Folks Of Interest Question for Model A builders.....

On top of that...this Model A is likely going to be our last build. This is going to be a car we keep for the years ahead. Our Plymouth got our feet wet in this hobby....now its time for us to do an bigger build. over time....the car will come together. We're excited for the journey ahead. Now to start saving the pennies to build it!

 

FAMERGAL ,
but husky ..... is that like "**** husky" ? LOL sorry i couldnt resist . i have a stock bodied "A" coupe & love it ................. steve



yes i have changed stuff to fit my personality .............

 

wow thats sweet! thanks for sharing the pics!! We need to start garnering a gameplan so we're hunting down pics and info on what people have done. ....

 

Famergal this brings to mind something you may be able build over the winter with out alot of money invested as by the sounds of it you have most of the parts already i think form your post. Even like this unchopped may get you and the other half to some shows and on the road but on your way to were you want to be. I really like this car maybe you have seen it? Goodluck waiting for pics.

 

that is exactly what we're shooting for ^^^^^!!!

Now eventually we want to run our 425 nailhead with trans in the coupe. Could we keep the stock frame and run an engine that hefty in it or should we look at a frame swap down the line with some beef? Obviously the frame is going to need to be beefed up but i wasnt sure if the stock frame would do......

 

I have a Model A and a 36. You're preaching to the choir.

Most if not all patch panels for the A will need just as much tweaking. Everything else on the A will be easier to find for sure.

 

well its very solid around the bottom so even if we did need one patch panel...it would be better than the entire 4-5 inches of the bottom of the entire car.

 

Glad to read you made a firm decision that you are comfortable with. Whatever you decided would have been the right decision for you. You are a ways away from your nailhead ch***is modification project. You may wish to tuck this away for future consideration. The driver's side frame rail takes a lot of force from the trans (or middle) crossmember forward. Engine torque and steering box torque both exert force in this area. If you go the boxed stock frame route, weld in "trusses" inside the frame from the front crossmember to the middle crossmember before you weld in the boxing plates.

 

You could use the stock frame. Are you guys gonna drive it hard? IMO i would atleast box where the engine will be mounted. But its a bit of work but you could box it all much safer. Are you running a 39 box?? ******? you will need a adapter. You can flip the firewall and gain a bit of space but most likely will have to cut it. Then a rear end is the next step I would use a 66-76 bronco easily found and cheap, (I have one that i may sell) but not at this time, anyway there the right width.

 

You are getting the stocker ... that's the right route I think.

Here are my thoughts ... Do not rush into anything as far as modifications go. Think about what else is affected by the mod you intend to do BEFORE you start the modification. For example, chopping the top. Yes, an A coupe is a relatively easy car to chop BUT ... your paint will also be affected, you will need to get gl*** cut, your windshield frame and garnish moldings also need to be modified, your interior will have to be removed for the cutting and welding, and modified too for reinstall etc. Remember, every modification ALWAYS takes longer and costs more than you originally thought. I would also suggest that you keep the car together (and driving) as long as possible ... it is very easy to lose interest when the car you were driving six months ago is now just a frame separated from the body with the engine and trans off in the corner, paint all stripped off, windows out, and interior removed pile of car parts in the garage. Take it slow, modify one thing at a time if possible.

Personally, I love an A coupe on a 32 frame (fenderless ... the 32 frame really fills out the bottom of the body visually). If you are thinking about going that route, get a 32 frame and box it, set it up for the Buick engine, do the suspension front and rear etc on the 32 frame etc etc ... get as much as you can done BEFORE you pull your stocker apart.

Best of luck and looking forward to your pics.

 

All I can add is that most shouldn't be so quick to ***ume that something painted or primed is covering garbage. Many things get in the way of a build, especially society's issues over the last 3 years. There's a way to tell good from bad and we should all use it. Now I might sound like a politician flip-flopping on issues here, but with the way every Sat morning car show on TV tells the audience that you're supposed to bondo up the whole gig then sand a car out of it, there's clearly a load of those out there. Just refer to the ways of telling good from bad. Door edges that are to thick, close a door or deck lid and listen for a tinny sound or a dull thud, look close for common finisher sins like unfinished edges and unsanded fill at the bottom or back side.

Still, I think you chose a route that has the potential to make you happy, but you're clearly going to lose some interior space with that Nailhead/auto combination. Mostly foot room for the trans tunnel. Get out there and look at the rest. Look close and make new friends. Try to get a ride or the opportunity to sit in some of them. Not everyone thinks you need Senate credentials or FBI clearence to sit in their car. Just ask the right questions and be sincere. Take your tape measure with you to every show. See what fits and what doesn't. You have a long road ahead with no written directions (excluding this lil piece of hot rod heaven). There's as many reasons why you can't have what you want as there are reasons you can.

