2007 Shelby Mustang
2007 Shelby Mustang
Welcome to POSIES Rods and Customs, the Home of Super Slide Springs. Our years of experience has allowed us to become a leader in supplying Hot Rod and Street Rod Parts, Suspension and Chassis Components for Ford, Chevrolet, and many other makes and model of cars and trucks. We’ve been building quality cars since 1964 and have become a leading name in the industry. Our Super Slide Springs have become an industry standard when building a hot looking, smooth riding rod, custom or truck We ship worldwide with the greatest of ease. Take a look around our web site and see why POSIES should be the people to call when you are building your ride!
All About POSIES:
Our origins can be traced back to a young pin striping itinerant who had a love for automobiles and all things mechanical. Skills were honed from a hands-on approach. POSIES, a nickname which came about from Ken’s family’s florist business, has been building street rods and parts since 1964 when the shingle was hung out at the first shop.
It wasn’t long before it became very evident that the original springs on the early hot rods were tired, weak and just plain unsafe. POSIES began building springs that would sit low and yet demonstrate good ride quality and the rest is “Super Slide” history.
Since moving to our present location, the spring business has expanded to cover a wide variety of applications to fill all your hot rod needs, including related suspension parts and hardware. Our expertise doesn’t stop there though, we enjoy handling all aspects of car building from top chopping and louver punching to crafting complete turn key automobiles. Through our history we’ve been fortunate to have many customer vehicles as well as our own POSIES statements featured in countless national and international publications. From the Smooth 36, the “Swept Back” 37 coupe, the Orange Krisp to the Extremeliner, We at Team POSIES are proud of our past but even more excited about the next generation of POSIES statements that are just over the horizon. As we head into the 21st century, we are focused on providing you with the quality and innovation you’ve come to expect.
Test
Repairing minor mechanical problems on this 1967 Lincoln Continental Convertible
Doing a complete wiring job on this 1947 International Truck.
Detailing the engine compartment, engine and front end work on this 70 Mustang Mach 1.
Finishing a Ferrari F40 body kit on this Pontiac Fiero.
Turing this 1972 Jaguar into a cross country road racing car.
Customer stopped by with his 40 Ford running a drop axle and original spring and wanted to replace his spring with a POSIES stock height spring.
‘34 Ford
This customer brought in his car for us to do some fine tuning to the front suspension along with a few other things for us to work on.
POSIES Driven Dirty Tour 2006. The article below was written by well known automotive journalist Ken Gross. The entire article can be viewed at edmunds.com by clicking on the below link.
The “Driven Dirty Tour,” From Cincinnati to Sin City in a Hot Rod
It’s been years since I’ve taken a serious trip in a hot rod.
So when Ken “Posies” Fenical suggested I join him and his friends on a long-haul drive from Cincinnati to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, I didn’t hesitate.
To make things interesting, most of the hot rods would be new cars, completed just before we were due to leave, and they’d be displayed at SEMA without any cleaning up, hence the name, “Driven Dirty Tour,” for our six-day jaunt.
Posies and his Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, shop crew were thrashing to finish a chopped ‘47 Chevy Fleetline Aerosedan with a Roush-built, turbocharged 300-cube Ford inline-6 sporting three sets of exhaust headers and triple tailpipes. The shrunken sedanette’s narrowed body, on a tubular frame, with torsion bar suspension, boasted tall wire wheels and Excelsior racing tires — and no fenders. Finished in gray primer, with rivets and reveals for looks, the “Fleetliner” fastback looked like a Bugatti Atlantic that had spent a bit too much time with Darth Vader.
Only trouble was, it wasn’t running.
There’s no margin for experimenting when you build a one-of-a-kind car in a compressed timetable. Posies’ plan to mate a Gear Vendors O/D with a custom paddle shift needed more development. He’d run out of time. He’d have to trailer his work-in-progress from Cincy to Sin City.
Scott Whitaker, CEO of Dynamic Control, offered to share his chopped ‘32 Ford coupe. At SEMA in 2005, Scott presented one-half of a vintage racing rod. On the “shiny” side, the split speedster resembled an authentic dry lakes racer. On the flip side, liberal layers of his Dynamat insulation demonstrated how judicious use of sound deadeners could make an old car as quiet as a new model. Show-goers thought Scott had carved up a vintage racecar. His display was a smash hit.
