You'll get one someday. IF you really just like old cars in general, find a good deal on a cool car and drive it with a for sale or trade sign and trade up and up till you trade into a roadster or have the cash to buy one, even if it isn't a great price. You will still be "in it" right because of all your dealings. Hell I just sold a '29 two weeks ago. They are out there, but if you are trying to find a runner for 5K it ain't gonna happen. I have a line on another if you are interested send me a PM. It won't be a give away, but it will be a fair price. But the shipping costs you will have to factor in.
I've built my Model A truck and Studebaker truck for less than $5000 each while going to school and paying all my own bills. Soon be finishing my '31 A sport coupe for $6000 while maintaing a fleet of other vehicles and paying my mortgage. I had to work, save, and sacrafice to get what I wanted. I don't know how young kids afford lifted $50K diesel pickups or $35K WRXs along with their $150/mo. phone bills. You could buy 5 old Model A roadster projects for what the average person spends on cable, coffee, phones and daily drivers. Quit your bitchin, spend a little more frugal, and get out there and make something happen. (And you can build a cool Model A for less than the cost of anything with and LS motor in it!)
Put yourself in the right spot to find this stuff. If you have money sitting ready to buy, put a want ad in the local paper. Maybe some old timer (that still reads the paper) has a jalopy in his barn that he never thought of selling.
aint there still 24hrs in a day? when i worked i averaged 16 hr days. aand i built cars and bikes on the side. be glad for 2 things son. one you are in good enough health to work and 2 you have a job to go to.im crippled up now and in constant pain. id love to be able to work 12 hr days. that would leave me 12 more hrs for doing my stuff...that sounds about right....
I worked three jobs in the summer of 1968 so that I could put myself through college that year and also buy a 1929 Model A, so you're on the right track with the 12-hour days. Now I've been working on the same 1929 AA truck since 1974. It's never moved under its own power, and I never seem to have the time or money to finish it, but at 64, I still haven't given up. And that's the trick. Don't give up, laugh at all the stuff that gets in the way of your dream and know that you've got what it takes to make it happen some day.
I have a job and two kids 6&7. It can be tough to find time. You have to make time to go out and find them. And when you do find it buy it then if you can. If you have to come back the odds of getting it go down I feel. Find a time to make a day out if it. Take whoever with you and just drive. Stop when you see something you like. But have cash in hand. Most of the cars I have missed were from not having the money with me. And the old man or woman consults with their kid that all of a sudden becomes interested in it. Don't worry though in the next few years people like my grandfather will be passing away. And people will realize there are more cars out there than they thought.
If you're willing to shell out $5,000 for a body. Spend the $6,500 (plus whatever shipping would be) and get a Brookville! Very little body work, and you'll be on the road in no time.
I've got a few younger friends that say similar things like, "You're lucky, you've got time and money." But they forget about the 40 plus years I worked to get to the point of having "time and money". It's a little discouraging when you're young and want what older guys have worked and saved for, but it's part of the process of life if you're not born into a wealthy family. Nothing comes easy when you come from working class parents, but it's also much more rewarding when you get there. Probably not the best solution to start a post here complaining about your dreams not happening as fast as you'd like, but at least it's gotten some good replies from those who want to help, and it might be useful to other young guys with similar taste in old rods.
Build a motor while your waiting for your break. buy rails from speedwau amd build your dream frame. Buy some suspension parts...tires....rims. Lower your goal to something needed more work but cheap.thetes a dozen on ebay now. I started with.a 50 panel wagon since I couldnt find anything immediately 30ish. Get something going and tradeup.
If someone was trying to help me out with a car I had been wanting real bad. I would be all over it. Roadster are tough to find in my neck of the woods. All I ever seem to find are fat fender cars. Mainly 37-40. Looked at two 41's the other day. Was told they were 40's.
WA WA WA I WANT I WANT I WANT!!! Try saving money and then do research online and find one. Thats how i got my project.
If you don't have the time to find one, how are you going to have time to build one? Go to the Hershey show in the fall with a pocket full of money and a trailer and you will come home with a project.
I've had a handful of killer rods drop into my lap in the last 30 years and the only reason they "dropped" was because I'm constantly hunting.I follow up every lead,go on wild goose chases,and waste a lot of time.And most of those guys bragging didn't buy the car that cheap and didn't get as much as they said,there's some misinformation out there.Save up your money and buy the next decent roadster you see on the HAMB.Or,if you have the talent and know-how,build your own.And hang out with other guys who share the same interests.And quit whining.
Patience my ass...have persistance, Grasshoppa. And you need a plan. First, have a place to work. Then squirrel away a few bucks every payday to be ready for that affordable deal. Watch craigs list, let all your car buddies you're looking. Remind them every week but you need to be ready. Ask me how I know.
Build your frame, suspension and drive train first. That stuff is everywhere. Make it a running driving chassis put together exactly like you want it. Do this first! This will keep you busy. Then slap any old body you can come up with on it for the time being to have something to drive, then wait till you find a roadster body to replace it. Every Model A body will fit every Model A frame. There are lots of bodys out there. Just be patient. FYI...not all us retired guys snap up all the goodies. Not all of us have money and not all of us have skills. The only thing we have is patience.
Is this a dare, or a threat? And I'm not even going to get into the 'entitled generation' crap again. But yeah, posts like this don't help that argument.
HEY OLD GUYS!!! THAT YOUNGSTER DUDED US!!! While we were on here telling him how we got our toys HE was out getting all the deals!!! LOL
I tell my dogs every day, "patience is a virtue among dogs." Yeah, they don't give a shit either. They just want their freakin' dinner.
couple things, if you are complaining about the cost of the body, wait until you have to buy all those period correct parts If you are complaining about working 12 hours a day, then expect to complain a whole hell of a lot more because that hot rod isn't going to build itself. Your 12 hour days are going to look like a vacation once you start building your car in your off time.
In case he can't see the link I sent... Oh yeah..... and an original grille shell if its gone and he likes fat fenders...
If Ford roadsters were required to enjoy old cars and hot rods, I'd have no interest whatsoever. Great thing about this hobby is the possibilities are endless - it shouldn't all hinge on one particular make and model... c'mon man... OPEN YOUR MIND!
The Jalopy Journal
