Palle Eriksson's 1924 Chevrolet

Hans Broberg, Kjelle Gustad, Bo Sandberg and Palle next to Palle's powerful Hemi engine in 1962. Palle's Hemi was a real hot rod engine, featuring dual 4-port carburetors, producing about 385 horsepowers. This photo was taken at Vendelsö, Sandgropen. Photo courtesy of Sven and Maude Sandberg, from Spoca.se.

Palle's roadster as it sat in 1963. Photo courtesy of Sven and Maude Sandberg, from Spoca.se.

The front of the roadster was lowered by "goosenecking" the frame. Photo courtesy of Sven and Maude Sandberg, from Spoca.se.

Photo courtesy of Sven and Maude Sandberg, from Spoca.se.

Bo Sandberg testing Palle's rod. Photo courtesy of Sven and Maude Sandberg, from Spoca.se.

A photo of Palle's Chevrolet taken in 1964, the evening he and 7 other cars left for the French Riviera.

Order from: Sweden - Norway - Rest of the world

Palle's Ford at the 1965 Hot Rod Show in Stockholm. Photo courtesy of Sven and Maude Sandberg, from Spoca.se.

Palle's roadster at the 1966 Hot Rod Show in Stockholm. This photo was published in the "Colorod Cavalcade" in Colorod Nr 1 1980. Photo courtesy of Colorod Magazine.

Photo courtesy of Colorod Magazine.

Photo courtesy of Sven and Maude Sandberg, from Spoca.se.

"Build a Hot Rod!" — Start & Speed No. 1 1966 featured Palle Ericson’s prize-winning roadster, written by chris with photos by Anders Hallén. The spread shows the car on display with parts and chassis shots, and explains how Ericson combined a 1931 Chevrolet roadster body and 1924 Chevrolet hood on a home-built frame with a 1958 Chrysler V8, along with Swedish inspection notes and a facts spec panel.

The remainings of Palles car after the accident in South Afrika were taken home and used in this rod. From April 1967 Hot Rod Show

Palle Eriksson’s Hot Rod of Stockholm is a Swedish-built roadster assembled from 1920s–1930s components on a home-made frame and powered by a Chrysler V8. Celebrated in Start & Speed No. 1 1966, in an article by Chris with photos by Anders Hallén, the car was presented as a Swedish hot rod equal to contemporary American builds and was awarded Top of the Show in 1965. The magazine walked readers through its background, specifications, and Swedish inspection considerations, using Eriksson’s car as the case study.

History

Eriksson described hot rodding as something that had been “in the blood” for as long as he could remember. At 15 years old, he obtained a 1931 Chevrolet roadster body that he combined with a 1938 Ford frame that he shortened 80 cm to suit the proportions. A 1924 Chevrolet hood was adapted to the body, and an early iteration ran a Ford gearbox. Palle got the body from a friend who had resigned from the project.

The car saw real road use, including travel on winding European roads. During a 1961 holiday trip to Germany, Eriksson found a 1958 Chrysler V8 rated at 385 hp offered at 600 SEK and bought it. Back home, the car was torn down, parts were chromed, and the body was repainted. Later engine work, lightening and balancing, port work, and a general freshening, brought the setup to an estimated 400 hp in show/competition tune. In 1965 the roadster captured “Top of the Show” at the Hot Rod Show in Stockholm.

Chassis and Suspension

To handle the Chrysler power, Eriksson built a new rectangular-section frame from 40×60 mm steel with 3 mm wall thickness. The car retained a rigid front axle. The steering featured a long steering arm working through a drag link to an Opel steering box. Brake-backing plates were drilled for ventilation. A stout two-piece roll bar, made from 2-inch steel tube with a 5 mm wall, allowed the body to be lifted off. Chrome plating was extensive, and the article in Start & Speed No. 1 1966 noted a chrome bill of 3,500 SEK. In show trim the car ran straight 2-inch exhaust pipes, also chromed. To lower the car up front, Palle "goosenecked" the frame. By goosenecking the frame, Palle could sit comfortably inside the car like a normal person. A blacksmith who worked for Palle's dad helped Palle weld and fabricate the rod.

Body and Exterior

The 1931 Chevrolet roadster body was paired with a 1924 Chevrolet hood. 1936 Ford front fenders were fitted, while the rear fenders were cleverly repurposed from Atlas Copco compressor panels. A 1921 Ford Model T windshield frame, kept completely original, was chromed. A 1931 Ford radiator-cap temperature indicator sat on the filler neck. Headlighting was Marchal tractor lamps, mounted at the Swedish legal minimum height of 40 cm. The padded top had a very small rear window, making exterior mirrors important for visibility.

Drivetrain

Power came from the 1958 Chrysler V8 that Palle acquired in 1961. Induction consisted of two four-barrel Carter carburetors with chromed air cleaners. Earlier, the car used a Ford gearbox; the magazine’s guidance, drawn from the build, recommended using the engine’s original transmission rather than adapter-mounting a Ford unit, as high-rev shifts could damage mismatched gearsets.

Interior and Equipment

Instrumentation was 1958 Chrysler. The upholstery was genuine leather, while the top material was galon. The fuel tank was sourced from a Bedford truck. An Opel Kadett steering box, turn signals, and taillights were used to complete the street equipment.

Swedish Inspection Notes

Using Eriksson’s roadster as an illustration, Start & Speed No. 1 1966 listed items required or recommended for Swedish inspection: functioning turn signals, a license-plate light, adequate fender coverage, headlamps at least 40 cm above the ground, and rubber protection on any frame ends ahead of the front wheels. If a windshield is fitted, wipers are required (at least one, even if the windshield can be folded). Without a windshield, wipers are not required. Because the frame is welded, inspectors may ask for a licensed welder’s certificate or an X-ray of the frame. Given the small rear window in the padded top, exterior mirrors are emphasized for safety.

Builder’s Advice from the Feature

The Start & Speed No. 1 1966 article suggested that a fiberglass body could be a smart shortcut, quoting 1,400–1,500 SEK for a shell versus the cost and labor of repairing a rusty steel body. It also advises using the engine’s original transmission rather than adapting another make, to avoid gear damage at high rpm.

Palle's roadster was powered by a 392 Chrysler Hemi engine, and it was known as one of the fastest cars in the Stockholm area. In 1963, Palle's roadster was known as the only car that could beat Lars Erik Ljungkvist's 1932 Ford roadster in a street race.

In 1964, Palle drove the car to the French Riviera. 8 cars in total started the trip from Kungens Kurva on a rainy night.

Palle's rod was shown at the first annual Hot Rod Show in Stockholm in 1965. This version was painted Deep Gold Metalflake. It returned for the 1966 show as well with a roof.

Unfortunately, the car broke down in South Africa. He had brought the car with him in 1966. The car flipped over and fell down a cliff. In order to get the deposit money that he had to pay when he brought the car in back, he had to build a new car in Africa. He borrowed a Ford Model T phaeton body from a garage, which he used to create a fiberglass mold. The new body was mounted on an Opel chassis before he took it back home to Sweden. The engine and some other parts were used on a T-23 rod shown at the April 1967 Hot Rod Show. After this the parts were probably spread in many directions.

Magazine Featured and Appearances

Start & Speed No. 1 1966
Colorod Nr 1 1980
Nostalgia 2 1998