This cool street rod is several degrees from the norm, and I love it! While the fiberglass ’34 Austin Bantam body isn’t that unusual, the chassis and drivetrain choices certainly are. Thanks to reader Matt R. for alerting us to this cool find! It’s listed for sale here on craigslist and can be found in California City, California (of course!) The asking price for all this coolness is a mere $4,000.

Instead of the typical ladder frame and V-8 combination, the creator of this rod decided to go down a very different path. The frame appears to be from an Austin Healey 100/4 or 100/6, complete with four-wheel drum brakes and what I’m pretty sure are 15″ real knock-0ff wire wheels (thankfully, upgraded from the original 48-spoke ones), probably sourced from a later Big Healey, MGC or Triumph TR. The rake and stance of the car are just perfect to me, with the external spare adding to the visual appeal. The paint looks to be in good shape from the pictures as well.

It looks like the original builder never completed the inside, which is fine with me. I’d add at least one opening door ’cause I’m old. A Toyota five-speed manual transmission is connected to that extra-long shifter. It looks like the original Healey floor pans are still in place.

Another surprise awaits in front — that’s a Ford Model A engine sporting twin SU carburetors, an MSD ignition box, and other attachments. The seller states that it will turn freely but has not run in a long time and that it needs a distributor. Would you hang on to the Model A engine or go elsewhere for a power plant? The seller also mentions a clear title, which I’m guessing belongs to the Austin Healey frame as I think that’s a Healey commission plate at the top of the firewall.

I can’t get over how this hodge-podge of mechanical components just looks so right! This is one hot rod I would definitely be bringing home if it weren’t 3,000 miles away. What do the rest of you think?