By Brian Brennan – Photography By Luke Munnell
Some builds take a weekend. Some take a few years. Greg Zulim’s jaw-dropping 1931 Ford five-window coupe? Try six decades.
Greg first got his hands on this steel Model A back in 1964 as a high schooler, driving it daily for five years straight through college. But like any true hot rodder, he never stopped tinkering. After 42 years of blood, sweat, and plenty of late nights in the shop, Greg finally called it “done” in 2006. Greg works with his son, Russell, who is a bodyman, painter, and fabricator, which is the nucleus of Double Z Rods. A well-built hot rod is timeless and ageless—and this Model A proves that.
The result? Pure perfection. This year alone, his 1931 Ford coupe earned First Place at the Grand National Roadster Show for Best 1926-1936 Chopped Coupe. Not bad for a car that’s been hauling “backside” to Pleasanton (California), Bakersfield (California), and the Famoso Dragstrip for decades.
Underhood is a powerful 1957 Buick V-8 that started as an iron block 364-inch engine but now displaces a robust 416 ci thanks to extensive bore and stroke modifications. Greg installed Ross 8.1 pistons, balanced the rotating assembly, and added Ford rods for that extra 1/8 inch of stroke. The iron heads received a full upgrade—porting, polishing, and securing with ARP hardware, then topped with classic Mooneyes valve covers and breathers. Engine accessories include a 22-inch electric fan, a 90-amp alternator, and a stock starter. The trunk now houses the relocated battery.
The real party piece? A hefty 6-71 blower sitting on a Don Hampton manifold, force-feeding a pair of 500-cfm Edelbrock AVS2 four-barrel carbs. A Holley electric pump keeps the fuel flowing, while MSD ignition and Mallory wires make sure every drop of gas gets burned. The exhaust? Greg put together the custom 1-7/8-inch tube headers, which dump into four exhaust pipes with four glass packs—because sometimes you need to wake the neighbors.
Power transfers to the pavement through an M22 Rock Crusher four-speed with a Hurst Competition Plus shifter. The rearend is a durable Ford 9-inch with 3.25 gears and shortened axles to fit the narrowed stance. The rear suspension includes the Ford rearend, coilover shocks, drum brakes, a Total Cost Involved four-bar setup, and a Panhard bar. Stopping power comes from Super Bell discs in the front and 10-inch drums at the rear.
The chassis is mounted on a Total Cost Involved Model A frame with an extended wheelbase, and the front crossmember is moved forward 1-1/2 inches for better proportions and to match the 1932 wheelbase. At the front, a Super Bell 4-inch drop I-beam axle along with a Vega steering box handles steering plus traditional chrome-plated tube shocks, while a pair of Total Cost Involved four-bars locates the front suspension.
Rolling stock is pure old-school cool: polished American mags measuring 15×4.5 in the front and 15×8.5 in the rear, wrapped in skinny Firestone 145SR15s up front and fat M/T Radir 8.20×15 slicks out back.
This is where Greg’s skills truly shine. Using all-original steel, he cut the top down by 4-1/8 inches in the front and 4 inches in the back, then sloped the A-pillars rearward and tilted the back of the top forward to achieve that perfect profile. The roof center was filled with metal from a 1957 Buick Regal, complete with driprails from a 1985 Chevy pickup. Next, the window frame was made from a 1932 Ford three-window coupe, while the doors were flush-mounted with hidden hinges. Rootlieb stepped in to craft the hood and positioned the fold line under the body bead, giving the hood a classic 1932 Ford look. The grille shell is an original Deuce, with an aftermarket reproduction insert, both housing the Walker radiator. The headlights are 7-inch sealed beams mounted on a dropped Deuce headlight bar, while the rear lighting features a pair of 1939 Ford “teardrop” lights. From there, stock Deuce bumpers are mounted at the front and rear. Also resting in front is a Moon 2-gallon fuel tank that was put there for those trips to the dragstrip—well, not yet, but there is always hope.
The front fenders lost their body line and had the bead moved forward for a Deuce-like look, while the rears were shortened by 1-1/2 inches and kicked up 2 inches at the back. Rootlieb crafted a killer hood with the fold line tucked under the body bead for that clean 1932 Ford vibe.
Inside, it’s all about traditional hot rodding: a fiberglass 1932 Ford-style dashboard filled with Stewart-Warner gauges, black leather everywhere courtesy of Brent’s Upholstery over the Glide bench seat, and a cut-down 1940 Ford wheel on an Ididit column with a column-mounted “knee knocker” tach.
The entire package features a stunning DuPont Fast Red paintjob applied by Greg, who also did the outstanding bodywork, with traditional pinstriping by Jimmy the Striper.
After 60 years of ownership and countless miles of pure driving pleasure, Greg’s 1931 shows that the best builds aren’t just about the destination—they’re about enjoying every mile of the journey. MR
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