This year, he went one better.
Whittaker, and his talented team of Josh Shaw and Slick Williams at the Speed Kings Garage in Cincinnati, heavily hammered a new Brookville steel ‘32 coupe, mounted it on a beefed-up ‘32 frame, added a postwar Ford-style X-member, then handcrafted wire wheels with spun aluminum discs. Under its extended hood lurked a 284-cube, bored-and-stroked SCoT-supercharged flathead V8, built by a master machinist, Dick Lewis, from Lititz, Pennsylvania. The flatty was hooked to a Tremec T5 with a vintage-looking shifter, then to a Halibrand quick-change rear end.
When the coupe was completed and fully painted, Scott and Slick went at it with Scotch Brite pads, muriatic acid, hand chisels, screwdrivers, sandpaper and steel wool. Soon the “Dynaliner” looked as though it had rolled out of a barn after a half-century of dead storage. The complete car was ready to dazzle this year’s SEMA crowd, just as the half-coupe had done. Scott had only 25 miles on his now battered-looking deuce before it was time to go.
Would the engine make it? Would anything fall off?
We were about to find out.
Other tour-goers included Corky Coker of Coker Tire and “Honest Mike” Goodman, from the Honest Charlie Speed Shop in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They had a freshly built Brookville-bodied ‘32 Ford roadster with a Weiand-blown flathead, by Joe Abbin of Roadrunner Engineering in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Despite just 4 pounds of boost, it dyno-ed at an impressive 282 horsepower with 300-plus pound-feet of torque.
P.J. Burchett of Knoxville, Tennessee, brought his hammered Chevy-powered Model A coupe and a new Tomcat sports roadster, to be driven by Eric Edelmann of Powermaster. Steve Moal from Oakland, California, accompanied by Brian Brennan, of Street Rodder magazine, would drive a low-slung, topless ‘32 Ford roadster with fully independent suspension.
Rollin’ west out of Cincinnati on a chilly Tuesday, Scott and I were snug and smug in the low-lid coupe. Layers of Dynamat ensured we could carry on a conversation, despite whistling crosswinds and straight pipes. At just 1,800 rpm, the silky-smooth flathead cruised at 70 mph.
In the village of Brookville, Ohio, we gathered up Ray Gollahon and his son Kenny, owners of the Brookville Roadster Company, and their just-built, full-fendered, all-steel, reproduction three-window ‘32 coupe. Seeing this shiny new car alongside the faux-aged Dynaliner, it was hard to believe they’d both started the same way, just a few months previously.
Think about this: Ford Motor Company lost nearly $6 billion in the third quarter of 2006. How ironic that the Gollahon family could be profitably building vintage Model As and deuce coupes and roadsters — exact copies of Ford cars 75 years old and older, while FoMoCo is struggling? After a factory tour, we were given a rousing send-off by a group of local rodders, who all wanted to hit the road with us. Who wouldn’t?
At our overnight in St. Louis, the Dynaliner suffered its first and only problem. The mounting points for its racing-style, lever-action friction absorbers had snapped off, and both front spring shackles had broken. We borrowed new shackles from the Brookville guys and continued on without even reconnecting the shocks. The coupe’s ride, noticeably stiff but supple, didn’t seem to be affected.
The “Driven Dirty” posse awoke to a steady rain, gassed up, found 44W and aimed for Springfield, Missouri. Brian and Steve were bundled up against the wet, 24-degree chill; Scott and I slapped a little Rain-X on the windshield (who needs wipers?) and soldiered on. As we transited the interstate, truckers tooted and passing drivers waved and took cell phone pictures, while we enjoyed the thrum of bias-ply tires, the steady throb of the eager flathead, the discrete whine of the SCoT blower and the pleasure of watching the long road unwinding in front of us.
Glancing at the mirror, seeing the coupes and roadsters stretched behind, I imagined being back in the ’50s. We ignored the relentless beeps of the Blackberry Nation and even turned off our cell phones, just enjoyed the highway. I drive many new high-performance cars each year, but every time I wound that flathead up through the gears and heard the deep bass rumble of its unmuffled pipes, I felt like I was 17 again.
