The Family Hot Rod, or a Poor Man's Deuce Tudor

really cool looking car great job

 

Fantastic!

 

I usually lean toward the tudors that are lower and have a few inches off the top, but watching this build has made me rethink that. I really like the ride height and everything else you have done, great job!

 

Great job!

 

Sweet!! Nice build!

 

Will: This build should be textbook for authentic Ford Rod-storations. Smart use of Ford pedals, steering (with its updates) and Deuce crossmembers, with the rear trans mount.

Please tell me in detail: The Ford green on the engine and transmission. Where can I find it, what do I thin it with, and can I paint it with my HVLP gun? My '27 tub is to be done along these lines. ('32 frame, all Ford underpinnings, etc.) Thanks for a most interesting thread.

 

Cool sedan!

 

Beauty-Lovin' it!

 

neat job, brings back many good memories of my first rod. Was a 31 Model A 2dr also, only full fendered, mostly stock, with 32 front end, 48 rear end,duece K member, all that stuff almost like your build, but not as sanitary. Had the latest thing a 265 SBC, drove it everywhere, even used the stock A radiator. It was in 1957, I was 19.

 

Will, WOW! You and I should never hang out! Some of my dirt may rub off..lol.. I will be droping my dirty-1 off to you soon.... Great job, looks great.. I AM JEALOUS! Ryan

 

AWESOME!!!!

Very simple build .
I Love it!

 

I need to check this thing out in person soon! Stop by the shop sometime!

 

not being critial as it's a great well done "hot rod" but i would have put a dual mc in it.

 

Cool car, really clean build.

 

Thanks everybody, I appreciate the kind words. I also appreciate the encouragement along the way from the HAMB, this was a really big project for me and contributing to this thread helped keep me focused. And it goes without saying that there was a lot of inspiration to be found here on the HAMB as well.

Hey Micky, I took the sedan up to show one of my hotrod buddies - he has a full fendered '33 pickup that is my favorite hotrod in town. Anyway, he was checking it out and I commented that it looked so simple now that it is together. Sure was hard for me to put it together that way, though! LOL!

Thanks for your comments 39cent, that makes my day to hear that. I have not been obsessed with having a "period correct" build, but your story of building a car like this as a kid makes me think I got pretty close to what I was shooting for. That is cool that you used a 265, my Dad drove a '47 Ford in high school and he put a 265 in it about the same time. Blew it up and had a 283 by '59 or so. Told me he personally removed and destroyed every junkyard '39 gearbox in the greater Columbus area!!!

Hey Midwest Rodder, I am glad I didn't chop it - I can barely see the traffic lights as it is. I am 6' 2" and 225 lbs and it is still a tight fit.

Hey joee, I appreciate the input and agree with you in general. I don't have enough experience or fabrication skills to put a brake system together from scratch. I decided to use the hydraulic brake conversion kit from the Early V8 Garage and I am REALLY happy that I did. Richard has done all the homework and delivers a really well thought out system. I was happy that I didn't have to weld a tab on my $$$ pedal. I was also happy that the MC isn't the lowest part on the car. Richard has been great with my questions and has helped me tweak the kit for my AV8, which is just a little different than a stock '32. All in all, I chose a well thought out system which uses a single reservoir MC - just like Ford used through the flathead era. I am happy with the compromise even though I understand the benefits of a dual MC.

Hey A****er Mike, my frame is DP90 and everything else is rattle can or brushed on. For the engine I am using Ford Green engine paint that I buy at Ron's Machine Shop - I can get some more info from the can if you are interested? Nothing fancy here, but I usually strip everything and use an expensive (but still rattle can) etching primer over a freshly degreased surface. I have used a lot of Rustoleum satin black on this one.

Thanks again,
Will

 

Will - Great build and it does look simple, unless you're in the middle of the build and never done it before. Sometimes I look at mine and wonder how the heck I got it together and then dread tearing it back apart to finish it!

I have a question for you - I'm contemplating a similar build for my tudor turned tub. I see you're using the stock tank. Is there any reason a 32 tank wouldn't work? Does the tudor body make that difficult or impossible?

 

outstanding, looks great

 

Hi Wildfire,

I did think about using a '32 tank - had one in fact - but decided this was the simplest approach. I also had a really nice '30-31 tank, which can sometimes be hard to get your hands on. And I was used to the idea from my last car. Finally, I wanted the simple utility of the Model A dash. If you have a killer Stewart Warner panel and like to collect gauges you would have a different perspective.

My understanding is you would have to trim the bottom of the back of the body to fit over the gas tank. Which brings up another point - I wasn't willing to compromise the back seat area for ANYTHING, and there were a lot of temptations: Model A rear crossmember, '32 gas tank, and battery relocation are some examples.

