Projects My (new) 31 Model A Slant Window Fordor Sedan build

Hello All,
I'm posting my build of a 31 Model A Fordor Sedan. I bought the car almost 2 years ago from a member here of the HAMB. I've been wanting to build one of these type cars since I was 17 years old! I started work last winter and progress has been slow, but I am slowly getting the project started. I was hesitant to post here as I am new to the HAMB, but not cars. I've been building/working on cars gong on 40+ years now.
I do have a You Tube channel where I'm posting about the build, so I haven't taken too many pictures - but I will try to take more and post here as progress proceeds.
If you'd like more info and to check out the build in detail, my YT page and playlist for the Model A is here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdWPL7kP4UA3Y70OafvhfT90TrrNKwh0j&si=Y3FE54vKBYXUi7mZ

I have filmed lots of footage of teardown but never posted as my channel is still very small and doesn't get lots of views, so there wasn't much interest. If there's things you're interested in and I have footage of I would be glad to post.

Now on to the pictures! Here are a few documenting the start of the build and some teardown. I have lots of plans for the build, I will post them in a later post. In a nutshell, it will be a street rod build (sorry traditional guys) modern drive line, paint, suspension etc.








The car is actually in very good shape! Rusty but not a basket case. I'm currently cleaning several smaller parts in electrolysis in preparation for starting to rebuild the body eventually. The subrails and floor are in pretty good shape compared to some I have seen on the web, so I should be able to salvage them. I think. The body does need work- but it's not trashed.
The car was all complete (minus a few small things) and all original when I bought it, and most mechanical things (except the engine, which was partially disassembled) are in pretty good shape. Axles still turn, steering works, brakes probably work, tranny even still shifts. I will be selling some items down the road as I won't be needing them, most notably complete original frame and drivetrain, original fuel tank (if it's still good, I think it is.... need to test) plus some other stuff.

Anyway, thanks for checking out the build, I will post more details in my next post.
Cookster (Cookster's Garage)

 

Let’s see, build plan, check, vehicle of choice,check, engine of choice,pending, color of choice, pending, insanity defense in case it all goes wrong, double check. Carry on.

 

Just a heads up since you are new and likely didn't read the rules (it happens), all of your planned upgrades are not allowed to be shown here. If you try to use the old "Well I thought hot rods were about using the latest and greatest thing" to justify posting any pics showing modern parts, well in the 21 years I've been on here that has never worked. This is not to discourage you from building what you want, it's just I have seen this play out countless times before and the house always wins.

 

Nick, I did read the rules (I thought) and I thought that what you described was only for the traditional hot rod section of the board. So, if I'm mistaken my apologies and I will post no further here.

 

What you have is a "late" '31 all steel, 4 door, slant windshield ceedan a very desirable Model A as it was a transitional car to the '32. Notice, no visor, slant windshield that is shorter than its earlier cousins, one piece splash aprons.....
But it is yours and your vision but not that of the community here....carry on and maybe hang around here a bit and see what "traditional" is all about

 

Keep posting, just leave out the modern stuff.

 

Yea the rules apply to the entire board, if you can some how manage to omit the off topic stuff you're golden.

 

OK guys, I will omit the modern stuff. Most, no - all of what I'm doing right now is body stuff. The drivetrain and such won't be for a while yet. I'm doing a lot of sheet metal work that I think most guys here will be interested in, plus I'll be building my own 32 style frame. I will make a list of planned work and post later, omitting the "banned" stuff.

Thanks,
Cookster (Cookster's Garage)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbjaRpBrlC1Yw-QuL_8TK_g

 

Look forward to seeing your progress. Bob

 

Highlights of the build plan

-First off, not a rat rod, so get that out of the way!
-Keeping the stock all steel sedan w/fenders and hood. I like full fendered cars so that's what I'm building.
-I'll be building a 32 style frame. Thanks to members I've seen do this here I plan to do the same.
Since I'll have a 32 frame and fenders, I'll need to do something about my fenders. No plan for that yet.
-32 Grille shell
-Stock type front suspension, but with disk brakes. (Already have all new parts for this)
-As for drivetrain SBF, 5 spd and 9". Which I assume are banned here.
-Lots of interior and other small mods, probably all banned here but those are years away anyway.

