Fun Times At Hot Rod High
“High School Students Displaying Alongside The Big Boys”
Roseville High School's - '51 Ford
Story by Julia and John Aschenberg
Photos by – Authors and Jerry Wetli
We all know the struggles that the automotive industry is dealing with these days. So, going up to the Detroit Autorama Show this year has a special tug at our hearts. Many questions are on everyone’s mind, what next with the ailing economy. For ourselves, like many other Joe public we are trying to do our part for the many who are out of jobs. Going up to Detroit we had a mission, which was to inform the ladies involved in the automotive industry about our new magazine that we are launching. Now as many of you know this magazine is geared toward the ladies or the man who “stands by his woman”. The automotive industry has been trying for the last few years to get the younger generation involved in the sport to keep it alive. As we walked around Cobo Hall in search of women and their rides, little did we realize right up front what was starring at us right between our eyes
When we came upon this nice and clean 1951 Ford Sedan, we all thought wow this is a really neat custom. As we took a closer look we soon realized that it was built by gals and guys from Roseville H.S. out of Roseville MI. They were all scurrying around doing their particular job to make the car shine for the viewing spectators. Once the gals were free we asked if they had time for the magazine to interview them and take a group picture, which of course they obliged.
Roy O’Brien Ford donated the car for the students to cut their teeth on for two classes, Auto Body and Automotive Tech. Now there was a slight problem with the students working on the car. There wasn’t a place to do the work because of renovations happening at the school. That meant these students would need to travel to another school every day to work on the ’51. The build took place over a 9 month period and what a beautiful masterpiece the students produced. Hey gals and guys our hats off to you and a great job on the Radical Sedan!
Vehicle Info
Owner: Roy O'Brien Ford
Saint Clair Shores, Michigan
- FORD - 302 c.i. V8 AOD Transmission
- HOLLEY - 4 bbl Carburator
- TRU-TRAC - belt drive pulley system
- ART MORRISON - 2" x 4" PROfile Chassis
- AIR RIDE - 6" Air Spring Plus Suspension
- WILWOOD - Pro Spindles, Brakes
- STRANGE - S Series 9" Rear End 3.55:1 Ratio
- LOKAR - Shifter, Emergency Brake
- DOLPHIN - Analog Guages
Pictured here is auto shop instructor Paul Tregembo Jr., Kimberly
Wilson, Angeline Kurtti, Ashley St. Peter, and Chelsie Daniels. These
are just a small portion of the gals from Roseville who helped with
this beautiful 1951 Ford Radical Custom Coupe of Roy O'Brien Ford.
Motivation for this coupe comes from a Ford Small Block 302 c.i.
V8 conncected to an automatic overdrive transmission, with a
Strange 9" rear-end out back.
Julia with LIA Magazine was on hand to get all the vital information about the build-up.