At Afton, Oklahoma, we visited the Rod & Custom Hall of Fame, and were hosted by Darryl and Donna Starbird. Such famed customizers as Gene Winfield, Sam and George Barris, the Alexander brothers and Ed Roth, to name just a few, were represented, along with historic showcars. Next morning we drove to Shamrock, Texas, where a restored Conoco filling station presented a perfect background for our old cars.
Bearing down on Amarillo, we were teased by billboards advertising a “free” 72-ounce steak (at the Big Texan Steak Ranch) if you could just eat 6 pounds of red meat (could anyone?) in one hour. We didn’t try. As we entered the windswept city, several cars collected tumbling tumbleweeds. Our dirt-spattered coupes and roadsters wore the errant straw like proud badges. We were truly road dogs now, aiming for the horizon, enjoying the moment. I thought I’d be bored, no matter what we were driving. No way. Scott and I “built” new cars in our heads; the ever-changing scenery rolled past like an unfurling travelogue; meetings and deadlines were temporarily forgotten. We’d escaped.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, P.J.’s Model A suffered a throwout bearing O-ring failure. Luckily, we were close to Dave Malcolm’s hot rod shop. Everyone pitched in. The tranny was dropped, repairs were made and we barely lost a moment. There was enough collective mechanical skill to rebuild the whole gearbox if we’d had to.
Later, at the unique “Two Brothers” open-air steel fabricating shop, retired machinist Kenny Campbell let me drive his ‘47 Divco milk truck, fitted with a flathead Ford V8 and a five-speed. When I was a kid in Lynn, Massachusetts, our local Hood’s Dairy milkmen stood up to drive these sad-faced route trucks. I’d always wanted to try one. Kenny’s newer V8 was a lot peppier than the Divco’s original Hercules four-cylinder.
On Saturday, our first stop was the historic Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, followed by lunch at the historic La Posada hotel. Afterward, we headed into downtown Winslow to stand on the famous corner where first Jackson Brown and later The Eagles sang, “Take it eaaaasssssyyyyy…”
Remember “There’s a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin’ down to take a look at me…”? In Winslow, on that corner, there’s a hand-painted mural of that girl looking right at you.
We didn’t get our kicks all the way on Route 66, but we were off and on the old section. My last cross-country trip on that bygone road was some 39 years ago, heading to San Francisco before shipping out for Vietnam. Who’d have thought, nearly four decades later, I’d be driving it in a hot rod? Sadly, old 66 is virtually gone, along with history that can’t be replaced.
Our last overnight stop was at the quaint El Tovar Lodge, right at the Grand Canyon. Hot rods forgotten for a moment, we watched the sun set over our country’s most spectacular natural landmark, turning the weathered rocks a coppery red, then fading to black.
Next morning, we drove across Hoover Dam, the most impressive engineering project of the last century. Parking our dusty hot rods, we took a long, admiring look. The dam’s new parking facility and gift shop reportedly cost more to build than the appropriation to fund the whole project, 70-odd years earlier.
Late Sunday afternoon, the “Driven Dirty” gang rolled into Vegas, and the cars went on display at SEMA, proudly wearing all the bugs and road grime accumulated during our 2,250-mile ride. Six days of cruising interstates and byways had rolled by quickly, and we were still enthusiastic about the journey.
Posies is already mapping out next year’s route. He swears he’ll have a running car. If someone had told me I could make a trouble-free chingo cross-country in a freshly built, chopped and fenderless ‘32 Ford coupe, powered by a full-race flathead, I’d have been skeptical.
But we did it, and I’ll be ready to go again next year.
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SPEED QUEEN
POSIES 2007 project, a 1932 Ford Roadster Pick-up, will be on the 2007 Driven Dirty Tour to SEMA in Las Vegas.
Click on the below link for more completed photos in POSIES Statements.
SPEED QUEEN
SPEED QUEEN
POSIES 2007 project, a 1932 Ford Roadster Pick-up, will be on the 2007 Driven Dirty Tour to SEMA in Las Vegas.
Flagstaff, AZ
The “Zoo” - Flagstaff, AZ
1932 Ford Vicky
Here are a few pictures of a ‘56 Mercury 1/2 Ton truck. The truck has POSIES lowered Dual Flex front springs and lowered rear multi-leaf springs. The Mercury is running a small block and has 245/60/15 tires.
BEFORE
AFTER
Measuring from the bottom side of the bumpers, the front has been lowered about 2″ and the rear had dropped 4 3/8″.
