Tom Matroni's 1931 Ford Hot Rod

Few cars that I've seen in my many years of attending and participating in car shows make me think of the East Coast more than this coupe. From the first time I saw the car at the Wheels of Time show in Macungie PA. I was amazed at how well this car represents the "other coast". Telling the car's history will be an easy task for me as Tom Matroni himself, the original builder and current owner has already written it down so well. So enjoy the story in Tom’s own words:

“This was my first car. I was 15 when I bought it, and that was in 1953. It was black with red letters across the hood that said "Leaping Lena". The motor was blown, the fenders were bent, and the body was bruised. We pushed it about ten blocks to its new home with the help of a few of my friends. I had to hide the car because my Dad didn't want me to have a car. Well, we got it home and I started working on it after school and evenings at a friend's garage. The engine came out first, then the transmission, brakes, and so forth. I found a wrecked '35 Ford convertible that had a 100 horse Mercury engine and transmission in it. So the guy said "Tom, if you cut this up, I'll give you the motor and transmission". I needed a motor and transmission, so I cut her up and put the engine in the '31. I then put on juice brakes, fixed the body and painted it maroon. After Dad got a look at the car, he liked it and said I could keep it."

Read the rest of this article in ISSUE 12: JALOPY SHOWDOWN DRAGS '07