Does this this build fit everyone's idea of a build? Of course not. But I'm fairly certain nothing I'm doing has not been done before, these cars have been hot rodded and modified pretty much every way they can be. Let me say I DO feel very lucky to be starting with and working on a completely stock, mostly unmolested 1931 automobile. I've wanted one of these type cars since I was 17 - many, many years ago. I could not find a buildable 32 sedan I could afford, I found this 31 in my price range and I went for it. Plus, the car is not a basket case.

That's the high level plans. Currently and for the next few months I'm working on rust issues and sheet metal repairs so I'll be posting updates on that progress.

 

Sounds good to me, and you'll be finished before I am. Bob

 

As promised a small build update.
I have broken down nearly all of the front body. The cowl sides and all but one last piece of the front "feet" I think is what they're called have been removed, ran through a cycle of electrolysis and sandblasted in preparation for rust repair. I have one last foot bracket to soak which I'll do this week. At some point I'll be removing the front "H" frame as a unit and placing it in electrolysis. How you might ask? I have some ideas I'll share when I get that far.
Both cowl sides need some repairs but they're not horrible. The bottoms are gone as to be expected. The cowl areas around the drivers door hinges are severely damaged from some horrible brazing of cracks many years ago, so those areas need to be repaired.
I'll be making my own patch panels for those areas as I am a fabricator, experienced body man and pretty good metal shaper. I'm getting better at it too and have bought several specialty metal shaping tools in the last few years - I wish I'd had in my 20's but oh well... Most of the aftermarket patch panels don't fir correctly and I hate that. So making my own it is.

The one panel I'm not sure of making yet is the upper cowl panel. I'm not using the stock tank, but I'm 90% certain (still need to test) it's a good tank and I don't want to cut up a good tank, so I'll need to buy or make a replacement. Still not sure which way I'm going. If I can find a Brookville I might get one from them. Would be easier for sure.

Anyway here's a few pics of where I'm currently at.
Cowl foot in electrolysis tank. If you've never used electrolysis you should. I have a couple videos on my YT channel if you're interested, or just search the web.


This is one of the cowl feet after about 30 hours of soak time. The black color is the iron compound that rust (iron oxide) turns into. But, a lot of the rust just falls off. The black coating is what's left. Once the piece is in this condition sandblasting is VERY easy. And quick. (See the blasted pieces above)


For comparison, here's the passenger side foot as it is before I remove it. BIG difference.


That's it for now. Thanks for looking in!

 

This fits 90% of what is built on the main board. When you said modern running gear everyone assumed it was LS or Coyote which don't play well. Discs are fine, big wheels aren't. A lot of cars on here with 5 speeds and 9" fords. Build away. We need more build threads and less "boxers or briefs" threads. So thank you in advance, I will enjoy the show.

 

Oh man are you in luck, Ryan, the guy who runs this message board, just unleashed an off topic forum today. It is currently the wild west so you can likely post your entire build there if you wished.

 

Nick, thanks. We'll see where this journey takes us.

Bob, wow that's some build you have going there, I'm going though you're steelback thread now. I had considered taking my 4 door body completely apart and rebuilding it, glad I'm not the only one crazy enough to do it.

Billy, yea I've never had an LS or certainly not a Coyote so I never considered you guys might think that so my bad on that one, lol....

 

Post away....show us your body progress, your vision for a slant windshield 4 door on a '32 frame is spot on as far as I am concerned....along with choice for full fendered. The late '31 has a different fender than the earlier ones, so they are worth saving....
I sectioned several together for my Cabriolet. They are high crown so their metal memory makes them easier to work than a flat panel, in many respects. Carry on and we will be watching....

 

Wow, you guys are teaching me a lot about model As, which is why I joined! So glad you folks didn't shun my build....

Couple questions.
How are repair patches from Snyders? There are a few brands I want to stay away from due to bad fitment, but I don't know anything about Snyders. I will make my own patches if necessary, but, if I can buy ones that fit correctly I might be tempted to buy them. Specifically lower cowl patch and upper cowl panel for a 31.
For now.
Second, I need door hinges. ModelAhinges.com has hinges, but no set for a fordor. Are there door hinges for other models that will work? I would hope so...

Thanks all!