BEFORE
AFTER
The front end between the tire and fender has 2 - 2 1/2″ of clearance, and the rear of the tire is tucked in about 1″ above the fender.
1928-34 Ford Suspension Parts Catalog Pages 1 - 15
1928-34 Ford Front Suspension, Steering & Brake Parts
Catalog Pages 16 - 31
1928-34 Ford Rear Suspension & 1935-48 Ford Front & Rear Suspension Parts
****Currently we are in the process of updating and constructing new tooling for our 1932-34 Ford compound curve spring, part #32-34R. Our current estimate of availibility will be Mid May 2008. Contrary to internet rumors, we still offer this spring. ****
Catalog Pages 32 - 47
1935-48 Ford Rear Suspension, 1949-56 Ford & Mercury Rear Suspension, 1933-57 Chevy Rear Suspension, 1933-48 Plymouth Rear Suspension, & Classic Ford & Chevy Truck Suspension Parts
Catalog Pages 48 - 58
Master Power & Vintage Air Components
Catalog Pages 59 - 67
Vintage Air, Mullins, Borgeson, Lokar, & Julianos
Catalog Pages 68 - 74
Dynamat, & Painless Performance
POSIES Price List Pages 1-39
POSIES Price List Pages 40-71
Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
1937 Ford Woody
1936 Chevy Truck
A local customer stopped by for us to swap out rear u-bolt plates and do some minor welding.
Kaiser
1941 Willys
1934 Ford
Cobra Kit Car
1949 Jeepster
1937 Chevy Truck
Miscellaneous Photos as Work Progresses
1932 Ford Hiboy
Miscellaneous Photos as Work Progresses
1932 Ford
Miscellaneous Photos as Work Progresses
Let POSIES expertly restore your dinged, dull stainless trim pieces. POSIES has restored stainless for countless projects including many street rods, customs and restoration projects alike. Quick turn around!!
POSIES Cool & Quiet Kits are packaged with the recommended quantites of Dynamat Xtreme and Extremeliner so your ride can have the same quality of comfort that POSIES built cars have enjoyed for over 10 years. Dynamat products provide passengers the best protection from unwanted heat and noise. Use on steel or fiberglass bodies. Great for daily drivers, RVs and tow vehicles too! Scroll down to view kits.
| Late 20’s - Mid 30’s Roadster
Part Number: DCKIT1Contents: (2) # 20455 Xtreme Packs Covers interior sheet metal (4) #21205 Extremeliner Covers firewall and floor |
| Late 1920’s - Mid 30’s Coupe
Part Number: DCKIT2Contents: (3) # 20455 Xtreme Packs Covers interior sheet metal (4) #21205 Extremeliner Covers firewall and floor |
| Late 1920’s - Mid 30’s Sedan
Part Number: DCKIT3Contents: (3) # 20455 Xtreme Packs Covers interior sheet metal (6) #21205 Extremeliner Covers firewall and floor |
| Late 1930’s - Late 40’s Coupe
Part Number: DCKIT4Contents: (4) # 20455 Xtreme Packs Covers interior sheet metal (6) #21205 Extremeliner Covers firewall and floor |
| Late 1930’s - 1950’s Trucks
Part Number: DCKIT5Contents: (3) # 20455 Xtreme Packs Covers interior sheet metal (4) #21205 Extremeliner Covers firewall and floor |
POSIES Rods and Customs E-Mail
For over 10 years POSIES has learned when it comes to making your hot rod ride like a luxury car, Dynamat does the job. Dynamat makes cars feel solid - doors and trunks slam snug, rain and wind noise virtually disappear and your interior becomes a quiet, comfortable cruising environment.
Use Dynamat on the interior sheet metal of your vehicle to stop vibration and reduce road noise. Add thermo acoustic liners- such as Extremeliner or Tac Mat to fight heat and low frequency hums from big engines and exhaust systems - and you’ve got the ultimate ride. Great for daily drivers, RVs and tow vehicles! Dynamat is the ultimate auto accessory.
Exclusive to POSIES are Cool and Quiet kits. These kits are pre-packaged, with the recommended quantity of Dynamat Xtreme and Extremeliner for your particuliar vehicle.
| Dynamat Xtreme (Bulk Pack) Part Number: # 20455 Contents: (9) 18″ x 32″ Sheets (36 sq. ft.) Price: $199.95
Information Sheet |
Stop Vibrating Sheet Metal & Road Noise!
