Projects I bought the worst hot rod project in the country. Model A ’28 homemade Coupe

Hello again HAMB! I’ve been a member for years (since 2004) but haven’t posted much during the past years. I’m back in building mode again, so I felt it might be nice to document the project here as well.

In the past I have started several hotrods and sold them before finishing. This time its a keeper. My previous one can be seen in the picture below (black one).

I’m in Finland. I managed to buy very cheap but very very rusty Tudor Sedan. First I took it home and tore it down in parts. It was super rusty! It literally fell in pieces. Subframe was long gone likewise ten inches of lower sheetmetal. All wood was so rotten that everything just snapped off. Rear quarter was hanging with steel wire and it broke in half…

I found a picture of a green Coupe and asked some information of it here on HAMB. Thank you for those who identified the car and provided some motivational pictures. See Dana Galante’s green Coupe below.

Mika

 

The next step was the frame. I wanted to use an original Model A frame. This one was already started but it was pretty bad. The boxing plates were added but the frame had twisted.

Anyways, it was what I needed and perfect for this car. I cut the frame and stepped the rear for a ’64 Chevrolet El Camino rear end. I wanted to use the GM original four link setup as I did in my previous hotrod. And the brakes are good with the 4.75” bolt battern. Good things in my book.

I will post two pictures of my Packard Kustom. It is Such a cool car. I managed to got it in a trade last spring and I really like it.

Mika

 

Somehow I had sold most of my huge stack of hotrod parts. However, I managed to buy some cool vintage parts and also I tried to use the most of those parts which I still have.

Headlights and the foglight came out from my piles. Chevrolet 51 wheels came from a friend. As well as several other crucial bits and bites. Especially some original Coupe parts! They became more important than I ever would have known!

I’m trying to build this car with sort of low(ish) budget. Which is difficult here. But so far so good.

Mika

 

It was quite a struggle to get everything lined up in the frame. I had to chop the rear member twice and so forth. Built a strong X-member in the middle. That’s what local authorities require if you plan to use a V8 in a Model A. Hope that fulfills the requirements.

Rear tires are new Firestone 8.20-15. They look so good.

Accidentaly I ordered a wrong type of brake pedal setup, so I decided to use all space under the floor and make the full exhaust.

Mika

 

After the frame it was time to start working with the super rusty body. I started with the cowl and cowl panels. I wanted to bolt everything in place instead of welding. Kinda original or old School style/wibe in it. Lots of work, but I’m happy with the end result.

Even the cowl posts were half gone. I dropped the body over the frame for 4 inches. And in this point I chopped the windshield for 4 inches…

Mika

 

Such a huge milestone was when I managed to remove almost 100 years old hinge pins! After that I realized that my doors are in very very poor condition. I tried to buy better ones or even find some replacement parts but it became obvious that I just have to deal with what I have.

The B-pillars were way too rusty to use. There was no chance. So new ones I made and then it was time to hang the doors in place!

This was of course a major motivation boost. I knew I want a Coupe and that was the plan. But. In this point I thought what if I make a pick-up. Or should I just keep it as a Sedan. Well, it would have been so much easier than the path that I went. More a about the Coupe conversion tomorrow. It was a long journey.

Mika

 

Welcome back! Looks like you have your work cut out for you.

 

Welcome back. Great job.

 

Looks good but could you post bigger pictures please?

 

Just click on one in each post and you will get full size pics. Then use the forward or back arrows to look at the rest.
That's how it works on my computer. Can't help if you are using a phone.

 

What a great journey and thanks for sharing the story.
Glad to have you back with us once again.

 

Maybe @Moriarity can work his magic and enlarge them? And maybe next time the OP will click full image on future posts.

 

Much better with the larger photos for us vision impaired old farts. Thanks.

 

Awesome job !! Good on you
I can appreciate the work involved.. as here is one I did a few years back..
Keep us posted !

 

Thank you for welcoming me back. I thought the pictures are OK but let’s use bigger pictures, that’s fine.

From the doors I continued the passenger’s side towards backside. I utilized old sheetmetal from the Sedan as much as possible reinforced with square tube.

Mika


View attachment 5636549

 

As mentioned, I managed to buy some original Coupe parts: Decklid, catwalk panel, and B-pillar top archs. By using them I locked some forms and built everything around them. I formed the Coupe shape in rear based on the lid.

Mika

 

There was two options how to fill top sides, either original sheetmetal from the same place or Tudor Sedan panels from above of the rear side windows. I decided to use the latter ones and it came out pretty nice.
In this point I chopped the roof height one more inch, so 5 inches that is. Also made the curved shape to follow the door’s upper edge.

 

Shaping the rear part was tricky. It took some time but I’m happy how it came out. Recessed the licence plate frame. I like the old School look of those lights. I fabricated them by using two-sided tractor marker lights. They are missing the brake light /blinker, but I will figure out that in the later phase.

Added some green paint to see the looks.

More tomorrow!





Mika

 

Finally in January it was time to roll the car out for the very first time! What a huge step and it looked very promising!

Mika

 

...now that's what I call "buildin a hot rod!...very nice work.

 

Wow! I'm sure many will have scrapped cars in far better shape than that which you started with. Amazing outcome!

Chris

 

Nice progress and craftsmanship !

 

Yes WoW It is as if you did not buy a body, but a pattern for making a body.
Terrific choice though,,, just happens to be my favorite pick.
Great that we get to see your progress. Sure it will be as nice as your slate, blue sled.
Green will leave a lasting impression. It does to me anyway.
I'll be over here, cheering for you.

 

After the first time out it was time to turn the car in my small garage and start with the driver’s side.

It was faster hence I had done everything already once, but the same time it was difficult to have all shapes similar as they were on the other side.

In the pictures you can see the fabrication of the new rear side window. It’s so much smaller than the original one which I used. Cut-weld-repeat.

Mika

 

And work continues with the roof side and little bits and bites. I managed to fix very bad windshield frame. It is even functional with new hinges.

I got a free leather chair with similar leather what I have in my seat. So I saved all the leather from it for the new interior.

Repaired the rear window corners with original pieces, which were just enough.

Added cool old screws to hold the visor.

 

Way to NOT let Rust be a Deal Breaker!
Just Fix Em! Yes!
Love the brown red color of the leather, nice reclaim .

 

I feel your pain. It's a challenge when the freight company drops off two pallets of rust and sheet metal. Yours is doing great so far.

 

Nice finish on the cowl, now watching it panel by panel. Are you just using MiG or oxy-acetylene also?

 

I found a cool aluminum tank but it seems to be too big. Welded the floor sides and fabricated the roof sides on the driver’s side as well. Then I started to build the rear quarter which needs lot of thinking. I made also some mistakes and had to cut welds which I had already done. But after all I was happy so far. And it looked right.

Mika