Hey everybody, new guy checking in. Name's Matt from very rural area in North Carolina. I grew up around old cars/trucks/tractors and have loved all of it since a very young age. I'm 22 and currenly have an '02 F250 Super Duty 7.3 (toy hauler), '89 Ford F150 I bought from the original owner (daily), '49 Ford Custom Sedan I got from the second owner (more info below), a '49 BF Avery Model A (left to me by my great granddaddy) and a Model A frame I Just picked up to FINALLY start my build. I'll always be playing! While farming through high school to save up for further education (and projects of the time) I noticed a shoebox sedan under a tree behind a chicken house one day while hauling litter. I spoke to the owner (who is my great uncle's brother in law) and found out it was a V8 (8ba) car with overdrive trans. I HAD to have it, just for the engine if nothing else! I brought the car home in 2008, the year I graduated and went off to school. When I finally got back home and pulled the old car out, I noticed that the body is rotted horribly. I was always into hot rods, but I needed the right frame for it. (Fenderless, straight front axle...) A couple weeks ago, I scored a Model A frame in VERY great shape. No cracks, no bends, no major rust, very straight rails. Very excited that I now have a good platform. So I've got my frame and I've got the V8 I wanted, only two bad things. 1. I haven't got the 8 to turn yet (sitting since 81, running when parked) even though I've had Marvel Mystery Oil in it since January. 2. It's a column shift and the overdrive doesn't work. I wanted top loader. Solution? Scored a '49 226 and toploader out of an F1 for $150. Engine turns by hand and judging by the looks of the oil and the pressure plate looking through the inspection cover, this engine was maintained up until fairly recently. I didn't think about it while I was at the guy's house, but I SHOULD have also picked up the cross member and pedal assembly to whittle down for my A frame. (He is doing 302/T5 swap.) So what am I building? We'll see when it's built. I've never been the type to plan things, but for now I want to clean up the frame, get a good rear end, and throw the 226 in for the time being. Would the rearend from my '49 Shoebox be a good candidate? I DO know that I want to use as close to 100% '50s and older Ford parts as I can. I have been given a '59 International R190 cab for free, which I plan on using as a guinea pig for a chop. (Never done it; really looking forward to trying it.) That's all I got so far, we'll see where it goes from there! If anybody has/knows anybody that has/or has pictures of a 226 in a Model A frame, PLEASE share any pics/info you have! I have not ben able to find any pics or anybody that has that setup (Maybe for a good reason I haven't thought about yet..?) Anyways...some pics! The car when I brought it home...I LOVE the look of these cars when slammed on nice whitewalls, but this car is just too rough for it. The front clip is gone. Only good glass is the rear window, and this car came with a rear wiper. Lots of good trim. Trunk lid is good. Keeping the engine, rearend, wheels, and steering wheel. If anybody sees anything else they can use, I'd like to sell what I can to fund my build and keep original hardware on the road. And my new platform. Four original wheels with three good tires, all original center caps for sale! For sale! Well that's me and my junk. Glad to finally be a member, this site has answered a lot of questions and provided much inspiration already!
Thanks! I really love radical chops and near-the-ground frames, but I don't have the heart to cut such a nice A frame (yet), so we'll see what happens. I have access to a late forties Ford truck cab but it's in the woods pretty deep so I'm going with the R190 cab to see if my chop is a success then go grab that Ford cab another day.
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