Use Dynamat Xtreme and make a good street rod a great street rod. Dynamat Xtreme is effective at eliminating high frequency nosies. Dynamat should be used on any and all interior sheet metal of your vehicle. Xtreme decreases road noise so you don’t have to turn up the radio to hear the music while reducing fatigue making longer trips more tolerable. Use it on floors, firewalls, roofs, doors and trunk area for a quiet ride. |
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| Dynaliner Part Number: # 11101, 11102, 11103 Contents: (1) 32″ x 54″ Sheet Available Sizes: 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″ Price: $39.95, $59.95, $74.95
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For a Cool, Quiet Ride
The ALL NEW Dynaliner is the perfect ultra light weight insulator to use on top of Dynamat. This durable crush and tear resistant material has the highest heat blocking properties available in a single layer synthetic foam-type material. NOTE: Maximum control when applied over Dynamat Xtreme. |
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| Extremeliner Part Number: # 21205 Contents: (1) 24″ x 36″ x 0.392″ Sheet Price: $110.95
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Ultimate Efficiency for Noise & Heat Resistance
Extremeliner provides maximum low frequency attenuation and heat resistance. Extremeliner is a four part composite barrier consisting of 1/8″ neoprene layer, 15 mil acoustic lead sheet, 1/4″ acoustic foam layer and 3 mil urethane top face. Use on floors and firewalls for the ultimate protection from engine and exhuast heat while reducing road and engine noise. Great for high heat areas. NOTE: Maximum control when applied over Dynamat Xtreme. |
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| DynaPad Part Number: # 21100 Contents: (1) 32″ x 54″ x 3/8″ Sheet Price: $99.95
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For a Cool, Quiet Ride
DynaPad is a four-layer composite barrier that provides excellent acoustic attenuation and thermal insulation. This heavier material utilizes “Dissimilar Layer Insulating” technology that solves two of the most difficult automotive problems - exhaust system heat and low frequency noise. NOTE: DynaPad is used primarily on the floor. Maximum control when applied over Dynamat Xtreme. |
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| Tac Mat Part Number: # 11405 Contents: (1) 32″ x 54″ x .25″ Sheet Price: $69.95
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Ultra-Light Aircraft Grade Heat & Noise Control!
Dynamat Tac Mat conquers two enemies that destroy your driving pleasure; noise and heat. Aerospace technology gives Tac Mat a higher insulating value than fiberglass and sound reducing capability greater than other materials ten times its weight. Use on roofs, floors, behind trim panels, inside door pillars and inside or around speaker enclosures. Great insulation against heat and maximizes sound absorbtion. |
| ____________________________ | ____________________________ | Professional Heavy Duty Roller Part Number: # 10007 Contents: (1) 2″ wide roller Price: $18.95
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Heavy Duty Dynaroller
Professional tool for applying Dynamat products ensuring proper adhesion with professional-looking results. Hard wood handle and solid high grade rubber roller for years of service. Every employee at POSIES has one in their toolbox! NOTE: Dynamat Xtreme is best applied using a heat gun to help the material become plyable. Once heat is applied you can use the roller to “push” the material onto the sheet metal. Expecially useful for corners and radius pieces. |
