Ray Ellis' 1934 Ford

A photo of Ray with the coupe. He was about 17 1/2 years old when this photo was taken, and it shows how the coupe looked when it was bought in 1965. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

A rear view shot of the coupe as it appeared when Ray got it. Modifications included motorcycle-type fenders, a louvered rear pan, and 1954 Ford taillights. In the photo you can see that the rear is out, as Ray had blown the clutch. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

A photo dated 30th of January, 1966. "I started the rebuild earlier than I thought I would due to a blown out header, and enthusiasm to build a hot rod for myself. The photo is bit of a mock up." Ray's older brother's 1959 FC Holden station wagon can be seen in the garage. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

After Ray took the '34 off the road to start the build, his dad bought him a FJ Holden as a run-around vehicle. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Ray starting to get things together. When the photo was taken, he had installed a 1956 Ford Y-block engine along with a stretched and dropped front axle. Ray worked for Jaguar Cars, and installed Jaguar E-Type discs and calipers on the Ford along with an elliptic rear suspension on a 1956 Ford differential. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Ray, with a big grin, working on the steering around the Y-block. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

A photo of the coupe taken in the back lane of Ray's mother's house around 1968. Ray is getting the car ready for one of the many test drives. Notice the "Fuel Cell" plastic container hanging off the windscreen header. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Off and running, proud as punch! According to Ray, these were the best days; "It looks like I was about to start on the front cycle guard braces there on the left wheel. That radiator was from a Vanguard. Hella tractor style headlights on the old alloy Hot Rod brackets." Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Ray's coupe loaded up, on the way to the 1969 Hot Rod Show in Sydney. The wheels were made by the Fenton Company. Ray ran 15x5 up front and 15x10 on the rear. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Ray's coupe at the Hot Rod show in Sydney in 1969. The show was held at the Roselands shopping centre underground car park. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

When Ray showed the coupe at the 1969 Sydney Hot Rod Show, it had been fit with a cut down 1963 Ford Fairlane dashboard. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

"More body mods after the Show. Recessed number plate and the rear floor pan appear to be in place. I’m working on one of the exhaust tail pipes, which I later had chrome plated. No Valiant “Cat’s Eye” tail light yet." Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

A close up of the Y-block. Ray ran a borrowed Man-a-Frey 4 carb set up and lots of chrome. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Ray later went mad and installed the Y-block into his Ford Zephyr daily driver; "I found a 332 big block for the coupe. I rebuilt the mill and installed the 406 T-Bird triple manifold along with Cal Custom covers and other internals." Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Ray working on a door around 1970. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Ray's girlfriend, and future wife, Sue rubbing back the sectioned 1932 Ford grille shell. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

Dash all painted. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

The coupe as it looked in 1972, right before Ray sold it; "I actually didn't finish the coupe right off before I sold it to move onto another project I'd bought, which was a 1929 Ford Model A roadster on 1932 Ford rails. This is how the coupe looked in 1972 with Fenton mags and Valiant "Cats Eye" tail lights, that I bought new over the counter at a Chrysler dealer, and lots more chrome. It was painted "Wild Violet." I sold it for $1,500...!!!!!!" Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

A front end shot from 1972, taken at Picnic Point. Photo courtesy of Ray Ellis.

1934 Ford 5-window coupe owned and built by Ray Ellis of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In 2015 Ray told Kustomrama that his dad bought him the coupe in February of 1965, when he was just turning 17 years old; "The '34 coupe was already a hot rod when I got it. Hi-boy style running a 1939 Mercury engine with finned boat style heads, twin 94 carbs and headers. The heads were in two pieces, split lengthwise, so they could be pulled apart and washed out. The coupe also had a boat twin-carb manifold, so I'm thinking the mill was in a boat at some stage. It had a 1939 Mercury gearbox and a 1934 Ford rear end. The interior was fitted with a 1949 Ford custom dash, which I always loved. In fact, I have now fitted a 1950 Ford dash to my Hi-boy 1932 Ford tudor sedan. I started my hot rodding lifestyle in Sydney, and joined the Romans Hot Rod Association car club in 1965. The club was formed in 1960, so we were in their infancy really." According to Ray there were lots of hot rods and customs around Sydney in the early days, and clubs were popping up everywhere. Romans Hot Rod Association was the first club in New South Wales. The original builder of the coupe is unknown.

Ray became the proud owner of a genuine Hot Rod 2 weeks before he got his driver's license, so his older sister Christine had to ride shot gun while he was on his L's. When Ray got the car, it ran a 1932 Ford grille shell, and motorcycle-type fenders up front. The rear pan had been louvered, and the rear fenders had received 1954 Ford taillights. Accessories included an antenna behind the roof, a rear end mounted spare tire and a license plate surrounding. Due to a blown out header, and an enthusiasm to build a hot rod, Ray started rebuilding the car early in 1966. The body was channeled over the frame, and the flathead engine was replaced with a 1956 Ford Y-block engine. The front axle was stretched and dropped before Jaguar E-Type disc brakes and calipers were installed. Ray worked for Jaguar Cars, so he also installed Jaguar 1/4 elliptic rear springs on a 1956 Ford differential. He also made the Ford 2 speed auto into a 3 speed using Jaguar 420G auto parts.

By 1969 the body had been primered grey, and Ray had fit it with a shortened 1963 Ford Fairlane dashboard; "The engine ran a borrowed Man-a-Frey 4 carb set up and lots of chrome. A full pay packet when I was an apprentice to pay for it that day was about 9 pound (18 dollars.) I later went mad and fitted the Y-block engine into my Ford Zephyr daily driver. I then found a 322 big block for the coupe. I rebuilt the mill and installed the 406 T-Bird triple manifold along with Cal Custom covers and other internals."

The build was completed in 1972, right before Ray sold it to move onto another project he had bought, a 1929 Ford Model A roadster on 1932 Ford rails. When the coupe was completed it featured Fenton mags, Valiant "Cats Eye" tail lights that Ray had bought brans new over the counter at a Chrysler dealer, and lots of chrome. It was painted "Wild Violet". He sold it for $1,500.