Model A build up. Restore or Rod?

Hey Guys, I am fixing to start the Model A build up, and I am about 99% sure it is going to get Rodded out, but I have to settle my brain. The wife wants me to either RESTORE it, or If I Rod it out to make it look Nice n Shiny, with A/C. I told her I could always do this one my way, and another for her , her way I did not get an answer from her, women Ha.

So to my delima, ROD or RESTORE....??? All input is greatly appreciated. I will give specs of what I have. 1931 Model A 5 window, with rumble seat. I have everything Original for it, except for the right front fender and left rear fender, and the interior(seats etc.)

I hope this is not an off topic subject, as I am new to the H.A.M.B.

One Eyed Willy

 

Look at Dirty31 's latest post on the coupe he is building for a customer . For shure a rod ..

 

Hotrod!

 

I got the frame and motor..

 

hot rod it....you seem like yor unsure.... youll regret it if you dont



HOT ROD.

 

First a guestion for you.
Do you want to rip around in a very cool Rod, & have everyone
drooling over it on the street, & at shows?
Or do you want to hang out with a bunch of 80 something geezers, putt around in parades with little flags flying from each side while wearing a little round hat with pins all over it, & a vest with a bunch of patches on it. You can all sit around and discuss your worst nightmares, that after you're gone some whippersnapper will buy your beloved Model A & turn it into a gasp, "******* Hotrod"!!!
Untill I know the answer, I'm afraid I can't help you.

 

ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT! ... My aunt(through marriage to my stepmom) was given that same model car that had been her dads forever. She tells stories of how she and her sister used to bounce around in the rumble seat when they were girls. Well this gem has been sitting and gathering dust for over 7 years now. It was last driven for about an hour when it had already sat for 15 years. The closest I've been able to get to it was helping to push it down the street to another garage for it to sit dormant in. I've begged, pleaded, cajoled, threatened, guilt tripped, whined and begged some more, but she says she will never sell it, and "some day" she'll restore it. Yeah right, give me a ****in' break! I even offered to help hot rod it for their son, my cousin, who will be of driving age in another 3-4 years. The car is rust free, original paint, still on those silly wheels, still has the ding-free fenders that would go a long ways toward paing for the hot rod process. Damnit! To be in your shoes. I'm never going to stop trying to free that car from purgatory ... my next step is to mockup a detailed illustration of what it could be, how much it would cost to make it that way, what it would be worth afterwards, how much happier the car would be to be driven and loved again. I don't even need to own it, I just want to bring that car to all it's chopped, channeled, bias play glory. Huhhh. Rant over. Do what needs to be done. I hope the other 1% of your mind has been made up. Don't let the car (and yourself) suffer because your wife wants something to look at and putter around town in and enjoy the creature comforts of a modern automoble in. P/T Cruisers have AC. Get her one of those for the retro look. ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!ROD IT!.... ROD IT!

 

I thought to hot rod it was a restortion

 

well if you just asked here and not at a restoration board you already have your answer,what were we going to say

 

OVERTHEHILLRACER WHOAAAA haha you hit the nail on the head. It will be rodded for sure then. Thank you for Making my mind up in a heartbeat...... I certainly dont want to have a vest with patches on it, and no way in hell im wearing hat damned round hat with pins all over it. And an ol' skool rod is what my dad and I started with it anyway. So old skool is what it will get. I guess she will just have to get her own ok so I will ahve to get her her own. Afterall she wants to do it as a family, so what better than to have a familywith rod's right?
I am adding a couple of pics and the only real rot is the lower inner fender well, and right behind the drivers door, the rest is surface rust. and has been garaged for the last 25 yrs. I added couple of pics, and here is a link with more pics.

http://gallery.12thfloor.com/gallery2/v/users/Jeepfreak/1931+Model+A/

Thanks Guys.

One Eyed Willy

 

Is it a running car, pretty much together, or a basket case? If I had one almost complete, I would do a resto-rod. They are very traditional in my opinion. They were popular in the fifties and sixties. I remember reading an article in a old car magazine about Hirohata's Model A. He had the famous custom Merc, but his daily driver was a '30 or '31 A Sedan. It had great paint, chrome reverse wheels, hyrdrualic brakes, a dropped axle, and some extra chrome here and there. The four banger had some mild mods like a finned head and dual carbs, but it was a mostly stock A.

