I'm just throwing this out there...has anyone seen or done this? I have a mortally stalled model A project. I've been piecing this together for decades moving it from place to place. I'm barely hanging on to this Hot Rod dream by my fingernails but I ain't quit yet...of the many obstacles to surmount the biggest is money...I'm sick of nickel and diming myself to death picking up small parts here and there but always having an ever evolving list of parts I need longer than both arms, at this rate I might be done on my 96th birthday. Maybe I should step back from the trad. focus before I lose my shit and give up in frustration?... A complete rolling '34 chassis is available in my area...yeah its a street rod frame but it's virtually turn key and reasonably priced...I'd just like to have a car that at least seems like it would be on the road before the second coming...
Successful execution of a poor plan is always better than an attempt on a perfect plan. IOW, Buy the chassis and enjoy your ride while you're putting together your "perfect ride". Sent from my SM-G960U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Doesn't sound like a very good idea to me. Go here for a drawing of the Model A frame, http://wescottsauto.com/WebCatalog/Tech/FrameDiagram1928-31.pdf and go here for a drawing of the '34 frame, http://wescottsauto.com/WebCatalog/Tech/FrameDiagram1933-34.pdf It is definitely something I wouldn't try. Charlie Stephens
Thanks Charlie that was very helpful....it actually seems like most of the dimensions aren't too far off except the wheelbase ...longer with more engine setback is better for handling so really not an issue. Armed with this I could roughly figure out where the cowl would sit...and I know widening the cowl is a touchy subject but how many have complained about how tight the A interior is??
If you're having trouble piecing together a Model A frame, you're not going to be able to make the '34 work. If the '34 frame is a good deal, look for a '34 body.
A teenage friend insisted the '34 rails were 'right' for his '29 roadster. Setting the body on them, he had 4 feet of frontal frame...Yeah, could have used a Buick Straight 8...Fortunately, he chose not to. UNfortunately...he cut the wheel wells and subframe out, right at the quarter panels to allow the 'kick-ups' to fit...UGGH! The body 'rockers' were at the inside edges of the rails...and yes, the cowl was too narrow. I said, "Dave! Stop before you cross the path of no return!" He stopped, but was on the other side. Older guy Jerry Rodriques fortunately had $200, and a Deuce frame. He took the car, welded the cut out parts back in, and mounted the body atop a nice Deuce frame. Just one year later, Jerry took First in Street Roadster class at San Jose Autorama. Dave bought a '59 Impala.
Well, with that $800 roller, you could probably sell off the MII for a couple bucks if you can extract it nicely. But around my way you can pick up model A rolling frames for less than that quite regularly. I would suggest looking for a AA truck frame if you want to run that Nailhead. $250 or so should get you a good one. Your A body will bolt right down at the cowl and you can kick it up however you need to out back, there is plenty of real estate.
This isnt the answer to an easy hot rod. I've built on topic cars and non hamb friendly cars. Here some free advice you didn't ask for. It takes a lot of work to finish a car. Putting something together out of weird parts is the long way. Widen the A cowl? You'll end up with an ugly car. The easiest car is a straight forward traditional A v8 built with Ford parts. Its paint by numbers. Early Ford s are Legos. Wanna actually get one done that'll also be worth something that you won't have to make excuses for? Build a av8 flathead 39 trans(or any 3sp v8 trans) and banjo rear end. Or just by a rolling running banger frame and throw your body on it. If you do decide to buy the 34 frame then pinch the frame don't widen the body and cut the rear of the rails off after the rear crossmember. I've seen 2 different As on 34 chassis both were channeled and neither were widened. Good luck
Seems like a killer deal for the frame, but that body is not going to fit on it unless you do an insane amount of cutting and pinching and shortening and reworking. I feel your pain and I know your temptation when a good deal comes along, you want to make it work, save yourself some trouble. I've been there and I've done it many times. Problem is, every time I try, I end up with a bunch of mismatched "good deals" that never go together, or I end up eliminating the "good deal" part down the road as the project gets further along and I decide I don't want to live with the wonky part. The best advice would be to sell off all of the extra shit and stalled projects and just buy something that's done, or close. But I feel bad handing out that advice when I have a hard time sticking to it myself.
I think the missing info is, "Do you already have a Model A Frame?" I have both a '34 Ford Sedan and a '28 Model A Sedan. I cannot imagine just how much work that would take to get it to even look half-way decent. The Model A body is quite a bit narrower than the '34, so youd have to use nothing but the two frame rails and re-do everything else. And this is coming from a guy (me) that used a 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis chassis for my '49 Ford Pickup. I should've used a S10 frame instead of widening the front fenders to make it work. In other words, if you are thinking that you can just plop the Model A Body onto a '34 Frame, don't do it. Ive seen a few Model A Frames in the classifieds. However, if your wanting to just pull the suspension components from the '34 frame and put them onto your Model A Frame (presuming that you have the Model A Frame), then you just need the track widths of the two for comparison to know if it would work or not.
I have a couple rough bare frames ...you do see a rolling A chassis up here for sale on occasion usually for about $2-3,000...then you have to rebuild every single moving part ...the '34 frame was on the road not too long ago
Show us what you got. It would be good to know what you mean by a couple rough bare frames. Didn't you have a 8RT flathead and some brakes, axles, etc?
