Although new technology can be tempting, old is often better. Better than nostalgia are air conditioning, driver assistance features, independent suspension, torque vectoring, and heated massage seats. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t have the best of both worlds in the shape of a restomod, or re-engineered classic.
On his channel’s “Street Grab” segment, Jay Leno featured Joe Kugel of Kugel Komponents, California, and his renowned 1932 Ford Roadster “MyWay.”
Kugel’s Ford Roadster isn’t just a cool-looking 1932 Hot Rod; it’s also a Grand National Roadster Show award winner. If you know anything about the event, it’s one of the longest-running indoor car shows globally (currently in its 73rd year) and features over 500 entries from all over the world.
“The thing I like about it is just the posture of this car. It sits right, it looks right, it looks like a 1932 Ford, and it looks like, maybe, it has a flat head with three Strombergs on it,” Leno said about his first impression of the Kugel Komponents build.
Joe Kugel claims that his business specializes in producing truck, hot rod, and street chassis. Also, they perform suspension. The 1932 Ford Roadster, often known as “MyWay,” took six years to create.
This 1932 Ford Roadster won the Grand National Roadster awards for “Outstanding Engineering” rather than for having particularly good appearance. According to Kugel, his business offers power brakes, air conditioning, heat, and steering.
For power, it’s running a 427 cubic-inch Ford Clevor engine built by Michael LeFevers. According to Kugel, the Clever is a Boss 302 with a Windsor block and Edelbrock Cleveland heads. Other mods include Scat crank and rods, CP pistons, Isky camshaft, and Borla 8 stack intakes. This setup is good for 575 hp (583 ps).
It was difficult to get the Windsor intake manifold to fit the Cleveland heads. To connect the two, they had to utilize Price Motorsports adaptor plates. The McLeod 5-speed transmission transfers all of this power to a Ford 9-inch independent rear end (the housing, axles, and arms are all house-made). The interior features a chrome-styled dash, unique Curtis Speed steering wheel, leather seats in Vermillion red (BMW M Series design), and gauges that look like those from a 356 Porsche.
The sole feature of Kugel’s 1932 Ford Roadster that Jay Leno admitted to detesting is its shrunken windshield. Kugel asserts that the Roadster still need a top. Later, he wants to put a soft top.
Kugel always had the idea to build this 91-year-old Roadster. He wanted it to have a contemporary vibe (colors and dark wheels) on an old car.
“Drives very nice, very comfortable, It’s no different from a Corvette convertible or something, you know,” Leno admitted cruising down the road.
Are you curious how this meticulous 1932 Ford Roadster, a.k.a ‘MyWay,’ runs? We recommend catching the walkaround and driving action in the video below.