Hot Rods Humble beginnings... Lets see if I can finish this one...

I sold my hotrod going about 2 years ago because I have a kid in a car seat. I replaced it with my '53 Desoto that I turned into a mild custom. Theres one problem, that Desoto ain't no hotrod. Don't get me wrong, I love the car, its a great cruiser, but it's definately no rod.

I've been looking for a model A that I could afford for quite a while now, I snatched up a bunch of basket cases that never really amounted to anything then I sold them off. I even built a Willys Whippet coupster body from practically nothing, stupidly I let that go too> http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391595&highlight=willys
Looking back that was pretty darn stupid.

Anyways, I now have this 28-29 sport coupe body. Its thrashed, but its better than the Willys I did. I don't really have any plans set in stone yet, accept make it into a coupster as traditionally as possible. Flathead (I also let a nice 8CM merc go, DOH!), 3spd, and banjo rear, Model A frame up to the firewall then tubing under the body. I also have a full gallon of this shit copper color Lucite I may put to use.

Heres the pics, as you can see theres not much there but it is all usable

 

Wow, I admire your devotion. Good luck with the build!

 

Thanks. It came with a few more parts. The deck lid is junk, but I can still use it for a pattern. It also came with the front floor pan which is in remarkably good shape. Once I get the sub rails made up this will go together pretty quickly. If I get time that is.

 

Now that winter is about to set in I am finally starting to get motivated on this project.

today I worked on a patch panel for the gas tank/ cowl top. I had this spare lying around, luckily between the pair I can make a good one.


I TIG welded the patch in today, but didn't take a pic. Its amazing that I totally suck at TIG'ing steel, but am good at TIG'ing aluminum. I just don't get it.

Here is the heart of the build. Since my original post I've decided to go full tradition Av8 on this build. Much of which will be taken from the Bishop/Tardel Av8 book.

My 59A that I purchased thinking it was a bone stock motor in need of everything. Turns out its been built, and pretty good I may add. All I really need now is a 2x2 intake.

upon opening it all up, I learned that its been ported/relieved.

I also learned that it has a Merc crank, an 8BA dizzy and 8BA radically reground cam.

Also has adjustable lifters, and Speed-O-Motive pistons with an 1/8 overbore.


Behind that is gonna be a toploader with 25tooth Zephyr gears.




The rest of the plan is to run a stock A axle up front with split '30 bones. Banjo rear with the springs located to top the axle, mounted with '46 bones. I also plan to use a full A frame, no more A stub tube rear mongrel.

 

Man, looking back at that first group of pictures all I can think is "what the hell am I getting myself into? Not this shit again"

 

Nothing fancy, but I just finished this patch today. Its screaming for some lead work.

 

cool engine, looking foward to seeing all that metal work, go for it.

 

That'll buff right out.

Someone had to say it........

 

...I'm gonna watch your progress, good luck.

 

Going to pick up more parts this Sunday if all goes as planned. HOLLYWQQD is gonna hook me up with a Fenton 2x2 and a pair of Holleys. Maybe I can talk him out of more shyte

 

I dug the frame out today and started to sandblast it, then Hurricane Sandy brought the rain so I had to take it inside. So I patched the one bad spot, still need to grind the outside down and fishplate the inside.

 

My father and I took a drive out to Pennellville to visit with some of the Pennellvillians Car Club members. HOLLYWQQD came through for me with the Fenton intake, and a pair of Holleys. I also grabbed a '47 Merc rear, rear A spring, and a pedal assembly from Steve.

Thanks guys!

 

Good luck with the build. Glad we could help ya out with some parts.

 

I was making good progress on sandblasting the frame after work today, then the rain started again... CRAP

 

I am pullin' for ya, I'll just about bet you can and will finish it.

looks like work but you seem to have a handle on it.

 

Holler if you need anything I might have laying around.

 

Whoa. That project is about 4 light years outside of my skill set. Best of luck to you on it.

 

Sounds like a sweet plan!

Keep us posted with your progress, I see a lot that we can learn from this!

 

you have a pretty good start and a much better body than i had, just gotta have a vision and go for it

 

Bill, do you have the spring that Model A axle came with? I'm in the market for a front A spring.

 

Actually, I need one too. All I have are AA springs and I believe those will make it sit a bunch higher, if they even fit an A axle. That axle you got from me never came with one, when I put the last pickup together I literally used one that I picked up off the ground out of that one junkyard.

 

I found a few carcasses in a field, maybe I could salvage a spring from one of them. Pickings are getting pretty slim around here. This body and frame came out of Michigan.

 

Hey I have a couple laying in a pile on the shop floor. Let me know if your interested. Maybe we can get Andy to find that special steering wheel on the F-1 when we picked it up and return it to you.

Jim

 

HAHA...dude, I forgot all about that steering "lever".

 

Good luck with the build man! I have a feeling you'll hammer it out before you know it! haha Looks like it's gonna make a damn cool Hot Rod!

 

Thanks man.


Just a quick reference for myself and others so I don't have to keep looking it up.
Heres a gear ratio conversion for the #s stamped into a Banjo rear.
9-39 = 4.33
9-34 = 3.78
11-39 = 3.54
9-37 = 4.11

The '46 Ford rear has 9-34 stamped into the pad, so there are the 3.78 gears. The '47 Merc rear doesn't have the numbers, atleast I haven't found em yet.

 

I just found the Merc's stamping. Turns out that has 3.54 gears in it.

 

Its amazing! The sun can be out one minute, but when I bring all my stuff outside to sandblast it starts raining. Then when I rush to get everything back indoors, it stops? Maybe its a sign?

I ended up blowing a hole through the other frame rail today, same spot as the other rail I patched. Its the area where the stock motor mount plates sandwiched onto the frame. Now I have all the rot areas squared away, and am almost done blasting it. Four days to sandblast an A frame, its gotta be a record.

Since I couldn't work outside I opted to fill /weld all the unused holes on the frame rails. I'm thinking about getting serious and using a metal Bondo type filler for all the pitting, so I can paint it all glossy like. Part of me thinks "why bother", the finished product isn't going to get a high dollar paint job.

The frame had a coat of yellow paint on it, which makes me think somebody did a body off restoration at one time. But why paint the frame yellow? It kinda reminds me of a Shriner's clown car...

 

Hey, maybe it was. It wasn't that long ago they had a touring clown coming to the race tracks - we saw him at Weedsport a few times - who had a Model A that did a bunch of goofy stuff as part of the act. It had a yellow frame and a purple body. Speedo The Clown. The headlights would look around like eyes, it would overheat on command, the steering had a lock so it could run around in circles while he chased it...

 

Man you've got your work cut out for you on this one, good luck.

Scotty.