Looking to Get Started...

Does not fold.

Some guys might leave off the covering and cut all the inside bracing out though. Not a look I would promote.

 

Buy the best best you can afford. Here by far is where the best money counts.

Example.....You can buy a good driver for 5 to 10K. On the other hand you can buy a $500 to $4000 dollar piece of junk that you'll spend years and thousands on just to get to driver status. Why? because it needs everything.
You need a good start to begin with, something that runs and drives or something that's very close to it.

My top 3 for you....

#3 1936-1948 Ford Tudor Sedan....


These are great cars. If you are patient you can find one reasonable that runs, or as said, close to running. Every now and then you can find a pre-war V8 Tudor going back to 1936.....reasonably priced. 46-48 seem to be the most common and the most reasonably priced.

#2 Model A Banger Coupe or Sedan...



Embrace the banger! You can find a good running Model A reasonable. I think you would really enjoy a stockish Model A. There's a lot you can do with them too have a blast with the 4 banger. They are not interstate cars but they can drive in urban, suburban and rural road traffic.

#1 1949-51 Ford Tudor or Coupe "Shoebox"

Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr


In my opinion these are the best of the flathead powered cars. 1952-3 Fords....they just don't seem to have, well.....It.
The cars have...
flathead power
Bendix Brakes
open drive
hypoid "modern" rear axles
IFS...a very good independent front suspension that handles well, especially for the time.
All in all, these cars are just great.
They can be found reasonably priced too. A running one is literally a turn key hot rod.

 

Awesome! I really appreciate the advice. Model A Banger Coupe seems like the best little hot rod platform for me. Now to find one that is in good condition, has a title, and I can afford.


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Be careful when shopping restored Model A's, maybe you saw some of Joey's trials and tribulations? There are more poorly restored A's than there are good ones. When I was at the rod shop we tore down a Touring and a roadster for the same customer to modernize them. Both were nice looking restorations. They both ended up getting all the typical lower patches due to hidden rust. The cars were basically molded out of bondo, window screen and anything Clem could find to fill the voids before paint. This was pretty common fare for A "restorers" in the last few decades.

 

I would check your facebook marketplace. Often find decent deals there.

 

What hasn't been mentioned, don't think you're in a sea of guys who do everything on a car themselves. Most of us don't, we get help for the areas we're weak on, I'm not good with finish body work, and I have never rebuilt an engine, ever. I've got a dozen full builds under my belt, My skills are in the chassis building, framework, basically making the car look like it's supposed to.
My buddies make the engines make more noise, my tranny guy does my trans rebuilds and rear ends, I build and engineer the mounts and set up the drivetrain. I do all the rough bodywork, make all the floors, reinforce the cars skeleton, mount all the steering, figure out all the braking, but I do not do mechanical work, cause I don't need to, got good buddies who love that stuff.
Start somewhere, ask for advice, do what you're capable of, treat it like, and enjoy it for what it is....a hobby.

 

Thanks for the ‘level set’. Good words.


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Yeah. Good point. I’m sure there are some bondo gems out there. Hopefully I don’t fall into one.


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Just make sure it's absolutely. positively, what you want. Don't settle for anything less. Otherwise you'll be devoting time and money to something you'll be constantly looking to dump to get what you really want. If it's gonna cost more, save more or find more money. Look, search, sit in, and ask questions. It might look cool, but if you don't fit, or it's a bitch to drive you'll tire quickly and sour on the whole deal. Just put your rose tinted glasses away, don't listen to your buddies that don't know shit, and you'll do all right.

 

Here's what a Sport Coupe looks like before you add the Top Fabric.
If your serious about a Banger project it's to bad you live so far away. This is a Love Hate relationship and on the right day,,,,,,

 

No, they are fixed in place. But the one on my Roadster Pick-up will.

 

Added a ‘trade for Ford Model A’ consideration to my 2004 Jeep Wrangler Craigslist ad.

https://frederick.craigslist.org/cto/d/frederick-jeep-wrangler/7244957056.html


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How tall are you? Many Hamb friendly cars do not have enough room for a 6 foot tall human!
I totally agree about starting out with the very best specimen you can afford, even if you have to take an airplane trip south. There are many guys here that can and have taken pure garbage bodies and turned them into show cars, but it takes a LOT of desire and stamina. My brother started with a fully restored Chevelle, and I spent a relatively small amount of time transforming it into a killer car, because a lot of slow, tough work was already done. Best of luck!

