaf spring setup. Disc brakes were installed in the front while an Air Ride suspension stabilized the rear.
The 351 Ford engine was next to be installed, followed by a Walker electric fan, dual-plane Edelbrock, Holley Performance 800 CFM 4 Barrel carburetor, and a 174 Weiand blower. Sanderson block hugger headers were installed. The wheels and tires were next, followed by the exhaust setup including Flowmaster mufflers and a 2-inch Benny Woo exhaust. With this setup, the Tudor is estimated at 375 horsepower.
Once Niglio had the mechanics of the vehicle running smoothly, it was time to address the body. New floor pans were built and installed while the exterior was sandblasted and primered. The thought occurred to Niglio about creating a chop top ’32, but after consulting his wife and thinking it through, he decided to keep the original body intact to preserve rather than “rewrite” history.
The body was returned to the frame, the front and back seats were installed, and a custom A/C unit was placed behind the rear seats with the metal ductwork running through the roof line. Power windows replaced the old crank mechanisms, and the original seats were reshaped and re-formed.
In a further attempt to preserve much of the original look, Niglio kept the original wood floors and roof bows. The roof insert started life as two separate pieces of aluminum welded together, and then was covered in blue canvas to match the blue paint job.
“I was worried about the blue paint on this type of car, but with a little chrome here and there, it looks good,” Niglio said.
The end product is a fantastic representation of this era, and Niglio loves to show it off. The only thing he would do differently if he had the chance would be to add a flat-head V-8, but nevertheless, it’s a vehicle he’s proud to drive and share at local car shows.
What do you drive? A 1932 Ford Tudor sedan.
Why do you drive it? It gives me great satisfaction to show off what I have created and worked so hard on for seven years, although I know the majority of the people who will see the car will not imagine what I started out with or even consider how much work I really had to do. I also love my car because it shows the beautiful design of the vintage cars of the 1930s.
What makes this car so special? The 1932 Ford cars, from the coupes to the sedans, are the icons of street rodding. My car is an original all-steel-bodied car, including the headlights. Because restoring them was not cost-effective, the only aftermarket steel body parts are the two running boards.
What is your most memorable driving experience with this car? My most memorable driving experience with the sedan was one Sunday a few years back when I was going to my brother’s house in Gaithersburg for a family get-together. I was driving up Georgia Avenue, and right before Randolph Road, there was some debris in the road. Everyone driving was trying to avoid it, but I couldn’t see it well enough to. I heard a thud and got out to look at my front fender, thinking the front tire threw something up on the fender, but everything looked OK so I went on up the road. When I got out at my brother’s house, I found out what the thud was. Something had put about a 3-inch ding right in the curved part of the rear fender. But I think if it would have hit on the flat part of the body, it would have gone through the metal. I was lucky the damage wasn’t worse.
What was the first vehicle you owned? My first car was a 1965 Plymouth Fury with a 318 motor. I bought it from my brother-in-law in 1968, and then he bought a 1968 Roadrunner 383 with a four-speed transmission. Six months later, we found a wrecked sport Fury with a 383 and torque flight transmission, which ended up in my ’65.
And your first ticket? What was it for? My first ticket was for drag racing on Delaware Avenue in my hometown of South Philadelphia.
