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Kingston
Liao's`32 Ford 3 Window Coupe
"I had a wild brain fart"
Posted
Saturday, Oct. 16, 2004
By Pua Kokoi
Honolulu Streets Magazine
KAPAHULU
HAWAII – Kingston Liao began his car craze in 1987 at the
ripe `ol age of 17, but not before three profound events inspired
him. Not bad for a young guy with nothing better to do other than
attending to his daily chores of high school life.
1:
Kingston actually got the bug for street rods by helping his friend
block-sand and prep a `55 Chevy for paint.
2:
While cruising popular hot spots for cars and great scenery –
Waikiki, Ala Moana Park, McCully Zippy’s and Diamond Head Road, he
felt that it was finally time to seriously take part in the hot rod
activities that surrounded him by building his own street rod. With
that intense desire, and determination, he acquired an old rusty `66
Chevy Nova. Getting his Nova was a first-rate find but found that it
was just a little too big and he really wanted something that fit
him more, something with plenty of pizzazz.
3:
So, after picking up his very first issue of a 1987 Street
Rodder magazine that featured a red full-fendered, twin turbo,
3-window deuce, Kingston Liao decided he had to have a chopped deuce
coupe of his own.
Looking
& Finding: As luck would have it, during that same year in
`87, a 1932 3-window coupe popped up for sale in the newspaper from
Hilo. He called and made arrangements to fly to the Big Island and
look at the car.
Making
the deal: "When I got there it was like it was meant to
be." Kingston said. "Everything I wanted, a 3-window!
Chopped, full fendered, and of course all steel. I ended up
convincing the guy to sell it to me less motor & trans."
He
flew back home making plans for his dream car but when he
finally got everything together, the car was sold to a Dentist from
Oahu, Dr. James Watson.
Eight
years later, Kingston never forgot about his dream car and always
knew how to contact the current owner. "One day, I was going
through my closet and found the phone number of the dentist. Kingston remembered, "just by chance, I called the number and
he answered. I asked him if he still had the car and he said yes.
Then I asked him if he would be interested in selling it and he said
that he was actually thinking about it before I called. Wow! What
timing! I went to check out the car and it was like love at first
sight all over again. This time I didn't stall, I literally took my
life savings and worked a deal with the dentist. It was finally
mine!"
By
`97 Kingston got his deuce running but hung it up again in 2000. As
he puts it, "I had a wild brain fart. I got side tracked with
the roadster, but now I'm back on track and will hopefully get it on
the road again next year."
Kingston,
stay on track!
Facts:
1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe
Owner/
builder: Kingston Liao
Body:
1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe. Original Steel / Chopped 4 in.
Engine:
Early Chevrolet 327 ci.
Trans: Turbo 400 w/shift kit.
Front Suspension: Kugel IFS.
Rear end: Ford 9 inch.
Wheels:
ET-III
Front: 15x7
Back: 17x11
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