Hot Rods AUCTION ROADSTER/How to put 32 firewall in 30/31

I went to the Bill Pinkley auction this weekend in southwest MO and among all the first gen camaros being auctioned off, I managed to find and buy a 31 ford roadster and a 30/31 coupe body, a 31 pickup cab, an extra coupe cowl, a frame and 32 axle, and a nice 32 shell. The auctioneers had the model A roadster listed as a 1932 Chevy hot rod. They had lots of other things misidentified. That auction company (Vanderbrink) isn't too swift.

 

Neat roadster!

 

It was apparently built with a 57 chevy doner car with a 283/4 bbl and cast iron powerglide. The car was last driven in 1967 and has spent it's life since locked up in a shed.

 

They seem to have quite a few auctions of good old tin and HAMB friendly collections. But you're right in they're not the best as far as auction companies go.

 

"Nice survivor hot rod" he said, with some trepidation in his voice....

 

They auctioned off a 6x2 weiand manifold with a full set of early ford carbs for a nailhead buick and the gal calling the auction kept saying, I don't know what it is but I know its for a six cylinder. It was on the ground behind a trailer so most people couldn't see what she was talking about. Fortunately for the sellers, it was part of an online auction too and somebody bid it up to a fair price.

 

Congrats

 

That little roadster has some interesting potential that will mostly take elbow grease and maybe a bit of engine accessory paint. The grill shell has to go in favor of a Ford grill shell though.

 

mo rust---- ya done good nice score

 

I definitely agree that it needs a ford grill. I plan to get it running and play with it but it really needs a new chassis. The one under it is made from 4" pipe. I will either channel it over a modified "A" frame or put it on top of a 32.

 

I think I'll put this flathead in the roadster with an old 32 frame in the front and build a fresh tubing frame to channel the body over. I'll have that 32 heavy axle dropped and run it in front with some old chrome split wishbones I have in the rafters. I'll add a 32 firewall too and paint it black. All the blue paint stays as is.

 

that's some nice looking treasure , good scores

 

Very Nice Score.

I know what you're doin' this Winter.

VR&C.

 

way to be on top of things......and good luck on the roadster

 

We got the roadster running. The numbers came back to a 57 chevy 283 4 bbl with an iron powerglide. With a set of wires and cleaning the plugs, it fired and ran and pulled itself. This would be a good motor and trans for someone restoring a stock 57 chevy wanting correct numbers and a motor fresh out of a 50 year indoor time capsule. If it's not particularly valuable to anyone else, I'll add it to my collection and scrap the ironglide. Either way, this roadster is going to have a flathead.

 

Very cool!

 

Congrats, Jack!

 

You might try trifive.com to advertise the motor and trans.

 

Good idea. Thanks

 

Thanks! Stop by and check it out somtime.

 

After day three of building a deuce frame for the 31 roadster project, we are making some progress. We found a 41 Ford frame next door to use the X member out of. Soon we'll be fitting the flathead in place and pulling the body for a test fit of everything.

 

Looking Good!

 

Isn't the Model A firewall opening smaller than the 32? Are you going to trim the outer edge of the 32 firewall or move it backwards until it fits inside the Model A cowl?

 

I've done this a couple of times in the past and the 32 firewall fits pretty well in the very same location, other than having to shorten the bottoms of the 32 firewall feet a couple of inches.

 

one more gone...

 

Nice score Mo. Please post some pictures of how you get the firewall fitted to the body. Inquiring minds want to know....

 

one more saved

 

I'll post pictures when we get to the point of putting the 32 firewall in. This body has a nice front cowl edge so we plan to keep it unlike the last couple that we did. I have a 32 firewall that the outer bank is missing so we plan to fit it to the model A lip. We haven't done it that way before so there's no telling what we'll run into.