Old school, low buck hot rod...your ideas.

[Donzie]

Suppose you have a bone stock Model A, all there but the motor's siezed. You want to build a '40s style hot rod but you're limited on funds. What would you keep, modify and replace?
If you can, give approx. cost for parts and labor.
This could be very useful to a lot of people starting out.

[hatch]

Does your dad know you're gonna do this to his car??? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Tim]

im no help on an A-bone but im 3 pages into how to build a sled on a welfare budget-- look for it maybe tomorow night

tim

[delaware george]

the more i get into this stuff the more money i spend http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[johndanger]

look for a 49-53 Ford pick up truck there is so much good shit in those that can be used , steering , brakes , motor and trans , shocks and mounts , wheels , all kinds of good shit, and you can find those trucks pretty cheep sometimes. Put all the good stuff into your A and then part out what you didn't use and use the cash to put into the rod.

[Unkl Ian]

I would toss the engine,it would be too expensive to fix.
If the trans and rear were good,and I enjoyed driving slow,
I'd look for a street rodder selling off a stock motor.Simple bolt in.Done.
Failing that,I'd look for a late model RWD 4 banger 5 speed and rearend;Ranger,S10,Rice Rocket etc.
The latemodel rear should be close to the right size,grab the drive shaft too.
Shouldn't be hard to find a rusted out 4 cyl Shitbox for $200 MAX.
That would get you well on your way.

[DrJ]

Look for a Model B engine, '32-'34 Four banger, and transmission, not real strong but it has sincros that the Model A doesnt have).
Get the rear end too,
Swapmeet Crager overhead conversion. '39 up hdraulic brakes if you're not adventurous.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

This is the exact route I'm taking on my '28 closed cab full-fendered A pickup. I'm assembling the stock truck from pieces because I couldn't even afford a complete truck at about 5-grand for a decent one. I know have about 3 grand in all of it and have just about everything except some small pieces. It's totally stock but I horse traded for a dropped axle, Lincoln brakes, 16 inch steelies and a dual intake manifold. I have two stock engines and hope to make one of them run. If I can't make an A run cheap I will go the late 4cyl./5-speed & rearend route (most likely from a rolled or wrecked S-10). Stock A parts are CHEAP and you still have something cool and worth something when you are done. My next step is to join F.A.S.T.- the organization for hopped-up stock Model A's. Good luck!

[Donzie]

Hatch, the ole man's leavinin' for FL. in a couple of weeks, won't be back 'til spring. Think I've got enough time? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[RileyRacing]

You sell, no, give it to ME and let me hot rod it... Stovebolt style! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Jay

[Smokin Joe]

Finding a 48-51 Ford pickup donor is probably your cheapest bet. Box the frame when you swap in the flatty.

[Fat Hack]

Hmmm...with a Model A sportin' a seized motor, a stack of cash and a 327 engine, deuce shell and pipes laying around...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'd strip the A-bone of everything that wasn't gonna be used in the build and sell it off on e-bay or through the classifieds here. Put the money back towards the project.

Locate a good flattie V8 and three speed box and dump in the A-frame. We're talking about a LOW BUCK 40s era rod here, so keep the mill simple...close to stock with some home-made lake pipes.

Lose the fenders and bumpers, run it sans hood with a cut down deuce shell and some 36 Ford wires on stock Ford axles. Get it down low with frame kick-ups and leave the body pretty much stock....MAYBE channeled the height of the frame.

More work than cash involved there, really...once you have the car and a running flattie.

Just do it ALL period correct...generator and six volt...cloth covered wiring...the whole shootin' match...and it will fucking RULE!!!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Rocknrod]

Find a rod stuck in a barn that hasnt run since the 60's... then rebuild what doesnt still work.

Key is finding one... and finding one cheap http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[fab32]

Donzie, Donzie, Donzie! I had no idea when I trailered that car home for your dad it would fall victim to a wayward, leather jacked hoodlum taking advantage of a nice old man who never hurt or bothered anyone. If you need any help tearing that bitch apart give me a holler.

Frank

[AHotRod]

Build it like this .....and have fun!

[Donzie]

[ QUOTE ]
Donzie, Donzie, Donzie! I had no idea when I trailered that car home for your dad it would fall victim to a wayward, leather jacked hoodlum taking advantage of a nice old man who never hurt or bothered anyone. If you need any help tearing that bitch apart give me a holler.
Frank

[/ QUOTE ]
Frank, spoken like a true hoodlum!

[Bigcheese327]

I'm thinking that the stock chassis really has nothing you want on it. I'd buy another frame and build it traditional-style as per the Tardel/Bishop book and simply swap your sheetmetal over. Stick the original chassis in the barn and build a speedster when you get the urge.

[Donzie]

Big C, that was my thought also. I wasn't sure that any of the original drive train was useable. I could sell the whole rolling chassis and pick up another A frame for a couple hundred bucks. I have a line on a rebuilt flatmotor, tranny, front suspension and rearend out of a '34. I know they are not that desirable (not much available for hop up parts) but I'm not really looking for speed as much as cool looking. The only other thing would be juice brakes. I don't know how difficukt it would be to come up with all the parts from a '39 or ?
I want to keep the fenders (one of the reasons I'm even contemplating this), '35 wires and low in the front.

