progress....My 30 Model A nailhead, highboy coupe thread!!

Well... Ive made some progress on my build and decided I'd better start a build thread and let you guys check out what Ive been up to. I didn't do a build thread on my last car, mainly because I left the camera inside. So this time I kept it out in the garage, and a box of batteries!
Once I finished my 27 T coupe I decided it was time to find a Model A coupe, since that was ultimately what I was after (well a 32 is the ultimate, but it's financially out of reach right now) So I rounded up a pile of cash and started searching. The best deals I have always found almost always find you, and in this case it happened. I was at a junk yard I used to go to alot, and started talking to a sales guy my wife grew up with, long story short he says "yer into hot rod's huh, well I know a guy who's got a model a coupe he might wanna sell". sweeeeet. so I called the guy, went to to see it, and that was that! I had to have it. months later I was on the search for a 32 frame ( I wanted an original set of rails) and I was fortunate enough to preform the miracle of prying set set of original rails out of Jeff's (Titus's) hands! So got the body, got the foundation i wanted so I set the goal of having it a roller and at least mocked up for the world of wheels here this weekend, and I was able to make it. So on with the build, and on to everyones favorite part pictures.........

so here is how I got the car







<!-- attachments -->

 

More.. bare with me here guys, it might take a while to load all these.

 

grille shell I scored on ebay

heres the frame I was able to buy from Titus

 

gimme a minute on loading more pictures, I obviously need to resize some of them!!!!

 

you got me interested keep us posted

 

yes....i like where this is going.

 

great start

 

removed the center cross member, and started getting ready to box the frame







I removed the front crossmember and put in a model A one. I also moved it forward one bolt hole, which is like 1 1/2"



i then had to modify the rear cross member to accept the 40 rear spring.

 

oh Ill keep the pix comming Ill be at it all night I sapose, but I think Im gettin the hang of it


got the spring to fit



so it was time to removre the body

 

nice... looks like a little 53 belair hardtop in the backround there too..

 

then I started seting up the fron suspension. I had bought some axles from MAS when they were still on university, and one happend to be a 32-36 or somethin, so Titus was nice enough to drop it for me.

 

Jeff came over and helped me set it on the frame. I gotta Give Titus a big thanks for helpin me out, im pretty damn lucky to have met him, it helps out HUGE to have some one who's done this shit a bunch of times before, and be willing to come give a hand or opinion.


I decided not to pinch the rails, I think it looks fine, and is way more work than what its worth, I know others will dissagree, but it looks fine to me.
in this picture I still needed to remove some of the rear subrails, to lower the body about an 1/8 of an inch


next I moved on to setting up were I was gonna mount the motor and tranny, I really wanted to avoid cutting up or reversing the fire wall, so moving the front cross member forward and moving the radiator, and grille up a little helped to.


setting the pinion angle.


making motor mounts. good thing titus kept me in check, I almost got lazy an boutght some premades, but damn it feels good to make somethin yer self, and they were easy too..


Motor mounted, I scored thes og finned valve covers on ebay from a guy in california. I got um real reasonable Im pretty stocked, I never forget the first time I saw a set on a nailhead, I cou;ldnt belive the where stock!!

 

tranny crossmember, dont worry its all kinds of cross braced.


on to the ladder bars and spring perches. I did them both at the same time, basically I put a peice of 2x4 square tubing under the spring, jacked it up and stuck it on jack stands, put the perches on the spring, I had all the weight on the rear spring to spread it out, I set the rear end in place, set the pinion angle and blasted away with the welder.


Allright now dont flame me to bad for using a 10 bolt rear. I had it, it was in a 66 chevy II so its a 3:08 ratio, and it'll only coast me 75.00 or so to rebuild it with the coast of the shoes and hardware. Also it still keeos me pre 66 on every thing, cause the motor is a 66 wildcat 401.



you might be able to see my set up for setting everything with the ladder bars, and rear spring. I didnt take any pictures of it though


ladder bars done and inn, heres also what they looked like out


smoke break, be back in a few, with more.....

 

nice.

 

Formatting tip: Put a return between each picture and between pictures and text. That way everythings lines up nice.

I love these build threads!

 

alternatively, you can upload them as attachments and they'll show up as thumbnails in your post.

 

here it is sittin on all fours, I was pretty exited to see this!!


it sits perfect, and I dont plan on chopping it incase any one was woundering.


I then went on to dressing up the motor. I mounted the 2 2's only for the show, I had them sitting around, I plan on doing a 3x2 if I can find an intake for the right price.


Nailhead porn!! So heres the story on the motor and trans. Its a 66 401, and a st400. I work with this guy who is no shit homer simpsons twin, we call him dirty Curty. He is a real sweet hart guy, anyways one day he say "ya know I got this 4 door wild cat I bought from my buddys exwife, he drove it for years, it runs realy good, but he stopped drivin it cause the brakes were goin bad and he didnt have money to fix it, then got divorced and left the car with his ex. I need to get rid of it for cheap, Its too much work to fix!" So I jumped all over it and got the complete car running for 300.00!!!


more porn! Then I mounted the grille and radiator, yeah I know the rad is a little short, but it what I got, and it was all I could afford.


made some shock mounts


mounted


bent my head light bar to follow the grille


it worked out good, I just used some welding rod to get the bend right. then welded that bitch on there using the original feet, I cut off the ends.



Here it is!! the money shot, you gotta do the lighting mcqueen "Katchow"!


So there ya have it! I feel I met the dead line, the show is in 2 days, and I cant wait to meet any and all Hamb members there. Its gonna be hard though Ill be twideling my thumbs anxiously waiting to get this thing back in the garage to work on! I just ordered my gennie shifter from Mr. Alex Gambino, I got a set of 42 buick tailights to mount, a 52 buick sterring wheel, and a caravan seat for it. So stay tuned it'll be next week before my next update, but up next is building the floor, mounting the seat, and then on to steering. good night!!

 

Very Cool.

 

Thank You! i figured it out and went back and edited it all, looks much better! Im getting the hang of this! I think.

 

Way cool. That things gonna be a blast!

 

Damn I made some pretty good progress, I just realized the pictures from when I pulled the body were on new years day, damn I dont do shit! I even had my wisdom teeth out and put a smallblock in a 53 chevy in between that time.WTF! i need to get out more HUH!

 

Thanks man I loved reading your thread, your coupe is way bad ass!!

 

I like.

 

look like your on your way to having a great looking hot rod. love those nailheads.

 

please keep the updates coming. very impressive so far. very impressive indeed.

 

very nice. i'm looking froward to seeing it at the motorama on sat

 

An unchopped nailhead powered A, I think that's pretty damn cool. Looking good man, keep up the good work. You plan on changing that alternator out for a generator? I hope so.

 

looks good been meaning to make it over and check it out but havent had the time, well see it at the show bud.

JEFF

 

damn ya got me!! Yeah id like too, Ive got a couple layin around in need of rebuilds, I was originally plannin on runnin a hood, but since i moved the crossmember uo so far, itll have to wait till I paint it, which will prolly be next winter.

 

Damn yer still up too huh? been workin on that roadster like a mad man?