Hot rods are intensely personal creations, but almost everyone can agree on the basics: V8 power, eye-popping looks, and a modicum of modern conveniences to make them fun to drive. This 1931 Ford tudor sedan delivers on all counts, a well-built rod that attracts attention like a fireworks show, runs well enough to drive cross-country, and is comfortable enough that nobody will complain about the trip. Best of all, this all-steel rod is available for a fraction of the cost of building something similar and already has all the stuff you’d include anyway. Why wait when you can be having fun this weekend in a car that’s finished, fully sorted, and looks like a rock star?

Starting with a genuine steel car is always a smart choice—not only does it provide a solid foundation but there are plenty of people out there who insist on steel, regardless of the realities of construction. This tudor was professionally chopped four inches to give it that raked look without feeling claustrophobic inside and it retains its Ford identity. Fit and finish are extremely good, with nicely integrated window surrounds and even the original visor over the windshield is still intact. The roof was filled with a panel from a station wagon, with raised ribs to add strength and interest. A few other details were tweaked, including shaving the fuel filler on the cowl and the hood ornament on the color-matched radiator shell, but it’s still 100% Model A from any angle. There’s a lot of time invested in the bodywork and it was done to a high standard in order to support that glowing House of Kolor Tangelo Pearl paint job that glows like it’s radioactive. A steel 3-piece hood keeps the original Model A vibe but uses three rows of smaller louvers, from which subtle ghost flames were extracted, adding some interest but keeping it subtle (as if an orange hot rod has any chance of being subtle). Up front a dropped headlight bar supports chrome buckets, while custom LED taillights were faired into a custom rear pan. Steel fenders keep their original graceful curves and you’ll note that the one-piece ’31 splash pans have clever little access doors for the twin side-mounted gas tanks.

The stylish and luxurious interior provides a great place to hang out while you’re doing car stuff, starting with a set of reupholstered bucket seats from a late-model. Matching door panels, a padded dash, and recent burgundy carpets make this Model A feel a lot more finished than most rods in this price range. It also includes features like a tilt steering column, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Vintage Air A/C, and a decent-sounding Jensen AM/FM/cassette stereo. The Vintage Instruments gauges are a recent addition and offer a distinctively vintage Ford look. A ratcheting B&M shifter makes it easy to manage the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission and with a full-sized back seat and seat belts, this is a rod the whole family can enjoy. All the wiring is new, complements of a Ron Francis harness. The driving position is surprisingly comfortable, even with the chopped top, and sight lines are great compared to, say, a chopped 3-window coupe. Get in and I bet you feel right at home within minutes. That’s the hallmark of a good build.

The hardware is familiar, which is good news because it’s a proven combination that’s bulletproof reliable. The engine is a 327 cubic inch Corvette V8 topped by a Holley 4-barrel carburetor and making roughly 350 horsepower. There’s enough of a cam in there to remind everyone that it’s a hot rod, but not so radical that it gets fussy. Feed it pump gas and it’ll be happy. It starts easily and idles well even in the heat of summer, and with the A/C cranking away, it stays cool so you don’t have to worry about using it as a real car. Wearing vintage Corvette finned valve covers and Chevy Orange paint, it has an old-school look but you won’t be ashamed to open the hood at shows to let folks have a look. Shorty headers, block-hugging accessories, and a modest air cleaner keep everything tucked neatly under the Ford’s narrow hood. The firewall was modified for clearance and you can see the MSD ignition system stashed in there and it’s all neatly finished in gloss black. This is a turn-key car ready to enjoy.

Underneath there’s a chassis with boxed frame rails for durability and you can feel it from behind the wheel. The aforementioned TH350 3-speed automatic transmission is fresh and shifts well without snapping any necks and there are highway-friendly 3.55 gears in the Camaro 10-bolt rear end. The front suspension is a familiar tubular dropped axle with a transverse leaf spring and disc brakes, while coil-overs and a 4-link hold up the rear. The exhaust is stainless steel so it should last pretty much forever and the twin side-mounted fuel tanks were just installed last year and include a balance tube so filling one fills them both (they’re also switchable on the dash). Sure, there are signs of use under there, but isn’t that the point? The good news is that this is a full sorted car that doesn’t need any extra work to be ready to cruise. Those gorgeous Boyd Coddington wheels are recent and carry staggered 215/35/18 front and giant 245/40/20 rear performance radials.

This is another one of those cool rods you couldn’t duplicate for the asking price. Forget spending the next three or four years building a car, this one is ready now and it’s got all the hardware you’d use if you were doing it yourself. Add in the comfortable interior, the unique look that will always be in fashion, and the bulletproof running gear, and you have a cool vintage Ford that delivers in every way that matters. Call today!