Projects Jay's Hot Rod: AV8 Pickup Build Thread

I've had this Model A pickup on the back burner for a few years now. Toward the end of last year I decided it was finally time to get started on it. And I thought since this is my first traditional build, I'd put a thread together and try to get a little HAMB advice as I go along...so here we go.

The pickup is a late '31 Model A with the indented firewall and a wide bed. I'm gonna set it up as a highboy on a set of deuce rails. Power will come from an early flathead linked to a '39 trans with all early Ford suspension.... nothing too fancy...a pretty straightforward Hot Rod.

I was getting ready to start on the chassis and I had planned to build a jig to lay the frame out with. But one morning while surfing the HAMB I read a thread about Tuck's shop fire. Then I looked through some of the benefit auctions that were being held to help get him back on his feet. One of those auctions was for a build-to-suit custom frame build by BobBleed and some of the guys at A.S.S.... a few days later I win it.

So now this project is going to get an upgrade. Bob and the guys are going to take the parts I have collected, build a frame, and put together a full rolling chassis for the pickup. Awesome!

And that is where we will start this...A couple of weeks ago we loaded the trailer and made the 11 hour trip to Austin. Got to meet a lot of the guys from the shop. Tuck happened to be down there working at the time so as a bonus we got to meet him too. Very cool bunch of guys.

With any luck, it will be a roller in time for the Roundup in April...(fingers crossed)...That would be a great excuse to come back down for the show. Meanwhile I'm going to get some non-frame related stuff done.

 

I can't wait for more pics!

 

Me either!

 

Very cool project.. The A.S.S. guys will certainly build a nice chassis for ya!



Malcolm

 

Awesome.. its in good hands.. Your gonna have one hell of a chassis congrats..

 

It was great that I got to meet you in person- I wish I was down there right now helping with this- It really bugs me that I cant!!!

Its gonna rule

 

Its a good selection of parts, Going to be fun!

 

cool project

 

thats a pretty cool beginning story , you need a shirt like charley sheene had that says winning in big letters on the front lol

 

I think you have a winner.

 

Awesome! Hope to see your chassis during the roundup. I'm sure it's gonna be bad ass.

 

what a great way to start building your hotrod. and that much better that you were able to meet Tuck while you were there. Your truck is going to look like ASS built it, and that rules.

 

This is gonna be a sweet Tuckin truck!

OK, I suck at this.

Anywho, SUBSCRIBED!

 

Thanks for the comments guys...this thing is going to be cool for sure!

Feels weird not to have the truck in the shop though...

 

Your shop is awesome! Low-key and simple

 

There's still some stuff I need to get down to Austin. Mostly catalog parts...including a set of tires. So I need to get the wheels ready.

I sorted through my stash of wide five rims and picked out the best 4 that I have. They are all 16x4. Tires are going to be Firestone Champions. 4.50-16's up front and 7.50-16's in the rear. Center caps are '39 standard. They have a few little dings and dents but polished up pretty nice. Tomorrow I'm taking the wheels and caps to the blaster. Then I'll shoot a coat of paint on them before having the tires mounted.

 

Great project, thanks for sharing. Looking forward to updates. Subscribed

 

great start,does'nt get much better than that

 

Thanks Man, I appreciate it.

The shop was built in the 30's. When we bought our place this building was about to fall in. Everybody thought I was crazy for not it tearing it down. It had a tree fall on it and the whole roof was trashed...but I restored it anyway A couple of years later a car pulls in the driveway. It was an older guy who had been a teenager on our farm in the 50's. Turns out it had hot rods in it back then too! It's one of my favorite places...

 

First build?
With the crew you got behind you, this is sure to be first class.
I'll stay tuned

 

I'm gonna start tearing into the transmission tonight. The toploader I'm going to use is from is from an open drive F1 pickup. The side shift trans that attached to the flathead is from a '46 passenger car. Plan is to swap the gears and convert the toploader to closed drive. I haven't had either one apart yet so I'm hoping I don't find many surprises inside.

 

Nice start!!! Keep up the good work...

 

that is the best picture... the dogs are enjoying hanging out in the unoccupied truck room. Very cool shop, by the way

 

I started teardown of the trannys. As it turns out the case of the F1 tranny is in good shape and internals had been in great shape but somewhere along the line moisture had gotten into the box and allowed some of the lower gears along the 'water line' to rust and pit. No problem, 'cause I am going to use the internals from the closed drive trans anyway..right? Wrong. The low-reverse gear and the cluster gear are trash in that tranny too. I've got a another closed drive transmission that has a flathead six case. I am assuming they used the same internals as the V8 trannys? Guess I'll tear it apart next to see if the guts in it might be usable.

 

Some interesting reading from Vanpelt's site; The '39 Trans story

 

Here's my late 31 solid top here. nice to see another truck build. here's a pic, it's gonna be late 50's style.

 

Yeah, VanPelt's site is awesome. I've got about half of their website printed off and scattered all over my workbench along with a Ford 'Green Bible' and a couple of Tardel's books....Not to mention the guts from 3 transmissions scattered all over the floor. I've got a regular tranny learning center going on out there right now. I should be an expert in no time.

 

I've been following your build. Your truck is really coming together nice!

 

Thanks man, I'll be following yours as well.

 

sweet project