POSIES Rods and Customs E-Mail
1950 Mercury
Colorado Customs Billet Wheels Incorporating Cadillac Emblems
1967 Corvette 427 Tri Power - #’s Matching!!!!!
Modifying Window Garnish Trim
Taking Delivery
1934 Ford Tudor Sedan
Turn Key Project
Body and Sheet Metal in Primer - Ready for Paint
POSIES Hand Formed Aluminum 2 Piece Hood - Center Hinge
New Floor Sheet Metal and Transmission Tunnel
1947 Kaiser Pick-Up
One of Three Built - Only One in Existance
New Front Fender Flares
Stylized Radiator Cover
POSIES Hand Formed Aluminum Fan Shroud and Fan Motor Support
Exhaust Openings and License Plate Surround in Roll Pan
1932 Ford Steel Coupe
Miscellaneous Photos as Work Progresses
1953 Ford F-100
Frame and Sheet Metal Work
Wheelbase Extended Forward
1940 Ford Coupe
1940 Ford Coupe - All Original
POSIES Complete Lowered Front Suspension
POSIES Adjustable Rear Suspension
1940 Ford - New Stance without Engine
Installed New Engine
Installing New Transmission Tunnel
Finished Transmission Tunnel
1932-59 Chevy 1/2 Ton Truck Springs & Parts
1948-54 Ford 1/2 Ton Truck Springs & Parts
1935-48 Plymouth, Dodge & Desoto Rear Springs
1955-57 Chevy Springs & Parts
1933-48 Chevy Rear Springs & Parts
1949-54 Ford & Mercury Rear Springs & Parts
1935-48 Ford
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1935-48 Ford Springs |
| 1935-48 Ford Front End Kits | |
| 1935-48 Ford Front End Parts | |
| 1935-48 Ford Transverse Rear Springs | |
| 1935-48 Ford Parallel Leaf Spring Kits | |
| 1935-48 Ford Rear End Parts |
1928-34 Ford
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1928-34 Ford Springs |
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1928-34 Ford Front End Kits |
| 1928-34 Ford Front End Parts | |
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1928-34 Ford Transverse Rear Springs |
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1928-34 Ford Parallel Leaf Spring Kits |
| 1928-34 Ford Rear End Parts |
POSIES Super Slide Springs
Test Page for Complete Front End Kits
Test page for Axles
Welcome to POSIES on line Super Slide Spring and Hot Rod Parts Selection. Click on the below banners for your specific Hot Rod, Street Rod, Custom or Classic Truck to view Super Slide Spring applications and associated chassis parts.
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FRONT SUSPENSION Why POSIES SuperSlide Springs? |
Spindles 1937-41 Style
Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text,
Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text,
Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text, Test text,
#4100
Sculpture David Daniels natural artistic ability and his study of anatomy has enabled him to create some of the most artistic, realistic, and original designs in sculpture.
His sculptures illustrate fluid motion and exhibit great strength and power, as displayed in Driven. Originally created as a hood ornament used on POSIES Aeroliner Sport and featured in Build Book #2 “POSIES Aeroliner Sport”, the piece is available in limited edition castings.
Limited Edition of 15.
Approximately 16 3/4″ Long
For Sale : $3000.00
Inquiries contact POSIES (717) 566-3340
For Sale. Click on the picture for more information.
Sculpture: DRIVEN
1928-34 Ford Suspension Parts Catalog Pages 1 - 15
1928-34 Ford Front Suspension, Steering & Brake Parts
Catalog Pages 16 - 31
1928-34 Ford Rear Suspension & 1935-48 Ford Front & Rear Suspension Parts
****Currently we are in the process of updating and constructing new tooling for our 1932-34 Ford compound curve spring, part #32-34R. Our current estimate of availibility will be February 2008. Contrary to internet rumors, we still offer this spring. ****
Catalog Pages 32 - 47
1935-48 Ford Rear Suspension, 1949-56 Ford & Mercury Rear Suspension, 1933-57 Chevy Rear Suspension, 1933-48 Plymouth Rear Suspension, & Classic Ford & Chevy Truck Suspension Parts
Catalog Pages 48 - 58
Master Power & Vintage Air Components
Catalog Pages 59 - 67
Vintage Air, Mullins, Borgeson, Lokar, & Julianos
Catalog Pages 68 - 74
Dynamat, & Painless Performance
POSIES Price List Pages 1-39
POSIES Price List Pages 40-71
Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
Taken in and around Las Vegas
The Aeroliner has been sold and joined a private collection in New Jersey. In the coming months it will be on display at the AACA Museum in Hershey, PA.
POSIES, Inc.
219 N. Duke St.
Hummelstown, PA 17036
phone - 717-566-3340 | fax - 717-566-5440
e-mail - sales@posiesrodsandcustoms.com
POSIES, Inc.
219 N. Duke St.
Hummelstown, PA 17036
phone - 717-566-3340 | fax - 717-566-5440
e-mail - sales@posiesrodsandcustoms.com
The Extremeliner
POSIES ‘37 “Two-Tone”
Posies’ Pickup Puts a Spin on Vintage
The standard hot rodding definitions don’t make a whole lot of sense anymore, do they? We just got through a summer show season in which we saw a bunch of “traditional” hot rods built out of fiberglass, many “contemporary” cars that looked way out of date, and rows of street rods that will never see the street.
