Projects 1928 model A frame- now what

Sorry the shots aren’t great.

 

Drag cars, one off speedster builds, trailer queens and doodle bugs don’t typically get registered. The registration process isn’t easy, but my neighbour works at the registry office and I have a lawyer in the family for the legal stuff. I got an ownership with the rpu, but not this extra frame.

 

I heard that crowd is even tougher than this one…

 

Thank you.

 

The part of the cross member in question is the engine side.

 

I just meant for ID/value.

 

Here are typical Model A spindles like it appears are on your spare chassis. You can see the straight sides here.


Yours look as though the sides are straight.



Early Model A round back spindle, some say the early parts are on an AR but I don’t know if that was ever a Ford designation. This one has had the eye for the bolt on steering arm cut off and roughly ground. The early A round back was the only ‘28-‘48 spindle to be center drilled from the factory AFAIK.

 

Not necessarily. There are a lot of informed people who are on both the Ford Barn and the HAMB and I've found most of them will respond willingly to well put questions.

 

I keep on learning.

 

The OP's location means there is a better chance of it being a Canadian frame than might otherwise be the case. In that case, probably no frame number.

The As assembled here in South Africa were built on Canadian frames, and the absence of a chassis number causes endless problems for registering restorations based on bare frames. Even if I could get it here cheaply, if that is a Canadian frame it's no more than so much steel channel stock to me! If it's a US frame with a legible number on it, on the other hand ...

 

Don’t say AR to the purists say E 28 or VE 28. Early or Very Early 28… 4 digit serial number is golden, I had some VE stuff, a smooth sided oil pan with a screw in dipper tray..contacted the VE boys, the cheap pricks wanted me to donate it. Model A restorer folks roll that way, exclusive and tighter than a frogs ass.

 

I love how folks twist themselves into knots about paperwork..just go to DMV, be honest and polite, do as they say and be done with it. No VIN? They will assign one in most cases. Most DMV’s can’t process early ford numbers, they prefer assigning a 13 digit modern number.

 

Can we stop with the "AR" nonsense? Show me anywhere in the Ford Archives, M.A.R.C, M.A.F.C.A. or anywhere else that early Model A's were designated "AR".

 

Advertise said parts being for sale and see if you get interested buyers. If yes, then sell. If no, then the parts weren't that desirable; you tried; move on.

 

The front break shaft assembly is either the November 1928 thru mid 1929 or the mid 1929 thru December 1929 type. The only difference is that the later style used a lock washer and the early style used a cotter pin. I can't see the end because it's covered with grease crud. I would guess that the chassis is probably an early to mid '29 chassis.

 

Earlier, I put the term "AR gold" in quotes because I recognize it is a misnomer. But for good or bad it is the commonly used/recognized term; good luck with trying to get casual hot rudders to use E 28 or whatever.

I'll come back to the point @alchemy made earlier: Model A restorers are becoming increasingly rare. Kind of like original T guys. That means a dwindling market for the "rare" early A parts. I have a pickup cab with firewall stamp dating it to Feb '28. That's early. But I don't think that makes it any more valuable than any comparable condition cab, '28-'29.

I think the OP should free himself from the concern that he is leaving money on the table or destroying some great artifacts, and simply put the parts he has acquired to good use.

 

Clark, sadly you are correct. My first year at HERSHEY was 1968 and I still have the program. It lists over 225 Model A Ford's on the show field. Last year there were about 10 Model A's on the show field. Real nice Model A's sell nowadays for $8 to $10K. One fairly nice sedan has been for sale in my area for $7,500 and hasn't sold in over a year.

 

Thanks for all the replies. My impression that these were useful, but not sacred seems to be true. For now it is easy to take measurements and mock stuff up, thanks all for your efforts.

 

How about we build one of these? - only model A based. It could fit on a single axle trailer and be a trailer queen for dirt and ice racing, those guys always look like they are having fun.

 

I live on the north side of Lake Ontario and my Canadian 31RPU has no frame number. My registration is the engine number. You don't have a body so no body number. In Ontario you can get an ownership (title) before the project starts. If you wait until it is complete to register, you will pay 13% tax on the completed value. Swear an avadavats, get an appraisal on what you have, value should be at about $150, do not register it as a truck, go to Service Ontario and get a registration using the engine number off the drivers side of the engine. They will do a search to verify the number and you will have a registration in your name. That is gold for any project you want to do in the future or if you decide to sell it. The registration is worth $800 in a sale, regardless the condition of the car. It just might take a few trips to Service Ontario. Go in, speak nicely, ask for their advice, they love to give it and preferably do this at a small town outlet.
Warren

 

Yup- wuga- that has been my experience as well. Our neighbours daughter works at service Ontario, that should help.

 

I know a few too many people who think that their fairly nice stock Model A's should be worth $20-25k.

 

https://www.mafca.com/cl/cl-v-sale.html
one at 5K, one at 7500, the rest in 5 digit pricing.
Here there is
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1929-model-a-coast-to-coast-ready.1296287/
and a couple that are not running, need work at 7500, and this which is more like OP's
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hot-rod-project-with-many-extra-parts-1929-ford.1278336/
Local (AZ) CL listings are at or more than the model A club pricing.
They are all much higher when rodded out nicely.

I'd like to get into a driver that wasn't 'restored' back when bondo sculpting the bottom 6 inches was common. The tudor with "Body is quite straight and solid. Runs, Drives, Stops. New wiring, roof, floorboards, all windows function." sounds like a nice car, but would need a chassis inspection. I'd also like to get my current overflow sold, a project done and have space for it. Sigh.

 

Agree. I have locals like that in almost my all hobbies. Their cars, parts, etc. are still sitting FS.
Before we criticize outwardly, look at the FS ads here. Some fixed prices for literally years of bumps without lowing one bit. People can do and ask what they want but it sure clouds up the rest of the free market trying to evaluate prices on objects that actually sell for what things are actually moving for.
D

 

I expect we will need to see front engine mount @ front crossmember

 

CDN cars don't have serial #s stamped on the frames ...hence the reg went with...wait what? You have the engine w the serial #...I guess your buddy is hoping you don't try to register it (cuz you can) and that no one asks him to verify the reg on his truck

 

FWIW, an old buddy who has bought and sold many rods and bikes over the years once told me "it's not what they're asking, it's what they're paying"