Technical What prewar car should I start with?

I've built a few cars, but they've all been '60s or later, and I've been thinking of doing a prewar. What would be a good choice for an easy car to start with?

To put it another way: what prewar cars have a strong community around them for help and well-supplied NOS and aftermarket parts availability? For example, if someone wanted to start on a '60s car, I'd recommend something like a Mustang or second-generation Corvair.

Thanks in advance.

 

Model "A" Ford

 

There are many other considerations, too. What do you think looks good? What do you plan to do with it? How much money do you have?

 

I'd agree on the Model A also, close to 5 million built and alot of parts out there both original and repro.

 

Discount looks for the moment. Just to drive around town and learn on. Say less than $10K to purchase.

 

You want to spend $10 grand and you don't care what it looks like?

 

How tall are you and how much to do weigh. I think that size does matter when it comes to a prewar car.

Your best option is a Ford as far as parts availability is concerned. They used to call bucket Ts entry level hot rods but they were designed for men my grandpa's size (about 5'3") and even 27Ts are not made with big men in mind. Model As work well for average sized men and if you lean toward bigger then a deuce or a model 40 is where you might want to go. May even think of a boat fender car like a '37 up.

No one can choose a car for you but this maybe will give you an idea.

 

i'm 6'4" and a model a doesn't fit too bad. they're cheap and there are tons of parts for them.

 

With that budget for a starter car, you can do A LOT.
26 - 31 Fords easy.
41-48 Fords for full fendered easy too, particularly a Tudor.

Take a look on your local CL. I'm on there right now and there's a bunch of interesting stuff. I'd suggest looking there. I see a couple nice non-ford trucks there as well. I'll PM you some finds, but I suggest searching the term "rat rod" on there only because in that context it's often a catchall for prewar project cars that need work, as well as "hot rod" "model t" "model a" "31 ford" etc. Certainly avoid the cars that need too much un-doing of janky work to make into a good hot rod no matter what you get.

Do you want to start with a near complete car or piece one together? There's a few bodies and basket cases out there I'm seeing.

 

I liked the Buick you found in the woods. Think it would look fine in my front yard.
Really though, an A, or a '46~'48 ford would be a good place to start in my opinion.
-Dave

 

All right, so Model A and what else? Any GM or Mopar cars have similar parts availability and support?

I'd only be driving this in the summer, so maybe a convertible. I can handle a basket case.

 

37-39 chevys are pretty nice cars, too. A step up from the A in terms of comfort.

 

Mid '30s up chevies seem to have good support, but they got a lot of wood in them.

If I had to tell someone who's skill level I was not aware of I would say to stay ford. They are plentiful and easy to find build info on.

 

Maybe getting a clearer idea of what you want first would help. Do you want something big bodied and fat fendered, essentially similar to what you're used to, or do you want something small, fenderless, and essentially naked?

 

Thanks, patmanta. I only undo janky work at an hourly rate not on personal time.

Basket cases are fine as long as it's not too much of a cancer case.

Of those two choices? Big bodied and fat fendered.

 

Any Buicks or Pontiacs? How about Cadillacs?

 

Most of the metal I saw out there looked MINTY by my Northeast standards. Saw some nice Model A stuff for sure, and reasonable.

 

...my 38 Chevy coupe in the classifieds.

 

they had wood thru 1936, then it went away...starting with the 37 model, they have all metal bodies.

and chevy parts are much easier to find than parts for other GM prewar makes.

 

lots of Ford parts being made because lots of demand. Price of Fords are a bunch higher than, say a similar Dodge or Plymouth. a Plym is cheaper to buy, but harder to find the parts, probably evens out in the long run. Fords are easy to find a buyer for than other models, something to keep in mind.

 

If you find a nice 20's or early 30's notaford body, there's nothing stopping you from putting Ford suspension and a flathead in it.

That's my plan for my 1917 Dodge Brothers.

 

Time's money, too. Cheaper when you don't have to hunt for parts, you just make a phone call and UPS drops it at your door a week later. Maybe you paid less for something ... after looking for it for a month or three.

Is it hard to find a good Ford flathead V8?

 

Sounds like toe you should get a general to good idea what you want and buy a runner if you want to ride really soon.

You're going to have a lot of information to soak up and digest before you get into a ground up flathead powered build.

If you haven't already, poke around for builds here on the HAMB and see what strikes your passion. you can make it what you want. A hot rod can be anything from just a fast and fun car to an autobiographical work of art, it's all what you want to make of it.

 

Yup, time is money. I have lots of time, and don't want to spend any money, so I spend time scrounging, and figuring out how to do what I need without picking up the phone, as often as I can avoid it.

Either way works.

 

Depends on what's for sale when you're looking really. I took a peek in your local CL and came up with a couple candidates. They're a bit more expensive than they are on my coast but they do have paint on them. Unless it's coming out a good running vehicle, it's tough to tell if it's "good" and even then, there could be cracks. This isn't necessarily the end of the world and neither is a stuck engine. It just depends how much you're prepared to do. If you can find one that turns, looks like it was left buttoned up, and has no obvious flaws, it's worth a gamble as long as you think it's affordable IMO.

 

I would look for somebodies project that has stalled. Running and driving, maybe needing interior and/or paint. Lots easier to stay motivated on a car you can drive while you work on it than have to look at a million pieces of a car scattered in the shop....

 

It's hot rodding, everything is possible, no way you go is wrong(as long as you go pre-65, and can nail it down to an era).

Go for a good solid car, buy plenty of parts, have plenty of room/cash/time, and you can't go wrong!!
The old saying still goes; If it doesn't fit, back to the pick'n'pull/junkyard/parts stash/craigslist/drawing board.
I got a angle grinder, torch and a welder; what do you mean it dosent fit.

And remember KISS-method and BELCOM-technic. Keep It Simple, Stupid. That's good and simple sprit just to good and simple cars!
BEer, LawnChair and old music, by the end of every work session, sit down with a cold one and listen to old music. See what jives, what clashes and what's next.
And don't settle for half ass monkey engineering, you got to drive it around people you care about and you don't wants to be a danger too you self and others.

Post a lot of pics, ask a lot of questions and have air of fun!!

Get to it, lad. [emoji41]

 

Hey Volvodude, my truck ^^ (is Brynk a name?)! You the man!

Anyway, in terms of simplicity Model A takes frame, brake and suspension work for V8 that you might get away with on a later car.

 

Ah, shoot. I've been looking at prewar cars and the one I like the best so far is the '36-'37 Lincoln Zephyr. Of course one of the most expensive ones.

Are they all V12? How's that to work on?

 

It's my middle name, Rasmus Brynk Andersen.
And yes it's your truck, and I like it a lot a think it's the Essent of hot rod thinking applied! A try hot rod, maybe even a Odd rod!! It deserves to be here, but if you want I remove it!!