Gr8rods: Crafty-B’s 32 Ford Hot Rod

Kirk Brown, whose Crafty B shop in Caledonia, Michigan fabricated the car (Brown also uses the Nostalgic Speed brand)

The aluminum parts represent Crafty B / Nostalgic Speed’s product line, whose motto is the melifluous and descriptive, if ungrammatical, “Hand Crafted Sand Casted”. All of the aluminum castings used on the light blue roadster were sand cast using hand crafted wood forms shaped in-house. The same is true for the lights, shifter arms, friction shock absorbers and gas caps that form the basis for their product line. The gas caps are available in a variety of finishes, with your choice of stainless steel or brass (for that really old school look) closure levers. They’re also the reason for the company ribald motto, “we have your gashole covered”.

The interior is as minimalist as the exterior, with simple brown leather upholstery crafted nicely by Mrs. Brown, who does upholstery under the trade name of The Stitch (I don’t mean to slight her by not mentioning her given name but I can’t find it in my notes). The Brown’s are a nice looking couple and they made a nice looking car.

Also, the flat and rectangular aluminum rear window frame makes the top seem even more square shaped. From the rear 3/4 angle, though, I can see what the Browns were trying to do with the roof.

Now has been redone - to look like this