March 2023 Hot Rod of the Month

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The Faruga Pickup, a clone of one of the fastest cars in my Western New York State hometown from 1958-’61 originally by Stan “Pete” Faruga, Eden, N.Y., class of ’55. Four-year recreation by Kennedy Brothers Hot Rods with top chopped 5″; chopped ‘34 Ford pickup rear window; bed shortened 6″ and rear fenders bobbed. Custom paint based on ’57 Cadillac Castile Maroon. Chromed, dropped headlight bar with Arrow lights. Custom tail-light panel with ‘41-’48 Chevytail lights. Custom, chromed 3-point roll bar, and rear nerf bar. Chassis based on Dean Lowe’s1962 NHRA Winternationals-winning, February ’62 Hot Rod Magazine cover car. Dropped and drilled ’34 Ford front axle. Torque-arm rear suspension with rear radius rods made from ’40 Fordfronts on ’42 rear forgings. Model A front and rear leaf springs; tube shocks. Blair’s SpeedShop-built ’58 283ci Chevy with +.060″ Ross pistons, 12:1 compression, ported “fuelie” heads, and Engle solid cam. Restored WCFB dual quads tuned by NHRA Super Stock veteran JimmyBridges. Aluminum flywheel with 4-speed and quick-change rear. Sun two-piece tach and period Stewart-Warner gauges. Period Offenhauser column drop; Ansen “John Milner” steering wheel; snap-on, bomber-seat covers by Mario; carpet, door panels, and padded top by RexUpholstery. Wiring, exhaust, and final prep by Jay Dean’s Nostalgia Ranch. Raced hard at this month’s The Race of Gentlemen Flabob Air Strip Drags with open headers, 5.15 gears, and pie-crust slicks after only a few hours of post-build drive time!