"Old Yeller" #20

Raced from 1959 - 1972

Owner: George Grabow

Drivers: Harry Flanigan
Ron Grabow
Kim Robarts

Restored by:
Keith Trinklein
Leonard Trinklein

Special Thanks:
Doug Heatherington
Spencer's Auto
Bill Dorcey
M.G. Moll
Roger Avram

On March 31st, 1932, the Ford Motor Company introduced its most successful car line in its history, the now classic '32. Up against stiff competition from a hot new Chevy Six, Henry Ford elected to go one better and developed the first low priced 8-cylinder automobile.

After considerable evaluation, it was decided to use as V-8 configuration instead of an in-line engine, a decision that has successfully proven itself over the years. The rest of the car was no less revolutionary in its development. The '32 Ford featured a new double drop frame, a syncromesh transmission, rear mounted fuel tank and an all steel construction body, a major engineering accomplishment for its day. the car rode on a new 18" diameter wheel and featured Ford's first true radiator shell with a grille, one of the more distinctive features of this classic Ford. The '32 was also the first Ford to offer a choice of engine options. The Model "B" had an improved 4-cylinder engine, while the V-8 went into the Model 18. It featured a prominent "V8" emblem on the headlight bar and on the hubcaps, which incidentally, were the first to completely cover the lug nuts on the wheels. The "Flathead bent-8" had a 122 cubic inch displacement and produced 65 horsepower, quite powerful for that time.

The Ford V-8 caught on right away, especially with people who saw the potential of this new power plat. "Hot Rod Ford" became an often heard term and for good reason. The '32 Ford became the basis for more expression of autmotive creativity, i.e. custom, street rod, and racecar, then any other car to date. Hot rodders soon discovered that as newer, more powerful overhead valve V-8 engines became available, they could be made to fit the '32 Ford engine bay and created the classic "street rod" in the process. So popular is the body style that fiberglass replicas are still being built and it is quite possible to build a completely new '32 Ford street rod in one's own garage.

Restorers, of course, prefer their '32 Ford stock and go to great lengths to rebuild their Fords to factory new condition, scouring the country for that elusive original Ford part.

Time has indeed proved the '32 Ford as a true classic, virtually unique in the history of the automobile.