Now, as if to go out of his way to blur the lines even more, Ken Fenical of Posies Rods and Customs builds a ‘29 Ford pickup, nicknamed “ThunderRoad,” that is obviously inspired by the current return to traditional rods but that is technically sophisticated, presumably high-budget, and remarkably distinct.
“I couldn’t understand,” he explained, “why perfectly intelligent people were giving so much attention to a rat rod coming through the gate at a car show. So I began trying to see what they saw, and I realized that they were observing a real hot rod, but one that was unfinished. So I decided that I would actually build one finished, and I was going to do it with up-to-date technology. The only thing original on my car is the body. Every thing else is 2004.”
In a hobby where so many traditional guys are boasting that everything on their ride is from the ’40s or ’50s, Posies has flipped the whole thing on its head by building a traditional-looking rod from all new parts.
Actually, the raw material for his pickup is a ‘29 Model A body found at the Hershey flea market in 2000. That original steel has been reworked extensively during the 19-week buildup, starting with a 5 3/4 -inch chop and more custom components and technical tricks. Underneath, a handbuilt tube chassis is loaded with front and rear suspension components from the Posies catalog, hopped up with a little creative engineering.
Despite the mountains of amazing details all over this rod, Posies commitment to keeping everything 2004 doesn’t mean it has to be exotic. For example, the distinctive burgundy paint is a Ford Taurus color (2004, of course). Posies chose it for the simple reason that it is a mass-produced, two-stage paint that can be found anywhere and repaired cheap.
The pickup isn’t that simple on the inside, however. One of the most noticeable components, the handbuilt aluminum dash, has all the character of a piece of furniture from the art deco era. The other is the injected Roush 402 Ford motor. You could call it a modern interpretation of an old time hot rod mill, but this race-ready engine makes the sort of power that would leave a ’50s hot rodder standing there with his mouth hanging open.
Ken got a lot of help with this project and wants to especially acknowledge Tim Lephart for 5 months worth of Sundays working on the pickup. He also credits Rich Lewis from Posies for all the work he put into the project.
If it’s all about getting attention, we wondered if ThunderRoad was getting the response Posies wanted.
“I’m getting most of the attention from guys who build cars, and from rat rod owners who appreciate the fact that there’s horsepower in it. I got a good response leaving the fairgrounds in Columbus. The only way out to the street was through some water somebody had poured out. My daughter pointed out to me that they put it there so I’d do a burnout. Needless to say, we launched it and about a block away I got a standing ovation. I’m not sure if the public should read that, but it was fun.
So is it traditional, is it contemporary, or what? We’re not sure, but maybe the fact that it’s fun is all that really matters.
ThunderRoad ‘29 Model A Pickup
Posies Rods and Customs
Hummelstown, PA
www.posiesrodsandcustoms.com
Drivetrain: Posies has been using Ford racing engines in his last several projects, and figured the Roush 500hp 402IR engine with aluminum heads perfectly suited the statement he’s making with ThunderRoad. The “Weber-style” eight-stack induction evokes the look of mechanical fuel injection but with the precision of electronics. At 500 hp, the engine provides daily driver reliability and eyeball-flattening power. The custom air snorkels are built by Posies and painted to match the wheels. The radiator is from Walker. A Wilcap trans adapter ties the Roush to the 700-R4 transmission built by Deltrans, who modified the torque converter based on tire size, gear ratio, cam duration and vehicle weight. We will look more closely at the wicked Roush mill in next month’s R&C.
Chassis: ThunderRoad rides on a 1 3/4 tube chassis and cage, sprung with Posies SuperSlide springs in the rear and POSIES Ellipta Slide Springs in front. A small-diameter steel driveshaft from Mahar Driveshaft, connected to a Winters Mini-Banjo with 3.73 gears/wedgelock, gets the wheels turning and disc brakes from Wilwood slow ‘em down. Borgeson changed the ratio on the ‘56 Chevy steering box.
Wheels & Tires: The distinctive wheels are 20-inchers from the Colorado Custom Sugar City line. They have been painted RR Bronze, the same color used on the air snorkel tubes. The rubber meats ThunderRoad rolls on are BFGoodrich G Force radials measuring P285/55R20 in the rear and a pair of sport bike tires up front. Front and rear motorcycle fenders, painted flat black, are in the works.
