Some Model A Tudor advice needed.

Ok, so my 6 year old son asks for the third time if we can build a gray car like the one in my magazine. Of course he's referring to a '55 Chevy gasser in a recent Rod and Custom. What can I say, he's got good taste. I tell him that we don't have the money to build THAT car right now, but I hate to not build SOMETHING while he's ready and eager to learn. So, I start mentally going through all my unstarted/unfinished projects. I figure I have just about everything I need to put together one of my Model A Tudors that I have. I'm looking for a low initial investment as it's not the car of my dreams (and like I said I have most of the parts to get it at least as far as a roller). I'd love to go highboy on a deuce chassis with my 59A flatty, but I don't have the money for the rails let alone what it would cost to rebuild the flathead. So I think I'll stick with the A chassis that I already have along with a running SBC and 9" (also already have). I'm not a big fan of a highboy on an A frame, so it will have to be channeled. So, after a lengthy prelude I finally get to my two main questions:

1) Is it posible to build a channeled car that doesn't sit on the ground yet also doesn't sit way up in the air? I think a 10" to 14" Z is a bit too extreme for me. Hell, I scrape the frame on my late model daily driver I can imagine what it would be like to drive something with an inch of ground clearance.

2) Is it possible to build said channeled car and still have a back seat? Not a deal breaker if I can't but it would sure be nice to take both of my sons out at the same time.

I'm sure others have wrestled with the same problems and I'd love to see/hear what they came up with. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

If you want to build a Traditional Hot Rod out of a Tudor, you don't need some exaggerated Chopped to hell, Z-Framed, Heavily channeled pile. This one isn't even channeled (although I would dig it with a light channeling) and it is quite "Traditional". And there would be plenty of room for the kids!

 

How good of a welder/fabricator are you? If you consider yourself pretty talented in these departments build your own chassis. Check out www.streetrod101.net and buy a DVD. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! EXCELLENT INSTRUCTION FOR BEGINNERS TO SEASONED PROS!

 

I had the same exact issues when building my car. Not allot of money, didn't want to see the A frame, didn't want a crazy rear step, and it had to ultimately be safe, reliable and somewhat comfortable for my wife, daughter, and I. I am happy with how it has turned out. My one tip would be to plan well, and set goals.

Here are a few pictures.
4" Chop, 4" Channel, 5" Rear step....

 

chopping it this much will not leave you any room for the kids unless your girlfriend is verticly challenged like mine but it does line you up for the best view when looking out the window

 

Here is a pic of my Tudor... scratch built frame using a Model A frame as reference. No chop/channel.... still have quite a bit of work to do, but it is running/driveable...

 

Mine's chopped 3, channeled 4, and uses a Pete and Jakes frame which has the 2 inch kick-up in the back - that's it. It may be too high for your liking, but it's an easy build. And, yes, I know the radiator is too high... I'm working on it...

My floor goes up higher than you probably need it to go in the rear, but it'll need to go up a little (probably 4 inches?) Obviously, you'll need to go with coilovers if you want to try and get a back seat in there...

 

You could Z your frame at the cowl so it looks channeled but actually isn't. Then Z the rear and use a '40 rear spring in the rear. With a minimum Z in the rear a back seat will work great. I've seen model A tudors with a stand up tank which serves as a rear seat back. I'd try to keep it as simple as possible. No, you don't have to make it one inch off the ground with an eight inch chop. I'd go four inches. It'll look like it just knocked over a 7-11. A more conservative looking car will have more value in the end is what I think

 

I agree with hotroddon above, you don't need to channel and chop it for it to be a cool highboy. If you want to see the rails you could also put it on 32 rails and you get the best of all worlds.

That said Tracy's car is AWESOME. Looks great and sits right. So if you want to do that take his advice.

I included pics of my car (which Boones built), and though I really wanted a chopped car before I got into this, I wouldn't ever chop it now. An unchopped car can look awesome too. You just have to plan it out right.

