Rod Riguez

As hot rodding and customizing advanced into the new millennium, the hobby's international following became stronger and more visible, particularly in Japan. The "Rod"riguez hot rod is a fine example of a Japanese hot rod.

Interest in American rods and customs among the Japanese had been growing steadily since the mid 1980s. Japanese enthusiasts began importing vintage American cars and parts, and soon they were building hot rods and customs of their own. By the early 2000s, Japan boasted a distinctive and thriving hot rod and custom scene.

In February 1987, Junichi Shimodaira started a business in Nagoya, Japan, called Paradise Road. In addition to importing American cars and parts, Paradise Road became a full-service hot rod, custom, and lowrider shop capable of a variety of construction tasks. In 2002, Junichi turned a 1930 Ford Model A Tudor sedan into a wild show rod that he named "Rod"riguez.

"Rod"riguez blended hot rod, custom, and lowrider styling cues in a completely original way. The startling, show-rod-inspired nose was made by cutting off the ends of a 1959 Cadillac front bumper and welding them to a hand-fabricated center grille section. The grille opening was filled with expanded metal mesh and hardware-store coat hooks.

The body was radically channeled over the frame, and the leading edge of the cowl was reshaped to complement the outlandish grille shell. Inverted 1958 Chevrolet parking-light bezels were frenched into sculpted pods to serve as taillights.

The frame itself was boxed and Z'd four inches up front and six inches in the rear. Traditional hot rod suspension components consisted of a TCI dropped-axle kit up front and a Chevy 10-bolt rear end with tube shocks and a TCI spring out back.

A 303-cid Rocket V-8 and Hydra-Matic transmission from a 1949 Oldsmobile was installed. The mill was essentially stock, but got a far-out show rod look via a '60s-style fogged paint job, a custom dual-inlet carburetor scoop, custom-made rippled headers, and plenty of chrome. A radiator from a '68 Mustang was mounted behind the wild nose.

In this form, "Rod"riguez was featured in the February 2003 issue of Cruisin', a Japanese hot rod and custom magazine. Junichi still had more ideas, and tore "Ro­d"riguez down for a redo. The top was chopped in a unique wedge fashion.

The rear of the top was left at stock height, but the A- and B-pillars were cut four and two inches, respectively, to bring the top down at a rakish new angle. The original grille insert was replaced with a new one fabricated from square tubing, complete with a stylized gold "R" in the center.

Junichi also added wildly sculpted fenders, crafted in metal. Spiderweb-shaped supports were fashioned from chromed rebar rod to hold the forward sections in place. Cragar Star Wire wheels with bullet center caps were mounted on '60s-style whitewall tires.

For the second go-around, the body was finished in Tequila Gold metallic paint, with impressive pinstriping by multitalented Japanese artist Makoto Kobayashi of M&K Custom Signs.

"Rod"riguez's interior matched the genre-bending style of its exterior. The dash and gauge panel were left mostly stock. Custom-made seats with segmented cushions in between outer tube frames were mounted flat on the floor. The gas tank and battery were hidden behind the seats, underneath furry, '60s show rod-style carpet. An early '60s Ford steering wheel was cut down into an aircraft style yoke, yet another '60s show rod-inspired trick.

Junichi shipped his prize to the U.S., where he entered it in the 2005 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California. He and his car were also on hand for the 2005 West Coast Customs Cruisin' Nationals in Paso Robles.

Junichi is prominent among a new wave of Japanese car enthusiasts that brought a fresh perspective and groundbreaking ideas to the world of hot rodding and customizing in the early 2000s. Concurrently, several American hot rodding celebrities made the long trek over to Japan to be ­honored guests at the Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod and Custom Show.

This cross-continental cross-pollination of building ideas and cultures provided an exciting shot in the arm for hot rod and custom building trends. Best of all, the blossoming Japanese scene served as evidence that the spirit of hot rodding and customizing transcends cultural, geographic, and linguistic ­barriers

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rod-riguez-hot-rod.htm

1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan owned and built by Junichi Shimodaira of Paradise Road in Nagoya, Japan.[1] The car, named Rod Riguez, is an iconic Japanese show rod that has attracted attention and publicity all over the world. Rod Riguez blends hot rod, custom and lowrider styling cues in a special way that for many has become the definition of a Japanes rod and custom. Rod Riguez has been one of the cars that paved the way for the Japanese rod and custom scene in the 2000s.



