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     ''I located this poor specimen online in Ohio and had it delivered to the shop. Upon inspection it was in pretty sad shape. No floor pans, no rocker panels, significant rust and rot everywhere. The car had been dis assembled and sandblasted some 30 years ago and left to sit(...)''

     The Golden Empress, Chris Ryan's 1949 Cadillac Convertible Custom

Shaved decklid badge, door handles, hood trim and ornament, side trim bar, fender skirts
1955 Oldsmobile headlights
1959 Caddy 390 mil
(chromed) Stromberg 97’s
Horne 4×2 intake manifold
Halibrandt finned valve covers
Sanderson headers
2-1/2-inch pipes
HP-2 Flowmaster mufflers
GM 4L70E tranny
Dynotech driveshaft
Bob Park’s 3.90-geared limited-slip Ford 9-inch rearend
(Hidden Wilwood disc brakes)
Fatman Fabrications Stage V front suspension kit
RideTech 1000 Series ShockWave suspension
RideTech 8000 Series rear
Interior by Chuck Hanna (Hot Rod Interiors)
1964 Thunderbird front seats the
Custom built rear seat
Modified dash
CON2R custom designed steering wheel


2015 Painless Performance/STREET RODDER Top 100 winner
Builder’s Choice award at the Southeastern Nats in Charlotte

Ryan’s Rod & Kustom 
The whole story @ Hot Rod
Photos by Robert McGaffin