Good luck in any respect. I think your son will dig whatever you build, I know my son loves the hot rod, and he is 8.

 

BTW... my frame is Z'd 3" in the rear... and stretched 4" in front of the cowl...

 

Read headhunters Rod Blog for some inspiration.
http://web.mac.com/marcandlauren/RodBlog/Rod_Blog/Rod_Blog.html

 

Here's my Model A hiboy. Since it was wrecked, I'm going with a deuce frame this time around.

 

Hotroddon, fantastic car but I agree it could use a slight channel.

31tudor_utah, I'd say my skills are minimal at best. Lucky for me my neighbor and his son are EXTREMELY talented and have a Model A coupe they built together. I'd consider building my own chasis but I'd probably farm out the welding on that for safety's sake (I know where to admit I don't know enough!).

29 sedanman, that is exactly the look I'm after! Has your car been in print, it looks very familiar? Would you mind filling me in on some of the details? What front/rear axles and springs did you use?

hotroded, I really like the look of your car, I just don't see myself crawling into a car that low (let alone driving it on bumpy ass Michigan roads).

stillkruzn, wish I were that far along! I haven't left the mental planning stages. Looks great, I'd be proud of that car.

headhunter, you and 29 sedanman have exactly the look that I'd like to achieve. I see Bull posted a link to you build, I'll have to check it out.

headhunter, I hear you about the chop vs. unchop. Luckily I have two sedans, so if I really don't like a chopped car I have the other one to use!

Bull, didn't you post about your wreck recently? I seem to recall reading about it recently but the front end has been "modified" a wee bit. Sorry to hear about that, but at least you're still around to do a rebuild!

Thank you everyone for the pictures and advice, I really do appreciate it! I need to set some goals for what I'd like to achieve and then start building.

Amsvette

 

Tracy Turner post's pic's of his sedan just to make me jealous.

It was in Rod & Custom a few month's back.

 

The next time the two of us are in the same place I will let you drive the damn thing. It still amazes me that you and some others still like it that much. I still enjoy it. Thanks for all the kind words.

Yes it was in R&C, the August 08 issue.

 

I thought I saw that car before, it's the one I used to show my son what I had parts to build. That issue is sitting on my kitchen table right now!

 

here's mine still under construction. another no chop/no channel. the frame is from total performance with a 3" rear kick up.

 

Here is mine...Im 6'3" and have plenty of room in it. No room for any backseaters but pleny of room for me and my girl. It will be in Street Rodder Dec. 08 issue...should be out around the end of October.

 

Amsvette, sinticket's car and Tracy's car are definitely worth checking out. Here are a few of Tracy's from the Jalopy Showdown.





And some of sinticket's from the Detroit Autorama.







They are both worthy of the admiration.

Good luck with the build.

 

if i were you i take a look at cdan kevin silva just sold.

 

I think you'll find what you want when you just start mocking it up. Only you can tell yourself what you will like. These cars can be set up so many different ways, just go for it.

 

Here is a pic of my 32 on A rails to give you an idea.

 

Yeah man, Silvia nailed it.

 

Hey, I rode in the back of this very car across Austin at the Roundup with a cooler and the gas tank, I'm 6'5". The point is, it was horribly uncomfortable for me, but it would be do-able for anyone of normal size.

 

He SOLD it!? Wish I had known it was for sale!

 

yep not even 24hrs between posted and posted sold

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=290398

 

Damn. Would have been a great replacement for my wrecked A. I absolutely love that car!

 

Wow, wanted to do something different than everyone else? It's usually the other way around, an A on Deuce rails.

 

i dont see anything wrong with fenders ! keeps it clean . ... steve

 

I agree, fenders would be cool. However, I don't have any fenders and if I had that kind of money I'd probably buy a chassis from any number of reputable vendors. So I guess I don't go with fenders for now...unless you have a set you want to donate! I'd put them to good use, I promise.