1932 to 1934 Fords are very sought-after cars, pioneering V8-power for the common man wrapped in designs that are universally regarded as being of timeless beauty.
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Almost from day one, these lightweight, powerful, and inexpensive cars were beloved by young men and women who began testing their mettle on the California Dry Lakes. During the decades following WWII, many survivors were turned into beautiful Street Rods, Customs, and show cars.
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The rarest of the 1934 Fords is a body style that was specifically manufactured for National Cash Register, the IBM of its day. A small fleet of cars - some say as few as 200 - was assembled in Detroit by the venerable Briggs coachbuilding company.
NCR supplied the cars to their field mechanics (today, we'd call them "technicians") who were in charge of servicing the firm's ubiquitous cash registers and adding machines during the six-day work week and were allowed to use the neat cars as family transportation on Sundays. To this end, the Briggs sedan deliveries -- built on the shorter 112" wheelbase -- featured both, the large 36" wide x 35" high rear cargo door AND roll-down glass rear side windows instead of the metal blanking panels of the "regular" sedan delivery.
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The amazing Ford presented here, VIN *18 1112 246*, is one of those rare birds. It has been part of the Central Valley collection of a wealthy California "raisin baron," who stored the thirty-four in a climate controlled warehouse for many years.
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The steel body itself was found abandoned, but in very good condition in a field sometime during the late 1970s and was subsequently turned into a Hot Rod by some of the best craftsmen of the Fresno/Modesto/Turlock area. Clearly visible is the influence famous California Hot Rods of the period -- like Pete and Jake's cars and ZZ Top's "Eliminator" -- had on the overall stance and look of this great car.
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By the early 1980s, the "Resto Rod movement" was waning and REAL Hot Rods were on the rise again. Nostalgia drag racing became popular and many rodders demanded more power and better handling from their Street Rods.
Check out the beautiful original California Y.O.M. plates that grace the '34, front and back!
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Bodywork has been massaged to perfection and features a rare, 3-piece steel hood. Thirty year-old paint has held up exceedingly well.
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American Racing D-spokes, 15 x 6s shod with 165R15s up front, 15 x 9s with 235/70-15s in the rear -- appropriate for any true Hot Rod! Those 1960s-tyle mags were a welcome relief from the Zenith chrome wires that graced a million of Street Rods during the disco years.
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The engine/trans combo continues the high-performance theme. A fully balanced and blueprinted 400 cu.in. small block Chevy, topped by a dual four barrel intake and carbs of the EDELBROCK 650cfm variety and expelling the spent gasses via a set of HOOKER headers is backed by a Muncie 4-speed. A modern 12-Volt electrical system with alternator and 4-wheel disc brakes with a dual master cylinder are welcome upgrades.
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The SBC starts on the button, displays a stout idle and runs very strong, indeed. One hp per cubic inch is plenty enough to propel the light sedan down any highway at speeds well beyond the double nickel!
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Perfect stance.
Let's have a look inside now!
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Back to the 1980s! Diamond-tufted, tuck-and-roll purple velour as far as the eye can see. Everything is in well-preserved condition.
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Steel dashboard features full array of STEWART-WARNER gauges, is topped by a VDO tach. Manual air conditioning is also included - just crank open the windshield! Note nice banjo steering wheel and HURST shifter for the 4-speed.
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Rod was driving sparingly, accumulating just 6,488 miles since it was built.
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Inviting seats are very comfortable on long-distance trips, even for folks that measure 6'5".
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Rear view of this rare body style with its refrigerator-style cargo door.
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Kids, dogs, or vintage cash registers and tools -- there's plenty of space in the back.
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Interesting seating arrangement.
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The undercarriage is so clean and detailed, it could roll over the mirrors at Barrett-Jackson! Click on the image to the left for an XXL-sized view |
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Note original frame, perfectly "traditional" suspension layout, 12-bolt Chevy rear with 3.08:1 highway gearing, disc brakes, dual exhaust, and all the neat little touches that make this true Hot Rod a pleasure to drive.
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Saturday, July 18, turned out to be another magnificent day here in our little mission town San Buenaventura, perfect for our extensive test drive and photo session.
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This Rod starts, idles, runs, drives, handles, shifts, and brakes with aplomb. It does not smoke, overheat, or display any other bad habits. Best of all, this Delivery is not a rattly ol' Rat Rod, it's a super solid, perfectly balanced Hot Rod!
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Rapid delivery, indeed, while other motorists are watching in awe. (On the 101 freeway, a lot of them felt compelled to show us their cell phones; I wonder why?)
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The car cruises very comfortably at 80mph in 4th, without breaking a sweat!
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This '34 needs nothing. It can be enjoyed as is, driven like a "normal" car or be a participant on the show circuit again, displaying its cool 1980s vibe. Alternatively, it could also be a prime candidate for a straightforward, purely cosmetic makeover.
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Either way, a '34 Briggs NCR Sedan Delivery is one of the rarest and most desirable body styles ever devised by Ford, and it will always be an utterly collectible vehicle. You won't see another one at the next Goodguys roundup, that's certain!
Addendum:
We sold this '34 Ford in October of 2015 to a customer in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
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