Auto enthusiasts join forces to create award-winning ’37 Ford

When does a classic car become a classic work of art? When its life is placed in the hands of custom fabricator Gene Wagner and crew.

During the past seven years, Wagner and other local experts have worked together to deftly transform a crumbling, rusted-out 1937 Ford slant-back coupe into a sleek, candy-red, high-tech, award-winning sculpture — that can be driven.

Since his elementary school days at Lodi Academy, Wagner has been interested in cars — specifically, building them. He would build models of cars, paying attention to the littlest details. It wasn’t until his high school years that he learned that his love of vehicular design could be translated into real cars.

Wagner’s industrial arts teacher, Donald Dawes, was well-versed in welding, metal work and just about anything else that could spark a young designer’s crafty curiosity. Wagner learned as much as he could from his mentor and took that knowledge with him as he began his career as a custom builder.

After a brief stint in North Dakota, Wagner returned to Lodi and began focusing on being the best he could be. At 22, he entered his first show, and won three trophies for a 1923 Model T Ford that he restored in the garage of his home.

Like Wagner, John Costamagna spent his childhood in the area with a fascination for cars. Though building cars wasn’t always his strong suit, he had a dream early on to own a custom-built car.

Costamagna had heard about Wagner from different automotive enthusiast circles throughout the years, and when the time came for him to make his dream come true, Costamagna was told Wagner was “the guy to go see.”

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The ’37 Ford slant back was purchased by Costamagna about seven years ago in New York. He and wife Kelly approached Wagner about the project.

One of the goals, Costamagna said, was to build a car that was fully operational. Though the finished product exceeds that objective, something else happened.

“It evolved into artwork,” Hot Rod, Costamagna said. Another goal Costamagna insisted on meeting was staying with local craftsmen.

“In the custom car industry, there are car builders and painters and technicians all over. I didn’t use any of that. Gene was somebody I knew had very unique talents,” Costamagna said. “When it came to the ultimate decision, I tried to stay local.”

With the exception of the two-tone beige leather interior, everything on the car was repaired, restored, built or modified in Lodi. The interior, modeled after a picture of a Mazerati’s interior, was created by Sid Chavers in Santa Clara.

The process of creating the car started with the dashboard. Wagner spent a year toiling over the design. From those simple curves flowed the rest of the streamlined car. A “rolltop desk” center display slides back to reveal a touch-screen control panel. With a simple touch, the ignition fires the LS6 Corvette engine to life.

The body work and “Candy Brandywine” red-burgundy paint impressively conceal the brake lights until the break pedal is pressed. The paint job — handled by Rick Valdez’s Lodi-based company, Creative Images — started with a mix of bright yellow and gold. Then it was coated with what Wagner describes as a “transparent blood-red” paint. It was then sanded and polished in-between clear coats to reveal what can only be described as a smoky pool of crimson and candy apple.

Valdez said the paint job alone took 600 hours, with another 900 hours for the body work.

“My sons did the finish buffing,” Valdez said. “I laid out the candy, and they made the candy pretty.”

Every bit of the car, except for the roof, was altered. The license plate is hidden for “show mode,” but electronically slips down in the rear of the car when on the road.

Who did what?

Owners: John and Kelly Costamagna of Woodbridge.
Builder and fabrication: Gene Wagner, Kustom K-Fab, Lodi (currently moving to Montrose, Colo.)
Body work and paint: Rick Valdez, Creative Images, Lodi.
Wiring and technology: Mike Poteet and Ian Strong, Top Tech 2 U, Lodi.
Specialty machining: Craig Grieve, Plug-it Products, Lodi.
Upholstery: Sid Chavers, Sid Chavers Company, Santa Rosa.
Source: Gene Wagner

Costamagna’s main goal was to have a car that was comfortable and enjoyable. To that end, spectators will find a flat-screen monitor, DVD and CD players, iPod dock and even XM Satellite radio installed in the car.

After seven years of on-and-off work on the project, it was finished and ready to show. Wagner gave Costamagna a call.

“I asked (John), ‘Are you ready to walk?’” Wagner said. When asked why by his client, Wagner responded, “You’re going to be walking up there to get trophies.”

He wasn’t lying. In February at Sacramento’s Auto Rama, the burgundy beauty received first place in its class, awards for outstanding paint, outstanding upholstery, outstanding display (inspired by artist Michael Godard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll art) and outstanding rod. Costamagna’s smile became increasingly wider with each accolade he had to walk up to the dais to accept.

Two weeks later at the San Francisco Rod and Custom show, Wagner said, they received another first place in class, outstanding display top honors of “Most Elegant Street Rod Award.”

Just recently, the car was invited to show at the 50th Annual Blackies Invitational in Fresno. The event is not judged, but to be invited, cars have to be deemed the best of the best.

And though prizes of trophies, plaques and up to $2,000 in cash can be awarded a winning vehicle, for Costamagna, Auto Rama was “the icing on the cake.” He felt debuting the car at the show was like showing it in one’s home town.

But for Wagner, the rewards are of a greater amount.

“The bigest reward for me was seeing the smiles on John and Kelly’s faces,” Wagner said.

Contact Business Editor Marc Lutz at marcl@lodinews.com.

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