Good luck,
Will Kimble

 

Will, you are on the right track as far as a traditional early rod. It was the 50,s and we didnt know diddly about how to build a hot rod. Helping my buddy get his 28 A bone running with a 36 flatty [it also was a rebuilt garage find] helped a lot. It was all new to us, we were getting to know the older rodders in the area as they sent us all over the place looking for parts and telling us how to build it. He also used the stock rear end we used 40/48 brakes with same year ford hydraulic master cylinder, trimmed sides off a 48 radiator to fit. They were simple and functional and driving was fun because it was rodding and driving an OLD car was and still is fun.

 

Awesome..family will love it...Rod.

 

Just read this whole thread and I want to congratulate you on a very clean build. I put together my first Model A hot rod in 1959 at 15 years old. I didn't know it then but it turned out to be what is called an av8, '29 coupe body and ch***is and a 1947 flathead. I had a ball with it and drove it for the last 2 years of high school and the first two years of college. Like you, I tried to do a sanitary build but my skill level required a few more projects before I was able to match your efforts on this one.
Your going to have ball driving yours and to have 2 kids to share it with is going to be a bonus. You did mention your wife and I hope she is going to be involved also...................you know what they say, "the family that plays together, stays together".

Frank

 

Will,

It turned out awesome! Love everything about it. Keep up the good work!

Mike

 

Your attention to detail really made for an amazing little Hot Rod.

 

A simple looking build takes alot of time....

I could build a Low Hot rod with a kicked custom frame and SBC etc. quicker than
a simple looking `32 roadster......

 

Very clean build, well thought out and perfectly executed. I've read this thread three times, picking up cues for my winter build (AV8PU). Congrats!!!

 

Time for a quick update... There is a guy in our local Model A Club that does lots of roofs, he has a ton of experience and does nice work so I took my sedan over to his place - Conrad Gerdes at G&G Cl***ic in Dillsboro, IN. He did a great job:







We just used hidem, now I am thinking maybe I should have used drip rails...

I pushed ahead a little on the roof in hopes that I would be able to display my car at the Cavalcade of Customs here in Cincinnati this weekend. Unfortunately my car isn't running well enough to make the trip, but maybe it will be helpful (and the****utic, LOL!) to discuss some of the bugs I need to work through.

I decided to try to run without thermostats and now I am seeing why Ford added thermostats. It takes forever for my car to warm up, and I am puking foamy coolant out my overflow hose long after my cooling system should have settled down. This should be easy to fix and I will report back about effectiveness.

The bigger problem has been a slow and steady deterioration of performance that I think is an ignition problem. Long story short, I need to be running a ballast resistor and have not been. I think the points are getting burnt up and need some TLC. I have the ballast resistor in hand and am planning to move the coil back to its original Model A position on the firewall, with the ballast resistor nearby. I am planning to wire the ignition stud on the solenoid to the hot side of the ballast resistor, so the spark will be hotter while cranking. Once I get everything wired up, I will pull the distributor and inspect the points. And I will report back once I get things back together.

The ride is smooth and the car handles great, but there is a huge "wham" from the rear driver's side whenver I hit a big bump. I checked all of the body bolts back there and everything is secure. I have been scratching my head but finally discovered the problem - the shock body is hitting the bottom of the frame. Not sure how I will fix this yet, I am scheduled for a "check up" at Dropped Axle Productions (Jack & Drew Strunk) and will get their opinion. My guess is that we will have to lose the trick forged Ford lower shock mounts and go with a Pete & Jake style lower shock mounts that weld to the axle housings.

One of the main reasons for my "check up" at the Strunks is to have Drew change the rear gear. The 4.44 in there ****s, and I am still waffling between a 3.78 and 3.54. I have a nice used 3.78 R&P so that is currently in the lead, but the more I drive it with the 4.44 the more I want to be sure that I err on the 3.54 side of things...

Finally, I think I talked about pedals a little bit - the firewall on my car is back from where a '32 firewall would be, so my pedals have to extend back pretty far and don't have as much stroke as they would in a '32. I had to use an extended pushrod for the master cylinder, and that is working great. I have been ignoring my clutch linkage because it is not so dangerous if it fails... But it is time for some TLC. The clutch works great, but the threaded rod is barely in the clevis and is starting to wobble already. I need to make a rod that is about 1-1.5" longer, which I will probably do with a coupling nut and some jam nuts. A simple job, but an important one.

Happy New Year, and best wishes to all us guys who are trying to maintain our sanity while it is too yucky outside to be driving our hotrods!!!

Will Kimble
www.kimblemandolins.com

 

Will, just think of the little engine that could! And hell from where you live its all down hill to the convention center anyway,. If my ragged out 64 can make it I'm sure your nice new C-dan can make the trek, either way stop by and say howdy and I will even have a cold one in the cooler with your name on it brother, Oh BY THE WAY YOUR CAR LOOKS "RIGHT" maybe someday of I'll get off my *** and my 31 can hide in the shadow of yours..... Ryan

 

Now that's a Hot Rod!

 

Sure made it look easy, Will. Great job, beautiful ride!

 

Hey, I made it to Cavalcade after all!!! Much thanks to Mike & Bobby Hilton.

Will