High Roller Hot Rods
August 4, 2003
Moal’s shop is currently building a limited series he calls Championship roadsters. These Indycar-influenced rods feature all-steel, replica Brookville ’32 Ford roadster bodies, tubular chassis using 4130 chromoly tubing, torsion bar suspension, and solid front and rear axles. Although some modern rods feature independent A-arms, Moal believes “real hot rods should have beam axles.” Fitted with a coveted Moal signature plate, these cars are mainly differentiated by their unique engines. “We’re doing one with a Ferrari V-12 for Chuck DeHeras, another with a rare Gurney-Weslake Chevy for Bob Everts, and another with a blown Ardun overhead valve conversion on a Ford flathead for Eric Zausner,” says Moal. “Eric’s car will have a piano-hinged hood, a grille that resembles one from a classic Miller Race Car, Halibrand brakes, and real Indy wheels. All these cars will have full belly pans, fuel cells, and power steering,” he adds. “They have a low [center of gravity], nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution, and stretched cockpits. We put the emphasis on comfort, ride, and handling.” Each one will cost at least $200,000.
Moal has long been known for the unusual. “We’re fabricating a full-bodied, pontoon-fendered special right now that resembles a classic car, like a small Delahaye or a Talbot, but we’re not trying to copy anything specific. It will be a unique, coachbuilt car in the old tradition, but with reliable modern Ford power. We want to show people that craftsmanship is alive and well—and it’s not just in Italy.
“There’s no end in sight,” Moal says enthusiastically. “Some of our clients are guys who can buy million-dollar cars. In that sense, our coachbuilt hot rods, with all their handmade parts, are a relative bargain. And we’ll take care of these cars for our customers.” One of Moal’s next projects is a circle track–inspired road rod for former racer Bobby Rahal. “If someone has an idea for a car,” he says, “we can start right away, gathering pieces, building up a frame on our special fixtures, and then scheduling in the really special work.”
Hot rodding has come a long way from ’40s-era stripped-down Fords built with grenade-fragile engines and junkyard parts. Today’s high-end hop-ups meld fine craftsmanship and modern motivation with each owner’s desire to personalize his ride. Picture yourself cruising in one of these beauties, then get out your checkbook.
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