By Brian Brennan – Photography By Wes Allison
Some of the most recognizable and iconic hot rods are based on the roadster pickup—a Ford Model A, Deuce, fendered, or highboy. The 1932 Ford roadster pickup belonging to Scott Simpson and built at Jimmy White’s Circle City Hot Rods has a very cool 1960s vibe, complete with chromed wheels wrapped with slicks and spoked wheels wrapped with Firestone vintage tread, a dual quad Hemi, and outside the ’rails headers.
When we asked Scott about how this hot rod came about, we heard an interesting story and thought passing along the high points was well worth the effort:
“I remember the day it all started—more like the moment it hit me. A good friend of mine, Dano Nichols, had [died], and I felt that loss down deep. We had been thick as thieves, best friends bound by our passion for fast cars, roaring motorcycles, surfing waves, and chasing melodies. The world seemed a little dimmer without him. But in that shadow, a spark ignited inside me. Life was short, and I could either sit around moaning over memories or dive headfirst into building a hot rod to celebrate the thrill of living.
“In the crazy car scene of the 1990s, Dano and I had carved out our niche, rolling with various car clubs. But as life had its way, I sold my treasured 1950 Ford to help pay down a house, believing I was setting myself on a more stable course. Yet, the allure of the car world always lingered in the back of my mind.
“Fast-forward to 2010 and I am ready to reignite my passion. I made the pilgrimage to the Grand National Roadster Show, determined to immerse myself in the car culture that had always been a part of me. Wandering through the event’s buzz, I stumbled upon the Brookville Roadster booth. My buddy Paul Bormann was manning the outdoor booth there as an authorized dealer. I discovered I could snag a Brookville Roadster 1932 Ford roadster pickup body (highboy) for a reasonable price, and just like that, a plan began to unfold.
“After a good chat, Paul and I ambled to Jimmy White’s Circle City Hot Rods booth. As the three of us riffed about everything from build strategies to the perfect paintjob, the vision came alive: a 1960s-inspired roadster pickup. I placed the order for the body and set about scrounging for parts.
“That’s when Paul hit me with an offer I couldn’t refuse: ‘If you trailer up that 1936 Ford (I bought from Dano’s estate), I’ll hook you up with a deal on a 1932 Ford frame in my shop.” I was all in. When I delivered the 1936, I stared down a gorgeous roller frame fitted with a 9-inch Ford rearend.
“Just as I was riding high, Paul called me, letting me in on a little secret. He’d found a Hemi he thought I’d like; it was like that missing piece dropped into place. Before I knew it, parts upon parts started arriving—frame, body, transmission, motor—the whole shebang. I was on cloud nine… until COVID-19 hit. The transmission threw me a curveball, getting sidelined with some issues—no parts available for a month.
“After weeks of anticipation, we took her out for a spin around Circle City’s shop—my heart pounding with excitement. But, just as fate would have it, the engine decided to give out. A valve froze; a pushrod bent like a sour note. I felt the frustration bubbling, but White had my back, handling the setback.
“A couple of weeks later, the day finally arrived. We were back on the road, tearing down the asphalt. Everything felt electric, and at that moment, I knew Dano was with me, riding shotgun, cheering me on. Life was good, and this hot rod celebrated every wild ride we ever dreamed of—a tribute to friendship, passion, and the bond we shared.”
I told you it was a cool story. Now, how about more of the nuts and bolts on this build. We mentioned that the roadster pickup has a 1956 Chrysler FirePower Hemi—a “small” 331 inches. The iron block was bored to 354 inches and is fitted with RaceTec pistons, an Iskenderian 280 Mega hydraulic cam, ARP hardware, and chromed factory Chrysler valve covers. It has now been dyno’d at 370 hp. Outside, the Weiand dual quad intake has a pair of Edelbrock 500-cfm carburetors and a pair of 1960s-era Nicson aluminum boat motor air cleaners. Providing the fire for the fuel is an MSD 6A box and an MSD Pro Billet distributor, with the “fire” coming from an Odyssey battery located under the bench seat. Other V-8 accessories include a Powermaster alternator, a mini Mopar starter, over-the-frame custom headers, and an exhaust system. Linked to the “small” Hemi is a T5 manual five-speed with appropriate mods by Dave Waugh and a Hurst shifter and McLeod clutch. A Drivelines Inc. custom driveshaft is used to gather the power and move it back to the Ford 9-inch rearend equipped with Currie axles.
The frame is based on a set of factory rails from 1932, now equipped with a 4-inch drop chromed I-beam axle, a pair of chromed split wishbones, a 1956 Ford F-100 steering box, a custom column, and a Mooneyes three-spoke and drilled spoke steering wheel. The front braking is housed around the Boling Brothers’ 1937-1948 Lincoln drum recreation, while the rear brakes are stock Ford drums. The under-floorboard master cylinder comes from Wilwood while the Circle City–modified pedal assembly is from Roadster Supply.
All this is riding on 1960s-era American Racing magnesium five-spoke 15-inch wheels now wrapped with Firestone by Coker 5.60×15 rubber in front. In the back, you will see chrome reversed 15-inch-diameter Mercury steelies now outfitted with Towel City Pie Crust cheater clicks (retread) that are 10×15.
The body is a reproduction with the Brookville Roadster touch and a cutdown pickup bed. It runs minus fenders as a highboy, and Scott prefers the early hot rod look. With a Hemi within the engine compartment, the rpu also runs sans hood. The body- and paintwork were handled at Santini Paint and Body, and Pete Santini mixed a custom batch of Candy Apple Red.
The interior features a stock 1932 Ford dashboard with restored 1960s Stewart-Warner gauges with the telltale green circular stripe within the white border. The wiring for the gauges and all other electrics is a custom effort accomplished by Circle City Hot Rods. A custom steering column and a Mooneyes steering wheel rest beneath the dash, while the bench seat comes from Glide Engineering. Rex Copeman of Rex Upholstery Shop neatly handled the black leather in a button and tuft pattern. The carpeting is black wool neatly stitched around the Hurst floor shifter and the brake and clutch pedals.
When you have your heart and mind set on having a particular hot rod, it is genuinely a “good day” when the project comes to fruition and you enjoy the open roads.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
MR
