OK, so I bought the Model A

Saturday the wife and I drove the 400 miles to buy a 1930 model A (no title a little help with that would be great) So I will have many questions on the build.

This is what I want to end up with, Lowered, Chopped top, v8 but don't know what I will end up with, flathead, Y block, nail head or somthing. Not a SBC. Banjo rear. straight front axle. I want ALL parts to be home made or pre-1960.
Thinking about channeling it about 2"
thinking about a 4" chop. Too much? I am 5'11" tall wife is about the same.
What do i do for a gas tank? could I use the factory one?
What rear axle would be good to try to find?

Oh, it's a 2door sedan.

 

Congratulations and welcome to the world of smashed fingers and drained checking accounts.

You sort of have it figured out, but still have a lot to decide. Before any car build starts you generally have a mental image of what the finished car will look like. It usually comes from other cars we have seen and liked, except with some changes to make it our own. Some people are able to not deviate from their original plan throughout the build, but I am constantly making changes as the car begins to talk to me and tell me what it wants to be.

Sounds like you are going to build it fenderless ? If so the only thing I question is the 2 inch channel, what is your reason for only doing 2" ? Usually a car is not channeled or channeled the width of the frame, but that is not set in stone.

I think you should start by searching the HAMB and other forums until you find a car that knocks your socks off and that you can see yourself in. That is how most of us know what car we want to build next.

Good luck.

Don

 

Congrats. Got any pics?

4" chop being too much depends on you. Mine is chopped 5" and I love it.

 

Man, I'd get the title issue squared away before you start building. Congrats on your purchase though!! Post up some pics.

 

I'm a sasquatch and fit great in my 4" chopped Coupe!!

 

Thanks for the advice on the chop, Oh, I know all too much the busted knuckles and drained bank account, this makes 3 HAMB friendly cars I have now.

The thing about the 2" channel, I don't like the rear tires way up to the belt line thing. And I have to rebuild the subframe anyway so I figgured the 2" would be an easy way to get it a little lower. You know, just enough to cover some of the frame.

What do people use for fuel tanks and what banjo rear would be good to look for? of course I want juice brakes.

 

I did this one 4-1/2" I thought it was just right! It is up to what you like.

 

Check out the build threads from Marty here, all home made and all pre 60s .
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1560889

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=468825

 

With your engine choices and banjo rear, sounds like another belly button car. Go ahead, put a SBC in it nobodys usin' em anymore.

 

I'll skip the SBC.

ct1932, thanks for the photo with the 4.5 chop that looks good, just loose the fenders and the wheels. Ha Ha. when was that done late '70's?

 

In Ohio, I would take the car and bill of sale to the license plate bureau where they charge about $3 to inspect the car. All they do is make sure the bill of sale and the VIN are the same. Then I take the paperwork they give me and go to the title bureau where a title gets issued and any tax is paid for the purchase.

Finally back to the license plate bureau to get my registration and plates.

I bought a 63 Corvette that way. The car came from New Hampshire and they don't have titles for cars after a certain year, just bill of sale. I now have an Ohio title for the car.

Start at license plate or title bureau, they will tell you what process your state follows.

 

I have the 42-48 juice brakes for the rear- backing plates, drums and hubs-if interested Pm me, I'm not gonna use them. Raven

 

I wouldnt do a dam thing to it, until the paperwork is completed,

 

Von Rigg, that's what I'm thinking. I have been trying to get some info on Model A serial numbers from the Ford Barn. The problem is, the number on the frame starts with what looks like XX------- and ends with a star. for a total of 9 digets not including the star. From what I have heard, it should have a star in the front but the frame is pitted and it is hard to see. The first X could be a star but the second one is an X. the guys over at the Ford Barn say the number should start with an A (after a star) any one got an idea? can a Model A frame serial number start with a X?

 

I'm 6'1'' with a 28 tudor and a 5" chop/no channel/stock height. I fit just fine. Just hard to see the street lights sometimes. If I did a channel I wouldnt be able to fit.

 

Man, I like that chop but I still may channel it some to cover the frame, the main thing is that I've got lots of time to think about it. Don't know what to do about the title yet.

 

We need pics!!!

I picked up a A 2 door sedan a few days ago, no title as well

In Illinois it is a PITA!! to get a title. To get a title soon, I can't build the car myself. I would have to get a salvage title and have a liscensed rebuilder "rebuild the car" then they could get a title and sign it to me. But if I put the car together and get it good for the road. (running, driving, stopping, and safe) then apply for a title and go through the whole bonding process I can get it that way in my name. It would be like buying a completed car without a title. Instead of trying to get a title for a junk car.

 

on the title thing, I dealing with AFX title company. titlerecovery.com they searck your serial # and try to find the last title. not cheap $435.00 but what you gona do?

 

Did you call your title bureau and explain that the car is more than xx years old and that you have a bill of sale? Did the state that you bought the car from, do they issue titles for cars this old? New Hampshire where I got my 63 from did not issue titles over 10 or 15 years, or something like that.

I would hate to see you spend that money if you don't need to.

 

Much depends on the motor vehicle person you contact. Some are very helpful. I'd not give up before you start. They will tell you what you need ,you do need a bill of sale.

 

ps: 20 lb propane tanks make nice tanks, slightly heavy but not bad. they are spotless inside and the metal is thick for easy welding

 

A couple of people have said to get the title cleaned up first without the reasons. The amount charged for registration is often based on the value. The value when you finish hopefully will be much higher than when you start working on it. A second reason is that if it turns out to be a stolen vehicle and you lose it you don't want to have a lot of money in it.

Charlie Stephens

 

Well, the title search came back and the car IS clean, not stolen or numbers being used for another car, SO full steam ahead with the build.

Just wish I could post pictures, for some reason i cant post any pictures. I have done it before, now it just says "up load failed" or something like that.

 

Pictures too large to upload, perhaps? Max allowed size for a jpg is 488.3K

 

You may have a point, I think it started when the wife got a new mega-pixel camera. I'll look into that. thanks

 

If the engine has not been changed, the engine block number and the frame number should be the same. The engine block number should be above the water inlet on the driver side. The way I understand what Ford did was place the engine in the frame and then stamped the frame to match the engine. It probably is not the original engine but it could be.

I would go with a banger engine with some sort of overhead valve conversion.

 

I agree with the others about getting a title for the car first.
In regards to the use of a Buick Nailhead do some research first mainly as to what transmissions you can use. Nailheads are not Transmission adaptable friendly. It can be done but is quite expensive. Good place for info is the Nailhead social group here on the HAMB. I am in the middle of a Nailhead rebuild right now and they are quite the interesting engine.
As far as the use of a SBC goes after being in production for 57 years I would say that they are traditional. I've seen some very nice 265's and 283's in some original late 50's and early 60's Hot Rods.

 

I think some jeeps used Buick engines in the 70's. This might be a good source for a nail head.

 

Thanks for the ideas on the motor but I got a 292 Y block and a cruise-o-matic. I have a thread going but I'm having trouble posting photos.

 

You can open a free picture hosting website account (such as Photobucket). You can resize pictures using software (free and easy to use: http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/). More info in the top two stickied threads in the Questions & Suggestions forum: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=30&f=6