Dad Finally Gave Me His 1928 A Sport Coupe/Roadster

After 30 years of it sitting, dad finally let me have his 1928 Ford A. Here are my thoughts, please chime in with any insight you guys can lend. Planning to get the 4 banger running, pealing off fenders and extra weight so that I can drive it while I gather parts.

Donor - I have a nice 1965 C20 longbed and a nice 1963 2 door Bel Air. My thought is that I would look for a donor vehicle in either a C20 or Bel Air (283 or 327 SBC & PG) knowing that I have a nice stock of spare parts after I use what I want for the '28. While a donor pickup will be a whole lot easier to find (and probably less money), I'm wondering if the Bel Air won't yeild more parts that I can use on the '28.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

Sounds like a start! Looks like a nice car to start with!

 

good idea on the parts cars.

 

Don't cut the top of the doors off!Leave it as a functioning top so you can drive it year round.

 

strohmdl ... Congrats! ... Sports Coupes are neat.

Definitely DON'T hack the top of the doors & the windshield off ... it'll just become a "Pseudo Roadster".

Hi-boy (& low-boy) Model A's are cool ... but I tend to like full-fendered Sports Coupes ... of course, HAMBer Clark Bates' Sports Coupe is the exception:

 

sounds like a good idea with the donor parts. fenderless is my opinion

 

That car looks to be in really good shape...including the fenders. Rarely will a car so old have fenders in such nice shape. I don't blame you for wanting to remove them, 'cause that's what so many do. But...keep them safe from damage. There might come a time when you decide fenders and running-boards aren't such a bad thing, especially after realizing how much mud and dust the front tires will spit at you. Of course, there's always the option of cycle-style fenders...the nicest ones are made from spare tire rings. But consider that there are so many fenderless rods now, retaining them would actually make your car unique. It's a personal choice, though. Just nice to know you have them if you want them. One other thing. I knew a guy that pulled his fenders, and was in such a rush to take a ride without them, that he inadvertently backed over one and ruined it. Don't do that. Put them up and safely out of the way. Congratulations on your "new" car. Have fun. It's really cool that you're getting into rodding at such a young age...you'll make many good memories.

 

I'm glad to see all these sport coupes under construction. Yours looks solid and fairly complete. I took my fenders off too, but I'm gonna put 'em back on. Keep us posted.

Kevin
Ooltewah Speed Shop

 

PLEASE!! Reference Clarks sport coupe while you are doing your build. I don't mean........clone it, I mean take note of how he got it to sit the way it does, how he did the engine and drivetrain transplant, how he achieved the overall proportions. Above all DON'T make a rat rod out of it. With a little effort maybe we can all contribute to the demise of that breed.

Frank

 

hell ya!
do it!

 

Cool car. Ask your Dad his thoughts maybe it can be a father & son build. I like the Idea of the parts cars. Keep us posted and more pics would be nice.....

 

I personally think your dad is slipping a little ,HaHa Good luck on your build .

 

Thanks guys. That is actually my son in the car, it will be a 3 generation project. My dad bought it from a buddy of his where he grew up in LA in '63. His friend was in the process of hot rodding it, and the doors were chopped. My dad found correct doors in '64 so I now have both sets. This is the car that my dad met and courted my mom in while he was stationed in Honolulu, so it has lots of family history. I've gone through every scenario in my head. Keep the banger build it up, do another flathead ford build, chevy power...too many choices. I figure that once I drive it with no permanant changes something will come clear. I figure with both sets of doors, I can go top or topless...fenders or not. I like options. I'll post more pics and updates as I get the car running. Cheers.

 

stock!
for sure keep the banger at least.

 

David;when did you get on here?Keep it stock looking but put a nasty late model overhead cam four banger,five speed in there with later 16" wires with 40's era juice brakes!! JMO,ROY.

 

That's your son!...Oh. Hahahahaha! I wondered about the "after 30 years" thing. I'm slow. Then it's great that your son is gettin' into it early! I can tell he's "gettin' into it" by the smile on his face! Have fun.

 

I say do what will make it your hot rod. I have contemplated some of those options as well. i ALSO HAVE A 28 sport coupe. If you read this site often you'll hear alot of stuff about don't chop this or keep that in the name of tradition. If you want to be enlightened on the vastness of traaditional hot rods take a look at the "period correct 50s rod" thread. Them guys chopped, kicked, z'd everything. I tossed the banger last week for a 50 merc flathead, but I never even considered using it for the power plant. After all these things are supposed to be hot.

 

That is cool... get it running and take Dad for a ride....

 

it's a good way to go.....










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Just bought the new heart to transplant...Miller Head C Banger.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190363753414

 

Listen to me! I just sold my cut down coupe that ran and drove to buy a bone stock coupe that hasn't run in 50 years. You know why, cause my last car would always be a piece of shit cut down coupe. Make good decisions. You have a great start there, don't fuck it up. Put a sport coupe roof on it. It'll never be a roadster. Good luck.

 

What he says - it's just screaming for an all aluminum Alfa DOHC and 5 speed - use the rear end too. The wheelbase is pretty close to spot on for the whole shebang. Get yourself a donor Alfa Spider '72-'86 is best and you'll have a ton of parts. I just measured up to do this on a 1933 Willys which has a 100" wheelbase vs your 103" - It is just about a shoe in and the rear end is 53" wide hub to hub - prefect for an early car. Mi dos pesos amigo....

 

a little inspiration for ya.
i agree, keep it a sport coupe.

 

Okay - ignore my Alfa rant - that'll do nicely with one of Crazydaddyo's T5 adaptations to a banjo rear end. You're showing signs of promise .

 

Picked up a 6 volt Gen 1 battery, got the Mystery Oil in the cylinders, 140 weight for the trans & rear, 30 non detergent for the engine...tomorrow we see if we can make fire in the old banger. She hasn't been cranked in 32 years since we drove up PCH in 1977 from Torrance to Camarillo. I'll have my son video the event and see if I can post it. The Miller Head C Engine makes the trip to Taylor Engines next week to be gone through. Can't wait to fire that up after the rebuild. Now I just have to decide on the right trans, and find some juice brakes.

 

Hearing an engine run that hasn't fired up in ages is one of my favorite parts of this hobby. Good luck,sounds like fun.

 

Worked all day with dad and my son...rebuilt the carb, all fluids, started striping fenders, went to light it up...no spark. Time to start chasing electrical. It was a good day!

 

Good day

 

Did your old man have a vision for the build? it might be kinda cool if you could build it by proxy. unless he was thinking of a "billitt queen"

 

He just made me promise to let him drive it, which was a given.