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Long time Pismoderelict, Jim Moore is the proud owner of our current Spotlight car. The car is a hybrid (NOT THAT KIND) of car parts starting with the body of a bare bones '32 hiboy with a TCI stage III chassis, and a Wescott body. Jim, assisted by Randy Mathews of Mathews Fabrication in Nipomo, began work on the chassis fabricating mounts and brackets as needed. TCI had already C'd the frame front and rear for axle clearance, and installed the brackets for the clutch linkage, as Jim chose to utilize a Saginaw 4-speed, with a GM clutch, hooked to the Desoto with an adaptor and flywheel provided by Pat McGuire at Wilcap Co., Pismo Beach, CA. The shifter is of the famed Hurst brand and the rearend is the desirable Ford 9", hung via coil over shocks. The dropped I-beam front axle is mounted with hairpins, runs disc brakes, steering is Vega cross-steer, all part of the package from TCI. The Wheel Vintiques Gennies have been powder coated, as has the grille insert in a bright red. Charlie Hemstreet, also from Nipomo, prepared and painted the body a gray acrylic enamel. Steve Havens, Santa Maria, pinstriped the hiboy in a traditional Von Dutch style. Jim kept the traditional look with '39 Ford teardrop taillights and Dietz headlights. Richard Enos, Santa Maria, restored the original '32 license plates. Did you notice the engine was an original Desoto? Jim took the engine from a 1955 Desoto sedan , bored it .030 over the original 291. While the crank and rods remained stock items, Egge 7.5:1 pistons were installed, as well as an Isky 280 camshaft, with .485 lift, 280 degrees duration. Dave Mussel, Midstate Machine, Santa Maria performed the machining and balancing; Art Foster, Santa Maria, did the assembly. For the induction system it took Jim more than a year of searching and scouring Hemmings to come up with a Weiand 4 x 2 manifold, which he fitted with vintage Stromberg 97's, rebuilt and setup by legendary flathead builder Warren 'Hoke' Hokinson, setting them up to run all the time-no progressive linkage. A Mopar electronic ignition provides the spark, while the cooling is handled by a Chevrolet water pump on a Hot Heads adaptor, both aluminum. The headers are from Sanderson, exit to 18" glasspacks. Horsepower is estimated at 250. Oh, can't forget the dash which is from '40 Mercury and the steering wheel which is a standard '40 Ford item. Notice the trunk's plaques. Each of the plaques represents a club that ran at the dry lakes. Thanks, Jim for sharing your car's history.
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