Inventory Listing

Genuine Henry Ford steel body. Built by Cornhusker Rod & Custom for Jerry Glanville. Driven and enjoyed, but a very high-quality build in excellent condition. 350/TH400/8-inch, solid axles. Nice rod with history.

This 1932 Ford roadster is a genuine Henry Ford steel body, built in the 1970s by Cornhusker Rod & Custom as one of their first projects for noted sports celebrity Jerry Glanville. If you know Cornhusker, you know they now build full chassis for hot rods and their reputation for quality is second to none. This car was built before all that happened, and is more than just an assemblage of aftermarket parts, mostly because it was built long before any aftermarket even existed. As a result it has an old-school feel, a timeless look, and great road manners that only come from experience. It’s been expertly maintained and enjoyed, but subsequent owners have not deviated from the original build in any significant way, suggesting both that it was done right and that history matters. With so many cars being turned out by hot rod factories, finding one with a pedigree will only add value in the future.

The color is the same yellow that Moon Equipment Company (AKA MOONEYES) used on their own vehicles in the 1960s and ’70s. It’s a commercial yellow that’s vivid without being too bright and if you’re an old-school guy, you’ll recognize it immediately. The steel underneath, as I mentioned, is vintage 1932, featuring shaved door handles to the filled cowl vent, and refinished from what was obviously a nice original car. The hand-painted pinstripes were done by Rudy Rudloph in red and blue and offer old-fashioned touches like the V8 emblem on the radiator shell, traditional scroll work on the deck lid, and painted MoonEyes (not a decal) on the rear end.

The burgundy interior is done in traditional pleats with matching door panels, and the dark red is the perfect contrast to the bright yellow bodywork. It’s not vivid, but rather elegant and sophisticated, suggesting whomever chose the colors had impeccable taste. The smoothed dash is full of VDO gauges with a vintage Moon tachometer strapped to the steering column and an accessory rear-view-mirror-mounted clock as a perk. The tan canvas top is on a modified frame that gives it the chopped look, and the car comes with a full set of side curtains for all-weather cruising. The rumble seats (if ever it had one) is gone, replaced by a useful trunk that’s carpeted in black and big enough to handle luggage for two on a long-distance tour. 

The engine is a reliable and trusted 350 cubic inch Chevrolet borrowed from a 1970 Corvette. It’s built from period parts, too, not the modern catalog stuff but early 186 coded 302 camel hump heads, which were the hot setup back before modern aluminum bolt-ons. A big Holley double pumper was installed just last year, and both the water pump and radiator are new. There was a time when it was all bright and shiny, but this roadster was built to drive, so it shows some signs of use, but there’s nothing wrong with the way it works. The TH400 3-speed automatic transmission is probably overkill for a small block in such a lightweight car, but you’ll never break it and it shifts crisply through the gears. The front suspension is a traditional 4-bar setup with a Super Bell chrome front axle, Pete & Jake’s chrome shocks, and a SoCal Speed Shop steering damper, so it feels smooth on the road. The rear end is a Ford 8-inch with 2.73 gears inside, perfect for relaxed cruising and that engine really doesn’t need a lot of gear to fling the little car around with ease. The frame is fully boxed and painted to match the body, and yes, it shows some signs of use, but again, this car was built to drive and it works superbly. Custom steel wheels were painted burgundy to match the interior, custom striped with little ‘V8’ emblems, and wear ’46 Ford hubcaps and trim rings for a period look. New 195/70/14 front and 225/75/15 rear Kumho radials were installed just last year, so this slick little Ford is ready to rumble.

There are a lot of ’32 Ford roadsters for sale. Most of them are modern replicas and few carry history with them like this original roadster does. It isn’t a show car anymore, but could be again, although given how beautifully it drives, that might be a mistake. Fully sorted with an interesting story to tell, this is a cool old-school rod that definitely speaks your language.