Manufacturers spend thousands of hours and an untold amount of money devising the name of their latest offering. The badge needs to achieve two aims. The first is that it must, in some way, encourage an emotional response from potential buyers, motivating them to hand over their cash to park the car in question in their driveway. The second aim is more complex. If the manufacturer intends to market that car internationally, they must ensure that the chosen name does not suffer what we shall call an “unfortunate” meaning when translated into a foreign tongue. Please don’t laugh, because it has happened! Those bold individuals who tackle a custom build are not constrained by those needs. They can christen their creation whatever they like, whether it represents the character of the car or the person themselves. Such is the case with this 1930 Ford Roadster Hot Rod. Its creator christened it “The Barbarian,” a name that seems as appropriate as any. He has reached the point where he feels that it needs a new home, so he has listed it for sale here on Craigslist. The Ford is located in Silver Lake, Washington, and you could park The Barbarian in your garage by handing the owner $12,500.

It is common for builders to create these old-school hot rods utilizing fiberglass panels or bodies. That is not the case with The Barbarian. All of its panels are genuine steel, and they look pretty good. There are no appreciable dents or other damage, although there are some minor bruises in the lower sections below the doors. Due to the photo quality, I have been unable to determine what frame hides under this classic or whether it is structurally sound and rust-free. The panels look clean, which is an encouraging start. Typical of vehicles of this style created in the 1960s and 1970s, its exterior features plenty of custom paint touches. The creator applied an orange base coat and then employed various tricks to bless the Ford with a distinctive appearance. These include fogging and blending, along with some beautifully executed airbrushed murals. The effect is stunning and ensures that The Barbarian should attract attention wherever it goes. Rounding out the package are color-coded Rally wheels with spotlessly clean trim rings and center caps.

For many people, one of the greatest attractions of creating a vehicle like The Barbarian is that they aren’t constrained by dealing with a rare and numbers-matching classic. That allows scope for them to devise the drivetrain of their dreams. In this case, the Ford is powered by a 383 Stroker V8 that sends its power through a four-speed Muncie transmission to a 9″ Posi rear end. It isn’t clear what sort of power this V8 is generating, but the low weight of this Hot Rod means that it should offer stunning performance. Disappointingly, the owner supplies no information on how well The Barbarian runs or drives, but the overall presentation is encouraging. We also don’t receive any clear interior shots, but what we can glimpse suggests that the seat is sorely in need of new upholstery. It’s looking pretty tired and worn, but once again, the buyer can replace it with the upholstery of their choice. It looks like the builder has added some essential aftermarket gauges, but the state of any other upholstery or carpet is impossible to confirm.

As with any classic car, The Barbarian will not appeal to everyone. However, for a potential buyer looking for a vehicle that will allow them to let down their hair and have some unbridled fun, it has to be a hot contender. The asking price remains in affordable territory, and when you consider what it might cost to create a clone, it looks highly competitive. It has only been on the market for a few days, but do you think that someone might snap it up pretty quickly?