Whiskey Runner –
ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons’ ’34 Ford Coupe

If you click on this link, you can watch ZZ Top’s official video for the song ‘I Gotsta Get Paid’, and, when I checked, it had 31,715,798 views—that’s a lot of views. Of course, for many, the band, comprising front man Billy F Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard (the one without the beard) are the stars but for many the cars are the stars and the star car here is a bare bones, bare metal ’34 Ford 3-window coupe known as ‘Whiskey Runner’.

While the ’32 Ford ‘Deuce’ is always regarded as the quintessential hot rod as in ‘Lil’ Deuce Coupe’ the 1933-34 Model 40 was actually a vast improvement over the ’32 being three inches longer, somewhat lower and powered by a better, more powerful 90 hp flathead Ford V-8 in ’34.

When the coupe first arrived at Chapouris’ SO-CAL SPEED SHOP, Pomona, CA, designer Alberto Hernandez was given the task of conceptualizing an homage to Billy’s first hot rod the ’33 Ford coupe Eliminator that helped put ZZ Top on the map when their 1983 the album of the same name sold more than 10 million copies. Hernandez’ interpretation was Candy red coupe with flowing Z-form 3D trim that bisects the ’36 Ford louvers set into the ’34 hood sides and sweeps down across the door towards the rear wheel. It’s a nod to the original Eliminator graphics and according to Billy, “Getting that swoopy Z ‘jus’ right’ was one of the most challenging parts of the build.”

No doubt the most unusual and even eccentric feature of the coupe is the 24V aircraft landing light mounted under the right side of the hood. At the flick of a switch, the light rotates up out of the hood to illuminate the road ahead—two more mini-headlights are hidden behind the grille. Under the hood resides a prototype 331 ci Cadillac engine that Chapouris’ had in storage for more than 20 years. His father worked at Clayton Dyno and the engine had been one of three used in a development program with GM’s Ed Cline.

“Getting that swoopy Z ‘jus’ right’ was one of the most challenging parts of the build.” Billy F Gibbons, ZZ Top

As far as body language goes, the coupe has a heavy, five-inch top chop with the windshield laid back in the style of Alex Xydias’ famed So-Cal Coupe. Knowing that eventually the car was going to be painted, Mick Jenkins of Micks Paint gave it a shot of grey primmer highlighted with copper trim and purple underpinnings. The chassis is basically stock ’34 Ford complete with transverse buggy springs, however, it has been updated with a Winters quick-change rear axle and SO-CAL tubular shocks. The wheels are vintage 16-inchers shod with 5- and 6-inch tires.

Inside, the coupe is as simple as it gets with an aluminum bomber-style bench seat with the obligatory Mexican blanket, a gold painted dash from a ’40 Ford and a column shift and steering wheel of the same era. More modern is the shifter, which is a helicopter control stick that Billy found in an aircraft surplus yard.

Unfortunately, Chapouris passed away before the project could be completed and so the baton was passed to Jimmy Shine, Chapouris’ protégé of Shine Speedshop in Orange, CA. One of the first things Shine did was ship the coupe to England for the Goodwood Festival of Speed where Billy was to perform ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ at the Duke of Richmond’s private party. Sadly, it rained that weekend and Shine only managed one run up the Duke’s driveway so few photographs were taken.

Since then, the car has been earning its keep being used in photo shoots and videos, however, plans are afoot to finally give the coupe a coat of real paint and designer Jeff Allison Design has been working closely with Billy and Jimmy to develop a paint scheme fittingly unique.

“My first thoughts,” said Jeff, “were that it should be something like the root beer brown fade rendering, because that is the color of whiskey and the Chrisman Bros.’ coupe. The color would fade to black at the lower side of the body for a touch of custom, yet still be traditional lakes hot rod. I designed the wheel covers with that same logic in mind and utilizing the wheels already on the car, with the funky bolt bosses.”

“Billy, meanwhile, wanted a wilder paint job over a pearl white base so I did up the second concept thinking about 60s Watson-style paint. That idea also incorporates an electrified paint product under the pearl white that, when turned on, illuminates in purple graphics.

