To maintain the original flathead rumble, the factory dual exhaust manifolds flow into a pair of Ebstein mufflers, which send exhaust through the fishtail exhaust tips taken off of Walt's previously built Knucklehead motorcycle exhaust. A factory 19-gallon gas tank provides adequate nutrition for the flathead V-8; it was internally cleaned and put back into service. The stock manual transmission was disassembled and inspected, worn parts were replaced with new ones, then it was reassembled, adjusted, and reinstalled.
The all-steel '39 Ford cab, bed, running boards, fenders, and hood were carefully mediablasted to expose the original metal surface. The exposed bare metal body parts were then delivered to U.S. Truck Painting in Los Angeles, where some minor bodywork was performed. The unique roll pan was fabricated using the steel skin from an old water heater. Then, with all of the metal surfaces straightened, it was time to apply multiple coats of sanding primer. All of the body component surfaces were block-sanded to achieve smooth, flat surfaces. Walter decided to choose the mild, rather than the wild, paint color, so Centari Ford Commercial Tan was applied both inside and out by the crew at U.S. Truck Painting. It was then delivered to Antones Fine Line Design in San Gabriel for some steady handwork applying popsicle-orange pinstripes.
The '39 Ford's interior style mirrors its exterior's simplicity. Whittier Auto Upholstery in East Los Angeles, performed the handy stitchwork. A pair of '82 Toyota Celica bucket seats were stripped down to their frames and built back up using a denser foam, which delivers extra support and comfort. The foam was upholstered using a brown vinyl with light-beige tweed inserts. The same brown vinyl was used for the padded headliner and forward kick panels under the dash, and was installed in conjunction with a light-tan plush carpet that blends the simple interior dcor.
A large-diameter, flat sprint-car steering wheel creates greater leverage, making the manual steering effortless. The factory dash is as simple as they come, with a pair of round dials - one for the oil pressure, water temperature, and generator, and the other houses the speedometer and odometer. A flat dash maintains the pushbutton start, light switch, manual choke, ashtray, and glovebox, and a large round knob mounted atop the dash is twisted to crank the cowl vent up and down. Located above the windshield on the driver side is a single windshield wiper motor and switch. The paint-matched steel door panels are all about function, with only the door handle and window crank handle exposed. A Sony head unit uses two tweeters mounted above the windshield, and two 6x9-inch three-way speakers are hidden inside the door panels, completing the simple audio system.
Walter says he didn't build his latest creation to be admired like a wall painting, but rather to be driven. And drive it, he does.