Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Editor's note: This is part of a series at KSL.com featuring some of Utah's coolest cars. If you own a customized vehicle — from sports cars to semitrucks — email fjolley@ksl.com with a photo of the vehicle and a brief description for consideration. SOUTH JORDAN — Keven Johnson has built show cars before, but said he feels “like a caretaker” when it comes to his 1932 Ford roadster. That vehicle holds some deep Salt Lake City hot-rod history.
That rich history started in 1951 when teenager Jim Bean bought the car from his high school shop teacher. Bean put an engine in it and gave the vehicle the latest hot-rod modifications for the time. He sold the car in 1957 to someone who stored it in a garage near Johnson's home.
Johnson’s grandfather had owned a 1932 Ford roadster, so during the few times it went around the block, he pointed the vehicle out to his son, Johnson's father. The ’32 is one of the most sought-after platforms for hot-rodding.
After the owner of the 1932 Ford roadster died, Johnson ran into the owner's son at the DMV and asked if he’d sell the vehicle to him. The rest is not just history, but the continuation of history and the start of a friendship.
Johnson fixed the brakes and transmission and replaced the water-damaged engine. It now has a 1959 flathead bored with Offenhauser heads and three chrome Stromberg carburetors on top. The estimated 175 horsepower goes through a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr transmission, prized for its stronger gears and shifter that gives the driver a bit more foot room.
The car also has bomber seats; the originals were missing, but a friend in California donated some of the extremely rare, ($1,200 each) seats from a WWII bomber. Another rare asset is the Dago axle, hand-formed reportedly by lake racer Ed Stewart, to drop the car about 3 inches.
Johnson put his own hood ornament from a 1933 Plymouth on the vehicle during his restoration. He repaired the top and sanded the paint just to show all the different paint layers over the years, but otherwise did not personalize it.
Instead, Johnson went searching for the person who did personalize the vehicle: its previous owner, Bean. Johnson knocked on doors in the Avenues, asking for Bean, whose name was still on the title (the man who bought it from him in 1957 never registered it). Long-time neighbors came up with a list of phone numbers, and Johnson went into investigator mode.
When Bean answered his call, Johnson asked him if he had owned a ’32 Ford. Bean said he had. Johnson asked Bean to describe any specifics. Bean answered that it was channeled and had a ’40 Ford dash, flipped rumble seat, and a few other unique features.
Johnson later met with Bean to show him his old car. Johnson said the car makes him beam and also tear up as memories come back “like a lightbulb coming on.” The current and former owners of the ’32 are now friends, sharing memories of their beloved vehicle.
Johnson is a member of Hot Iron Car Club, and you can see what he's up to on his Instagram account, hotironspeedshop.
Editor's note: This story initially identified the vehicle as a Ford coupe, but it has been corrected to identify it as a Ford roadster.
Brian Champagne has reported on cars for more than nine years. He holds a master's degree in communications from the University of the Pacific and teaches at Utah State University.