So what you're really asking is: "How much work would it take to put the suspension components from a '34 frame onto a Model A frame?" and "Are the track widths of a '34 front and rear suspension close to the same width of a Model A's?" If you're thinking that you can put the Model A Body directly onto the '34 frame, check out this post for some of the issues you'd encounter. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/model-a-body-on-‘32-chassis-with-fenders-help.1133905/ Hope this helps.
Hey patmanta pics are a bit hard to get everything is stowed in pieces here and there... I have 1 former hot rod frame with old gob welded boxing plates torched out and 1 frame wavy with both crossmembers cut off ...my thought was to cut the one on the inner edge and use the outer rails as boxing plates...I also have a stock A axle, springs, some F-1 spindles, and an '47 F1 rear axle I'm basically only missing rear wishbones for a mock up. For a real car I still have 1000's of hours and dollars to rebuild all that stuff ...my family (new baby) gets 99.9% of my earnings lol
My neighbor bought a Model project that had an original frame that had been boxed and warped all to hell. He bought some rectangular tubing and made his own. That's what the chassis shops are using for their frames. I'm sure there are post on the HAMB with diagrams to do your own.
I agree No sadly i'm actually contemplating how to do it with out much cutting lol more like just pinching them at the cowl and rear kick up...track width doesn't bother me much as long as they're the same front/rear in fact it's better for handling ha ha yeah I could see that oddly I quite like a long front end with engine set back look... especially vs. the old spring in front rad hanging off the tips of the rails look some early cars got...the actual wheelbase difference is 9" gad I'd love that man!...locally we have one to choose from 4 dr. missing the the entire floor and 8" up only $6500
A few questions, What skills do you have for fab work? What tools do you have? Torch, wire welder, BFH ? A garage to work in? What body style and should we presume high boy? You've got a front and rear axle, what engine & trans do you want? Here's one thread to build a frame. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/no-frame-build-my-own-model-a.1076697/
This sounds like a familiar thing to me. I suspect you have some analysis paralysis going on here. Instead of fooling with this 34 frame, that $800 could go to getting some rear bones and a lot of other stuff. Bones shouldn't cost more than a fraction of that. I bet you could put a roller together out of what you already have for $800 or less. Your former hot rod frame sounds fine for at least getting started and making something that looks like a car. I suggest you do this, you will feel pretty good seeing it together. That frame may well be fine with a little TLC. You can get boxing plates for like $150 all cut and ready to go. Put that A axle up front with the F1 brakes. Millworks Hot Rod makes bolt on spring hangers; get them and put that rear end under the car. Put it on jack stands (buy some if you don't have any, I keep 6 around). I'd take leaves out of the spring first or order one that's a little wider from Speedway. Clamp the spring in there and rig up some boards and ratchet straps to keep it from wiggling and flopping too much if you have to move it.
a) I have done a large amount of industrial arc welding some mig both heavy steel and sheetmetal and am a pretty fair fabricator... I built a 2x3 T bucket frame once without a jig and it measured up and sat on the floor with out rocking b) a cheezy Canadian Tire 110 mig, most of the necessary hand/power tools c) carport d) coupster e) something big, running, and probably o/t...but I do have a Nailhead... no trans though
I have been told i'm paralyzed from the neck up before lol well i've done a fair amount of research firstly I couldnt find drums for that rear axle anywhere secondly the bearings brake parts kingpins etc. etc. were adding up to far and above the $800 cdn for the '34 frame not to mention shipping most of it from the states
Ask your wifey , in a joking way if she could get a 2nd or third job to help you out with hotrod . "for better or worse ", right?
If your on a budget just remember you don't have to rebuild everything. Got spindles with kingpins that fit tight into the axle? Leave them alone. The rear end isn't throwing up oil at the axles and feels ok? Change the gear oil and use it as is. Etc etc. No need for everything to be new. Some won't agree but they're wrong. Just get the thing together. Its just an old car not a rocket.
The brakes and drums on a 47 Ford PU are the same as the passenger cars. If what you actually have is a 1 ton rear, you probably don't want it but you should be able to use stuff out of a catalog for a Champ Quick Change. Without pics it is hard to tell what you've got. Figure out where other hot rodders live around you. Find events and go to swap meets. Talk to people, make friends.
I couldn't find anyone making new drums for it ....the lash is ridiculously sloppy and it took about 5 yrs just to find it during which time no other banjo rears became available except a model A or two that had been set out with torque tubes up and filled with rain for 50 yrs, the less than desirable F1 front spindles were the same story.... I guess we didn't save as many old parts/cars up here as you guys did
what year/style of rear bones should I look for? some bolt on to the axle do you know which years? street rods vs. traditional is probably 100:1 here went to two big shows last year and saw only a couple "crossovers"... ex street rods with the mags replaced with steelies and wws lol
Duane Helms did it and a pretty dang nice car imo. This car was also featured in Pat Ganahl's Book Lost Hot Rods number 1.
This is rails that follow 33/34 side profile. But it's work and shortened up the rear Can you drop the A body on a 34 frame and call it good ? No but you can get it done and look right with some tweaks , tucks, bobs,
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