I'm thinking of chopping up a model a sedan, any last words?

I recently acquired 1928 sedan. It's in fairly decent shape, not a lot of rust. And I have been doing a lot of day dreaming about cutting it down and making it into a truck cab with a little extra leg room. I really dig model a trucks, however at 6'3" they are quite a tight squeeze. Henry made roughly 800,000 model a's in 28. I realize there is not that many left in 2012. But its still not as sacrilegious as hacking a coupe or roadster. See pics of proposed candidate below.








I currently have a 1929 sedan. It has 2X3 tube ch***is z'd in the back. It has a tapered chop, 1.5" in the back, 3.5 in the front. It is also channeled 4 inches. And as configured I fit quite comfortably. My thought is that after cutting it down I'll still have about the same room in the cabin. I've seen a few done before, and my favorite example is actually this 29 Nash P/U.











So, that's it. I have not made my mind up yet. It's a big decision so I was looking for advise. What do you guys think?

 

Go for it.

 

I wouldn't. Just my opinion, but nothing other than a true Model "A" pickup looks right as a pickup. The proportions fall apart after you start rearrangeing other cars.

 

I'd say look for someone with a truck that wanted a sedan and try to do some swapping, but since the world is suppose to end in 2012 go ahead and have at it.

 

Bingo! Sedans cut into pickups are just too "Rat Roddy" to my tastes.

 

Sorry but I dont get why people take a sedan and cut it into a truck or channel it so much the floor is even with the window.

 

I say go for the swap idea. Or sell the body and look for what you want. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands. I suspect you are already "fully subscribed" in the time department.

 

Model A gl*** is to tall you should chop it.

 

The back of a sedan looks nothing like the back of a truck.

It will always look like an oddball.

When they were converted in the past, it was to put it to work as a truck.

Some were converted during the war years as a work around on gas and rubber rationing.

 

Sell the sedan to someone who wants a sedan and buy a truck and modify that. Just my opinion.

 

RICH B, I agree, they do not look like a factory truck. And that is part of the draw in my opinion. And I also dig their utilitarian history.










I think, if done properly, they can still maintain decent proportions and a nice look.

 

Any last words? Measure twice, cut once.

 

Do it. But make a stakebed. I think it would look better.

 

Sell or trade it and get a 28-29 pickup and extend the cab 6". Or cut it up it's YOUR CAR, YOUR MONEY, YOUR WAY.

 

Trade for a truck, it's a lot harder to go the other way, and you may just find the guy who is going to try and make a sedan, or coupe out of his pickup.

Just a thought...

 

Why not put is together as a sedan first? Then drive it?
I enjoy driving my stock height 29 Tudor because most events I go to, most other A's are chopped, with a few exceptions.
Just some thoughts. I started with more swiss than that car to have what I have. I do like chopped cars too FWIW.

 

I'm six foot five 240 lbs. I drive a chopped and channeled 51 Merc.. I also have rode in a 1928 Model A roadster-pickup ,,, the bed of it. I didn't fit in the cab .

Go for it..

 

Please don't do it, Call Sammy @ Arizona Model A, tell him what you want to do, he would probably trade for one already 'MESSED UP" ( 480 -782- 0266 ) THEY NEVER LOOK CORRECT. My .02 cent

 

I would vote against cutting up a decent sedan body, sell it and go find a truck cab, pickup and big truck are all the same..

 

While I see some cool pics of some that were cut down into trucks, they still look like sedans that were cut down and made into trucks.. If you can live with people always asking " Is that a sedan made into a truck??" Than I say go for it.....

 

Chopped or unchopped, it's just another sedan.

Do what you can afford to do.

 

put a back door in it, make it a hi-boy on 32 rails

 

My Dad built one back in 1973, but he found one that was already cut. I put alot of miles on that truck. It had fenders (coupe rears) and a model t box. I don't have any decent pictures of it. Been trying to get some pictures from my brother.

Not sure I would cut a nice sedan body to build a cab, but it's your car and you should do what YOU want!! I say go for it, but consider fenders!! 28-29 fenders are sharp.

 

@ Blakmerk, yeah, so you feel my pain. I had an old rodder tell me one time that, "It's not about being comfortable, It's about looking cool." I see his point, but you gotta be able to drive the damn thing.


@s**** metal, I'm not worried about it being recognized as a former sedan, I'm just testing the water on the process of getting there. Cutting up a sedan. The quarter really aren't bad, a bit wavy, as is the back of the cab. My solution would fix that. Heh, heh, heh...

I kinda dig the odd-ball look. Odd is okay, but I want to stay away from rat rodish. I'm not sure the extended stock cab looks muck better. I just don't like it.







The back of a sedan cab has a more appealing look to me.

 

Well I would have a hard time cutting a complete car. Id frankenstien one together in a heart beat though.
How long are the doors on a sedan vs pick up?

The sedan turned pick up looks neat, not like Henry did it or would have done it. The door to cab corner don't flow right to my eye. Like it turns too fast and too big of a radius or its not done turning by the time it gets to the door looking at it the other way.

That green one with the whitewalls is Sharp.

 

@ 31Vicky - I know, that's where I'm at too. But, I guess it's not that much different than those who severely chop and channel a sedan. You'd basically be destroying a good sedan. I don't know, it still doesn't feel as taboo. I believe the sedan and truck doors are the same length, I think the truck doors may be a little taller.

 

Ok, if the doors are the same, there won't be much stretch there. Make a 5 window extended cab, that FG one 34 in the speedway catalogue looks pretty cool. Yours would have the sedan swoops at the back to match the cowl.

 

29 truck doors are not the same. I KNOW the door hinge placement and A post height are taller. I never had a pair of doors in hand, but have been told they are shorter in the 28/29 vintage as being based on last generation T stuff.

 

They are the same as '26/7 coupe doors.


Sent from a pay phone

 

Thanks for all the responses guys... I'm still not sure I'm any closer to a decision.