Michael Tarquinio stands with his Zephyr-inspired 1932 Ford roadster.
The low-slung 1932 Ford roadster owned by Michael Tarquinio of Pittsburgh was named the 2011 Gearstar Hot Rod of the Year at Goodguys’ 1st WIX Filters Speedway Nationals, held last weekend in Indianapolis. In its first year, the event attracted over 2,500 rods and customs, according to Goodguys.
The roadster, named “Second Wind,” was first built in the 1970s but sat dormant for nearly 40 years before being discovered in a Pennsylvania barn. The car, which features many Zephyr touches, was built by Tarquinio and his friends at G.I.S. Automotive . It made its debut in January.
The roadster’s body is painted in PPG’s “Washington Blue” and sits on a pair of So-Cal Speed Shop rails. Under the hood sits a polished 1957 Oldsmobile J2 engine with a Stromberg six-pack and rare aluminum heads. Other features include a Tremec five-speed transmission, polished banjo-style rear end from Winters and one-off artillery-style wheels by Wheel Smith that feature hubcaps and trim rings from a 1940 Zephyr.
The car features an Oxblood full-grain leather interior, a dashboard and steering wheel from a 1940 Lincoln, fog and taillights from a 1936 Zephyr and a 1932 Ford grille. Motor Head Design provided the handmade Zephyr emblems.
All contestants competing for the award were required to complete a 150-mile reliability run as well as a burnout and blast down a drag strip, according to Goodguys.
“Tarquinio’s roadster performed flawlessly passing all tests with style, proving this winner has as much ‘go’ as ‘show,’” representatives from Goodguys said on the association’s website.
The “Second Wind” roadster was also named the ISCA Roadster Class Champion this year. It will be displayed in the Champion’s Arena at the Goodguys 14th Southwest Nationals in Scottsdale, to be held Nov. 18-20.
Other finalists for the award included Rodney Harris’ 1932 Ford three-window coupe, Bill Paul’s 1932 Ford Tudor, Gordon Peters’ 1932 Ford Tudor and Ken Reister’s 1933 Ford coupe.
For more photos of the winning roadster, click here.
(Photos: Goodguys)
Tags: 1932 Ford Roadster, Award Winners, Ford Roadsters, Goodguys, Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year, Indianapolis, Lincoln Zephyr
