Hicks wins first place at car show at Tupelo

TOP PHOTO:  David Hicks recently won first place, as well as “outstanding hotrod” for his restored 1933 Ford Three Window Coupe at an auto show in Tupelo, Mississippi.

The 1933 Ford Three Window Coupe features a 306 cubic inch Ford engine. Engine work was done locally. 

By Charlotte Underwood

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – Campbell County native David Hicks is at it again with restoring and building custom cars. Hicks recently won first place in the World of Customs Auto Show held in Tupelo, Mississippi on Feb. 21-23.

People traveled from all across America to compete in the International Show Car Association certified auto show. The indoor show featured a wide variety of custom cars, trucks, motorcycles, as well as restored and antique vehicles.

Custom paint and lots of chrome helped this ’33 Ford bring home a first place win. 

Hicks won first place, along with “outstanding hotrod” with his 1933 Ford three window coupe. The car features a 306 cubic inch Ford engine and a specialty custom paint job that wowed the judges for the first place win.

With 387 horsepower and over 350 foot pounds of torque, the old Ford is the epitome of the classic hot rod. In fact, it was cars like this that helped spark the hot rod craze after World War II. The three window coupes are rare and remain hot ticket collector’s items. It took Hicks around two years to restore the car and get it show worthy. According to him, much of the restoration work on this car and several other classics of his was done locally in Campbell County. Four different people painted on the 1933 Ford Coupe to give it its special paint job and both the engine and the upholstery were done locally.

“A lot of the work was done by local people; by shade tree mechanics, and we’re competing against the big boys,” Hicks said.

A machinist by trade for 30 years, restoring old cars comes second nature to Hicks. He has been restoring automobiles for the last 20 years and calls it his “therapy.” He recalled the first time he saw a ’55 Chevy when he was young and was “mesmerized.”

The same thing happened when he saw his first ’32 Ford in the Bonnie and Clyde movie.

“I just fell in love with those cars,” Hicks said.

David Hick’s 1933 Ford won first place at the World of Customs Auto Show in Tupelo Mississippi. 

Hicks said he doesn’t know if he is through restoring cars or if another project is in the works and “only time will tell.” He also said his wife, kids and grandchildren had “picked out” their favorites.

The old ’33 Ford Coupe and other classics in Hick’s garage mean much more than restoration projects; they are a legacy he plans to pass on to his kids and grandkids. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 03/05/2020-6AM)