Hot Rods When You Can't Decide....

You've got a Red Ram engine, a solid, unmolested Model A and you're asking US what to do?

 

Why do most of us build a car? Yes we may enjoy the building process, but when its finally done we all must ultimately take it out and let it go play in the traffic. If its gonna be a parade car, a show car or only to local rod runs, you don't need much power or overdrive.
If however you plan to actually go further in your drives and maybe use it for daily driving......torque and gearing are your best friends. While I have seen some flatheads that look really nice, for driving I would build for torque and use an overdrive. Nothing has more aesthetic appeal than those big ole Hemi valve covers poking out between the frame rails. You could leave the engine detailing "as is" or spiff it up some.
I can only say that when you do get on an expressway, its better to have an engine that scoots along with the traffic...so people are honking their horns and waving rather than honking their horns and giving you the finger...and you are relegated to driving in the slow lane. Build a car you can enjoy driving.............

 

You have listed some of the parts you have on hand and some of your vision for the build but haven't mentioned your "ace in the hole" which is your fabrication skills. Put them to good use.
That car is just begging for a mild chop and a channel the depth of the stock frame ( re-enforced and boxed of course ). The suspension and drive train will fall into place without too much brain strain.
It is one of the most eye appealing models to modify, in my opinion. Since reading this thread, I have it built in my mind already. Can't wait to see your progress. Good luck!

 

K.I.S.S. then drive and enjoy it!

 

Go with what you have, other than that I would grab the drivetrain from a Japanese mini truck and drive the wheels off of it (with the hood on).

 

You seem to be more interested in the build than the drive. You also have 2 others.
That means either you are building a collection or you will finish and move on.
For the collection, build what you want. To sell, build something popular.
As others have said, unless you are doing a full modified build, just get it back to good or better condition, there is plenty of work there to do.
If you are going with a full on engine setback, fabbed firewall, swapped suspension, and modern comforts, it will require a full build plan, but the stuff you have mentioned isn't in this category.
You've built before, so you know the start is a good grasp of what the direction is and then starting with the frame, straight, square and any mods done.

My 2 cents is stay away from an Iron Duke. I didn't like them back then, there are a ton of other 4 cylinders out there which are also not HAMB worthy that are more reliable, powerful, popular and just as compact. I'd lean the same way on V6 engines. It seemed to be a easy fit and for MPG, but the SBC has been proven to fit and can be built for MPG. The thing here is what era are you shooting for? The HAMB is focused but still covers '20s to mid-60's. That's 40 years. Your engine choices (banger to duke) are much wider. There have been too many rides built with styles from the 30s to modern day, and they aren't nearly as well liked.
This place and the web have a thousand pictures of Model A sedans. Go ahead and collect a bunch of pictures of them, then go through the pictures and note the things you don't like, whether it's color or stance, wheel/tire combos and accessories. Look through the remaining pictures and focus in on what they share and what makes you go, Yeah!

That's how you decide.

 

Every A fendered sedan I look at!lol

 

I like when my cars complement each other.
I would made the choise that make the car different to the others.
But i really like Red ram hemis.

 

When I'm unsure of the direction I want to take on a build I simply move forward slowly, not changing anything drastically until the build takes me where it wants to go. I just do work I know I want, vs. everything it may need.
I've rarely had to redo anything going this way, and usually by the time I've done things like rust repairs to the body, I've come up with a plan for the rest of the car build.