 

Hey, just make sure you can push the front screen out, thats original air conditioning. If she don't like it, I dunno get her to follow along in the daily driver??

 

ROD it!!!!

 

Anyone can restore a car......................you know the rest.

 

If it is not a Hot Rod this is not a place for you.

 

You sorry sack of ****! You already have her outnumbered. From the pictures, it looks like you have two good looking sons who just can't wait to grow up and hot rod that thing. You'll always regret it if you don't get them involved with every step along the way. If not they'll do it themselves after you're long gone. You will have missed all the fun. They'll have lifelong memories of what a kool Dad they have, and Mom will be so proud of all of you that she'll even come around.
HOT ROD IT !

 

Don't spend time and money on something you don't want. Sounds like you want a hot rod.

 

You guys are f***ing AWESOME..... I am so glad I am here. I will rod the hell outta this one the way I have been planning for a billion years, and now its finally coming around to doing it. Hell I have had the ride for 13 years. (long story as to why its been sitting my my dads garage for 13 years though) I sold all my jeep **** tonight, and the guy is coming to pick it up next weekend. so I will have the model A over here next weekend.
She is fine with anything I do to it. but she would like a nice sweet looking, handling ride. So Ill go by a buddies place and see if he has that old '52 ford and drop my HO 302 mustang engine in it for her. Its in pretty good shape, was someones old project but they lost interst in it.
So does anyone here in Texas have an old 8ba flatty laying around inexpensive? Or close by I might could get picked up. I also might be needing a left rear fender, and a right front fender. I have seriously thouhgt about doing that Resto-Rod Idea Rand AMn was talkin about, I would think the 4cyl speed equipment would be hell to find though. I know its not the original engine, but it is a correct period 4 cyl.
If anyone needs soem model A parts I will be picking up a munch of suspension, engine, and rearend stuff next week. not sure what all is there, but ill post pics.
RoyalShifter, This is the perfect place for me brother, I feel that I am in my right mind now that I found more guys and gals here, that think the same way I do. Where I live, there are maybe 5 rodders that actually think the way I do and damn thats depressing.
GoodWood, I only have one son, but I have a 6 yr old daughter, and she is a speed freak. And well my son he is only 8 months old, but he can not get enough when I do burnouts in my supercrew f150 ~ My daughter made me get off the freeway, turn around and go check out a late 60's lincolin friday night. So she has the bug as well. We also go to a local drive in the last friday of every month here to hang out with some local rodders, and muscle car freaks. some nice cl***ic bikes too a few Cobra's as well, and not the new BS, old 428 and 289 AC Cobra's.

Thanks for picking my thoughts and heads up, I am looking foreword to building this bad boy up, hell I have ben collecting parts for 13 years to add personal touches to it.

One Eyed Willy

 

No disrespect intended but if you have to ask.... Restore it

This is the place you want to be: http://www.modelaford.org/main/
No right or wrong, if you like old cars...Just have fun.

Terry

 

No disrespect taken at all, I was just curious as to wether I was really in the right place, and After many comments I know I sure am. I like restored rides as well, but That is not what I WANT. I Just wanted to re***ure myself that rodding it was what I really wanted, and the more I get responses the more I am right. only way I can express how excited I am is cuss worse than a sailor

No disrespect intended but if you have to ask.... Restore it

One Eyed Willy

 

Well if your lookin to be a Hot Rodder I can't think of a more knowledable group to learn from than the H.A.M.B. crew. Welcome and...have a good time!

Terry

 

From the looks of it terry I can not think of any either, I feel right at home here. And to think I thought I was a little on the crazy side, but now I feel sane in the right plce and right frame of mind. I will post some pics after next weekend when I Get the Model A over to my house from my dads, and set up in the garage.

One Eyed Willy

 

look at it this way....lets say you spend 10kon a restoration...it might then be worth 8k when done...spend the same on hot rod parts and it should be worth more...and you will get more enjoyment out of it too.

Bill

 

So to my delima, ROD or RESTORE....???

