CHERISHED HEIRLOOM

LOGAN AND TANNER KUCHAREK'S '32 FORD IS A TRADITIONAL VISION WITH FAMILY ROOTS

- BARRY KLUCZYK

"You have to be in the right mindset to drive this car, says Logan Kucharek of the chopped and channeled 32 Ford coupe he shares with his brother Tanner. "It's raw and it's rugged, and that's all part of the experience. You just want to be prepared for it."

The three-window Deuce is admittedly short on creaure comforts such as side windows, a heater, or anything like carpet or door panels that could absorb a decibel or two on the highway, but that rawness is a cherished attribute that channels the spirit of their uncle, Jon Grinager. He built the car in the 1950s and left it to his nephews when he passed away in 2015.

Jon bought the car when he was a sophomore at a suburban Detroit high school and immediately rolled it into the auto shop. From one semester to the next, the car was transformed into a proper hot rod as Jon and other classmates discovered and refined their automotive skills. their automotive skills.

The flathead-powered car was chopped 4½ inches and channeled 7 inches, giving it a classic lowboy stance, and there’s an unconfirmed rumor the chop may have been carried out by the legendary Alexander Brothers Custom Shop. Regardless, Jon was hands-on in every aspect of the build and continued to improve and refine the car until his Vietnam hitch in the mid-1960s.