By 1988 I had been driving my Model-A roadster pickup for 28 years. It needed to be either rebuilt or replaced. I decided to build a new car and found a surprisingly original ’37 Ford Fordor Sedan in Coopersburg, PA, with 50k original miles. I really think that if I’d had a 6-volt battery I could have driven it home. It was that good.  

The build started as soon as the Model-A sold.  I sold the ’37 drivetrain to Bill Ketch who was restoring a ’37 of his own. Several club members helped me lift the body off the frame and I was on my way. 400-inch small block Chevy, 350TH trans, 8-inch rear, Heidts front cross member for IFS.  All work was done in my 2-car garage at home.  

Nobody was rodding 4-door sedans in those days. Members teased me about building a four-door. They said I should have bought a coupe or pickup and that my sedan looked like a police car. Well, it did look like a police car so I made it a police car with magnetic door signs and roof light. I was on the road for the 1990 season with original paint and interior. 

In those days, many of us would travel together to out of state events – York, PA, Columbus, OH, Burlington, VT, Syracuse, NY.  And a few of us once went to the Run to the Sun in Myrtle Beach, SC. I never would have made these trips in my roadster pickup. My sedan is a driver.  A/C and music help.   

 When I moved to Florida in 2002 I brought the car with me and still drive it. The club voted me a lifetime member and I wear my 50-year club jacket proudly.  

Over 33 years and 80k miles, a few things have changed. Running boards, fenders, and grille have been redone. The rest is still original 1937 black paint – presentable but certainly not show. The cassette player has been replaced by a CD player. A new grey broadcloth interior was added after a broken seat spring started poking me in the rump. And I added power steering as a concession to the aging process.  

I no longer go to out of state events, but attend Florida events – the well known Daytona Turkey Run, NSRA Southeast Nats in Tampa, and local cruises. And I enjoy periodically seeing former NJSRA members now in Florida. Over the years I would regularly see the late Don Pearson and I just saw Hank Peters this past weekend at a show in Melbourne (Mar 2023).