the time) LT1 powerplant with electric fuel-injection managed by Street and Performance tuned computers. All that power is then fed through a 700R4 automatic overdrive and out through 15-inch Americans wearing Cooper rubber (195/65/15 and 235/70/15). Again, in a story I hear many times a year, Ed loves the way a ’40 Ford convertible looks, so he only cleaned up what Henry and Edsel created. Ed added a teardrop gas door, installed a Tanks gas tank, and straightened out the body before it was delivered to Bill Borneman who laid down the PPG Purple Pearl Metallic (#5222) paint. The look is finished off with Watson’s StreetWorks headlights, Yogi’s LED taillights, swan-style mirrors, and new bumpers from Bob Drake (along with a ton of other trim pieces). Ed started on the interior by adding a dash extension, VDO gauges in an aluminum insert, Lokar pedals, a column shifted tilt column from
an ’85 Olds, Newport Engineering power windows, Dakota Digital cruise control, Custom Auto Sound stereo and Vintage Air heat/AC/defrost. Jack Strader’s Auto Upholstery was employed to stitch the tan and brown leather interior with a tan Hartz cloth top. Ed wired everything togeth- er using a Ron Francis kit and hit the road. The Schmidts have had a great time cruising all over the country and you might wonder why I didn’t photo- graph it when I first ran into them on their cross-country cruise in 2019? Sadly, they had gotten into a small fender bender, but the car was still running perfectly, and they were all smiles and good times. Lincoln City Autobody did a great job fixing things up. Be like the Schmidts, don’t let the setbacks ruin a good time. Not only do they happen no matter how well you prepare, but break down, blow up and/or smash up stories are always the best.
32 APRIL 2025
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