[Bigcheese327]

This is the kind of build I've been plotting for oh-so-long. You're right on. That trans and rear are no use to you, they're marginal even behind the 'banger and lots of A guys with hopped up engines swap them out for V8 pieces. I don't think you'll really care for the trans from a '34 as it's completely non-synchro ("crash box") but it would be a truly vintage driving experience. The babbit pounder V8 will look cool but make sure it's a runner when you get it because it's not worth rebuilding unless you're restoring a '34. The rear would be desireable, however.

[Michigan Rick]

Donzie..........I've got a 55 F100 if you take the parts off you can have the column with steering box and front brakes.That is what hrdrummer has in his 32. The V8 motor and tranny are there but probably junk but you can have them. The rear end and rest of truck I want. A bunch of guys bought columns from my classified recently and same with front brakes for their projects.

[Rocky]

I faced the same problem when Idragged my 33 ford pickup home. I bought a cast-off 41 ford pickup chassis when the previous owner went for a complete Chassis Engineering chassis. I bought a running chassis for $200 cash. Hell, I even cut the frame leg out, complete with pedals and master cylinder to reuse in the 33 frame. I got more for the unused parts than I paid for the chassis and still came up with many parts like engine, spindles and backing plates, steering linkage, wheel and master cylinders and a vertible myriad of nuts and bolts. I even kept the 6 volt fuel pump.

[Donzie]

[ QUOTE ]
Donzie..........I've got a 55 F100 if you take the parts off you can have the column with steering box and front brakes.That is what hrdrummer has in his 32. The V8 motor and tranny are there but probably junk but you can have them. The rear end and rest of truck I want. A bunch of guys bought columns from my classified recently and same with front brakes for their projects.

[/ QUOTE ]
Rick, hang on to that stuff, I may need it sooner than I thought. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[Crease]

Tryin to talk HOTRODHUDSON into this right now.

Get another used 4 banger. ($500 guess)
add a drop axle ($200)
juice brakes (hard to get the linkage to work with a drop axle)($100 chainers throw the crap away)
16" rims with white walls (wheels $100 tires $400)
remove the hood

Grand Total $1300

As you get more money you can add some speed equipment.

[Donzie]

Crease. You and I are on the same page. I had thought this might be a cheap way just to get it on the road. I could be pickin' up the parts and pieces I would need to take it to the next level. I have 2 '35 Ford wire wheels, just need a couple more. Although, I think I'll go blackwalls this time.

[kustombuilder]

well it would'nt be completely 40s style but i have an 89 S-10 that runs good. 4cyl./auto. get the brakes and steering from Rick, then drop this motor and trans in (you could pick up a stick trans cheap if you really wanted one). i also have a Ford 8 inch out of a 65 Mustang (good width for an 'A'). you can have the motor and trans from the S-10 and the Mustang rear for $275. you can even here it run before we yank it. delivery also available (you know my price on that).

now on this motor (i originaly got this truck to put the motor and trans in a roadster and do these things to) i would build a cool header (either under the car and out the back or out the side "lakes" style) and then build a simple tubular intake to mount a couple small carbs on (motor cycle or single barrels off some old junker). sidedrafters would even be cool on it. it has a throttle body on it now but will work fine with the carbs. the only other think that it MIGHT need is to get a dizzy from an older S-10 4banger when they had carbs and no electronics at all. that would completely eliminate what little electronics it has now. then throw and old generator on there with some home made brackets and if you want to get real fancy i had planned to take the original valve cover, smear some modeling clay on it and make it look like a finned valve cover. then take it to Denny's casting guy and have him cast up a one off finned valve cover out of aluminum http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. have Frank mill the gasket surface for you, drill a hole for an oil fill/breather and your good to go OLD SKOOL style with a motor that is cheap and easy to get parts for and all the comforts of a modern automatic trans. i'll tell you what. for YOU i would even take a weekend and build the intake and even the header for nothin if you buy the stuff to do it. just cause i'm such a nice guy and i REALLY want to do this stuff to this motor. like i said, the whole reason i got the truck was to do this stuff to this motor for an old time look with a reliable motor that would be easy to make look like an old style motor. oh yeah. i had an idea to make the valve cover bolt on with a couple center bolts rather than the perimeter bolts too, another trick to make it look "old". damn you Donzie, now you got me jonesin to do that motor again. it would be seriously cool man http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif and i'll do what i can for nothin since your doing this as a surprise for yer ole man and you letting me molest your Chevy http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[kustombuilder]

PLUS, i REALLY need the money for Christmas presents http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[studeboy]

Kustombuilder has a good idea. If you ever broke down its alot easier to find a water pump for the 2.5L than the flattie. Remember what happened to Hellfish at the Rumble. A couple hours of chasing parts come up with a weeks wait to get the right one. But don't get me wrong the concepts mentioned before Mike's were very good also. With the parts Rick has and Mike's motor this could be a very fun and reliable rod for your Dad. Eric

================================================== =========

49 Studebaker P/U

[fuel pump]

Donnie,
Is the tub soon to be gone? If so you better get somethin on the road for this summer.
BTW are go goin to HRLC's with us on Sat??

[kustombuilder]

he can drive his bare metal 50 Chevy this summer http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif ya know, if i get around to working on it this winter at all http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Donzie]

Guess I'd better stock up on WD40.