A Street Car Named Venom – Ramon Coria’s ’37 Ford Roadster

LEADThere are a lot of different ways hot rodders and custom car builders have acquired their vehicles over the years. Some are gifted down through generations, some are sought after, and there are miles of variations through the middle. Ramon Coria of Milpitas, California, had been enjoying the hot rodding life with his 1957 Chevy, attending car shows and having a good ol’ time. But there was always a certain model car that would catch his eye, 1937 Ford roadsters.

I think everyone who’s into Hot Rods does it to be unique.                   – Roman Coria

Coria loved the body lines of the few ’37 Ford roadsters he would see at the shows and he wanted to build one. Unfortunately, he was tentative to build his dream car because of the cost.

One lucky day four years ago, Coria found a roadster that someone had purchased but never started to build. His wife saw the car and instantly said, “I have been saving some money, I’ll pay for the roller. It will be my gift to you for everything you have ever done for us.” Coria was beyond surprised to hear those words, and immediately scheduled to see the car within a couple days. The trip was fruitful, and his dream car was now his, thanks to his amazing wife.

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’37 roadsters have a look that everyone loves with the wide front fenders and raked nose.

The build started in late 2012, with Coria’s good friend Justin Jones, and took nearly three years to complete. Coria credits friend, Dennis Sastini, for also helping him get his dream car finished. Coria and his band of brothers went to town on the car.

His first step was to make sure his engine and transmission of choice would fit inside the relatively small engine compartment. Thankfully, the GM crate LS3 V8 and 4L60E fit, but with little room to spare.

Coria’s roadster is very unique with classic features, down to the smallest touches.

Getting It Roadworthy

“I think everyone who’s into hot rods does it to be unique,” explains Coria. “Building a car is about including one’s own taste and style.” Coria built his dream car and named it Venom. He and his friends built the car completely to roadworthy status.

With the car mobile yet unfinished, he then drove it for a few months to work out any bugs, and after some minor tweaks, the entire car was disassembled. This process allowed him to make sure everything was the way it should be before shipping it off to paint. The stainless parts were then polished, and making the balance of the custom parts was completed.

Tucked, shaved and molded, not a single part of Venom was untouched.

Tucked, shaved, and molded, not a single part of Venom was untouched.

The previously mentioned engine LS engine benefits from having a hot cam added into the mix. The powerplant feeds off of a GM fuel injection system, and exhales through stainless steel headers that lead to a stainless steel exhaust system.

The car was strapped to a dyno to find out it was distributing 400 horsepower to the ground. Backing the healthy V8 is a GM 4L60E, and all that power heads out to a set of 20×10 Boyd wheels on the rear with matching 18x8s on the front. Nitto NT555 series tires plant the car on the ground and get it moving to warp speed.

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The entire car was put together to test fit everything prior to being refinished. This allowed the team to make frame and body modifications before the components were powdercoated or painted.

Under the front end of the ’37 Ford, Coria chose a Mustang II suspension system using tubular upper and lower control arms with RideTech’s Shockwave airbag/shock combination. On the back end of the car, a triangulated four-link system was designed and installed – also using Shockwaves to control ride height and road bumps.

The airbags are controlled via an AccuAir E Level System with dual compressors and a large on-board air tank. Hanging off the rear four-link system is a Currie Enterprises 9-inch third member and housing.

After the vehicle was test driven for a few months, Coria then took it all apart again to paint, powder coat and finish building the necessary custom parts.

After the vehicle was test driven for a few months, Coria then took it all apart again to paint, powdercoat and finish building the necessary custom parts.

The suspension hangs off an original 1937 Ford frame that was completely cleaned, then was boxed and then received a tubular X-brace. The frame was powdercoated, then stainless steel lines were added for plumbing. Fuel lines, suspension air lines, brake lines, even the fuel tank itself is polished stainless steel. Every nut and bolt that could be replaced and still remain structurally safe while using stainless steel saw the change.

Each panel and part was individually prepped and painted for a premium final finish.

Each panel and part was individually prepped and painted for a premium final finish.

The body received a lot of attention. Every panel was checked, repaired, and cared for accordingly. The taillights were replaced with “sliced”-style lights that were molded into the rear fenders. Hard top Ford stainless steel trim was also molded into the body, giving the car a unique body line and style.

Squirting The Color

When it came time to paint, each panel was painted separately from the others, and it was all done by Coria and his loyal friends. The paint used for the two-tone scheme is a DuPont custom mix, and custom pinstripes split the colors.

Ghost flames subtly add to give it a more aggressive look. Matching ghost flames and pinstripes are also found on the LS valve covers. The team even took a vintage Pepsi cooler and matched it to the paint scheme, upping the cool factor when the car is sitting at shows.

A vintage Pepsi cooler was refinished in matching paint with the same ghost flames. The extra touch just adds to the level of commitment Coria and his friends had to the build.

A vintage Pepsi cooler was refinished in matching paint with the same ghost flames. The extra touch just adds to the level of commitment Coria and his friends had to the build.

The interior of the car received just as much attention. Coria, Sastini, and Top Notch Upholstery in San Jose, California, went to town. The seats are covered in leather, and were customized to follow the contour of the top edge of the car. To flow with the look of the exterior of the car, a custom pinstripe was stitched into leather on a backer behind the seats.

The dash was completely dismantled, customized, prepped, and painted. The driver knows exactly what is going on under the hood, thanks to a set of Classic Instruments gauges. The dash has some serious style. Between the seats resides a custom-built center console that is wrapped in matching leather and houses the AccuAir controls and the Lokar shifter. Occupants also get to enjoy a Kenwood head unit with built in screen and a back-up camera.

The interior of Venom was completely redone. The dash was modified and fitted with Classic Instrument gauges, the seats were

The interior of Venom was completely redone. The dash was modified and fitted with Classic Instrument gauges. The seats were shortened to match the body height and then refinished in premium leather.

Coria is extremely proud of what he and his friends have accomplished. The car was completed one day prior to the 2015 Goodguys West Coast Nationals, just in time to hit its first show. This event happens to be one of the biggest hot rod shows in the country. Since then, Coria and Venom have won Best Of Show at nearly all the events they’ve entered.

Venom is an award-winning car that was built in a garage by people that truly loved what they were doing. It was built with grinders, cut off wheels, pliers, and many other traditional home builder tools. Sure, a water jet would have been helpful and likely expedited the process, but these guys didn’t need fancy machinery to make it happen.

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About the author

Jake Headlee

Jake's passion started at a young age wrenching on cars with his Dad. Obtaining that glorious driver's license sparked his obsession with grease and horsepower, and the rest is history. Soon, he was a general mechanic and suspension specialist, and currently designs and modifies products for the off-road industry. Jake enjoys rock crawling, desert racing and trail running, and writing in his spare time.
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