Hot Rods Model A replica

I remember seeing an article back in the day about a fellow who was building Model As from replica parts available. I believe he used a flathead which was offered at that time as a crate engine for marine, air compressors and the like which produced double the original power. Seems like he had to use original transmission cases since nobody was building them new.

So recently I saw what I believe to be an example of the above for sale. After thinking about it I decided to look again but cannot find the article again. '

Anybody know about this car?

My machinist buddy who is same age as I am 72 remembers it too.

 

There was a replica called a Shay, but it used a Pinto engine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shay_Motors_Corporation

 

Replica parts or reproduction parts? Huge difference. I’ve never seen any replica parts other than the aforementioned Shay.

 

There used to be a complete Model A Glass Body 3 window Coupe, Altered A was the company. I have not heard from them in years. Since so Many Model As are available, there's not really economy in "replica body" unless it's a roadster.
BTW, there never was a Model A 3 Window. That's why it's "Altered A.
At the time, the Altered A 3 Window body was priced more than a running and driving Model A.

Shays were affiliated with Ford in the mid-70s. They are kind of there own thing with their own following.

The engine you mention is likely the Mercruiser 4 cylinder.

 

No, it was a flathead v8 as I remember it. I don't understand what the difference is between replica and reproduction parts...?

 

Yeah, the shays are pretty common.

 

It had to be the Surplus French Military blocks/engines that became available in the late 80s early 90s. The supply of these engines was quickly exhausted.
The French engine was a mix of the 59A and 8BA.
These are not really reproduction parts but rather genuine parts. The French used the Flatheads for many decades in military vehicles.

 

Thanks! That seems correct. Were they based on the 85 or 60 engine?

 

Yhis all sounds like a myth to me, much the same as the guy building brand new 57 Chevys in a secret workshop somewhere un the mid west. They were identical to the originals except they had Mopar engines

 

There was the Glassic Model A replica that initially used IH scout engines and later Ford 302. Then the Shay replica that used 2.3 Ford. The Shay looks closer to a Model A than the Glassic.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

.....By a bunch!

 

85-100
The 60 is a tiny engine in it's own little niche.

 

Are those descendants of the 85 hp engine?

 

I seem to remember that there was a fellow in Florida--about a million years ago--who was building replica Model A roadsters on rebuilt original chassis. As I recall the article stated that the only original parts used were those not available in reproduction. Again, tis was a long time ago and I never saw another word in print about it.

 

There are plenty of restored and unrestored Ford Model A's available across the USA. Why look for anything less?

 

Well, it's really not that simple.
I guess you can say all of them descend from the 1932 65HP 221. The exception being the V860 which was a small "ecomomyV8" that debut in 1937.
The later 221s were rated as high as 85HP.
The 239s both early (through 1948) and late style(1948-53) blocks were rated to 100hp. Mercuries with the larger stroke were rated up to 110HP.
The French Flatheads are a mix of the 8BA Heads and distributor with the cast in bell housing like pre-49 Ford Blocks.

 

I seem to have a vague recollection of what the OP is talking about. It was a similar deal to the Timmis 34 roadsters. I think they used a glass Wescott or Gibbons body (the Timmis that is.)

 

The only two actual replicas that I know of. Both were usually bought by people with more money than sense that wanted something to drive in the local parade that looked old and to be able to haul the grandkids for Ice cream on summer evenings. The big selling point on the Shay was that it had all new Pinto running gear and you could have it serviced at the local Ford garage.
I was under a Shay about 30 years ago when the place I worked had one on the hoist and the work on the chassis was trailer house frame crude. Strong enough but not pretty.

 

It's almost entirely possible to build a Model A Ford roadster from reproduction parts. The only things that are not being reproduced, are a stock type frame and the rear end housing. A new Model A engine is in the development stages right now. After market frames are available, but are nothing like a stock frame. That being said, there are Model A frames and rear's available at almost every flea market, so it can be done. The Bratton's Model A catalog is about 1/2" thick.

 

Really? You can build a Model A with completely new parts?



Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Back around the late 1970's a kid in my town had a 1930 Model A Coupe that looked very correct in dimensions but was fiberglass (body, fenders, deck lid, etc.). The hood and running boards were steel (possibly Rootlieb). I had both a '30 Coupe and '31 Couple at the time, so the kid gravitated to my garage since he "had a Model A, too". It was the only fiberglass Model A Coupe body that I have seen before or since. The kid drove the car to High School every day for a couple of years before he got rid of it. I can't recall what engine it had, but may have been a 4-cyl Pinto like the Shay used. I wish that I had taken a pic of the car.

 

I used to deliver to this guy back in my UPS pkg delivery days....1976-1982
His shop was just north of Lacoochee Fla
He found stashes of parts around the world, new frames from somewhere, and the speedometers he found came from Russia and were printed in Russian. He used 'glass bodies from Wescott if I remember correctly
Talisman Motors was the name I believe

 

That sounds about right.

Sent from my SM-A600A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

The Timmis was it I believe. Better a 34 than a model A.

I was interested because I saw a car for sale recently that appeared to be a Timmis. Later I decided to go look at it but could not find the ad or the name of the car. Thanks everybody for your comments!

 

I spoke to Andrew Timmis today. He is looking around his customers to see where I might look at one in the midwest.

 

A good friend of mine just bought a shay pick up a month or so ago.

Its 4 cyl of course but has the manual trans. I was teasing him about putting a turbo on it.

For what it is its a cool piece.

 

i am building a 1923 c cab shay myself. they were never made so i made one. it will be a flatbed. look something like a AA ford truck but more driveable.

 

I hate to say it but there were Model A 3 window coupes. I think they made about a dozen total in both '30 and 31.

Charlie Stephens

 

The 3 window model A coupes were prototypes built for Ford.

 

About ten years ago, there was company in Canada making Model A 3 windows, in glass.