is it really too nice? would you really hate yourself? I don't think so. Hot Rod it. Make it cruiseable.
No joke. 1. I was looking for a '34 a couple of year ago - ended up buying a '36 2. I sell the '36 3. I start looking again for a '34 - now end up buying a '35. I'm kind of a mess.
Looks Great! I also have / had that delima. Everything I do, except for 12 volt conversion, can be redone, wires are still cloth covered. Was converted to juice brakes but was 98% stock. You can have another top and windshield made. Change rear gears, trust me. Great looking the way it is.
add juice brakes, a later hop-dup motor and what do you have? a car that is still under powered and underbraked for todays roads. I say if you want to do anything put a columbia rear axle in it. that would make it much more user friendly. I like things that are old and original. I'm even debating whether to do anything to my original paint 61 Dodge.. no way I'd modify that.
I agree with most of the posters. Juice brakes, modify the existing flathead (3 deuces, heads, etc..), or replace it with a hotter flathead, change the rear end gearing, or add the Columbia O/D, and lower it. Just make sure that you can return it back to it's former glory if you need to.
clean it and drive it..it lasted all them years without being modified and looks nice the way it sits
Send it to the crusher, film it, and upload it to youtube ala Monster Garage. Wait, that would be *****ic. Seriously, that car is a piece of history. So beautiful. Enjoy it.
I like those fenders on there. I could go both ways. Drive it how it is for a while and dont cut anything up. Drive it for a year like this and if u wanna cut it up later atleast u thought about it for a good amount of time.
Check out this 35, for Sale in the Hamb Cl***ifieds $15,000 very clean original car, all there with nice running original flathead. Jim 559-280-1321
gorgeous gorgeous car, I wouldnt touch it. Driving hotrods etc is certainly cool, but theres something REALLY special about driving in a car thats just as it was...especially 30's and older.
Question is is it the original paint, interior and all or is it restored? Sorry but a restored car is no different that a hot rod. It can be put back to restored any time. Now they are only original once and if it's original I doubt i would touch it! Clark
If ya chop- Can ya shoot for repro posts? Are they up to it? Your plans sound OK- listen to the guys here that R ol' HAMB'ERS- IT'S A RARE LOOKER- TREAT HER RIGHT - Leave those stock window posts long fer us tall 'folks!
Hey don't jack with the car...join the early V8 Ford Club in your area. I have the same delima with my 33Tudor, and bought a hot rod so I can do the hot rod thing. What you are talking about is history here and people love history as well as hot rods, but true history cannot be replaced. Guy
Always start with the very best you can find. A straight body will come out better with less work than a rusting hulk. I'd rod it in a heart beat. But then again I'd try and make anything faster. There are probably not two or three cars that I would have much consternation about molesting, good shape or not and the '35 Ford is not on that list. The main thing you should remember when rodding a nice one is that you should plan it well and not make an abortion out of it.
My dad has a fully restored 35 cabriolet he saved from a barn and brought back in the '80s. We took the tire off the back, put steel wheels on it, and spot lights. Plans call for a dropped axle, later flathead warmed up, and maybe a different dash. All stuff that can be undone though.
Do whatever it takes so that you enjoy the car. It is yours. When you sell it or die, let the next owner worry about what everybody else would do with the car. Some might be offended but it is just a car that was build to be driven and then replaced by a new car. How many modified cars with the original parts being saved ever have the original parts put back on? Chop the top if that is the look you are after. Soemone else can unchop it later. Now after saying this, I would just make mild changes such as lowering it and hopping up the engine. That is the style of car that I like. In the end, my goal would be something that I like the looks of and that I can drive it like I want. If it isn't doing either, I haven't achieved the goal. I understand economics enough that if someone pays me big money for a Kellogg's owned car I would sell it to them. But as I understand it, you bought it on e-bay, the place to pay more than anyone in the rest of the world is willing to pay. Evidently the Kellogg's fan club decided they did not want it. Neal
If the mechanical brakes are an issue, there's a conversion that will ***ist those brakes very nicely and make them stop on a dime. Go to www.flatheadted.com and check out his video - you'll flip at how he gets the mechanical brakes to stop! As for your car, it is gorgeous as is. I would do everything that is "unboltable" so you are getting more of what you want but it can be returned to exactly the way it is now. Keep us all posted - you are a lucky man, to be sure!
I'd leave it as it is - way too nice of a stocker to change as I imagine there's not too many left in that condition.
Have you ever seen Jay Leno when he is around one of his steam cars? His eyes light up like a kid at Christmas. The car is snorting and belowing steam and dripping water everywhere. He just smiles from ear to ear when he blows the steam horn or lets someone else. Imagine him ditching the mecahicals, tossing in a SBC, putting four wheel Baer brakes and an overdrive in it so he could hit the highway better. Now maybe you get my point. Sometimes it is the experience of driving things the way they were (or close enough to it to be safe) that is the real joy and fun in owning a car. It's a trip back into time.
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