 

My 2 cents to add.....do what you can do on your future project...learn as go too...I still don't rebuild engines or transmissions...rotating assemblies are not my thing so....I hire all that stuff out...I grind...weld...cut...chop...repeat...I can paint too but I chose rattle can most of the time...I pay the parts bill too...

Good luck with your sale and your new hobby...I did the Jeep thing (Willys flat fender stuff ) for several years...learned a ton too...

Welcome aboard...

MikeC

 

Yes. I am 6’ 1”. :-/ I am still determined to build a traditional hot rod and the model a roadsters and coupes really appeal to me.


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Thanks MikeC. I have a 1986 CJ7 that I have brought back to good condition. I drive it often. I definitely don’t have any intentions of creating a trophy winning show car but I am looking forward to creating a hot rod that has a bit of attitude.


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........Hey man, I apologize for not getting back to you about this. Try clicking on the little Md. HAMB flag under my avatar photo and then look for the social forums tool option up on the top right of the page. It should have a drop down menu to click for "join this forum". Hope that works for you. We want you on the Maryland HAMB forum........Don.

 

Sorry. It still says “you have insufficient privileges to post to this forum”


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....Not sure why that happens, but it's not the first time that it has. We had some difficulty getting others on there as well. I don't think that the forum is designated as "private", but if it is, that could be the issue. It should be designated as "public" I think. Let me try to look into it. Don't be discouraged......Don.

 

No problem. Definitely not discouraged. The feedback and advice I have been getting here is pretty incredible. I think someone mentioned that I have to have 50 posts before I can use the social forums. Not sure.


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....That could be true though I've never heard that. I just started a thread on the Md. forum asking for some advice from anyone that can help.

 

Thanks!


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Regarding the Model A. You state your 6' 1" in height. One thing to consider is the fact that if you have really large feet, you may find the entry to a Model A coupe cumbersome. I am not as tall
as you but do have rather large feet. When entering or exiting
my Model A coupe I have difficulty getting my left foot between the door and the lower edge of the seat. I will have to make
some type of modification to the seat structure or its placement
to remedy this situation. Its hard to look cool when you are
contorted like a circus clown entering one of those midget cars!
This may apply to coupes only as opposed to sedans or other
body styles? Once in side the coupe it is comfortable. This may
seem trivial, but it is something to consider. I do agree that a
Model A is an excellent vehicle to enter the hobby with.

 

It appears that there is another avenue to pursue. In the header above left on this page click on the little 3-headed icon for Members. In the drop down menu click on Social forums, then Geographical and scroll down to Maryland. Let me know if that works. Thanks.

 

Don- that is exactly how I have been going to the MD forum. I’m on the mobile app and do not see the MD flag under your icon like you mentioned earlier.


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Dang. Good info. Sound like I may look like one of those Rat Fink posters driving my hot rod around.


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........If you get a chance, try using a PC, laptop, tablet or the browser in your phone. Sometimes the HAMB app doesn't work with all aspects of the HAMB.

 

Another quick question. How hard is it to turn a model A trunk into a rumble seat? Easy?


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Buy a car that's at least 80% finished but the owner got tired of. That's usually were you'll find an good deal..

After looking for 2 years and enjoying the hunt, I bought a 69 el Camino SS396 for 12 grand. It had aa original 1978 454 with only 5000 miles. The builder was a tow truck driver and was able to buy the whole truck from the insurance company for a grand.
Fresh Turbo 400, decent 10 bolt 2:73 perfect street ratio.
I put a new interior in it and completely rebuilt the suspension with fully adjustable front and rear control arms. Hellwig sway bar. Lee blue printed brand new 800 Series steering box with a 30 pound valve. It feels and bounces back like a manual box but is much faster and easy to park. I can't say enough good things about this steering box. My car feels so nice, its always right where you want it.

Once the car is completed you can start on the upgrades.. I know a guy that owns about 130 badass old cars and trucks that are HAMB style builds told me to never buy a basket case because even when there finished there's still all kinds of work that needs to be done to get it to our level. My dad always said when buying a car remember there's always more work that will need to be done to get it to my level..

 

Thanks. This forum has already stopped me from jumping into buying someone’s garage full of parts.


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