Junichi started the build in 2002 by reworking the original frame.[2] For a low stance, the height of the car was brought down by Z'ing the frame 6 inches in the rear and 4 inches up front. The frame was then boxed for additional strength before a 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 303 c.i. V8 engine was installed between the frame rails. The engine was hooked to the original Hydra-matic transmission. A TCI dropped axle kit with GM Caliber disc brakes were installed up front, while a Chevrolet 10-bolt rear end with tube shocks and a TCI spring were installed in the rear. In order to get the car even lower, the body was channeled radically over the frame. With its new and bigger engine, the firewall had to be cut out before Junichi could fit the body on the frame. The leading edge of the cowl was reworked during the operation, and it received a peak on each side. A new nose, incorporating canted quad headlights, was made from 1959 Cadillac front bumper ends, round tubing and sheet metal. The grille opening was filled with expanded metal mesh and hardware store coat hooks. Inverted 1958 Chevrolet parking-light bezels were frenched into sculpted pods to serve as taillights. White glass with red bulbs was used in the taillights. For a show rod look, the engine received a fogged gold paint job, chromed valve covers, a custom dual-inlet carburetor scoop, custom made rippled headers and plenty of chrome. A 1968 Ford Mustang radiator was mounted behind the wild nose. Inside, the dash and gauge panel were left mostly stock, but Junichi made new seats from scratch that were mounted to the floor.[3] Once completed, the first version of the Rod Riguez made a dazzling debut at the 2002 Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show in December of 2002. This version was fenderless and unchopped featuring a panel painted flat gold paint job and chromed steelies with wide whitewall Firestone bias ply tires. At the show, Junichi won the Street Rodder's Pick Award, and the Best Street Rod and the Best Body Work award.[4]



After the show, Junichi continued to work on the car, and he tore it down for a redo. The top was chopped in a unique wedge fashion. The rear of it was left at stock height, while the A and B pillars were cut four and two inches to bring the top down at a rakish new angle.[3] Junichi wanted to run fenders, but he didn't want to add running boards, so he crafted some wildly sculpted fenders out of metal. Front fender mounts were made from reinforced steel in a spider-web design. The mounts were chromed before Junichi installed them on the car. The second version was fit with a new grille insert fabricated from square tubing as well. A gold R was placed in the center of the new grille insert. Inside, new custom made seats were installed along with a cut down early 1960s Ford steering wheel. The car received a gloss Tequila Gold paint job and pinstriping by Makoto. As Junichi has a love for the Chicano low-rider culture, a Mexican wearing a sombrero was pinstriped on the rear of the car. The wide white wall tires and chromed steelies were replaced by Cragar Star Wire Wheels that ran 1960s style white stripe tires.[2] The second version of the Rod Riguez returned for the 2003 Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show. At the show, Junichi won the 2003 Hot Rod Custom Show Best of Show, the George Barris' Pick Award, the Street Rodder's Pick Award and the Line Dr.'s' Pick Award.[5]



In 2005 Junichi shipped Rod Riguez to the US, so he could enter it at the 2005 Grand National Roadster Show and attend the 2005 Cruisin' Nationals in Paso Robles with it. The car stayed in the US, and in October of 2005, Junichi sold Rod Riguez to Chuck Schauwecker of Carson, California.[6]


Magazine Features

Cruisin' February 2003
Hard Core Rod&Kustom Premier Issue

http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Junichi_Shimodaira%27s_1930_Ford

For the my next Car Spotlight from the Long Beach Motorama, I want to share a very cool Hot Rod that was crafted not here in California but across the Pacific in Japan. If you’ve been following Speedhunters for a while, then you know that Japanese Hot Rod builders are just as talented as any of their counterparts here in the states. This 1930 Model A is proof.

Known as “Rod”riguez”, the Model A was built back in 2003 by Junichi Shimodaira of a shop called Paradise Road in the city of Nagoya – which is quite well known for its Rod and Custom scene.  The car was shown all around Japan before making its way to Southern California in the hands of its new owners.

I spotted this car at last year’s LB Motorama, but this
time I thought you guys might want to see a little more of it. My first exposure to this car came about 7 years ago while reading an issue of Japan’s Custom Car Magazine. I was blown away by the detail on the car, and it helped to enlighten me about a whole new side of Japanese car culture.

Junichi is a huge fan of builders like George Barris and Ed Roth, and their legendary show car influence is clear in this build. Look at the custom-formed grill for example, which uses ’59 Cadillac running lights.

The interior is equally outrageous. That airplane-esque steering wheel is just too cool.

And those seats! Hand-built just like nearly everything else on the car.

“Rod”riguez” gets its power from a ’49 Oldsmobile Rocket V8 with custom made headers.

One of the most unique parts of the car are the hand-formed fenders and skirts, which cover wire wheels and white walls.

This little spotlight doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the work that’s been done on the car, but hopefully it gives you just a little taste of the work of Japan’s top Hot Rod builders.

-Mike Garrett

http://www.speedhunters.com/2011/10/car_spotlight_gt_gt_a_japanese_hot_rod_in_socal/

Un petit photo-reportage sur le montage : http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Junichi_Shimodaira%27s_1930_Ford