A 1934 Ford coupe ute, owned and modified by Clinton Hornes, was detailed in Street Machine’s Hot Rod magazine #1, published in 2004.
Vehicle Acquisition and Initial Design
Clinton Hornes acquired the 1934 Australian coupe ute body shell at a Melbourne swap meet. At the time of purchase, the vehicle's roof had been modified with a two-inch chop, and its original wooden body framing had been replaced with steel. Hornes initially intended to build the vehicle as a nostalgic rod suitable for drag racing. However, the complexities associated with adapting it for both racing, which would require a roll cage, and regular road use led to the discontinuation of the racing design objective. Early modifications to the vehicle included tubbing the chassis to accommodate wider tires.
Chassis and Suspension Specifications
The vehicle is constructed on original 1934 chassis rails that have been modified: tubbed by three inches and stepped up by three inches at the rear. Custom crossmembers were fabricated by Hornes. The rear suspension system features a custom four-bar setup, a Falcon Watts link positioned on the front of a nine-inch differential, Firestone airbags, and Monroe gas shocks. The front suspension incorporates a modified and sectioned HR Holden cross-member, custom stainless wishbones, Firestone airbags, and stainless shocks.
Exterior Modifications
Exterior body work was performed by Laurie Gray, which included filling the turret to complete the roof chop. Gray also fabricated stainless bed liners, designed to expose the tubs, and created a hard tonneau cover. The rear pan was smoothed and features an inset license plate. The tail-lamps and turn signals are sourced from a 1959 Cadillac. The vehicle's exterior is painted in Ford Surfer Orange, a color selected by Hornes after observing its use on a 1970 Ford XW concept ute, the Surferoo.
Interior Features
Pat Mesiti of Sunshine Motor Trimming executed the interior finishing. The interior features pearl white vinyl upholstery in a tuck-and-roll style, accented with orange piping. The headliner is made of perforated white material, and the carpets are black. The bench seat was constructed by Hornes prior to trimming. The original dashboard was filled and fitted with period-appropriate Stewart Warner Wings-series gauges, accompanied by matching dials for the airbag system. A modern Stewart Warner tachometer is located to the right of the steering column. An XR Falcon dished steering wheel, modified with a chrome bullet in its center, is installed. A Hurst Indy shifter is floor-mounted. Steering components include an XW Falcon GT steering box connected to an HR drag link and an XW Falcon GT column. The audio system comprises a JVC MP3 player, two Fusion amplifiers, a 12-inch Fusion dual-voice coil subwoofer, and two Fusion 6x9 speakers, all installed discreetly.
Powertrain Details
The vehicle is powered by a rebuilt 302 Windsor engine, with its block painted Surfer Orange. The engine's external components include chromed and finned rocker covers, an air cleaner, and various polished accessories. Internally, it features a standard 302 Windsor crankshaft, 289 Windsor rods with ARP bolts, and TRW forged pistons, all balanced. The engine utilizes original XW 302 heads, which have been ported and polished, and Manley stainless steel 351 Windsor valves with 1.65:1 Crane roller rockers. A high-lift custom-grind camshaft, designed by John Knight, operates the valve train. Fuel delivery is managed by a 750 double-pumper Holley carburetor feeding an Edelbrock Victor Junior manifold. Ignition is provided by a Mallory Comp 9000 distributor and Eagle nine-millimeter spark plug leads. Exhaust gases are channeled through custom headers, adapted from a 1934 four-door Ford, into a dual two-inch exhaust system fabricated by Hornes.
Drivetrain and Braking System
A four-speed top loader transmission is coupled with the Windsor engine. Power is transmitted via a Yella Terra steel flywheel and a dual-friction clutch manufactured by Precision Clutch and Brake. A shortened XW tailshaft delivers power to a shortened limited-slip nine-inch differential equipped with 4.11 gears. The braking system incorporates P76 ventilated discs with HQ Holden calipers at the front and Ford drums at the rear. An XB Falcon power booster and master cylinder combination apply pressure through a modified 1934 Ford pedal assembly.
Operational History
The vehicle was completed in time to participate in the Valla Rod Run in Coffs Harbour, NSW, in September 2003. Since its completion, it has accumulated 10,000 kilometers while attending various rod runs across Victoria.