“We’re not quite there yet. We keep exploring ideas and Billy has a purple and green ‘ribbon’ in his head that we have been trying to extract, so the next batch of ideas are what I did. The asymmetrical smoke/flame look is where we have left off and that one is pretty close to what he wants. We shall see….”

Billy F Gibbons’ ’58 Ford Thunderbird Mexican Blackbird

In the period immediately following World War II, there was a cultural explosion in Los Angeles as service men and women returning from the war sought escape and excitement. Many found it in the burgeoning custom car and motorcycle scene of Los Angeles. But why LA? Why not Detroit, Houston or any other city where returning soldiers settled? Well, LA had it all: Sun, sand and surf and as a consequence, a blossoming, eclectic car culture that ranged from drag racing and dune buggies to customs and low-riders. LA had it all.

LA also had a thriving art scene and, of course, it had Hollywood. Throw all that in a Petri dish, stir vigorously and you’ve got the gene pool that gave birth to the likes of Kenneth ‘Von Dutch’ Howard, Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth and Larry Watson. None of these guys were schooled in the automotive arts but they all had a cultural impact way beyond their Made-in-Detroit palettes. Dutch, of course, originated modern pinstriping, Roth went on to create some of the most outlandish and iconic custom cars ever built and Larry Watson wielded a spray gun like no other painting some of the best custom cars ever.

When he’s not rockin’ the world’s stages, Billy is cruisin’ low ‘n’ slow.

Watson’s trademark was what they called back then ‘panel painting’ as he marked out panels on the car that were painted in contrasting Candy colors over silver, gold, copper or pearl bases. His first panel job was on his own, brand new ’58 Thunderbird that he initially painted pearl before adding the burgundy candy panels.  It was an immediate hit and has been copied numerous times since not least of which by Billy F Gibbons, front man of ZZ Top.

Billy had owned the ‘Bird for some years and it was sitting in one of his storage facilities unused until he and the late-Pete Chapouris decided to de-mothball it and give it the Watson treatment and reference Billy’s song ‘Mexican Blackbird’ found on the band’s 1975 album Fandango.

Chapouris’ SO-CAL Speed Shop, Pomona, CA, began with some subtle fifties-style body mods that included replacing the front bumper overriders with bullets, ‘pancaking’ the hood (the removal of the factory scoop), the addition of a small peak along the hood centerline, and the removal of the five trim bars at the bottom of the doors along with a lot of other minor trim parts and doodads. Note, the door corners along with the corners of the hood were rounded in fifties’ style. Under the hood is a rebuilt factory 352 cubic inch V8 with chrome accessories.

Pinstriper extraordinaire Denis Rickleffs was then called in to lay out the panels over the new coat of deep black PPG two-stage paint applied by Mick’s Paint. The gold borders are actually House of Kolor Lime Gold Pearl over a white base with hand-striped accents. “Billy Gibbon’s ’58 Thunderbird pays homage to those classic custom cars of the fifties.” Said painter Mick Jenkins.

Other contemporary additions include the scalloped and striped Appleton cowl-mounted spotlights, the four-blade Dodge Lance ‘flipper’ hubcaps, and that chrome-plated mesh grille insert that was repeated in the rear panels.

After some judicious lowering—2 inches in front and 3 inches in back using Jamco suspension components—the Blackbird was fitted with 7 x 15-inch Wheel Smith steel wheels.

After the lowering, the car was shipped out to Gabe’s Custom Interiors, San Bernardino, CA, where they stitched up one stunning two-tone gold and black interior using Ultra black and gold leather to match the paint and the gold anodized dash inserts.

“Billy Gibbon’s ’58 Thunderbird pays homage to those classic customs cars of the fifties.” Mick Jenkins, Owner, Mickspaint.com

For an audio system befitting BFG, Chapouris turned to Alan ‘Hic’ Hickman at Audio Shoppe in Riverside, CA. Hic’ retained the stock radio façade but inside the glove box installed a plug-in for Billy’s iPod. Also in the glove box is the pre-amp tone and fade controls. The system then runs to two Arc Audio amps, one to drive the four Arc Audio high speakers (two 5-1/4-inchers up front and two 4-inchers out back) and the other for the twin 8-inch Arc Audio subwoofers mounted in a custom enclosure. Hic’ said: “It isn’t a thumper type of stereo system, but it delivers more performance-per-dollar than most systems.”

