Gary Honea’s 1931 Coupe
Customer: Gary Honea, Nevada
Vehicle: 1931 5 window coupe/ rumble seat
My older brother Darrell found the car in 1962 on a ranch outside Susanville, Calif. I was a sophomore in high school. We paid $80.00 put a battery in the car and drove it home. My dad was a mechanic for the Buick Garage in Susanville and he helped me go thru the car and get it running. We actually rebuilt the original 6 cylinder and added a black “tuck and roll” naugahyde interior. I drove the 31 for a couple of years with the stock motor and full fenders. I headed off for college in the fall of 1964, parked the ’31 in my dads’ garage and left it there for several years. After college and several years of being in my profession I brought the car to Fallon, Nevada and parked it in my garage. The ’31 stayed in my garage until my 4 kids were thru college and out on their own so I finally had enough money I could start working on my car again. In 1996 I started getting parts to build my ’31 into a street rod. I ordered a Fat Man front end and had it installed on my boxed frame. I had all the wood in the body replaced with metal. Picked up a ford 9 inch rear-end and got disc brakes all the way around. In about 2000 I picked up an almost new Chevy Vortec 350 and bought a 700r transmission from Phoenix Trans mission in Az. After several major set backs and a few more years of saving I finally found a young man I trusted to do the body and paint on my ’31 the year was 2010.
Moe Reys was a young body and paint man in Sparks, NV who had painted my brother’s ’69 Camero. Moe took the car back down to the frame. Powder coated the frame and we started putting everything back together. Moe took about 8-10 months to do all the body and paint. And boy what a great job he did. Interior was done by Classic Restorations in Verdi, NV. Vintage Air gives my wife and I a nice comfy ride during the hot summer months. With the overdrive I can cruise at 60-65 @ about 2000 rpm’s.
The original car was in good shape except for deck lid being rusted out and some rust under the driver side door. The wood was starting to get some wood rot so I replace all the wood with metal. Then put a wood kit back in the cab so I had something to hang the upholstery to. I kept all original fenders, running boards, doors, hood, deck lid and even the seat frame is the original. Paint is a two tone, with a candy maroon on the fenders and a metallic red for the body. I very seldom trailer my ’31. I drive to all the shows in and around Reno, NV which includes HOT August Nights the last 4 years. I will drive my ’31 150-200 miles a week during car show season.
Our next project is a 1969 chevy step side pick up which is owned by my younger son. My older son has a blue and white 1972 2 door Cadillac coupe de ville all stock, a great cruiser.
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