David Garza - 1934 Model A - S1. Ep1.
David Garza - Triple OG
Dave and I go way back, as in my first muscle car way back, and thought it was only fitting for him to kick off my podcast adventure. At 57 years young Dave has built and maintained a plethora of old cars, all of which have been Chevy’s, that is until this 1934 Ford 5 window came into his life.
We start the story with a good friend of his who was going through some health issues giving him the car knowing that Dave would pay homage and build the car correctly. With that in mind Dave went to work on the rough original Henry Ford steel and knew that he wanted to do things a little differently.
Enter in the original style fenders. Most hotrodders toss these and opt for the cleaner fender-less sleek look of a traditional hotrod from the 40s when WWII was over and stripped down versions of these cars were raced all across America. Dave decided he didn’t want to go this way and was inspired by the movie “The California Kid,” which featured the same car in black with the traditional style flames in the front. I think he made the right choice, the car looks slippery and the lines compliment the wheels and creates a wider longer look to the 34.
Dave didn’t want an all show no go cruiser but at the same time he wanted something reliable and able to cruise any day of the week. In typical hotrodder fashion he used the motor out of a truck he owned 10 years ago and plugged it right into the chassis. Some might say its sacrilegious to put a Chevy into a Ford but to me the 383 stroker motor looks right at home between the frame rails. Working on a budget the rules get thrown out the window and you use what you have available and the motor out of his old truck was what the doctor ordered. Topping the stout motor is 3-2 barrel carbs with aluminum heads. Matted to the 383 is a Turbo 400 Automatic connected to a Ford 9” with 383 gears. This allows Dave to cruise around Houston on the interstate while still being able to take on the occasional kids trying to race hime from stop light to stop light.
To get the stance just right Dave worked backwards starting by purchasing the size of the rim and tire he wanted and making the suspension work around the stance he wanted. A front rack and pinion updates the car to cruise comfortably. And Dave drives this, every 3 days or everywhere on the weekends. The stance is perfect tucking a little bit of the fat white walls while still being able to turn lock to lock without rubbing. The mix of the black rims on the white walls mixed with the semi gloss black paint makes the car look like something John Dillinger would drive. The minimal amount of pinstriping breaks up the Ford “you can have any color you want as long as its black” (this should be the name of the color PPG) and adds a touch of color. The striping continues on the inside and a tribute with the word “Pops” inscribed on the inside gives the car a personal touch (great story behind the name on the podcast).
With the top chopped and all of the windows custom cut the car is short on the inside for my 6’2” frame but is perfectly sized for Dave (he’s short). The small quirks of the car that were features in the 30’s have been kept and allows for you to imagine what it was like to ride in these cars when they were new. The windshield tilts forward to let air in, AC for the times, and the rear window rolls down so that you can speak to anyone bravely riding in the mother in law seat aka rumble seat. While Dave says its still “rough” inside the brown and black seats and door cards match the striping on the car and really class up the interior. Dave hopes to get some carpet in it soon however he’s quite happy riding around the way it is…and you know what I’m good with that too.
All around this is what the Rad Rides Podcast is in search of. Solid car built in a garage and driven for all to see. This wasn’t the first or the last car Dave will ever build and is someone that you may not have heard of but you may have seen some of his creations riding around town. If you’re ever in Houston and cruising on I-10 keep a look out for this beauty and give him a thumbs up!
If you have any additional questions for Dave or just want to give us some feedback on this car or the podcast hit me up @radridespodcast on instagram or radridespodcast@gmail.com. You can find Dave @nastykustomz on instagram or mobbing around Houston!
