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Before the hot rod moniker had even been coined, jalopies were almost exclusively built based on lightweight and somewhat aerodynamic roadsters. Coupes, sedans, and a handful of pickups eventually joined the ranks, but some models never gained much interest from hot rodders—four-door models in particular, like the phaeton.

Up until the 1920s, this body style—derived from 19th-century horse-drawn carriages—could be found all over the big cities. Phaetons fell from favor during the following decade, as technology allowed for the mass production of closed cars and convertible bodies with glass windows all around. Suddenly, phaetons looked so yesterday.

This lack of interest from automobile buyers was reflected in the sales of Ford products. In 1932, FoMoCo assembled 5,251 phaetons worldwide, compared to a total production of 322,962 vehicles, which equates to less than 2 percent. The situation proved even dimmer in 1933, as Dearborn and its affiliate factories released only 2,206 Deluxe phaetons and 609 Standard phaetons.

The car featured on these pages happens to be one of the latter. Yeah, you can say it's a super-rare beast. Compared to its Deluxe counterpart, the Standard had no cowl lights, no ashtray in the dash, a plainer interior, as well as painted (rather than chromed) windshield posts. Very few of these stark models have survived, as they have not been considered as valuable as roadsters or coupes of the same era.

This survivor belongs to Cam Grant, a well-known figure of the Canadian hot rod scene. He lives within miles of the U.S. border in Surrey, British Columbia, in a house flanked by a couple of large garages filled with tons of desirable parts he has gathered over the last few decades. For Cam, hopping up cars began in 1958 when he was 13, with a '30 Ford roadster (purchased for $75) that was first motivated by a '48 Mercury flathead. It evolved over the years, receiving a '55 Buick nailhead V8 on a frame kicked front and aft that received a channeled body.

Other vintage Fords followed, in the shape of a '28 phaeton, a '34 Victoria, and several '32 roadsters. In fact, he scored two of the latter—genuine barn finds—a few years ago. He kept one of them and sold the second to his good friend Dave York, a car we wrote about in "Against All Odds" (Sept. 2017). Cam's current fleet also includes a mildly altered '39 Ford Cabriolet, a real-deal Deuce three-window coupe, a heavily modified '55 Rambler Cross Country wagon, and a customized '34 Ford roadster with an interesting story (see sidebar).

The '33 phaeton's tale goes something like this: A person lost to history hot rodded the vehicle in the late 1940s, before storing it in the Tacoma, Washington, area in 1952, along with a pair of Deuces, a roadster, and a five-window. The phaeton "was brought out of hibernation in 2004 and sold by the owner's widow to a man in Spokane, Washington," Cam recounts. "It then went to San Francisco to a friend, who made it roadworthy. He kept it for a couple of years, and I was then lucky enough to become its next caretaker."

Just before storing the phaeton more than six decades ago, it appears that the owner was getting ready to paint the body, as evidenced by the original black paint being sanded in spots to feather out chips. The doors were primed, but the project stalled for some reason. So when Cam took possession of the car, he discovered a terrific time capsule, featuring a 100 percent rust-free shell and floor, with no repairs ever performed! The doors closed perfectly with no sag, an amazing feat considering phaetons were prone to body flex. Even the fenders remain original and in great shape, with some paint left (though not much). To make sure the bodywork would continue aging gracefully, Cam applied primer over several bare-metal areas, though he made sure the treatment would match the patina.

The frame received plenty of attention as well, thanks to a few coats of black paint and diverse parts picked from the impressive stash stored in his garage, starting with an old Ford front axle, drilled and dropped 3-1/2 inches. Other goodies include a modified '56 Ford pickup steering box and '48 Ford juice brakes. Both front and rear spring packs feature reversed eyes to properly get the tub closer to the ground.

Hard to believe, but a lot of that interior has been with the car since 1933! Cam muses, "The door panels may well be original, with lots of extra nails to hold them on. Standard phaeton seats and door panels had what Ford called 'leather-like' material. Under the plaid seat covers, the original upholstery has a similar material."

The driver faces a handful of rare components, such as the Art Decostyled 1940s Yankee aftermarket turn signal switch mounted to the steering column. Under the dash, Cam installed a vintage Sun voltmeter, flanked by a pair of Stewart-Warner instruments (oil pressure and water temperature gauges). He also added a Model T ignition switch above them, though it now controls the headlights and taillights. Finally, the SCTA badge was a present from a friend nearly 40 years ago. It tends to travel from one car to another depending on his mood.

Being a true hot rod, the patina'd phaeton evolves as time passes, though Cam makes certain to perform alterations in harmony with the vehicle's original jalopy spirit. He concedes not being a "flathead guy," so next time you see the car, it may have a more powerful Buick nailhead. Still a cool engine, right? Come to think of it, this phaeton checks many boxes in our list: It's a rare model preserved with care, it retains great style and stance, and is equipped with a desirable selection of vintage components. It truly doesn't get much better than this.