Body & Paint: The steel body is the only genuinely old-time component on the vehicle, modified with a 5 3/4-inch chop to the top. Hinges and door handles were retained, along with the cowl gas cap. The tonneau-covered custom bed is built from aluminum. The CW Moss grille is flanked by H2 Hummer headlights in flea market buckets. The .080 aluminum visor and .120 aluminum fuel tank were built at Posies. The rearview mirrors from Valley Auto feature ‘57 Chevy heads on tapered stainless rods that are adjustable. Ken can extend them five inches for highway use, and loosen a wing nut to push them in close to the visor during shows. The burgundy paint is a PPG factory mix, chosen for the fact that it is not obscure or exotic. And the LED third brake light? “I’ve never built a hot rod–and never will build another hot rod–with a third brake light–but if I’m professing 2004, it needs to have them.
Interior: Rick Futrell and Russ’ Trim Shop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, handled the upholstery chores, using yellow leather from Car Tech in Michigan (the 1962 Pep Boys Falcon seat covers used as inserts are the single departure from Posies goal to keep it all 2004). The custom dash houses the Haneline gauges in a woodgrains instrument panel. This piece also houses the Vintage Air AC system. Shoulder belts from Juliano’s are fastened to the out-of-sight side rollbar. The steering wheel and column are also from Juliano’s. The tall center hump conceals the two 2 1/2-inch oval stacked exhaust pipes, a heat shield, the driveshaft, and a bridge for the wiring (from Painless) and brake lines. Other components include the Lokar hand brake and spoon gas pedal.
| The rear suspension uses a full spring on the bottom and an quarter elliptic on top. The system is adjustable with a nut and screw set-up to allow up to 2 1/2 to 3 inches of height adjustment. Note the custom C-shaped hangers that captivate the springs. |
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The custom headers were hand fabricated at Posies from 90-degree mandrel-bent primaries connected to a main pipe that continuously tapers from 2 to 2 1/2 inches and connects to the exhaust pipes at the firewall with ball flanges. The headers were coated in black HPC. Mufflers are from Flowmaster. |
| The quarter elliptical springs on the suicide front end act like the lower half of a four-bar suspension set-up. The leaf springs take the place of the lower bars and the adjustable upper diagonal rods above them act like the upper bars. The springs and diagonals do all the suspending in front; the shocks ride for free. |
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After the top was chopped, the roof was raised 5/8 of an inch above the door openings to raise the roofline and reduce the flat surface. The cowl was raised the same amount and the top of the windshield was radiused 5/8 of an inch underneath the visor. The grille shell was lowered over the radiator and leaned forward 3/8 inch to provide a little more of a rake to the profile. |
| The aluminum bed is protected by a cage built from 1 3/4 tubing, the same as the cab. |
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POSIES ‘37 Sweptback
POSIES ‘38 “Something Wild”
POSIES ‘33 “So Low”
POSIES ‘36 Smoooth
POSIES Phunkie ‘32
POSIES Orange Krisp
Before POSIES…
Mrs. POSIES Grocery Cart
POSIES Flathead Flyer
POSIES New Edge ‘32
POSIES 1932 “Cookie Cutter”
Power Tour 2002
Tour Tested Tough
Super Slide Springs
POSIES ‘51 Shoebox
1934 Chevy Outlaw Coupe: Steve Polverino
1928 Essex: Charlie Payne
1932 Ford High Boy: Dean DuCray
Flames & Fenders: Ken Baylor
‘63 Avanti Pro-Street: Randy Rhoads
Steve Irby Kicker
Kickin’ Metro
1957 Chevy: Vic Edelbrock
‘47 Ford Convertible: Darryl Rodgers
1941 Willys “Backdraft” : Bill Kolovani
Best Paint Of Show - NSRA Show
York PA, June 5th 2005
1937 Ford Pro-Street: John Bolkema
1936 Ford Phaeton: Brendon Quinn
These pictures below were taken at the 38th Annual Street Rod Nationals in Louisville Kentucky.
‘34 Ford 4 Door Sedan: Ken Landgraf
1934 Chevy Pro-Street: Tony Giangrande
1932 Ford Club Sport Coupe: Don Stevens
1932 Ford Coupe: Bob Jones
1931 Model A: Jim Vanatta
