Lot 175

Hershey 2017

1932 Ford Three-Window Coupe Hot Rod

The Ralph Whitworth Collection

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$90,750 USD | Sold

United States | Hershey, Pennsylvania

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Chassis No.
AB 5018000
  • Offered from the estate of Ralph Whitworth
  • Early '50s-style hot rod with original speed equipment
  • An exceptional Deuce Coupe with all the right “stuff”
Addendum: Please note that the Ardun heads on this car are reproduction as are the fenders and firewall. Please contact an RM Sotheby's representative for more information.

The classic 1932 Ford, better known as “the Deuce,” has been, and always will be, the ultimate hot rod. An American icon, the 1932 Ford was immortalized in the early 1960s by the Beach Boys’ “Little Deuce Coupe,” and in 1973, George Lucas’ American Graffiti reintroduced old-style hot rods to a new generation.

Among hot rodders, the popularity of the 1932 Ford has always remained strong. In the early days, Deuces of any body style were plentiful and inexpensive, and being simple cars made them easy to strip down and modify. The stock frame provided substantial torsional rigidity, and the new-for-1932 “flathead” Ford V-8 engine responded well to performance upgrades. A cultural phenomenon, and an entire industry, was born from these humble beginnings, and today a new generation of enthusiasts has embraced “the Deuce.”

The example offered here is a period-correct, early 1950s-style hot rod with the best flathead speed equipment of all time, including Ardun OHV cylinder heads and an original Roots-type S.C.O.T. supercharger. Other important items include a pair of Stromberg 97 carburetors, a “beehive” oil filter, 1940 Ford steering wheel, three-speed transmission, hydraulic brakes, and suspension modified with a drop axle and reverse eye spring, as well as 15-in. wheels with bias-ply tires. The interior boasts iconic 1950s “tuck-n-roll” upholstery, while the body is decorated with a filled and smoothed grille shell, dropped headlight bar, and BLC-style headlights, while the hoodless engine compartment completes the look.

This is an iconic hot rod from an iconic hot rod collection.