It's a head-turner: Custom hot rod shows strong at national show, reflects passion for the classics

Yahoo

05-04-2025

Apr. 5—Dr. Todd Moran's 41 Ford Coupe is a head-turner. There's no doubt about it.
With a sleek, road-hugging outline and its candy mint green pearl paint job with overlaid flame print design, the vehicle is nothing less than a prime example of what a classic hot rod can be with the right amount of work and vision.
"It's a fun car," Moran said. "It's not perfect, but getting the recognition at Autorama, that says a lot."
Moran is referring to Autorama Chicago World of Wheels where he garnered a First in Class award just this year as well as being recognized as one of the top 20 cars at the show.
These are just two in a long list of awards the Moran has collected for a car that while starting out its journey in California, had a large share of its work done by Mitch and Marshall Meyer, the brothers who own The Muffler Center here in Austin.
Mitch estimates that the brothers have put in over 100 hours on the car, but believes that might be a conservative estimate, which is understandable when you see what the car looks like today and compare it to pictures of what a non-customized 41 Ford Coupe originally looked like.
"It's a 41 Ford, but there's nothing 41 Ford about it," Mitch said.
How it started
Moran isn't exactly new to the world of cars, but he is fairly new to the world of hot rods and owning them.
That interest began within his own family.
"My dad was really into cars a lot so I've always been into cars too, but I haven't really had cars until fairly recently. Within the last five years," Moran said. "All my buddies seem to have the cars that go to the car shows. I thought that it would be kind of fun to do that. Why not buy a couple cars and do what you want with them?"
The 41 was the first car Moran purchased. It was originally a seven-year build by noted California car designers Joe Moreno and Bill Reasoner so it was already a car that easily turned heads, but it wasn't perfect.
It was clear early on that the car would need some work.
"It was really cool, but it was really dated," Mitch said. "Shiny on the outside, less than mechanically sound underneath."
But Moran said that the car held promise of what more it could become. It was a vehicle that pulled at Moran, leaving him with a feeling for the opportunities the vehicle provided.
"I saw the car and had a lot of visions right away of what I would like to do with it," he said. "Flamed it out, kind of took it to the next level."
The brothers then went to work on the car, updating everything in the drive train including engine, transmission, rear axle, cooling system, exhaust, wheels, tires, suspension and electronics.
There were also body modifications made to the front end.
Both Mitch and Marshall said it was a challenging build because as Moran himself quipped, it's something of a FrankenFord.
"It's definitely a unique car," Marshall said. "It turns a lot of heads. A lot of people really admire what has been done and they don't realize how much has gone into that."
The engine itself is an example of that.
Mitch said that engine is a Chevrolet small block, a go-to for hot rod enthusiasts. However, they were able to work the engine in such a way as to disguise it as a Lincoln engine.
"It's really neat," Mitch said. "Even Ford guys look at it and say, 'that's a cool Lincoln engine.' They don't know the difference."
"It's a neat looking car on the outside, but under the hood is really our crown jewel on this particular project," he added.
Not a trailer queen
For many who criss-cross the country, attending shows like Autorama, the cars they display are just that — for display only.
Often termed as trailer queens, the vehicles are beautiful machines, but often don't even have such amenities as oil in the car. They are simply rolled out of trailer, displayed, and rolled back in.
Not so with Severe Logic, the name Moran has given the car in honor of the band he played in under the same name. His car is meant to be driven.
"I think I was the only one in that area in the top 20 that actually drives their car," Moran said. "I think I put about 5,000 miles on it last year."
It's something Mitch agrees with, having driven the car to test the work they had done on it. In his mind, it's a car that's meant to be driven.
"You can get in and go anywhere," he said. "You can literally cruise it at 80 mph down the black top with one hand on the wheel and it just hums.
Moran said that aside from looking at the vehicle, it's an absolute joy to drive and everything taken together makes it a machine he is immensely proud of, but awards and work aren't the end of the story. Like many passion projects, hot rods are never really finished.
Aside from Severe Logic, Moran has two other vehicles in his stable and he is currently working on a 1963 Riveria. It's a process with a never-ending stream of possibilities.
"It's kind of an addiction," he said. "You kind of start on one thing and it's like you get different ideas and things like that. I've been so blessed to have a lot of people help me out."
Aside from the Meyers, that also includes Cliff Anderson, who handles the detailed graphic work of the vehicle and who has come down from the Twin Cities to do the work.
"It's made me want to do a little bit more and a little bit more," Moran said. "There's always more you could do if you want to."
Driving on, looking back
It's hard not to just stop and stare at the car when it's parked. The vehicle flows around the flame with a heart of polished chrome metal underneath the hood.
Meanwhile, the inside of the car has a cross of old and new with a black and white TV in the console, an eight-track player and digital back-up camera.
The steering wheel itself is a U-shaped custom taken from a 1960 Cadillac Hearse.
It's charm, form and function that is not only a reflection of Moran's sense of style, but the quality work that the brothers put into the car on their end.
"It's been kind of a long process, but at the same time kind of rewarding to see everything come together as it has compared to how it started out," Marshall said. "Having Todd's ideas and giving us the freedom to put our spin on things and to do as well as he does at the show. It's rewarding."
Moran's success is something that the Meyers hold dear as it relates to the day-to-day work of the shop.
"I've always been really proud of the quality of work we've done and been able to produce," Mitch said. "Marshall and I have had a really good teacher, which is my father, Doug Meyer. Attention to detail. It's all or nothing."
But there's more to that reflection aside from Moran's vision and Meyer's work. Moran said that it's also a part of the overall car culture right here in Austin.
"It's amazing how many cool, classic cars are in the small little town of Austin," he said. "It's phenomenal. You go to these local car shows and a lot of people are from here in Austin. It's really a car culture here in Austin."
Previous notable awards/recognitions
Gene Winfield Award
Oakland Grand National Roadster Show Best Custom
2025 Autorama Chicago World of Wheels Top 20
2025 Autorama Chicago World of Wheels First in Class
International Show Car Association Street Rod Award
Goodguys Award Winner
2024 Iowa Street Rod Association Custom Pick
2025 over of the Chicago Sun Ties
Recognized via internet videos from Speed King Hot Rods and Internal Combustion
Lou Costabile "My Car Story" YouTube video from Chicago World of Wheels
20 Best of Shows in 2024 from Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin