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'31 Model A pickup---Daily Driver?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Nailhead dodge roadster, Jun 24, 2011.

  1. Ok, so I am still planning on cutting back on my time in the garage, but i have the oportunity to sell my OT Challenger daily driver for the bank pay off. There has been a 1931 model A pickup for sale near me for a while that is advertised as a running/driving truck, for a fair price.
    I am wondering, and have looked at past posts, how an old A pickup would work out as a daily driver. The last thread I read about this was back in '09, so maybe some new people have some different oppinions.
    Also, what would you recommend for upgrades to increase speed and power. I would want to keep it mostly stock with the banger, but not opposed to a high comp head, down draft carb and 12v with modern distributor. I am not looking for much, just to be able to pace with traffic on the highway.
    Let the ideas flow, this is just a thought for now. I haven't made up my mind yet.
     

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  2. 1931av8
    Joined: Jun 2, 2008
    Posts: 389

    1931av8
    Member

    Number one: juice brakes. With all the idiots on the road these days, mechanical brakes are not the best choice.

    Personally, I would not want a Model A as a daily. My '37 Buick is much more acceptable as a comfortable driver. Just a few years difference, but major strides in drivability.
     
  3. MEMPHIS RAT
    Joined: Feb 14, 2009
    Posts: 289

    MEMPHIS RAT
    BANNED

    yes it is very possible, i woulda already trade'd for it!
     
  4. ha....i do have a full set of juice brakes saved in a box some where. I'll throw a little history, I drove nothing newer then a '63 dodge 3/4 ton pickup for 14 years. Stone stock with single chamber master and drum brakes, no power steering, 6cyl, 3 speed manual....all the fun stuff that people change out on old cars. I moved onto newer cars when I could afford them after joining the military 10years ago and haven't enjoyed them like I used to like the old stuff, other then being convienient. I know how to manage with the old stuff, I just haven't had anything as old as that pickup that was actually drivable as is.

    Also, any plans on getting the truck revolves around the guy that wants to buy my challenger...hoping he comes through with the cash this weekend. No trades involved unfortunetly.

    Here are the other pictures from his add, going to give him a call in the morning to get a better look at the truck.
     

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  5. how far you gotta drive?
     
  6. Ha...from Arizona to washington.....but only about 15 miles a day after I get back to WA. pretty sure a trailer would be helping with the move north.
     
  7. 4 pedals
    Joined: Oct 8, 2009
    Posts: 958

    4 pedals
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    I'd do it in a heartbeat. Leave as is, or make the modifications of your choice. If as you said you were previously accustomed to driving an older vehicle and you want to do it again, go for it! Yeah, it's going to ride rough. And the heater is going to be lousy if it has one at all. And it's going to be under powered with the banger in it. Even juice brakes aren't great compared to today's cars with pretty standard 4 wheel disk brakes. But the feel of an old car or truck can't be beat. And the smile on your face is priceless.

    Devin
     
  8. Flynn's_57
    Joined: May 10, 2002
    Posts: 948

    Flynn's_57
    Member
    from Nor*Cal

    If you've got the brakes, then go for the 5-speed; then even with the stock 4 you'll still breeze by doing 80+ MPH (and just sippin' gas)
     
  9. I don't know. i just sold an A coupe with all the performance goodies. Overdrive, Syncro Tranny, Down Draft, 6.5 head, sealed main bearings, 12 volt, etc. My coupe was tuned and ran as well as any. That being said, keeping with modern traffic on a consistent basis would be quite a task even for a car like mine that had all the necessary mods. As far as mechanical vs. juice brakes, anyone that says juice is a must for four banger don't know shit. Those folks should pull out the Model A manual and learn before giving advice.
     
  10. Stretching the truth....
     
  11. I have the juice brake setup....but I have also seen properly adjusted mechanicals lock up all 4 wheels with no trouble at all. I don't know what this truck as on it already...since it does have a dropped axle in the front and a lowering spring of some type in the rear. it may already be converted to a hydo brake setup.
     
  12. In that case, it probably is converted. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm saying it will require more attention and maintenance than expected.
     
  13. Got it, this is the kind of info im looking for......always like to hear from the people with the real world experiance.

    Everyone else please feel free to chime in to, still looking for possible upgrade suggestion. I want to have have a lot to think on before any deal goes on.
     
  14. modelaman
    Joined: Nov 26, 2007
    Posts: 114

    modelaman
    Member
    from sunland ca

    I have driven my 1931 model A coupe 16 thousand miles in the last 3 years. I dont use it as a daily driver as my insurance doesn't cover it as an everyday driver. most are club tours and driving to swap meets. I rarely go on the freeway and most Model A's going faster than 45mph will sound like it is going to come apart. on hot days the heat from the fire wall makes it even hotter in the cab. Mech brakes work great if set up correctly. you can lock up the brakes and make the tires skid. but remember you only have a small foot print of tire on the road. I have 20 thousand miles on the motor and the center main is starting to let go (the babbit is cracking) and need a rebuild. it can cost up to $4,000.00 for a rebuild and is getting harder to find a good rebuilder. I love driving my coupe and when the motor bites the dust I am thinking of droping in a 4 or 6 cylinder motor with a modern chassis like TCI ect. it looks like a nice truck. it appears to be an early 31 as it doesn't have a indented firewall. trucks came with a black grill shell but many change to the ss grill shell like on this truck. check the lower back of cab and front lower cowl as that is where they like to rust. remember you will need to double clutch when up shifting gears and will need to learn to double clutch and rev the motor when down shifting. if you end up with it have lots of fun. also check to see if there is a model A club near by as they can be a big help.
     
  15. voodoo1
    Joined: Jun 27, 2007
    Posts: 452

    voodoo1
    Member

    I would trailer that thing back to Washington for sure. Have you sat in a '31 to see how you feel about it being full time ride? Where in Washington are you headed? Mike
     
  16. I haven't sat in an A pick-up yet, but I lost out on buying a '28 coupe last year so I have atleast driven something that small. Im only 5'7"....so the lack of leg room doesn't bother me a whole lot.

    I do know how to double clutch, no worries there. My '63 had an early SM420 gear box in it with non-sincro'd granny to 1st and 1st-2nd gear shifting.
     
  17. jvo
    Joined: Nov 11, 2008
    Posts: 267

    jvo
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You'll have a grin on your face most of the time. Most people will tell you to do it. But..... take a look at the seat back in it. Take a look at the seat back in most of those early trucks. They are about 2 inches thick and straight up and down because the cabs are so short front to back.
    That is why I stretched mine 4 inches in the middle of the doors. And it is still barely adequate in the comfort department. I am 5' 10" tall, and I feel slightly cramped for space. I wouldn't want to drive mine to a run 8 hours away. Part of that is because I reversed the firewall, and by doing so, the toe board ended up being several inches further back than I realized. I didn't think about that at the time. The foot room is approximately the same as a stock truck even though the cab has been extended 4 inches. The seat I have in it is from a Dodge Dakota pickup that has been narrowed about 5 inches.
    The best pic I have of the inside of the cab is of my son and his fiance. It sorta shows how much room there is.

    For a 15 minute drive, it may be okay. Depends on how comfortable you want to be. Just about any other rod has more room inside. Those trucks are small.
     

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  18. Thanks for the info guys.....keep it all coming.
     
  19. Bump back up for those of you that weren't up all night.....opinions please. Hopefully going to check the truck out in a couple hours, waiting for a call back from the seller.
     
  20. Rex_A_Lott
    Joined: Feb 5, 2007
    Posts: 1,148

    Rex_A_Lott
    Member

    The little stuff you take for granted....
    Better have some sort of backup. When (not if) you have a problem, you cant run down to Advance or NAPA and get a spare.
    Count on a little warmup time in the a.m.
    Defroster/Defogger not so good. Get some better wipers, ditch the vacuum.
    Get some spare tubes
    She'll be a little drafty
    Its a little tougher to drink coffee and drive, you'll notice the bumps in the road a little more
    Get used to inconsiderates riding your bumper...buy you a sign that says
    " If you're in that DAMN big of a hurry, you should've left sooner"
    If you leave late yourself, you cant drive like a madman and make it all up.
    Try to remember to wipe that smile off your face, cause you have slowed down to enjoy the drive in.
    Good Luck
     
  21. At 80+ MPH you are really flying. I mean that literally. The front fenders act like airplane wings and lift the front end. The good part is that it will feel like power steering. The bad part is that a slight wind gust from a semi passing or the road intersecting a canyon and you will find yourself in the next lane. I like to keep my relatively stock '31 RDPU at 55 if I am driving any length of time. It will do faster if traffic demands it but it seems that I am fighting the car when driving over 55 MPH. As far as sipping gas the obsolete design of the flathead engine (4 cyl, not V8) combined with the lack of aerodynamics should put you at 10 MPG when going 80+ MPH.

    Charlie Stephens
     
  22. Good deal, all good points.
    I did give the seller a call today, still waiting to hear back from him.
    As far as having a backup car goes....that has never been a problem, and once i get back to WA, I will have access to my old '63 dodge again. It is showing its age and has been sitting since 2005, so i know it will need a good bit of work to get back on the road again. Between the dodge and possible this model A and mt harley(on nice days) I would have a dependable rig 99% of the time.

    This is my '63 in about '96. Was a very nice truck...untill my little brother drove it for 2 years while i was at college. Needs a windshiled, re-ring and bearing on the old slant-6, seat recovered, some rust in the bed side and rockers and the original rear axle rebuilt. its still running and drivable, but has been under a tarp since 2005, and not driven by me since 2002.
     

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  23. Ok, not that anyone cares to much... but i am one or two steps closer to buying my 1st Model A pick-up....and this one runs well and would probably be ready to hit the road after a little cleaning up.

    My OT Cutlass has been sold, with the new owner picking it up tomorrow or thursday, With that money my OT Challenger will be paid off and sold (already have the buyer lined up, just had to come up with the difference for the bank....damned negative equity).
    With both of those gone, I will only have my Harley to get me around while im still in AZ, so the "A" is looking like it'll be coming home with me by the weekend. I did get over to see it today, and as it turns out it is owner is Dean of "Hot rods by Dean" here in PHX AZ. After talking with him for a while, he is a real honest guy, and looking at the truck real close and hearing it run, i left NOT feeling like i was being pushed into a POS, or that I was just another body to make money off of. Also, after walking through his shop, I would highly recommend any one looking to have a car built to look into him, the place was filled with very nice cars and fab work going on, and very clean and organized.

    So back to the Model A. It did have the usual lower cowl rust starting, but that is minor. It does have a new top and top wood installed, the doors shut like new, the swing out windshield worked just as advertised. All the interior upholstery was good black vinyl and there was no rust starting below the seat into the floor or back of the cab. The paint is old and scratched a little, but that just adds character...I don't want a restored truck, i want a driver that looks like it just came out of a barn and cleaned up a little, and this truck is that exactly.
    On a side note, this very truck was used by "hotrods by dean" for a street rod tech article on lowering an "A" and keeping the mechanical brakes.
     
  24. junk yard kid
    Joined: Nov 11, 2007
    Posts: 2,718

    junk yard kid
    Member

    Wow herd it was over a hundred in AZ this morning. Black vinyl? sounds sticky. Good luck with the truck.
     
  25. Ha, yeah it was 114 yesterday. Im only here for another 2 months, so I can throw a blanket over the seat. Atleast the truck will keep me out of the sun, the bike on the other hand throws heat at me from the ground, the engine and leaves me out in the sun...and once you get moving its like having a blast furness blowing in your face.
     
  26. junk yard kid
    Joined: Nov 11, 2007
    Posts: 2,718

    junk yard kid
    Member

    Yah i hate my roadster in the summer time here. Its definetly my spring and fall car. But i think i want to take it out tonight.
     
  27. Why not spend a little time and read this blog,,Jonathan Klinger is living with a stock Model A for a year as his only transportation,,,very interesting . HRP

    http://www.365daysofa.com/
     
  28. Unless you are 6'-6" or taller I would do it in a heartbeat. My 36 pickup cab is just right for a 6'-0" guy.:)
     
  29. Thanks HRP, i'll check it out.

    Also, for anyone new reading these posts....the daily driver thing wouldn't be as my only rig, its just an idea. i am being realistic here, it is an old ar that will have issues that can't be solved with a trip to the local parts store.
     
  30. chevyburb
    Joined: Apr 17, 2006
    Posts: 169

    chevyburb
    Member

    You might want to wander over to the Fordbarn Forum for more modification info. When I was building Faye, the guys over there were a wealth of knowledge. I know at least one guy over there has an A pickup daily driver. I read about Volvo overdrives, Pinto motors, etc. Also, there are people there that are of the opinion properly set up mechanical brakes will lock the wheels up.
    Great looking truck!! I wish my '31 ccpu was that cherry!!
     

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