There are some unexpected items on the material list for Grant “Homer” Kay’s stylish ’37 Ford Downs-bodied pickup . . . things like  Plaster of Paris, bicycle inner tubes and PVC plumbing pipe.
     The longer you look at the Bloomingdale, ON resident’s pickup, more trick stuff emerges. If you ever struggled with old style door panel clips, you’re going to love the Velcro strips Homer used to attach upholstery panels. The Velcro allows upholstery panels to be removed or replaced easily. John’s Auto Upholstery in Grimsby advised Homer to build up the edges of the doors to the same thickness as the Velcro (Homer used PVC). The result is that there is no perceivable gap between the edge of the upholstery and the car body . . . very professional looking results.
     The ’37 has Vision Mirrors (made in Kitchener) that carry built-in directional lights. Sleeves made of bicycle inner tube cover the arms of door and tailgate hinges and function as a large version of shrink tubing to effectively hide and protect wiring for lights, door poppers and power windows.
     Homer added ultra leather to the Rod Doors tweed panels. John upholstered the Chrysler LeBaron 6-way power seats, in tweed and ultra leather. Homer modified a door panel for the area behind the seats, again using PVC to build up and extend the panel’s beltline molding. For curves at cab corners, he wrapped the panel around his water softener. Plaster of Paris was used to create a buck for a fiberglass headliner form, which Homer then upholstered.
     Homer prepped and painted the frame and “most” of the body with PPG Lemon Ice in his driveway. Some readers may know his brother Ken Kay, who is renowned for his custom paint jobs. Homer loaded pictures of the assembled body onto his home computer, then made a graphed outline of the ’37’s flames, tracing it onto heavy paper. After several adjustments to curves, length and positioning of the (PPG Perfect Purple) flames, the design was finalized.
    Using his wife’s sewing machine Homer perforated the edge of the pattern and dusted it with a chalk bag to create a guide to lay down the orange vinyl tape pin stripes. In addition to loaning her sewing machine, Barb Kay played another role in the buildup of the ’37. After Homer built himself a steel-bodied, 302-powered, ’34 Ford sedan, Barb wanted him to build a ’34 roadster for her. Well into building the second ’34, they attended a rod meet in Kalamazoo, Michigan; that’s where Barb saw and fell in love with the prototype Downs ’37 pickup.
     On the trip home, they talked about the Downs body and made the decision to put the incomplete ’34 roadster up for sale. When it sold within a week the ’37 body was ordered. Bringing the Downs body into Canada was “a piece of cake” said Homer. They breezed through Canadian Customs, although it took two trips to bring all the “auto parts” home.
     Homer chose an S10 frame because its dimensions were very close to those needed for the Downs body “and the geometry was right.” He opted for AirRide suspension (Shockwave) up front, and an Air Ride four bar rear suspension. He bought an ’96 LT1 (with less than 90K on it) and a rebuilt 4L60E transmission in nearby Cambridge . . .  a bargain at $2,400.
     An admitted “points and carburetor guy”, Homer says “the ’96 LT1 and 4L60E have really turned my head around. . . I wouldn’t hesitate to build another throttle body rod . . . and gas mileage is phenomenal.”A shortened Corvette driveshaft connects the 4L60E to the 9-inch Ford rear end, which carries 3:71 gears (installed by Forrest and Forrest)..
     To handle the LT1's torque, the ’86 S10 frame needed to be boxed. Homer shortened the frame, installed Mustang II rack and pinion steering and took out the stock S10 shocks and springs. He then installed the AirRide Shockwave, bags, and control arms  . . . “and just like that, the front end was done.” Before the frame was boxed, he positioned the body, made body mounts and welded them in place himself. A trial fitting of the body on the mounts assured everything fit.
     Homer’s attention to detail is coupled with innovative touches; like the very trick telescoping filler neck and the 20 gallon fuel tank made by Grant Schwartz at Schwartz Custom Vehicle Fabrication in Bloomingdale. They also welded up the stainless exhaust pipes and stainless headers that Homer made for the LT1. Unable to find production mufflers with the right size profile, Homer had Weber Fabrication of St. Jacobs roll two U-shaped pieces of aluminum stock, which he cut down to the desired three inch diameter, egg-shape. Then Schwartz welded up the mufflers, with exhaust baffles supplied by a shop in St. Jacobs.
