Projects I Just Bought a Hot Rod Model A Roadster That Was Built In 1959...

Congrats on the score! I love this thing, it just oozes ingenuity and cool from and era gone by. Some of us here can spot the kind of hard thought extensive overhauls that come about from youthful vigor from a thirty feet. You just have to admire the open mindedness and design shortcomings in equal measure. So damn nifty!
Glad you recognize the significance and appreciate it enough to go the route of preservation.[emoji1360]


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'58? Gotcha.

This must be how he learned about Olds engines:

 

^damn that's cool

 

Sunday was the day I put the deposit on it, ha! It's such a great car and Lanny is a great guy.
I picked up the 371/Hydro (not B&M though darn it) a few days later. A nice bonus for sure!

It's all roadster. I love, love, LOVE that top hinge has been "snow drifted" but not the bottom, ha!

No baffles. Looks like he was adding mufflers but never got to it? I don't have it running yet so we'll have to wait to see just how loud it is?!

It is what appears to be a stock '40 drag link with the factory drop at the steering arm.

How cool!!! Thanks for the pic!

 

I pulled the passenger side head last night as I could only get the engine to move so far...
Yikes!











I'm lucky this one was close to the top at least as it was the leakiest.

 

Congratulations on your purchase Mike. Very interesting car and nice back story. Hope the engine frees up. Good luck.

 

Is it time to investigate the 371?


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Just please, dont put a sbc in with olds valve covers...

 

Neat find man

 

Not just yet! I can't use those bitchin' headers with the 371! I spun it by hand the other day and pulled a valve cover. It looks like some work has been done. AP bolts and new looking springs and stuff.

How dare you!

Thanks Trent!


So, I pulled the other head and did some sanding in the bores to get some surface rust out. It looks like 52 years of heating/ cooling cycles plus the kickass Midwestern humidity just decided to take its hold on the old girl.

But now, I can roll it over by hand so that's good! I'd post a vid but I can't remember my YouTube password?

 

Love the story, but the fenders kill it for me, I would either have to put real front fenders and running boards on it or remove them all together.

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Lucky dude, nice find!

 

it will buff out ! only thing I see is change the rear bumper - or not .
Alternators aren't traditional! true but generators burn up (as on fire) at prolonged hiway speeds . this is from experience . not fun .

 

I love your garage!


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This story is better than sex!

 

I think we can agree to disagree
But this story is pretty awesome!


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Thanks!

 

I completely understand that not everyone likes this style of car. For me though it is the perfect example of a hot rod from one of my favorite eras of hot rodding. If I were to build something like it I would maybe do things a little differently? The rear fenders would be bobbed a little bit for sure. I've had plans to do that on my Chevy truck since I built it.

Lanny actually told me he wished he hadn't switched out the Pontiac taillights (that he had originally) for the Del Ray lights but he did and that's how it will remain. I will get this car back on the road as a piece of hot rod history. The only update may be a top of some sort for which he had plans himself.

Thanks everyone for the interest!

 

Awesome time capsule, congrats!

 

Awesome story, find, car - it really doesn't get better than this. Congrats!

 

Looks like the 15th week of 1961 (15 61).... April 1961

 

Where the heck was I when this Craigs ad was running?!

Awesome score man. Don't change a thing.

 

That's how I read it as well. Thanks!

 

one more happy man yahoooo

 

Awesome story and more awesome is the car itself. I've always had the same dream to find an old original built hot rod ever since I got to ride in one with the original owner. What a piece of history. I especially like that you are carrying on with some of the updates that Lanny had planned for it himself. Completing the legacy.

 

I'm with Mike on this one. Whether you like the look of the fenders or not, they are a significant part of the "history snapshot" of this hot rod. Quote here is from the old thread "Pics East Coast Hot Rods":

 

The horn ring was missing so I found one on eBay for a decent price and snagged it. It was missing the emblem so I put a request out on IG that I was looking for one and my pal @D-Russ said he had an extra and was nice enough to donate it to the project. Thanks again Dave!

Glamour shot...


So after working on the house all day Saturday I took a little time in then evening to pull the valves so I could take the heads in to have them hot-tanked and crack-checked. I dropped them off this morning before work so we'll see what they have to say.

My friend/clubmate Chris (@2muchstuff) has graciously offered to teach to me the fine art of a valve job so stay tuned for that!

 

Is that a truck grill/insert?

 

It is! '32 commercial.

 

Really like how he peaked the center.