The definition of a A loaded question

 

Soooo........are you driving it yet?

Just kidding....

Good choice. Get ready to have the time of your life building that thing too. Man, I wish my coupe had been that clean! That's definitely a great start! Keep us posted, welcome to the board, and have fun!

 

I have a suggestion that no one has really raised yet.

Please do your homework and research your plan carefully. It's possible to hot rod this car in a traditional way that will improve its look and performance, yet keep it infinitely CL***IC.

Pick up all the back issues of the new Hop Up magazine from The Hot Rod Company. It's run by HAMBer Sidevalve and he gives HAMBers free shipping. Can't beat it.
http://thehotrodcompany.com/

In Hop Up, you've find all kinds of cars that have been hot rodded with tradition in mind. Nothing silly, nothing goofy. I also highly recommend The Rodders Journal. Any concern over the cover price will fade away when you have a copy in your hands.

The term "old school" makes my hair bristle. It sounds so "80s", so TRENDY. You don't want trendy. CL***IC, not old school.

Some will argue that traditional rodders are just like restoration freaks. The truth is, the goods ones are. They know their stuff.

And that, my friend, is your quest. Get to it!

 

Haring, I didn't meant o make your hair stand up. hahaha okw ell maybe just a little. hahaha. Ok so here we go, I love the hop up mag, and rodders journal. I also love ol skool rodz and Car Kulture Deluxe. I have always been told I should have grown up in the 50's and 60's I do not disagree one bit. I will be doing more research once I get her over here,a nd get her laid out in my garage. Since its kinda of a joint effort with my wife( it used to be her dads) I would like to have her imput, BUT I really feel what I consider a slick pretty car is not waht I want. satin or flat with some flames, and yes smooth lines, but not one that I do not want to drive. I was brought up on hot rods of al lkinds. restoring cars of all kinds from a 1918 rausch lang electric car to packard convertibles and buick 442's , even a maseratti bi- turbo. I really would like to dig up some old books, mags from the 50's and 60's I have a few but not near as many as I would love to have. I guess basically I do not want a fancy schmancy ride taht I would be killed if it got a piant chip. Hell I have a wild speed freak 6 yr old gril who loves old rides and an 8 month old boy who loves loud motors. So no doubt that I willbe Rodding her out, just as to what approach Is where I really need to do my home work. i am goin to go look at a couple of more rods this week, and maybe I can find one of those that I can make into a ride for her, or the rusty old rat rod that I so long to build.

I just see that the base that I have to start with here, Is in excelent shap for a 75 year old ride. I have thought long and hard, but I do not think that I should restore it. I will wait and if I find one that is almost restored then, maybe I will finish it off, but im in no hurry for that.

Thanks for all the input guys.

One Eyed Willy

 

There's no reason why you can't restore the body and keep it "factory". Swap the LHF fender for the LHR fender you need. Drop the front. Find that flattie. Add a traditional older style interior to suit your Family and bring it all together with the paint you want.

Derek
Jealous in the UK

 

rod it my car was completley restored when i bought it from my dad and let me tell you only going 45 ****s and that was once downhill they are slow and just a pain in the *** to keep on the road easy to find stock parts for but just a pain to deal with the mechanical brakes my dad said he always wanted to rod it but didn't have the balls well I did it is unchopped and unchanneled but a helll of alot more fun and turns more heads would you rather drive a hot rod or essentially a damn tractor thats what thy were you want the thrill of a stock model a drive an 8N ford tractor its the same thing IMO heres the pics you asked about sorry the one is so small its from my phone

 

You can have fun either way you go. I say get one of each! heh.

I know in Dallas, the stocker guys do a LOT of stuff in the club. Lots of drives. Lots of shows. Lots of cars both comon and rare. Lots of perks. LOTS of help working on your car. I think the available events for you to attend with your particular type of car really affects the route you should take. I've owned other stock cars that had no one else around interested in them, and it was VERY boring and dumb.

With a hotrod, you can hang out with a larger group of people, with a lot more body styles, and your a part of a shared interest group. It's no fun building something and then driving around all alone.

You did see this, right? Completely stock chasis and roadster body with no fenders. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138453 Go as little or as far as you want to go.