’30 FORD MODEL A LISA SAWYER

Lisa Sawyer and her stunning white-on-white Model A took the top spot back in November 2020 for the 20th event, following a strong show season filling the trophy cabinet, but that didn’t detract from the impact this highly detailed highboy coupe seemed to have in ’21. Originally from Arizona (just like the Caddy and the 3100), the five-window was imported in stock (barn find) form by Tony House, who would later go on to sell the half-completed project to Lisa and oversee its completion. Tony is responsible for work including chopping the body 4.5 inches, which is sat highboy style over the aftermarket frame. Completing the look perfectly are the 16-inch Wheel Vintiques, wrapped in Coker crossplys. The chassis is a Kiwi Konnection 32 frame with forged four-inch dropped/drilled axle, buggy spring, chrome hairpins, Pete and Jakes rear radius rods, and Aldan coilovers. The diff is a Currie nine-inch, which, along with the frame, wears matching De Beer three-layer White Xirallic Pearl paint. Inspiration for the colour scheme came from Paul Teutul Sr’s Model A, built by Jesse James for the TV show Outlaw Garage. Although that’s where the similarities in the cars end. Given that it was a barn find, considerable effort has gone into the panel work by Tony’s dad, Colin, who hammered things straight, before Whittaker Car Painters in Whakatane laid down the gloss.

The engine is a Chev 350 dressed in period goodness, with more of that De Beer paint, and plenty of chrome. Internally, it has a mild roller cam and roller rockers, while externally it runs HEI, an alloy intake, and 650cfm four-barrel carb. The interior, which was handled by Nick from Action Canvas & Upholstery is an all-white affair that includes the boot space. It’s here that the theme of the car is really driven home with the use of (fake) diamonds throughout. The seat is a modified and retrimmed Glide bench, and the dash has been swapped for a ’32 example and filled with AutoMeter gauges.