DESIGN BY DEDICATION – JOHN CURTIN 1934 FORD 3W COUPE
What do you do after owning, restoring, racing, trading, and showing over 50 Mazdas? For John Curtin, the answer was simple: build a hot rod.
Even with decades of rotary-powered experience, John knew a ’34 Ford coupe would be a whole new challenge. “I guess it was really my dad’s doing that I got hung up on rotaries,” he says. “Dad wouldn’t let me have a V8 when I was young, so I ended up owning a string of Mazdas.”
Those “safer option” cars often outperformed his friends’ GT and Statesman V8s. Today, two tidy RX3s sit in his garage, but it’s the ’70s-inspired ’34 that has stolen the spotlight.
John’s fascination with hot rods began at 14, wandering the RNA halls during the Queensland Hot Rod Show. Early Fords with exposed motors, long flowing fenders, and suicide doors ignited his imagination. Influences weren’t just automotive—ZZ Top’s hard-rocking music videos left a mark too.
Armed with a lifetime of rodding magazines, John began hunting for a project. After a fruitless search for a real Henry steel coupe, he found an unfinished Kraze Rodz ’34 reproduction bodyshell and rolling chassis on eBay. “It looked exactly what I was chasing,” he recalls, though the reality was less polished—fenders held on with tek screws, a mismatched engine, and a jumble of parts that didn’t suit his vision.
The supplied 351 Cleveland engine was actually a stuffed 302, the C4 transmission didn’t fit, and the Commodore bucket seats were far from ideal. The chassis, however, was solid, featuring a Rod-Tech I-beam front end and original 1934 rails. “I didn’t pay much for the mechanical parts, so I just moved on,” John laughs.
Seeking guidance, he contacted the Queensland TAC and attended the ASRF Nationals on the Gold Coast, learning from rodders and building industry connections. Advice emphasized sticking to a consistent theme, so John settled on a period-correct early ’70s style, inspired by his magazine collection.
Selling the unnecessary components, John began sourcing period parts. Edelbrock tappet covers and Moon pedals set the tone, and swap meet finds added character. A chance encounter with auto electrician Richard Smith proved invaluable—he offered advice, machined brake parts, and became a lifelong resource.
With input from engineer John Keene, John reinforced the fiberglass ’34 with 18 meters of steel for safety. Plumber by trade, he also called on welder Ashley Reason for critical fabrication. Inside, a Glide bench seat replaced the high-back buckets, a ’74 Mazda steering column paired with Borgeson unis, and the dash mimicked the original three-gauge layout. Vintage Mazda ashtrays and switches completed the cabin.
Fuel lines, brake lines, and a Ford/Commodore brake setup followed. Wheels came from a lucky swap meet find: 15-inch jelly bean mags sandblasted and matt cleared, paired with raised-letter tires on Jaguar knock-offs.
The engine was swapped for a rebuilt 351 Cleveland, topped with a tunnel ram intake, twin Holleys, and Drag Master finned scoops, proudly left exposed. The C4 automatic was upgraded with a Stage 2 shift kit, Hughes Performance 3000 stall converter, and a Lokar trans-mounted shifter.
Painter Steve Hall helped select “Ignition” orange for the panels—the first orange car John had ever owned. Pinstriper Greg Vels added flair across every panel, and trimmer Fiona Coombs completed the interior with black leather tuck-and-roll door cards and seats, box-weave carpet, and a leatherette headliner. Subtle touches, like painting the running boards black, completed the early ’70s look.
For a first-time hot rod project, John achieved an extraordinary result: a faithful homage to early ’70s styling, blending period-correct flair, personal touches, and meticulous craftsmanship.
“When I decided to pursue a ’34 Ford, I called my mum,” John recalls. “She was very ill at the time but was so excited that the car was the same year she was born. She passed away a few months later, and I dedicate this build in her memory.”
From Mazdas to his first Ford hot rod, John Curtin proves that passion, research, and persistence can transform a dream into a rolling piece of automotive history.