Although somewhat understated, Billy’s mild custom Blackbird was quite a hit appearing in various magazines and promotions. There was even a guitar made in the car’s honor by French guitar maker ‘Wild Customs.’ Mexican Blackbird also appeared on an episode of the TV show ‘Bones’ on which Billy has made several guest appearances playing a fictionalized version of himself, as the father of Michaela Conlin’s character, Angela Pearly Gates Montenegro.

When he’s not rockin’ the world’s stages, Billy is cruisin’ low ‘n’ slow.

Slampala

ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons’ Low ‘n’ Slow Impala

It’s hard to know what to drive when you’re a high profile musician such as Billy F Gibbons, frontman of that lil’ ol’ band from Texas, ZZ Top. Formed in 1969, ZZ Top is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year but they were really catapulted to fame in the early eighties with their memorable MTV music videos Gimmie All You Lovin’, Sharp Dressed Man and Legs.

For many, the music was good enough but for many more, Billy’s ’33 Ford hot rod that featured in the music videos for Eliminator was the band’s calling card. The Eliminator album, with the hot rod on the cover, went on to sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.

Since growing up in Houston, Texas, Billy has always been a car guy; he even taught himself to pinstripe like the legendary Von Dutch. Unfortunately, touring the world and working on numerous music-related projects affords Billy little time to indulge his passion for cars. Nevertheless, there are some warehouses in Texas that contain a small, eclectic collection of rad rides. One such is “Slampala”, a fairly rare ’62 Chevy Impala SS two-door hardtop.

The ’62 Impala Super Sport (SS) featured what was then called “convertible roof” styling, wherein the hardtop looked like it was convertible. The windshield dramatically wrapped around with curving chrome-covered A-pillars. All SS models featured acres of engine-turned aluminum in the interior, in the side trim, and across the back where there were triple taillights. It made quite the statement in ’62.

Although Slampala looks stock, it is subtly modified including the lowering job that is actually a Firestone air-bag system installed at the SO-CAL Speed Shop in Pomona, California a couple of years ago when Billy’s friend Pete Chapouris was alive. In fact, Billy and Pete were good buddies and built several cars together.

Billy has always been a car guy; he even taught himself to pinstripe like the legendary Von Dutch.

At the time, the Impala was riding on some 14-inch steel wheels fitted with accessory caps, MOON spinners and “pinner” whitewall tires so-called because the white stripe is ½-inch or narrower like a pinstripe. There’s also an ECI power-assist disc brake conversion replacing the stock front drums.

Under the hood, things are not quite as original as it might appear. Gone is the stocker replaced by a ’67 327 ci small-block Chevy that was optional in ’62. Billy’s looks stock but is fitted with chrome valve covers and a Cadillac-style air cleaner from Bitchin Products along with factory air and power steering.

The interior looks similarly standard but as you would expect there are some subtle differences. For example, the center console contains the switches and gauge for the air-bag system. Also, a new two-tone cream and mint steering wheel was cast along with some custom dash knobs by J.B. Donaldson in Phoenix, Arizona in the style of fifties’ custom knobs originally developed by Bob Hirohata.

Slampala is one of those timeless rides that transcends the trends.

The rest of the dash, including the push-button Delco AM factory radio, is stock, however, a more modern stereo head is hidden in the glove box. The split seats are beautifully upholstered in pearlescent ice-blue vinyl with patterned inserts.

Slampala is one of those timeless rides that transcends the trends. It was a good looking car when it was new in ’62 but it’s a better-looking car today. Consequently, it was featured in Super Chevy magazine, on the cover of Custom Rodder magazine and on the cover and inside Billy’s book Rock + Roll Gearhead.