 

Be sure to ask if the lower cowl patch panels have a curve to them, not just a flat piece with a bead rolled into it, also ask if the lower bead matched the door bottom bead. I think Brookville should be the best. You soaked the rust off your inner cowl panels. That light gauge angle piece is what the outer cowl panel wraps around.

 

Snyder’s has never steered me wrong I would
Give them a call. Even their catalog is pretty open with descriptions like “this is the good ones” “this will work if you glue it on” etc etc

that being said I haven't used their panels but would expect honesty from them about them.

 

Not too sure about how a full fendered Model A body using a 32 Ford frame will come together. All Model A’s use splash aprons and all 32’s don’t utilize splash aprons! Sounds like it might look slick, it done so it looks somewhat, factory!

The new section for “ Off Topic Hot Rods and Customs”, might be where this build ends up!

The YouTube videos sure give insight into the detailed “extra”, work one encounters, but if inexperienced, never expects, when diving into a complete build like this!

 

I’d think run 32 front fenders and running boards and then see if 32 rear fenders are even remotely close to working before modifying model A to work

 

Thanks for the answers.
As far as the cowl patch not having the curve, I have a shrinker stretcher so I can add the curve if needed. I'm more concerned with the shape of the bead, how accurate is it?
As far as fenders, yea I think going with 32 fenders is the correct call. Now i just gotta find a decent pair i can afford.

 

small update.
I have one of the front subrail extensions rust removal process completed using electrolysis and a quick sandblasting. I have removed the passenger side extension and began the same process on it. Soon I'll be removing the front "H" frame from the body and working on that.
One build change addition I think I'm going to make is convert the upper body header panel to a 32 panel. The header panel on my car is one of the worst areas of the body as far as rust goes, and is going to need a lot of work to either replace or repair. I stumbled upon a couple threads here where members have made this change and I think it looks awesome, so I'm already looking around for a 32 header panel.
I will be doing lots of little rust repairs to the panels I have already worked on in the coming weeks, when I have some progress to show I will. I'm not sure how far I'm going to go in disassembling the body. I would love to tear it down completely, it all depends on how hard it proves to be. I know it can be done, 37Kid has certainly done it to his Fordor.
I also need to shop around for 32 fenders and 32 windshield frame.
pics


big difference....


The front of the passenger side subrail is in pretty bad shape, so will need repairs there. You can't tell here, but the front area is barely hanging on.


The drivers side extension is pretty good, but the foot of the door post is rotted away. More repairs.


here's the header. It's worse than it looks. I'm already looking forward to changing to a 32 header. It will look SO much better, IMO.


That's it for now.

 

You mentioned you plan to build a 1932 "Style" frame, I plan on buying aftermarket 1932 rails that have the original contours. There is a front kick up that requires the front of the sub rail to be modified, a mini channel, there are several posts with photos of before & after. I won't have frame rails for a long time but just cut off the fronts so I can move along. I'm attaching a '29 Cowl & rear section to the '31 Slantwindow center section so some thing may look different than yours. Just don't want you to spend time on restoring parts that will be removed later. Bob

 

What yours could look like.
Here is mine at the 1974 Street Rod Nats. in Memphis 1974.
Movin/on

 

Bob, thanks. I've got the Wescott frame drawings, I'll take a look at them as well as search for the posts you mentioned.
My plan was to rebuild everything up front with the stock firewall and cowl so I can fit everything back in it's original position, then make all the needed changes (feet, firewall, cowl etc) to fit the 32 frame but you bring up a good point. So time will tell....

 

When you get the frame center the rear axle in the wheel wells and build everything forward.

 

Regarding the cowl top, I recommend using the original one and cutting the bottom out of it. A friend bought a new skin from Brookville and found the fit was crappy. He ended up using his original. And, the price you would get from a sale of the original won’t cover the cost of a Brookville anyway. No restorers left that don’t already have a stash of good tanks.

 

Add the cost of shipping a gas tank and that kills the deal most times.

 

I used patch panels from Snyder’s, the beads and shape matched the originals on my coupe. As for a 32 frame if you are going full fendered using 32 fenders, the the frame will need to be built to stock 32 dimensions. Usually the mini channel is done when the 32 frame is pinched. If you pinch the frame you’ll have issues with the fit of the 32 fenders and running boards.