 

the problem is that we have never seen a hot rod model a coupe with a nailhead in it around here.... hot rods are around...just not really "traditional". Thanks for the opinions and facts!

 

I can tell you that we definately plan on removing the tray and pushing the seat back. Eventually the seat is going to be put on the floor to allow more head room. At some point the nailhead is going to be put in the car; bigger trans or not....its going in. When? I can't tell you right now. it all depends on funds and what the gameplan turns into. For now; its going to be kept as-is and drive. the interior is very original so we want to enjoy it for awhile in its original state. The first plans of action are going to be simple things: removing the fenders and doing the chop and maybe put diferent tailights on it. Those are definate things we know we want to do. Then we'll drive it like that for awhile longer and then we'll start the frame and engine swap. I can gaurantee you that the build is going to start with the relatively simple/straightfoward things first. As for the chop: looking at 3 inches, 4 at the most. Definately no more than that.

 

Sorry, read your post earlier and don't have time to read all the replies at the moment, so if this has been said already, just ignore.

Be sure the car matches the ownership ... and I don't mean that the paperwork matches that aftermarket/repro tag someone screwed to the firewall. I would suggest you do a search in order to determine where you need to look. As I recall, some A's used the engine block number (if that is correct in your case, I suggest you keep the original block after you install the nailhead ... ***uming the original engine is still installed in the car when you bought it. With that being highly unlikely though, you need to make sure it is correctly and legally ***led and have the owner show you where the numbers are on the car/engine/frame/bellhousing). Do NOT take his word for it ... you need to see the numbers on the ownership/***le AND the corresponding numbers on the car. Some of the early A's had the number stamped into the firewall (on drivers side, I have seen this and know it to be fact), others on here have suggested that the numbers should also be under the body on the top of the frame. I don't know the rules/laws in your state, but If you are required to have a VIN inspection, you should be damn sure it will p*** the inspection before handing over the cash. Another thing to keep in mind is ... even if your state doesn't presently require a VIN inspection, they just might in the future so I would make sure you car is legit before purchasing. Also, even if your state does not require the VIN verification, if you decide to sell to someone in another state, they may be required to. I know, I know ... "we ain't ever selling this one" ... well, life has a way of changing things whether you like it or not, so it is wise not to rely on "I will never sell this one" because you just don't know what's waiting around the corner.

Just saying, if you are coughing up a lot of cash you need to make sure you aren't buying something stolen, or not legally registerable (hmmm, registerable .... wonder if that's a real word?).

Again, best of luck but be cautious ... not everyone selling a car is honest.

 

If you channel the car at all the seat on the floor is a must. I'm channelled 4" and I'm right on the floor. My chop is 6" which is okay for me as I'm only 5'8", but If I were taller it would **** for sure!

 

I'm 6' 1'', chopped my coupe 6 inches, channeled 4, seat bottom is on the floor. But i did suicide the doors and makes it real easy to get in and out of. Sounds like you have a good plan.

 

Please don't rush in a do a chop or a channel. You are going to keep this car for decades, build a solid traditional and if you want to chop it 10 years from now then whack the piss out of it but one of the biggest things about doing a traditional is developing an appreciation for both what Henry has given you and what people before you have done. I know without any doubt that some basic oldschool suspension mods, dropped axle, fenderless, leave the hood and exposed exhaust running down the side will make for just a devistating hot rod if you concentrate on the clean lines and simplicity. Work with what Henry gave you and get all those preconceptions out of your head. Whenever i fall into that 'i gotta have this and i gotta have that' mentality i pause and think of Doane Spenser working on his roadster, he'd probably step back and scratch his head and go back to work with what he had to work with. Look what he made from damn near nothing and some basic tools. Just sayin.

 

Wouldn't we be appreciating what henry gave us by keeping it the way it is for awhile and enjoying it? We are not going to channel the car. That's of no interest to us. Our basic plan that we have right now is to keep it simple. Its going to get a chop job and minor little touches here and there. We dont want a car that looks like everyone else's.To be honest; I'm getting sick of seeing Model A's that all look the same. Besides for the nailhead; the plan right now is to have the pre-war eralook on the outside. probably going to stick with the stock frame and spoked wheels and we like the way they look sitting up high, not all bent, raked out, and lowered like every other car is. There will be no 6 inch or 5 inch chop on this car. it will be no more than 4 inches

 

^^ My car's ego is hurt . Why oh why did I copy everybody else!!

 

The only time I've ever heard of a sectioned Model A is when a guy told me they had to section his Model A coupe because the bottom 8 inches was rotted off of it. Sure enough when he showed a picture the entire bottom of the car had been cut off. The rear panel under the deck lid was only and inch or so high, etc, etc. OUCH!

I have to say that in all other respects the car was quite nice but the deformed body just killed it for me.