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History II
1934 Ford Pickup
A true champion among hot rod haulers
Words and photography by Mike Bumbeck
This 1934 Ford is a legend of South San Francisco hot rod history. Champion Speed
Shop co-founder Jim "The Smiling Irishman" McLennan built the truck with his son
Bob in mind from the beginning. While the shop has closed its doors, Bob now
proudly owns and drives the supercharged Chevy-powered truck--whether the
journey is 10 miles to work or 350 miles to Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield,
California. As it has since 1953, the truck carries parts and serves as a tow vehicle
for the Champion Speed Shop front engine top fuel slingshot dragster.
The once utilitarian pickup truck got its original hot rod stripes with an Oldsmobile
engine in 1953. As soon as Chevrolet sussed out the overhead-valve small-block,
Jim shoehorned one into the truck and the shop dragster--a tradition that continues
today. The current 350-cubic-inch small-block Chevrolet is equipped with a Cragar V-
belt drive that spins a Roots GMC supercharger to produce roughly 400 horsepower.
The Ford embodies the hot setup in hot rods through five decades. The suspension
is a combination of an independent rear suspension from a Jaguar and a Bell front
drop axle with disc brakes. Power goes from the engine through an automatic
transmission, and hits the pavement through a set of tall final-drive gears. A steady
foot on the throttle dispatches interstate miles at a velocity that the 75-year-old truck
was never designed to achieve.
Parts are far from what gives this Ford truck its soul. History rides along. The Ford
was striped by the legendary Tommy "The Greek" Hrones, not once, but twice. Jim
McLennan and Andy "Rodfather" Brizio wanted to get into the first Oakland Roadster
Show. Word was there was a pinstriper in Oakland, California, named Tommy The
Greek. McLennan and crew took the truck across the bay. Legend has it that, after
the gang watched Tommy lay down the paint, he asked them if they liked his work.
Of course, was the answer.
"Oh yeah? Watch this. Nobody watches me stripe!" said The Greek, as he smeared
the damp enamel line down the side of the truck with a rag.
Andy and the rest of the crew had to hold Jim and Tommy apart, but Tommy was
only goofing around with Jim. Fresh stripes went on, and the pickup made it to the
first Oakland Roadster Show and many subsequent shows. Jim and Tommy became
the best of pals. The Ford was repainted in the Eighties, and again striped by Tommy
The Greek. This paint, along with an award-winning interior and set of staggered-
width Tru-Spoke wheels, is what the truck still rolls with today. Though Jim has since
gone on to the great drag strip, the twice-striped hot rod has passed from father to
son, and is still running strong.
This article originally appeared in the May, 2011 issue of Hemmings Motor News.
Mike Bumbeck can be found at Clunkbucket.com
Small-Block Chevy-Powered
Champion Speed Shop Mouse Saws
Through the Elephant Jungle
Written by Cole Coonce
Photos by Ted Soqui
The Champion Speed Shop dragster is a front-engine
Top Fuel car out of South San Francisco, California, that features a
couple of distinctions: first, a bulbous cockpit canopy from an
outer-space movie buttressed by a swoopy, streamlined body with
sumptuous, saucy red paint thicker than marinara; and secondly, a
small-block Chevy replica that gulps and pukes nitromethane like
Beelzebub on a bender.
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