See all 35 photos These under-construction shots illustrate just how sound the body was after all those years in storage.

See all 35 photos These under-construction shots illustrate just how sound the body was after all those years in storage.

See all 35 photos The hot rod rake comes courtesy of Firestone bias-plies measuring 5.50-16 and 7.00-16. Cam kept the original top irons but has no plans for a top. We can't blame him. After all, the climate proves much more temperate in the Vancouver area than most of Canada.

See all 35 photos The nose of the phaeton retains stock '33 Ford headlights, and why not, since they look great. Check out the buffalo logo on the grille, an authentic '33 piece. Cam explains: "You got one of these when you travelled through Canadian national parks in the 1920s and 1930s. They have become very collectible, and expensive."

See all 35 photos Some call it a grille guard, others a bumper guard. Whatever you fancy, this piece is a period-correct accessory. Cam converted the two small foglights into front turn signals.

See all 35 photos Unlike Deluxe models, Standard '33 phaetons had painted windshield posts. A '39 Ford supplied the rearview mirror, though Cam thinks its graceful bracket was probably made decades ago.

See all 35 photos The 239ci flathead perfectly fits the theme of the vehicle. Cam dug through his amazing pile of parts and came up with a few gems: genuine Edelbrock heads, Eddie Meyer intake manifold, Mallory distributor, and Fenton headers with the right amount of patina.

See all 35 photos The old plaid material hides much of the original upholstery, though it's "very cracked and worn," according to Cam. "My wife got the plaid seat covers about 30 years ago, and we never had a use for them—until now. She can't recall where she got them."

See all 35 photos While the instruments and steering column are original 1933 pieces, the banjo steering wheel came from a '39 model. The '37 gearshift knob may not look overly exciting at first glance, but Cam is quite attached to it: "It was given to me by a nice old neighbor in 1958 when I was a kid, trying to build my '31 roadster. I've used it in several hot rods since."

See all 35 photos That Moon pressure pump is dear to Cam's heart, being a birthday present from an old friend. "It came out of a neat '31 Ford roadster built in Vancouver in the mid-'50s. It had a 354ci Chrysler Hemi with Hilborn injection. I actually rode in it once. It tended to load up; but once it cleaned out, it was impressive and a bit scary. Now it's just there because I like it."

See all 35 photos Wheels are common (traditional) hot rod items, specifically 16-inch Kelseys, enhanced with cast aluminum Cragar hubcaps. And, of course, a touch of red paint brings some welcome contrast against the dark shell. The car occasionally runs on whitewall radials, plus genuine '50 Merc wheels and caps.

See all 35 photos Punched with about 40 louvers, the rear apron houses a '33 California license plate, installed for decorative purposes. Above it, notice the winged light, a swap meet find originally used as trunk lid badge on a mid-'30s Chrysler Airflow.

See all 35 photos Over the years, Cam has unearthed dozens of desirable license plate frames, mostly from BC and cities along the California beaches. His tub features a deco-styled Long Beach frame in front and a plaid model in the back. "I get some ribbing about buying it to match the upholstery," he says.

See all 35 photos This Standard phaeton is a true time machine, with a few details purposely left "as is." Yes, it's a bit dog-eared around the edges, but you just don't find cars like these anymore.

In Cam's Garage

The picture clearly demonstrates Cam Grant's obsession with vintage stock/performance parts. HOT ROD produced a piece about the man and his place in June 2012. This photo, an outtake from that article, shows another interesting ride he acquired, a Titian Red '34 roadster that somewhat hovers between a hot rod and a custom. Note the unusual door cutouts (executed in lead) and the spare wheel on the rear bumper, two details you would typically associate with custom cars.

Although it never graced the pages of the well-known magazines from the West Coast, the car still received some attention during the '50s from three small-size magazines based on the other side of the country: Speed and Custom, Car Speed, and Style, Souping and Swapping. Earl Reed owned it at the time, when it was known as the "Rip Roaring Roadster."

Cam bought the roadster in 2009 as a great survivor with minimal body issues. While preserving as much of the old paint and parts as possible, he still added his own touch to the vehicle, using a DuVall-style windshield from friend Dave York. He then went to chop the top, although it remains functional and foldable. Other alterations include a 4-inch dropped axle, '48 Ford brakes, and desirable Lincoln Zephyr hubcaps. In case you're wondering, the lights mix pieces from a '36 Ford for the front and '39 LaSalle for the back.

For motivation, Cam elected to use a 390ci V8 that came from a '59 Cadillac. It received a selection of Offenhauser speed equipment, such as valve covers and an intake manifold supporting dual Rochester carbs. It's a reliable combo that allows our British Columbia resident to easily travel to local shows and occasionally across the nearby U.S. border.