'The D-Rod' Debuts
Under a strict deadline and budget constraints, Detroit Muscle completed a special hot rod roadster in time for the 55th Annual Detroit Autorama March 9-11 in Cobo Hall.
In less than four months, the 1932 Ford roadster was built as the flagship vehicle for the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMCVB), thus ensuring its debut at the Detroit Autorama.
The organization’s goal for the car is to promote metropolitan Detroit as a leisure and meeting destination.
Baum drew from his lifelong love of hot rods and high-performance cars to design the Deuce. His vision for “The D-Rod” included a balance of the old and the new. Utilizing the partnership between the DMCVB and its diverse membership, including DaimlerChrysler, Baum acquired the recently announced Chrysler 392 Hemi crate engine, backed up by a beefed-up four-speed overdrive Chrysler 518 automatic transmission.
To cover the engine and chassis, a new Detroit-made, Ford Motor Co.-authorized HRH Dearborn Deuce ’32 Ford roadster body was selected. “The D-Rod” also features an authentic Pendleton Del Rio-pattern blanket and snakeskin interior reflecting Detroit’s Native American heritage.
Look for “The D-Rod,” along with several other award-winning custom and high-performance vehicles, in the Detroit Muscle exhibit at the 55th Annual Detroit Autorama.
