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Funk calls his engine bay ‘the jewelry box’ of the car. “Racing was the theme, and nothing was hidden in the engine compartment,” he says. The engine was painted Candy Gold to match the Olive Black body colour, and features triple carburetors, 1930s spark-plug wires, Austin aluminum heads, stainless steel headers, and a hand-built custom Lincoln V12 air cleaner designed by the builder to have a 1930s Art Deco look. Adapting the vintage Lincoln V12 engine to a contemporary Ford C4 automatic transmission required a custom adapter and splicing two different torque converters together to transfer power to the rear wheels.

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Every detail of the build was drawn out, fussed over then perfectly executed. That included choosing the proper typeset for the custom horn button displaying the V12 Lincoln crest surrounded by 1941 Lincoln Zephyr script. The custom-designed quick-fill race-car fuel filler required cutting the trunk lid to accommodate the opening. “The one-off wheels were designed to give the car the character and appeal of the 1930s era,” Funk says, describing the custom-built aluminum wheels with “V12”-badged centres.

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The racing theme carries over to the interior design, executed in Italian leather mixed with aluminum dimple-die trim, complimented by custom-made window and door handles. The power-lift trunk continues the racing theme with a gold-painted fuel tank held in place by dimple-die aluminum straps.

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Well-known in the West Coast hot-rod culture, Funk has a man cave filled with hot rod roadsters, coupes, and memorabilia

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Funk credits the amazing car-crafting talent pool in the Fraser Valley for the success of the build. Principally, that means his neighbour Dwain Kremyr and his team at Kremyr Racing, painter Angelo Ismir, Derek Friesen for the upholstery, and his wife Elaine for encouragement and support.

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The 1933 Bonneville is now displayed among America’s best hot rods and customs, some that cost millions of dollars to create.

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“It wasn’t going to be a show car when we started,” Funk says of the build, which cost $650,000 without factoring in his labour. It has been quite a journey that has culminated with a place at the famed Grand National Roadster Show to determine America’s best. For more information go here.

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Alyn Edwards is a classic-car enthusiast and a partner in a Vancouver-based public relations company. aewards@peakco.com

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