This is the reason that I'm getting rid of a bunch of stuff over in the "For Sale" department (thanks for all the interest!!!!)... '31 A coupe. I've had it for years, and decided to set my other long term projects aside and get to it. The plan is to straighten out the body, build a frame out of 2"x4" tube, build up my 331 Hemi, back it up with a Muncie four speed and 9", then stab it and steer. Anyway, there you go...
Thanks, Muttley!! Y'know, everyone asks about that. I have NO idea. I was told by the PO that it was a race car at one point, so who knows? I'm not going to post pix of the weird, 'gl***ed and tack brazed sunroof, or the oddball 'gl***ed and pop riveted cowl vent (I'm keeping the vent, but I'm gonna weld and metalfinish it). OK, maybe I will. Yeah, what the hell...
Thanks, ratstar!! I'm still stripping God only knows how many layers of of bondo, 'gl***, and paint off of it...
bad *** car never seen one with the fire wall done up that way nor the vent,sunroof, thats going be kick *** keep it up.
Ok this may piss you off and i dont mean it that way but quit the smokes ( i see marlborough spelling ) and you will have extra cash for the build. I only say this cause after i died last june from a heart attack I bought a wide screen tv and ive been working on my roadster and im getting fat cause food tastes better now.. Car look nice though and ive done worse.. Its fixable for sure.. Good luck. Dave
Thanks, ****shoot!! The firewall isn't staying, though. I plan on putting in, and then cutting up, a repop stock firewall.
Hey Dave, glad to hear you're still around!! Yep, slowly but surely, I'm quitting. I'm 36 now, I'd like to make it to 96. OK, maybe not 96, but you get the idea...
So, the quarters on this '31 have been mashed kinda bad. Can anyone one of you guys with a '30/'31 coupe do me a favor and measure across the rear of the car in two places? One across the decklid where it meets the body at the top, and another across the bottom of the panel below the decklid? Thanks in advance!! I'm not quite there yet, but the bondo-paint-and-fibergl*** (WTF?) stripping chores will be done tomorrow or Friday, and I'm gonna start wailing on this thing next week...
what are you using to strip this old gal Mine had 2 3/4 inches of bondo on the top, hammer and chisel took care of that still going on the sides
you will appreciate the cowl vent on hot days. Not so much when its raining and dripping on yer foot.........
'31Whitey, I'm mostly using aircraft stripper,and then 3M stripping discs, surface prep pads, and maroon scuff pads. Seems to be working, and I'm not having to deal with the dust that sanding would kick up. Manyolcars, I really dig the vent!! I'm keeping the one in the cowl of my '56, too. Like I said, though, I'm going to weld it in.
with the mods to that body, and the fibregl***..im guessing it was a home built show rod in the early seventies...
I gotta tell ya, the work that's been done to it is pretty rough. I mean like torch holes that have been cut, but never once saw a grinder for clean up, and bondo so thick and uneven, it looked like the 405 freeway. Plus, the brazing is just sloppy. I'm stickin' with the race car theory. Just got all the bondo off the driver's side, so I'm gonna flip it around shortly to have better access to the p***enger side. Pix by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, if anyone's interested...
Pretty much done with all the thick ****. It WILL be stripped by tomorrow afternoon. As I mentioned before, the rear quarters are mashed up pretty good, but I managed to rough the driver's side back into shape last night from the inside of the trunk area with a ball peen hammer. When I got this body, I figured that I'd cut off the quarters, straighten them, and then weld them back on. Well, someone already beat me to it: They did a REALLY ****ty job of it, too. Oh well, that much more work, I guess. A shot of my yard from where the '31 was yesterday:
man I am going through the same stuff today motivating me to keep trudging on I cant place it right now but that recessed license plate area and tail light holes look interestingly familiar keep us posted
Really? Familiar? The bondo and 'gl*** **** all over that lower panel is the last of the thick stuff. I thought I was done yesterday, but I forgot about this last bit. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. If I can weld in new metal where the holes are, then I will. If not, it get replaced. Wait. **** that. I'll just get a new one. My problem with this car won't be motivation, but where to start after I finish the stripping!! Subrails: Effed Lower quarters: Effed Rear corners: Effed Rear quarters/wheel arch: Effed. Floor: What floor? Decklid: Effed Lower doors: Meh. Chop: Fixable. Rear inner fenders: MIA. Lower cowls: No idea yet. Firewall: Who the f%&k brazes a .125" PLATE in as a firewall? Effed. Dash: Brazed "race car". Fixable. Other than all of that, it should be a breeze!!
Here are the latest: The panel below the decklid after three applications of aircraft stripper today: And the masking paper with all I've s****ed off so far today: A decent side shot of the driver's quarter after I roughed it in: And finally, the effed p***enger quarter: About a year ago, I found coupe quarters available as repops online somewhere, but of course, can't remember where. Roadster quarters are fairly common. They were expensive, but in the case of the p***enger quarter panel, might be worth it.
The p***enger quarter panel has been that rough since before I bought the car. After 15 minutes of beating the living snot out of it with this: It now looks like this: I'm pretty pleased with myself at the moment.
Nice work. Keep us posted with all of your fun. I'm so wanting an A and I see that with patience you can repair almost any of them.
Jack, It's a small world. I am also doing a Model "A" Coupe ('31). The frame is about is a roller and will press on with mounting the body and engine. Hope to see more of yours in the future ! 41 Dave
Danimal, thanks for the compliment!! I don't think there's much that can't be saved with a little patience and ingenuity. Having the space to work in and the tools to do so really help. Good luck with your search!!
Hey Dave!! I'm not going anywhere. I'm gonna keep posting here so that others can see you don't have to be too bright to build one of these!! Put some pix up, or point me at a link!!
If you can beat on the quarter enough, you might get it smooth enough to keep, ( with out too much filler). Its still better than something I'd see over hear in rust-land. Good luck on it!
Thanks for the encouragement, Jonski!! I think the first thing to do will be to replace the subrails, then the rear corners, and then go from there.
Cut out what was left of the floor (old, thick, smelly plywood; probably not original). I think this is all I can do until tomorrow, when we're supposed move it onto something else. Maybe jackstands and 2"x2" tube? Time to clean up a bit... In the second pic, you can really see the dash. It, too, is brazed in there, just like the firewall and the weird fake '33-'34 lower cowl section. I plan to get my O/A cylinders refilled tomorrow morning. Looking at subrails shortly.
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