Lynn Arrowsmith of Sydney, New South Wales still owns this blue 1934 Ford coupe, known as ‘The Vagabond’.
Lynn, a carpenter and foundation member of The Romans Car Club completed the car at 22 years old after a 4.5 year and $3,200 build. [1]
The body was channelled 6″ over the frame, and the firewall recessed 2″. A ’32 grille was sectioned 2.5″ to suit, and ’36 Ford wheel covers were modified to create the wheel guards. The body was painted Dulon ‘Twilight Turquoise’ by Robert Bones in Lynn’s workshop and the windows were tinted green before being refitted.
The ’34 had a ’32 cross-member welded in and the front axle was dropped 2.5″. The suspension features reversed-eye ’34 packs, heavy-duty Armstrong tube shocks and a pair of homemade radius rods. It’s fitted with ’39 Ford stubs and ’46 Ford brake drums.
It rolls on reversed ’48 Mercury steel wheels with 185×15″ Olympic GT rubber in the rear and 175×15″ Pirelli radials up front. It has a track width of 62″ and overall wheelbase of 114″.
The coupe was powered by a ’60 Dodge 313ci V8. It was mostly standard, only polished heads and Isky solid lifters added to it. It was fed by 2 AFB 4bbl Carter carburettors and exhaust went through stock manifolds and Lukey mufflers. Spark was provided by a dual-point modified distributor and Champion N8 spark plugs. It was cooled by a custom-made radiator which was both thermostatically controlled and manually overridden by a switch on the dash.
The Dodge mill had a shortened (0.5″) bellhousing and was coupled to a ’37 Cadillac La Salle 3-speed transmission, ’37 Buick plate and ’60 Dodge clutch plate. The ’37 Cadillac open tail-shaft was mated to a Ford yoke that went into a ’48 Ford rear end and 4.11:1 differential.
Hella lenses and small indicators were mounted to chrome Stateside brackets in the front, and ’51 Buick tail lights were fitted in the rear.
The homemade benchseat, parcel tray and door cards were trimmed in button-studded black doehide with a perforate headlining and black carpet to match by Tony Allessi. A ’60 Dodge steering wheel was mounted to a chromed Cadillac column, and the Cadillac shifter was chromed too.
The dash was modified to include a range of Smith gauges: speedo, tacho, oil pressure, water temperature, amp and fuel. A radio was installed on the passenger side and a speaker mounted under the rear window. The aerial was also operated electronically from the dash.
The boot area was trimmed in wood-grain panelling and black carpeting.
After being featured in Australian Hot Rod magazine in February, 1968, the coupe had put over 10,000 miles on the clock, and the process began for a tear down and repaint in ‘Starburst Blue’.
The car has been active since then, and is still owned by Lynn Arrowsmith.
Achievements
Top Under Construction, National Show 1964
Top Under Construction, National Show 1965
Top Coupe, National Show 1966
Top Street Hot Rod, Best Individual Display, National Show 1967
Top Car of Show, Top Upholstery, Brisbane Show 1967
Top Car of Show, Top Coupe, Best Individual Display, Longest Distance Travelled, Adelaide Show 1967
People’s Choice, Canberra Show 1967
Top Coupe, 1st Wollongong Show
Top Car of Show, Top Upholstery, Top Engine Compartment, 2nd Individual Display, 2nd Wollongong Show
Featured in February 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine
Registration Plates
EFO-569 (New South Wales)
LA-000 (New South Wales)
LA-031 (New South Wales)
Lynn Arrowsmith’s ’34 coupe on display at a car show. Image courtesy of Bill Wickes
Lynn Arrowsmith’s ’34 coupe. Image courtesy of the Romans website
Lynn Arrowsmith’s ’34 coupe on display at a car show. Image courtesy of Larry Kavanagh
February 1968 cover of Australian Hot Rod magazine. Scan courtesy of Mark Arrowsmith
Opening image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Rear end image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Engine bay image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Front and engine bay image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Front end and wheel image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Front end detail image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Interior image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Seat image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Exhaust detail from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Boot trim image from Feb 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine.
Lynn’s coupe (right) sit next to Warwick Allen’s roadster (left). Image courtesy of Matt Brown
Lynn Arrowsmith’s ’34 coupe on display at a car show in NSW. Image courtesy of Charlie Falzon
Lynn (second from left) on a rod run to Canberra, 1969. Image courtesy of John Wood
Lynn Arrowsmith’s ’34 coupe seen at Narranderra, 1975. Image courtesy of Larry Kavanagh
References
[1] February 1968 issue of Australian Hot Rod magazine
Ray ellis | 28 April, 2016
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great stuff. keep it coming
Cliff CARTER | 9 May, 2016
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Good to see Australia’s hotrodding history being documented. top stuff.
dave hart | 9 June, 2016
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Keep looking waiting for more great stuff ,,good job …your a legend for doing this .