Joe Rode’s Yellow Rocket: A 1929 Ford Roadster Pickup Story

Some cars come into your life like a new love — fast, loud, and impossible to ignore. Joe Rode’s 1929 Ford Roadster Pickup is exactly that. With its sunshine-yellow paint and rich brown vinyl interior, the car looks like it drove straight out of a dream and into the weekend. But there’s more than just good looks under that classic Ford metal.

The Roadster was more than just a find — it was a legacy. “It belonged to a friend of mine who passed away,” Joe says. “I bought it not just to show off, but to keep the spirit alive.” Eight months into ownership, the bond between man and machine has only grown stronger.

Don’t let the vintage body fool you. Beneath the hood roars a Chevy 383 cubic inch engine, paired with a Turbo 350 transmission and a 9” Ford rear axle with a 4-bar setup — a hot rodder’s dream cocktail of muscle and style. The whole thing sits on a custom TCI chassis, giving the Roadster a solid backbone to handle all that power. Joe put on mag wheels to complete the look, and now the car sits low, loud, and proud.

Though he’s only put about 100 miles on the car — just enough to stretch its legs and rattle the garage doors — each trip has been about more than just getting from A to B. It’s about feeling the wind, the rumble, and the road.

Joe’s no stranger to classic trucks either. Alongside the Roadster, he’s got a ’57 Chevy Pickup and a ’57 Chevy Panel Truck — each with its own story, its own character. But the ’29? That one’s personal. It’s a tribute. A toy. A time machine. And when it rolls out under the weekend sun, heads turn — because some cars don’t just drive by; they make an entrance.