Active in the sport of drag racing most of his life, Ed Thomas from Cambridge, Maryland, decided to file his collection of timing slips away and pursue a new hobby: traveling the Southeast show circuit with his beautiful, new OZE pickup. From the moment Ed first saw the OZE Rod Shop's new body style, it was love at first sight. The swoopy profile of the 118-inch wheel-base truck is unique with its lush balloon fenders, side exhausts, and reverse curved bed. The OZE stainless steel grille is a wraparound style, flanked by frenched teardrop headlights, and modernized with HID lighting. In addition to the curved side windows, the OZE Sport pickup also features a lift-off Carson top that provides the best of both worlds; a serious concern when you need warmth during Maryland's brisk winters and air-conditioning while traveling Florida's sultry show circuit.
It didn't take long before dreams of the truck's style, modern powertrain, and lowered profile moved Ed into action. Researching the internet to purchase an OZE '37 of his own, he discovered one for sale, built by Kevin McGibney Jr. and Sr. in New York. Ed purchased the completed vehicle, then set about to make it his own.
As you probably know, even custom show trucks need a little freshening up, and the '37 was no exception. The first steps included repainting and reupholstering the truck, replacing the transmission, and adding a few other changes to personalize the vehicle. The roadster pickup rolls on solid underpinnings, thanks to the custom-engineered OZE chassis. Rectangular steel framerails incorporate Mustang II front suspension with tubular A-arms and 2-inch drop spindles. An OZE-designed four-link holds the Ford 9-inch rear, fitted with 3.50 gears and Strange axles.
Adding whoa to the go are the Wilwood 12-inch power disc brakes, which were equipped with cross-drilled rotors. Budnik Gasser rims up front, 17x7-inch, and shod with 205/40ZR17 Falken rubber, handle the steering chores. The 20x10-inch rear versions were wrapped in 225/35ZR20 tires and plant the power from the ZZ4 350 crate engine and 700R4 automatic. In order to emphasize its killer profile, the truck sports an Air Ride Technologies air suspension with the compressor and reserve tank mounted in the forward portion of the bed, out of sight.