I picked up this '30 Model A Tudor on New Year's Eve. It was a great way to close out an awful 2020. It was originally built in Minnesota by @Chucky. He built the car from around 2013 to 2016 starting with a completely stock car with an older restoration. When he was done, it was a bitchin' hot rod! In short, it's a stock body with bobbed fenders, a boxed stock frame and stock front axle with split bones, and a 383/700R4/8.8 with 4.10s. The pictures and detail in his build thread made it clear he knew what he was doing and did a great job building this car. You can read all about that in his build thread here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1930-hot-rod-sedan-photos-and-specs.970344/
Then the car moved to California with @JohnnyCASHcadillac. He dialed in a few things on the car and drove it all around SoCal, but didn't change much - except for blowing it all apart and painting it! https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/my-gasser-is-getting-paint.1144733/ It's really incredible the job he and his brother-in-law did on the paint, considering they aren't pros and did it in a temporary tent beside the house. He also took it drag racing a few times and this little thing scoots. He had a fistful of timeslips in the 7.6 @ 90 range.
But he decided something a little bigger and... weathertight... would be better for his family. So he started thinking about sending the Model A down the road. He got himself a clean '40 sedan and began building it right, with a dropped axle and a 348. And then he got the chance to pick up a chopped '32 5w project locally, so now this thing REALLY needed to go. And that's where I stepped in. We were *finally* able to get a deal together and this little hot rod was coming home to Texas! As soon as I got it here, I uncapped the exhaust. It sounded so good I haven't put the caps back on, and I doubt I ever will.
Congrats @Gotgas...what's the plan other than Win Races over and over... Turnkey new adventure...but a Hotrod is never done so to speak...
Since I got it home, I've done some minor maintenance and gone over it to make sure things are tight and right. Swapped plugs. Fixed the squeaky brakes. Replaced a few cracked vacuum caps and lines. Little stuff like that. It was in great shape. I did swap the generic steering wheel for an original '59 Impala unit. My dad got this for me years ago and restored it for my Chrysler, but it didn't fit. It fits the Model A perfectly! Serendipity, I guess. Since this pic, I blacked out the column drop and reinstalled it with some black countersunk screws to hide it a bit. That shifter is a kinda-modern street-roddy B&M deal. I swapped the aluminum handle for an 8" chrome unit and white shift knob to get that '60s vibe. I'll get some pics of that after I get the floor and boot dialed in like I want. And of course, I had to find YOM Texas plates for it. I got the car because I always loved cars with the '60s street car/weekend gasser look. Mags, slicks, headers poking where they shouldn't, slightly obnoxious, that kinda deal. I was hoping it would be a lot of fun, and it hasn't disappointed! I've been driving it all over and enjoying it just like it is. It draws a crowd everywhere. Oh yeah, about that name. @JohnnyCASHcadillac's daughters had named the car 'The Grinch' and that just seemed to stick. Obviously it's green, but it's also a Mean One! Perfect.
I have some grooved Radir 10.00s and Americans for it, just to be able to change it up. I'll just keep driving it, and fixing this-n-that, and see where it goes. I don't have a lot of changes planned. But if I do, I'll keep you posted here
Happy New Year...sorry about the hell in your state...Thoughts your way... Fine tuning to 1965...gotcha...
Here is a picture with them mounted. Also, I swapped the rear 250-lb springs for 325s. It firmed it up, but the ride is still very good. Made a world of difference in stability. And they let me get the car a little lower without rubbing the fenders.
What’s not to like on that one? Congrats on a very cool A sedan hot rod. That sounds like tons of fun!
Nice! Hopefully we'll be having some runs and cruise nights again soon. Looking forward to seeing it in the tin.
I'm from Minnesota and remember seeing this car at Back to the 50s right after it was build. what size mickey thompsons are on it. I'm guessing they are the 28-10.5-15. I'm looking to build my Model A with the similar stance.
Thank you, guys. I have really been enjoying my hot rod. I drive it all over the place like it's a modern little SUV - except with slicks, a lumpy cam, and open headers. It is guaranteed to get a reaction out of anyone that sees it. Usually good, but not always I took it on a 100 mile cruise a few weeks ago, and part of it was on a local road course racetrack. It doesn't really "handle" per se, but it was fun coming out of turns! Yes sir, the tires on the Sprint wheels are M/T 28x10.5-15s. The pie crust tires on 5-spokes are Radir 10.00-15s. The widths are pretty close, but the Radirs are a little taller at 29.25".
I've never seen headers that look like they go out the original spare tire wells (or not). I like it!
What a nice nice car! Great looking paint too, plus the stance is just right too- love the pic at the drags. Fits right in!
You did a great job, man! I was telling my dad the fenders had been trimmed back, but I'm not sure he was convinced until he felt up behind there. LOL. The car rules. I just got back from the grocery store.
got gasser ? ... i raced modified "hot wheels" car for a few years... this sedan is what i strove for... i used 1;24 model's chrome parts connectors as fuel cells and even sawed the front tires in half for that gasser look... mikie likes it...
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