Fast Eddie and the Model A,.. A race against time, Yeah , It's got a HEMI !

Hey guys,..

I have this buddy I met only about 4 years ago, He is 70 now and his name is Ed... We met at Church when I found out he had just finished a chopped, fenderless flathead powered 31 A Coupe on Deuce rails... (I have no pictures of that car but will try to get some soon) The car is snow white with a lipstick red interior. Solids , White walls and a really nice build... He did miss a few cues to have 100% Traditional,... But when you look at it your mind immediately registers it as "Hot Rod" in the ol' gray matter.

Well a couple years ago Ed and I were at the Midland swap meet and ran across a forlorn-ed 31 A Coupe body that looked like it needed a new lease on life,... Ed made an offer on Saturday morning but the guy refused,... Every time we walked by Ed looked at him and he shook his head no... Sunday late afternoon just as everybody was loading up, This guy comes up to Ed and accepts his offer....

Fast forward to the very next Kalamazoo,... A really ugly old 1960's T-Bucket wannabe rolls by us toward the swap meet on a trailer with a very sharp 392 Hemi in it... Ed is the first one yells out "How Much ?" The price was stupid cheap... again a deal was struck..... All this miscellaneous **** ac***ulated in the corner of Ed's garage until we look at it and other than a frame,.... it looks like there is enough **** there to build a car !

Ed asks me about a 60's style ch***is,... I was busy, but agreed to build one for him (If it were anybody else they would be out of luck).It kept going back and forth between our two shops being worked on between other projects..... He had some pals do some primary body work, and it has been slowly coming along.

Well,.... over the last six months Ed has been facing some serious health challenges... and His best old friend and I have been spanking this puppy trying to make more headway on it,... trying to get it ready for old Ed to take it for a ride by spring.... Hoping and praying he's better by then. If you guys would be so kind,... please ad my friend Ed to your prayer list or send good thought and vibes his way. Ed is in no way afraid to cross the final finish line, if that's what the plan is for him..... But his friends and family selfishly aren't ready to let him go..... He's the kind of guy that goes from being your friend,.... to being your brother almost instantaneously .

I am posting some shots of this simple, nothing special, plain Jane Hot Rod... Just a beater that I hope Ed has a chance to burn the rear tires right off of the rims.....

Wish him well boys...... I know you all would like him.


Just a pair of Deuce Rails




Out of the jig tacking it up (back in jig soon)

 

Temporary braces and gussets still in place,...



Getting closer,....


After Troy whacked the lid, and first time on new ch***is

 

My Grandson Ike when we picked it back up to go to my shop,....


I really wanted Ed to have it chopped 3-1/2".... He liked 2-1/2",.... His car. he wins.


going back together after a tear down and some fine tuning, metal finishing, grinding, sanding all those little things before you blow it apart for the final time.


My good pal Ed taking a break....

 

Frame painted,... body off for skim and primer.....

 

This was today,... Ed's son, my son's and some friends are going to get the body tomorrow for final fit, steering column and final set up.... Then it comes apart one last time for the body to get fresh semi flat paint on it as well... And i will finish up everything else on the ch***is......

 

patiently waiting...copyrighted

 

Is that a new version of subscribing ?

 

Cool!!

 

Looks good..

 

i need those wheels/tires!! great looking car! love the hemi...

 

I said that too a long time ago.

 

Best of prayers to Ed.Ya'll are doing a standup job.

 

Do you happen to have any detailed pics of the way you mounted the bones and spring to the differential? I have a similar build (1956-59 era) planned, 31 coupe with a 354. I'll be using a Dana 44 from a 55 T-Bird and can't quite figure a "period way" of mounting the bones and spring without it looking too modern.

 

We will be thinking of your friend, that car has STANCE!

 

Very Kool

 

Hell of a story.......hell of a car!

 

Can't think of anything that would keep his spirits up more than getting his hands dirty on that thing! Great work for a good cause, man.

 

Thanks for the kind words and support of Ol' Ed !,..... Well my lovely bride, being the understanding and loving woman she is, Called her parents and canceled our planed visit with them today, So I could kidnap my adult sons and go pick up Ed's Coupe body.... at 8:00 am this morning, which means the alarm went off at 6:00 A.M. on New Years day, Waking up Her, Pico the wonder dog, and myself.... As I drug myself from a nice warm bed and looked out the window at a cold gray sky and snow flurries. Made a thermos of coffee and headed out the door.

Well I just got home a half hour ago to the smell of something wonderful cooking in the Kitchen,... And my better half asking how Ed was, and was he happy with what we got done today..... ( I told you she was fantastic, didn't I ?) Well Ed had a smile on his face you couldn't wipe off with a 2x4 !...... Well The love of my life and myself are going to enjoy a Awesome dinner and what ever good movie we can find on the tube for the evening..... Tomorrow morning when I drop her off to work at 8:00 A.M.,... Its back to Ed's to make some more headway.....

Here is how we left it today.......




I need to repack the rear leaf to bring the ride height back up the 2" that is missing, But that will happen when the Body comes off for paint in a week or two, along with brake lines.

 

Have you ever had to clean bugs off your valve covers before ???




Diggin' it !

 

And here is my good old buddy Ed, with his son Steve.... ( and yes,... I'm not ashamed to tell you I love him like a brother)

 

Not sure if this will answer your question ( I will try to get a better picture later for you). I made it like a 360 degree bracket then cut it from front an back of the tube vertically,.... Beveled all the surfaces, positioned them welded them up and finished the welds.....

 

What a wonderful, inspiration this build is. Hope Ed's health improves, so he can enjoy driving the wheels off this very cool ride.

 

Great looking hotrod and prayers sent for a speedy get well and finish.

 

Great work and story.I alway's liked helping my friend's.
Just remember "a friend in need is a friend in deed" !!!!!

 

great stance. i like the rear cross-member and spring setup. who makes those headers?

 

I can't remember if the Headers came from Sanderson or Hot Heads,... The Transmission adapter came from Hot Heads and I used a picture of there engine mounts to fab up these. Ed likes telling people we have all three major Automotive companies covered in the drive train. Chrysler engine, GM transmission and a Ford rear axle.

 

You got to admit,.... this looks like a "Husky" boy !

 

This was Ed's 53' Convertible back in 57 with his Road Runners club jacket on the wheel.

 

This was Ed's first Model A Coupe , also from 1957 at the dragstrip.

 

Here's Ed's first Model A being built in the driveway of his parent's home 1956, With a new 265.