1932 ford coupe collector car hot rod American Graffiti

Young people who have never seen American Graffiti love this car, as the whole is more than the sum of its parts: the chopped yellow body, the open engine compartment, the stainless steel headers with cut-outs, the four 2-barrel carburetors, the chrome wheels, motorcycle fenders in front, and bobbed fenders in back. This tasteful car and it’s driver John Milner were arguably the stars of American Graffiti, which restarted the hot-rod craze that continues to this day.

This copy of Milner’s 1932 (“deuce”) Ford was featured in the May 2008 Hemmings Motor News, the July 2010 Grundy Insurance Gazette, and the August 2010 National Street Rod AssociationStreetScene Magazine. After I purchased it in 2013, I spent about $20,000 to have it professionally rebuilt by Roy Brizio Street Rods. It runs great and now handles mountain roads as cooly as it cruises down the boulevard. Brizio maintains the actual movie car, and this copy is arguably the better driver with a larger radiator, bigger engine, air conditioning, and visible turn signals.

This vintage hot rod makes people happy when they see it; people often come by to chat. I’ve met people who tell me stories of old cars from their past, who worked on the movie, and who were street racers in Modesto where the movie’s director George Lucas went to high school.

It really is a little deuce coupe at just 96 inches long, and so light that I can move it with one foot on the ground while sitting in the driver’s seat. As experienced hot-rodders know, such hand-built cars may have low miles because they are undependable or uncomfortable or just flat dangerous to drive. This car has a reassuring 27,500 miles on the odometer, which indicates its reliability, its safety, and the fun of driving it. It is a street-legal and licensed daily driver, and not just a trailer queen with fake license plates. I’m only selling it because I bought a new car and don’t want to park the deuce outside.

I’m driving it to Petaluma, California for their annual “Salute to American Graffiti” car show on Saturday May 21. We’re car #352. Come by and see it yourself. Amazingly enough, you can own a nice version of the car that inspired a generation of hot rodders for the price of a used Prius.

BODY

• Flatlanders Mfg. 5 window 1932 Ford fiberglass body with 3.5 inch chop, drip rails, and reinforced with steel square tubing

• Paint type and color: PPG Deltron / Prowler Yellow

• Painter: Paul Bullock, Mason, Michigan

• Headlights: King Bee

• Taillights: 32 ford with Blue Dots

• Glass: Tinted

• Rear Bumper (AG nerf bar), Front Steel motorcycle-style Fenders and Rear Bobbed Fiberglass Fenders all custom made by Dan's Hot Rods in Apex, NC

ENGINE

• 1971 Chevy V8 350 cu.in.

• Walker radiator

• GM single pole alternator (polished)

• Intake manifold: Offenhauser 4 x 2

• Carbs: Four (4) GM Rochester 2G with custom linkage

• Headers: Sanderson Mfg. sprint car/ ceramic coated

• Ignition coil: MSD

• Ignition wires: Taylor

• Exhaust/ Mufflers 2.5" Dynomax Turbos

• Valve covers: Billet Specialty

• Transmission: GM TH 350 with B&M deep pan

CHASSIS

• Chassis: Jig welded Flatlander Custom - Boxed with tubular crossmembers and a wheelbase of 109 inches

• Rear End/suspension: Ford 9" with coilover shocks and traction bars

• Rear brakes: Ford drum

• Front suspension: Transverse spring with Pete and Jakes I-beam axle with 3" dropped spindles, 4 bar tubular radius rods, and shocks (all P&J and chromed)

• Front brakes : Flaming River disc

• Steering box: Flaming River

• Steering column: Flaming River tilt and polished

• Front wheels: 15 x 6 Milner specials chrome

• Rear wheels: 15 x 8 Milner specials chrome

• Gas Tank: Aluminum 15-gallon fuel cell (racing-style gas tank)

INTERIOR

• Dashboard: 32 Ford 6 gauge

• Gauges: Dolphin instruments / White faced

• Wiring: Ron Francis

• Seat: Glide Bench

• Carpet: Dark Brown Wool

• Upholstery: Leather Beige

• Seat Belts: Julianos

• Stereo: Pioneer DEH-X6500BT Stereo AM/FM/CD with BlueTooth and microphone for hands-free calls and for playing car music from your cell phone

• Air Conditioning: Vintage Air

Terms & Conditions

Only you know if the vehicle is right for you. Please ask all questions before bidding via email or call 510-525-6781 and leave a message. The vehicle in this listing is being sold "as-is" with no warranties of any kind expressed or implied. By participating in this auction, the bidder agrees to these terms. No bidders will be allowed with negative feedback from eBay.

Successful Bidder

The winning bidder must contact us within 48 hours to proceed with payment and delivery arrangements. A Paypal deposit of $2000 (non-refundable) must be paid within 48 hours of the close of the auction.

Payment of Balance Due

The winning bidder agrees to pay remaining balance due in full within 7 days of the close of auction and take ownership of the vehicle within 7-10 business days of the close of the auction. We only take wire transfers, not cashier’s checks or money orders. All financial transactions must be completed before getting the vehicle. Pick-up or shipping must be arranged by the purchaser.

Non-Paying Bidder

If the deposit is not received within 48 hours of the close of auction and or if the balance is not paid in full within 7 days following the close of auction, we reserve the right to re-list the vehicle or sell the vehicle to the next highest bidder or another qualified buyer.

Additional Fees and Taxes

Buyers are responsible for all state, county, city taxes & fees as well as title/registration fees.