     The ’96 LT1 was wired as a ’94-95, because ’96 units had alarm devices that Homer wouldn’t use. On an exchange basis, Howe and Howe supplied the computer and wiring harness. Scott Forbes of Hitman Hot Rods shortened the leads for Homer. Installing the harness “was simple, red wire here, blue wire there . . . fire it up.” The rest of the car was wired with a wire kit; “the best part (of the kit) was the instructions, but the next time, I’ll just go to Princess Auto, they have everything you need.”
     While Schwartz and Scott Forbes worked on the frame and wire harness, Homer made the tonneau cover from aluminum sheet stock and aluminum tubing. The spoiler topping the cover is an unknown make and model, but it had the right dimensions and carried a third brake light. The compressor for the air suspension is in a compartment at the front of the pickup box and is accessible from under the vehicle. He made hinges for the hood and for the electrically lifted tonneau cover. Because of the unique shape of the ’37 hood and angle of the cowl, making and positioning the hood hinges was a three week long process. He also lined inside the box with aluminum and hand-fitted a glistening Elm floor; modified taillight housings flank the tailgate, which is hinged on the left. Enhancing the smooth look of the ’37, the doors and tailgate are shaved. Homer assured water tight fit for the cover by using a rubber gasket to seal the box. “Just in case,” he did put drain tubes at the front of the box.
     Inside the cab of the ’37 an ’83 Caddy tilt steering column is topped with a LeCarra half wrap steering wheel that echoes the style of a stock ’37. Another brother, Jerry, supplied the column from his stash of parts. The ’37 rides on Billet Specialty wheels, front and back (17x6’s up front with 17x8’s in the rear). Dash mounted VDO gauges keep track of speed etc., while an overhead console monitors the LT1.
     About this point in the project, Homer and Barb decided they wanted to join the ’07 Canadian Hot Rod Tour, traveling from Vaughan, Ontario to B.C. As the departure clock for B.C. ticked loud and fast, one of the AirRide shocks was found to be defective.  To get it back in time, he drove to Buffalo to FedEx it to AirRide. A week before they left for B.C., with the replacement shock re-installed, the passenger side of the ’37 wasn’t returning to level when a passenger got out. He called AirRide and was told, “That can’t happen.” He called on Scott Forbes again, who advised him to install sway bars. With sway bars mounted, that problem was solved,” says Homer.
     Getting down to the wire, Homer finished the ’37 on a Saturday afternoon.  The following Tuesday, he and Barb joined the ’07 tour and with 18 other hot rods made the 6,300 mile round trip. Homer added “several hundred other incredible cars hooked up with the ’06 tour at a variety of locations.” 
     The trip was basically the car’s shakedown and there were a few problems, including collapsed bushings, severed airlines and one serpent drive belt, but thanks to the help of many rodders along the way, the probelms were minimalized and Homer was always back on the road for another day’s drive.
     The ’09 Canadian Hot Rod Tour, Points East, is scheduled for July; the tour will travel to the East coast. Check out canadianrodder.com/hotrodtour/index.htm for more information.
     One of the highlights of the tour was the ferry ride to Victoria, BC and his attendance at NorthWest Deuce Day, a celebraton of the 75th anniversary of the ’32 Ford. Of the 750 rods displayed in downtown Victoria roughly 350 were Deuces  . . . including seven ’32’s brought in by Vic Edelbrock and Roy Brizio’s ’32 was also there . . . all simply dynamite cars.”
     While obviously skilled in a wide variety of tasks that are needed to build a car, Homer is not only modest about his achievements; he is quick to praise everyone who helped him. Homer has high regard for; Schwartz Welding, Scott Forbes, Rolph from Quality Collision, John from Johns Upholstery, Weber Fabrication, Frank Colgani and for The Majestics in Regina, Saskatchewan.
     Next build: Barb thinks a Nash Metropolitan convertible would make “a great grocery getter.”
     Although Homer is saying no, he has obviously thought about it. “You know,” said Homer, “a V-6 or a tweaked 4 banger would really haul that Nash around.”