Could you imagine racing that? one woman asked as she walked by a red hot rod parked at the north end of Diamond Park on Saturday afternoon.

Wow. Thats a race car, a child exclaimed as he passed by.

The most popular question on everyones mind, however, as they passed the custom hot rod built by Meadville resident Ron Williams, was, How fast does it go?

Ehhh, I dont know, Williams responded. Beyond what I want to go. It gets there in a hurry. Lets just say that.

Williams Ford red hot rod was a show stopper at the annual Thunder in the City Bike and Car show on Saturday. The car was one of a few dozen on display, but one of the only, if not the only, one made from scratch.

Its a hot rod made out of a 1923 Ford Model T, Williams said. Its my retirement project.

His retirement project took three years and more than $30,000 to complete. The engine, an original from the Ford Model T Bucket, cost roughly $10,000 to $12,000 alone.

Theyre getting harder and harder to find, Williams said.

Williams had always had desire to build a hot rod.

I went to vocational school, he said. And one of my boys is very interested in hot rods. So I decided to build one. I retired and got to the point where I could afford one.

Williams carries with him a photo album documenting each stage of his build, which included cutting a new door and installing a new dashboard and a wooden trunk lid, built using tongue and groove by Williams brother-in-law, Larry Larson, of Fairfax, Va.

Of course, those were just a few of the projects.

I worked when I wanted to, Williams said. And when things started to go bad, I could walk away for a while.

I had as much fun making it as I do driving it, he added.

And for those really wondering, Williams said the speedometer has read 100 miles per hour while cruising before. But he hasnt tested it any harder.

I dont really take it too far, Williams said. Erie is about as far as I will go with it.

Thunder in the City concluded Saturday with the Rusty Hanaway Memorial Bike Parade highlighting the days events. Attendees also enjoyed a Corvette parade, a variety of vendors, free live music and a cornhole tournament.

Read more from the original source:

Red hot rod turns heads at Thunder in the City - Meadville Tribune