Projects Turning a pile of parts into a woodie.

So... I've been collecting parts to build a hot rod for a few years now. Recently I had to move out of the garage I was renting and had to bring home the model A I had stashed away. Now that I've been staring at it for a month or so and lurking in the shadows of the H.A.M.B., I have full blow hot rod fever and need to start building soon. The only problem is my garage only has one outlet and one lightbulb, so I can't do too much until I get it turned into a somewhat workable space. Anyway... I got this pickup cab years ago at a swap meet, its very rough. It's defiantly seen some days as a hot rod judging by the hacked of roof, chopped windshield, welded doors, and the polished stainless firewall cover it had. Whoever built it was, let's just say "less than a craftsman." But luckily I do a lot of sheet metal repair at work, so I"ll get that taken care of when the time comes.
The frame it sits on now is an awful experiment I tacked together as a young man, trying to get it super low because I'm short and the doors are welded shut. Don't worry, that thing is going in the junk pile as soon I get started on a new frame.
The frame I want to built will be stock model A up front, then box tubing the rest of the way back, with a small Z in front and big one in the rear ( remember, I'm not very tall). I was planning on using the stock wishbones I've already split up front. I have a 50s ford rear under it now, which is mounted to split 40s Lincoln front wishbones and a stock model A spring. For a motor I have a 235 out of a 54 Chevy and a 4sp out of an s10. I will have a million questions as I start building, so I hope you guys like what I'm planning here.



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That's a pretty cool start.

 

lot of modified builds on the hamb. great for the inspiration

 

looks good so far....keep at it !

 

Love it mate! Especially the plan to fit a hot 253 six. Great cartoonish proportions too.
look forward to following the build.

 

cool start! Don't stop

Mario

 

When I get started on a new frame I would like to mount the front spring behind the axle. I've heard some people say it's not a good idea to do that with stock wishbones, but I was planning on putting the mount just a couple inches behind the boss, not hanging the axle way out front. Is this a bad idea or should I just track down some later model bones?



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i went spring over. my wheelbase is right at 103 inches. check out anderson's and some of the other builds on here. here's a link to mine

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/so-i've-been-collecting-parts.670760/

 

......sweet recipe brother. Good rear tire placement, for door weld shut entries/egress. Great choice of parts. As well, frame revision plan is bueno' ! Nail the rendering with lower engine mounting, and I'll dig it all the way. Rather see the road over valve cover, but that's just me.

 

Yeah I got a bit cartoonish with the rendering, I promise it won't be so rat roddish when it comes to life. I'd like to keep it within a late 50 s- early 60s "show and go"kind of style.
And if you wounding why it's purple, when I ground of the yellow paint off that it had, I uncovered to old paint jobs. One metallic green, and what appears to be plug crazy purple. I was thinking I'd do purple as a tip of my hat to the cars past.


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I like the drawing, but maybe pop the body up a few inches. You should run some wicked 6 into 1 header that runs down the body!

Kelvin

 

Purple gets my vote.
A wild header system would indeed look good if done right, Clevername.

 

Why not salvage the front couple of feet off the old frame, and the rear spring crossmember, and build your frame from there? Looks like the front horns and crossmember are still uncut and useable. I don't see why those need to get scrapped, unless they're bent or something.

Looks like this car has potential and I look forward to seeing it come together on a better thought out frame. If the body in your drawing were un-channeled to the point that the top of the cowl lined up with the top of the grille shell, I think it'd look fantastic.

 

Squablow, it's funny you say that. today I took a walk out into the woods to see the model A frame I was going to salvage, and realized its way more rotted than I remembered. So I'm thinking that I should use what I have and just take the wacky Z out of it.

I'm just glad to see you guys on here think it has potential.

 

So the mailman brought me a new perch yesterday, it's supposed to give a 3" drop so that should be cool. I got if off eBay pretty cheap and its made by a guy in Tennessee that builds
tbucket frames.

 

so any updates? starting a 28 modified this year with original A frame, want to see how you overcame the big kickup in the front of your frame...

 

<Looking for an update as well! Starting a 30' Modified and have no idea how to modify the Model A frame to work.... Would also love to see how that glass is secured to the posts.

 

This looks interesting. I like straight 6 hot rods.

 

I don't really have any updates yet, I've been waiting on an old timer to bring me a 1940 front axle set up, but he's taking his time, but once he comes through with that I'll be ready to roll on the new frame.

 

I'll set the glass in and take you a picture. Basically it just slips into what's left of the original frame, then gets a strip of wood with the rear view mirror on it to cap it off. Not the greatest idea, but I want to leave it on there just in case some day a guy might see it and remember the car from back it its day. That windshield is the only really unique thing about it.

 

Lad, to answer your question I threw the windshield in for you.

 

Thanks, man. I feel special now. I got mine put on the frame this week. I have a long way to go. I wish I knew how to upload photos on the mobile app.

 

On the frame...

 

I have firewall envy. Looking good, I hope to get started on the new frame for mine soon

 

The firewall has come a long way. There are about 15 holes that have been patched. Here is my back side.

 

That thing is coming along nicely

 

I like how you built up the rear body line instead of cutting down the height of the doors, that helps keep the cowl height in relation to the sides of the body and it'll allow the driver to sit inside deeper. Good work.

 

Thanks. It was a beast to create those body lines with only electric sheers and a vice. I'll have a bit more body to climb over, but sitting further down will be worth it.

 

I reallllllyyyy like it....very cool!

 

Updates sir......