So I haven't had just a whole hell of a lot of cash to play with toys lately, and I don't expect that to change any time soon. But a customer called and asked if I wanted this and the price, delivered, was too good to turn down for anything with four round tires. So I said yes. The engine should run, the transmission shifts, the clutch works, the brakes work... but the body's in a million pieces, and everything that's not on the car is in it, plus some spares. The wood is all there in the driver side and is pretty tight/serviceable, but the p***enger side got taken apart and the wood must have been left outside, it's pretty bad. I'm thinking for what the fordor wood kits cost I might be better off framing it in steel. I guess can use the intact driver side for reference and then transfer to the driver side. Anyone done this? Can I copy your homework?? I may also just break this thing up and part it out, I dunno. But I really like the look of a dropped fordor. And I have a running desoto hemi waiting for a home...
There are two doors inside the car, one is the missing door and there is an extra I think driver front. I didn't get a chance to pull everything out and look at it, it was a very crazy day. I like a pickup conversion. But this one will probably stay a four door if I do anything with it. I kinda have a direction in mind.
I've had a billion things going on and haven't really done anything with it for a few months. It's to the point where all it really needs is a bit of welding and to be wired and bolted together but I can't get power to weld where it's at. I also blew up the T jalopy and am looking for an engine for that.
Sure hope the house isn't in a HOA, they would be grabbin' pitchforks at this rate! Tuck it away and concentrate on the job, family, home and the stuff you can get back running. The plan will evolve and it doesn't cost anything to keep it for the future.
I've had a couple of mordoors and I love them, granted they were both '32 Fords (what some call parts cars) they make cool hot rods, fenderless or not. HRP
After I went back and looked at your pictures, you have a ‘31 fordor body by Murray. The top of the door windows have a slight arch. The Briggs body had square window tops.
Yes, it was a late 1931 160-A Slant Window Fordor, Both Murray and Briggs made these bodies. Mine was a Briggs body...with the "bug" stamp on the cowl and slightly different drip rail than the Murray bodies.
Here in Oz steeling out a wood framed body is a common thing, apart from what you say about the wood on the p***enger side the car body looks quite good & complete........and you say you have a spare Hemi.....decisions, decisions.....lol.........looks like a project coming up.......andyd
Already got '35 wires on it, practically a hot rod. I've wondered if anyone has tried to scan the wood pieces on these into one of those 3D printer programs and make new **** out of plastic. I bet it would take a nail real nice and never rot. Wood kits are pricey and often take a lot of fitting as well, making new wood from scratch lumber seems like a nightmare. Putting in steel is obviously an option and works out nice but is also a lot of fab work, and then you'd kinda have to redo the driver's side as well, which you said was still good/intact. Not sure how do-able that would be, but just a thought.
I thought about that but damn I kinda have too many trucks lol. I want a car. Kinda taking inventory today. Car looks like an early 31. Engine looks ok based on what we can see but I haven't tried to fire it. I have four good headlights, two have lenses, an extra headlight bar, the missing rear door plus two extra driver/p***enger rear doors, all the wood (deteriorated though it is), interior fixtures, seats. Spare tire mount, plus an extra 34 wheel to match the others. Visor is in it as well as all the other body tin - everything. Tested the transmission as much as one can without driving, brakes appear rebuilt & good. Radiator is shot, gas tank is shot. If the engine is a good runner I will drop it in my T jalopy and get it back on the road. I was thinking about parting the car out but I think it's worth building. The only metal patch work it needs is in the cowl and some fender cracks. The frame looks good from what I can see. I think it was worth the $400 delivered to my shop. Options... Converting to a panel is strongly tempting. But I could keep an eye out for a tudor or coupe body that would take a lot less work. I have a 2.0 pinto engine that's already 80% set up for a Model A. I would have to fabricate mounts for it, but I could make a reliable touring ch***is keeping all the rest of the A running gear, and really the pinto can be made to go pretty fast, but it's not what I think of as a hot rod engine. This would be the shortest route to a running-driving ch***is other than leaving the banger in it which I want for my T. I have a running DeSoto Hemi and a T5. I would need an adapter to pair the two and it looks like that might be a unicorn. There is probably not a highwayable standard trans that would bolt directly to it. If I go that route, I'll have to box the frame and convert to juice brakes but neither of those are really a big deal. I have almost everything I need to do that anyway, including a 49 F1 rear set up for a Model A, with new brakes already on it, and a good AA front axle I can send off to have dropped, and I found out first gen tbird master cylinders are cheap and work great. I think I need to finish the g***er coupe first buuuut this is starting to look like the next project.
I say rock the quadra-port! It's almost a hundred years old, make a hot rod out of it, get it sitting right, with hot rod wheels and tire sizes and drive it with pride. A couple extra emergency exits never hurt anyone. And, to show that I practice what I preach...a '36 I built for my wife many years ago (since sold).
I really like a Fordor... I mean come on, rear suicide doors. But the pricetag for the wood is just craaazy.
That's our guy! Glad to see you back in vintage tin territory. I like the car, but I say put it on the back-burner until you get your coupe on the road. It's so close. Oh, and drop the 'banger in your T so you can keep on hot roddin' in the meantime.
I have what I believe is new A & B pillar wood, check the pics to see if it's what you need. thanks, mike
Hit me up when you're in the area and it's yours. It's kinda hard to tell but it looks right... Anyway I did another thing. This will probably be getting done first since I have everything but frame rails laying around to put this car together. I'll put a thread up once I start making some headway on it.
The Jalopy Journal
