Owning a hot rod is more than just a passion – it’s a down right obsession. Just like they say on the Lays potato chip commercials, you can’t have just one. Such is the case for our friend Collin Sprau, who’s 1934 Ford 2-door sedan is one fine piece of classic machinery. Lucky for us, with information from Sprau and from Frame-Up Wheel Works, which made this car a reality, we can bring you every little detail about this exquisite build.

After Sprau sold his 1947 Ford sedan, it wasn’t long before the itch to own another hot rod got the best of him. So, with the help of Donny Friese of Frame-Up Wheel Works in Waukegan, Illinois and Tim Regal of Redneck Street Rods in Lamar, Missouri, Sprau was able to secure a complete 1934 Ford 2-door sedan body package on a rolling Pete and Jake’s chassis, complete with all the chrome and stainless parts ready to rock and roll.

From there, it was just a matter of putting all the pieces of the puzzle together and customizing it to Sprau’s unique specifications.

Like many hot rod builds these days, Sprau wanted a modern powerhouse under the hood of his new car and decided ultimately to stuff a Chevrolet Performance 376ci LS3 V8 engine between the front fenders. Added to this engine are a custom air intake created from a dual-quad air cleaner and custom air-flow tube, as well as a Walker copper radiator, Cooling Components fan and Hooker Headers that dump into a custom 2 ½-inch frame-up Wheel Works stainless exhaust system with Hush-Power Mufflers. All together, this setup gives Sprau’s hot rod a respectable 430hp.

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Under the hot rod is a complete Pete and Jake’s polished IFS chassis featuring TCI Engineering IFS components. This chassis provides the sedan with a complete IFS frontend, tubular upper and lower control arms, and front coilover shocks. For the rear a triangulated ladder bar setup, Ford 9-inch rearend, a rear coilover kit with Viper alloy shocks and a panhard bar take care of the handling duties. Adding to this, Sprau had the chassis equipped with 3.70 rearend gears and 12-inch Wilwood brakes with 4-piston calipers. This makes for a great corner-carving suspension and adequate braking power to conquer anything Sprau may come across.

Tying the engine to the suspension system is a custom high-stall 4L60e from Kiesler Transmissions. This, matched with 17×7 and 20×10-inch Dayton Triple Cross wire wheels with true knock-off hubs and chrome spokes wrapped in BF Goodrich 225/45/17 and 295/40/20 rubber respectably, brings out Sprau’s hot rod’s road hugging potential.

Rounding out the sedan are the aesthetic touches that make this Ford truly one-of-a-kind.

Aside from the body prepared by Red Neck Street Rods, this hot rod features a Rootlieb 3-piece steel hood, custom grille and running boards done by Bob Drake and a custom Dark Root Beer paint scheme by Nostalgic Auto Body of Island Lake, Illinois featuring pinstriping from Jeff Williams of Waukegan, Illinois.

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From the inside to the outside, Collin Sprau's hot rod is a custom work of automotive art.

Inside the cabin, you’ll find a tan leather interior that compliment’s the exterior pinstriping spot on. The leather wrapped Glide Engineering front bench seat, custom rear seat, suede seat inserts and headliner, square loop carpet and custom hand-braided leather rope door pulls were all completed by Vintage Stitch of Bristol, Wisconsin. Adding to the interior is a custom dash with custom-matched knobs and pinstriping. Creature comforts include a hidden sound system configured by Donnie Bartalone, a Vintage Air climate control system, and a Flaming River tilt/shift steering column topped off with a custom leather-wrapped LeCarra Banjo wheel.

Finished in just 16 months time, Sprau’s hot rod has gone on to win many awards, including a Builder’s Choice Award, given by Bobby Alloway at the 2011 Goodguys Nashville show. Also, the first show Sprau attended with his hot rod, a Pro’s Pick Award, given by Classic Instruments at the 2011 NSRA Nationals. And he went on to win a Builder’s Choice Award, given by Rad Rods by Troy at the 2011 Goodguys Indianapolis show, and the Class Act Award at the 2011 Goodguys Joliet, Illinois show.

For 2012 Sprau went on to win his third Builder’s Choice Award, given by Roger Burman of Lakeside Rods, at the Goodguys Des Moines, Iowa show.

The proof of the caliber of this hot rod is not only seen in the images of this buildup, but also in its many awards from true hot rod builders. A big congratulations goes out to Sprau for his award-winning hot rod and to Frame-Up Wheel Works and Redneck Street Rods for their part in producing such a fantastic ride. We look forward to being able to see Sprau’s hot rod in person in the future.

Check out more pictures from the build process of Sprau’s hot rod in the GALLERY below: