Hot Rods A little bit of advice from those who know..

Ok, so i am very new here and i am loving the wealth of information so far, its a great collection of all sorts of cool stuff!!

Ive had a few modern cars (Holdens with V8s etc, being an Aussie) and ive always had a love for older cars. Now im a little older i really want to tackle a hot rod build. I know theres probably an answer somewhere here and i will probably cop something for this but im using my iphone and its hard to find stuff in the search etc.

I am considering a model a coupe build, and i would love some advice on where to begin. Please be gentle, im still new to this era of cars although im learning.

- Am i best to start off with a stock model a frame and add a body later (keeping in mind i dont have anywhere to put a full body on its own), is it a good enough starting point to modify the front suspension, rear suspension, engine etc or better to start with something else?

- A few ppl seem to use 32 chassis' is there a reason for this?

- i would like to build something more traditional, within what i can legally get away with here, i want to drive it as much as possible. i am thinking i dont want IFS or anything like that. i dont know if reproduction frames etc are a good starting point, i guess id kind of like to start off with the real thing if i can

like most im sure i cant just do everything in a hurry, id like to learn on everything i can by myself or with help. I guess i just need to know where to start so i dont end up with a heap of stuff i dont need or could have done better with a different starting point.

If anyone can give advice from when they first started their first rod or even if someone can recommend some good reading while im on my research stage it would be great!

 

Get a picture of what tthe finished product should look like. Then you can reverse engineer back to where you need to start.

 

OJ pretty much summed it up. The very first thing has to be that you have a pretty firm idea planted in your head of what you want the finished car to end up like. Go to shows, look at pictures, and when you find one that blows you away, just figure out how the guy did what he did and what parts he used, and go from there.

While I always start with a general idea in mind, I find that I will make adjustments and changes along the way, as the car starts talking to me. Sometimes you have a plan to use certain parts but then some different parts become available so you incorporate those into your build and the direction takes a little different turn. When I built my 27 years ago the plan was to use a sbc engine, but I had a built sbf sitting on an engine stand and that is what I used.

And regardless of what anyone tells you, there are really no new ideas. Everything has been done, pretty much, we all just borrow good ideas from each other and use them as our own.

Don

 

I really quite like this sort of thing (apologies of if i have stolen anyones picture) its a simple, and seems to have all the classic style bits that i like in them.. me being very noobish at the moment, is this something you can achieve on a model a chassis?

 

OJ is prety much on it like white on rice, yeh you need to have an image of what it is you desire trying not to conform with main stream you know " I like these lights and these wheels, I also like guards" and so on and so forth and you end up with what you would consider is bitching, and do not worry about any one else just make shore you are happy with it as really you only have to keep yourself happy and no one else, and if you have any bits lyin around, use em after all this is hot roddin aint it?

 

i totally agree with whats been said, and i thank everyone who has taken the time to answer so far. It seems that if i can find a model a chassis of frame it would be alright to start on, add the bits i need and go from there. Its pretty daunting, im used to cars that start a little more complete and dont need chassis mods etc..

 

Your best starting place is with what you have. If I wanted to build a model A coupe I would start with a model A coupe. If I didn't have any place to keep it then I would consider building something that I had a place to keep, or finding a place to work.

You can certainly start with a chassis and build it but you should be prepaired to change some things once you get a body. Then of course there is the question where are you going to keep the body once again?

I guess what I am trying to say is that if you want to build a car and have it turn out any way that you plan on it turning out get your ducks in a row first. If you have no place to build one it is probably best to scrap that plan and buy one built the way you like it.

People use Deuce frames for the look, it is only a good idea on a high boy. If you are going to channel the body like the one you pictured it is a waste.

 

That coupe you pictured is really sharp and yes, it is based on a model a frame. The only thing I would change if it were mine would be the four bar rear setup.......just a personal thing but I think they look too new, hanging down under an old timey rod like that.

Here is the model a frame under my 27. It has been boxed and extra crossmembers added to make it strong and rigid.

Don

 

This sight is a Grate place for info. If your as new to Hot Rods as it sounds you might want to find a local group with running driving Rods to hang with. Noting inspires ya like real Noise and Smoke. Then you can see in action how and why things do or don't work. Hands on is way better than I-Phone info.
The Wizzard

 

Once you decide on a body and frame get a title first. A clean title is needed to license a car.
Find a friend with a computer so you can study study study A builds here on the HAMB there are lots to study for ideas,Roelf coupe, Tindal coupe, Grits coupe and many more.

 

From that pic, the highboy exposed frame look then i'd start with a '32 frame. I love a model 'a' frame and have them layin about, but for the kind of look in the picture a '32 frame would be what i started with. If you use a model 'a' body on the '32 rails then some additional work needs to be done, but for visual impact a Model 'A' body on '32 rails is tough to beat.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I have been getting out to plenty of shows and starting to learn more and more about how things might be set up.

The space thing is a bit of an issue, i have a garage, it really only fits one large car but other than that i think i can start with something. having said that, im only renting and no reason why i cant move somewhere bigger if need be.

If i come across a decent vehicle with body and all id certainly buy it, but it seems quite hard to find much in Australia (unless im not looking in the right places) so thats why i ask about starting with a chassis if i find one on its own.

Thanks for posting a pic too Don!

I will definitely study some more model a builds a lot closer and really take a look at what has been done. Appreciate the help!

 

Back in the early days of hot rodding the 32 Ford roadster was popular because it was the first Ford with a V8. Unfortunately the supply of roadsters soon ran out so guys took 32 sedans, scrapped the body and substituted a Model A roadster or coupe body. There were lots more Model As in those days than 32 Fords.

Today you will likely be building the frame from scratch using rectangular steel tubing. It is much easier to build a Model A style frame this way, and very strong.

Suggest you try to find plans for a model a style frame, build the chassis and engine, then add a fibreglass body. I should think decent Model A bodies and frames are nearly impossible to find in Australia for a decent price and there is 80 odd years of metal fatigue and rust to think about.