Gene Wilcox didn't intentionally set out to build a matching set of classic Ford street rods. But after his 1937 Ford Tudor turned out so well in two-tone, he decided to just reverse the paint scheme on his 1940 Ford pickup. They complement each other perfectly.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The '40 Ford pickup features a champagne top flowing gracefully into the curves of the amber mist pearl that saturates the lower half of the truck.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Wilcox's 1937 Ford Tudor shimmers in bright sunlight, showing off its two-tone paint. It was among the top six cars selected by PPG for best use of color at a National Street Rod Association show in Louisville, where 13,000 cars showed up.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Wilcox decided the only way to improve the classic lines of a '37 Ford, with its teardrop headlights, waterfall grille and streamlined hood emblem, was with a two-tone paint job that accentuated all those elements.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A closer view of the 1940's front end reveals how artfully Wilcox arched the dividing line between the two colors, capturing the curve of the fender, flowing right down along the grille insert, which is painted, not plated.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Power for the '37 Tudor is produced by a 400-cubic-inch smallblock Chevy V-8 outfitted with multiport fuel injection and a March serpentine drive belt setup. Wilcox built the engine, which is mated to a 700R4 automatic overdrive transmission.
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The '40 Ford pickup is a bit more conventional, running a 350 crate engine that Wilcox tore apart and rebuilt, using Edelbrock aluminum heads, intake and carburetor. Sanderson headers complete the package.
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Scott Downey upgraded a Glide aftermarket bench seat in soft, supple leather for passenger comfort up front. He custom built a rear seat to match in the back.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The '40 Ford pickup is outfitted with a pair of aftermarket bucket seats Wilcox got from his brother. The truck interior is again the work of Scott Downey Upholstery.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Here's the back seat of the Tudor Sedan, a study in seat-making from the floor pan up.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Wilcox says the 1940 pickup is a joy to drive and judging by the looks of the two-passenger cab, who could argue that point? It features built-in Vintage Air air conditioning, a tall Lokar shifter and upgraded vintage-style analog gauges.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Two versions of the 1937 Ford Tudor were produced: a "humpback," which featured a trunk bulge, and the "slantback," which produced the more streamlined look seen on Wilcox's car.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Among the body modifications on the pickup is the custom rolled rear pan by George Huenergardt, featuring frenched-in horizontal '39 Ford taillights. Nadine Ward painted the Ford V-8 tailgate emblem and striped the bodywork on both vehicles.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
It took a half dozen tries, but Wilcox finally got the wooden bed flooring stained exactly the right shade to accent the cargo area of his pickup.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Just looking at the rear quarters of the '37 Tudor can be soothing, with all the softly sculpted lines flowing together. Here, too, '39 Ford taillights were used, along with a V-8 billet gas cap.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
There are only two sets of these Billet Specialties wheels in the world and Gene Wilcox bought both of them at a national street rod meet. The front wheels run 205x55x16 Hankook tires, while the rears are fitted with 255x60x17s.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A beautiful cherrywood Lecarra steering wheel and tilt column accent the two-tone dash in the '37 Ford nicely. It, too, runs vintage-style ivory-faced gauges and Vintage Air.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
That beautifully sculpted '40 Ford rear fender is wrapped around a Wheel Vintiques stock-style wheel wearing dog dish hubcaps, ribbed beauty rings and Goodrich TA rubber.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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