Projects A/SR Model A Survivor Drag Coupster

Last week I was given a chance to take a gamble when a friend told me of an "old Model A drag car" at an undisclosed location. Information was scant, as the car was almost completely covered in garage debris. All I had to go on was a picture that showed the nose, a roll bar, a peek of a slick, and a price, before I was given a shit-or-get-off-the-pot deal. I shitted.

Well, yesterday my gamble paid off, and this is the payout:



Stay tuned for more...

 

wish i could shit like that

 

EX-LAX ....... ROCKS...
if that's being regular... i'm gonna speak to my doctor...
love the coopsters ...

 

Is that a slick or just a bald ass tire, lol. Nice score!

 

That is for sure a Slick, or what was known as a "Cheater" slick...a recap.

 

Nice


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The car went to Thun Field Rod & Custom for our initial assessment to figure out what we're dealing with...





1949 Buick Gauges in a plywood dash:

 

Need details! What engine and transmission does it have?
Don't often see a drag car running "wires"...

 

The Kelsey-Hayes bent-spoke wheels are sporting sawdust-recap slicks on Goodyear carcasses...

And new (still with nubbies) original Firestone Racing frontrunners:



And the full-house flathead is sporting an Evans three-pot manifold, Edelbrock heads, and a Harman Collins Mag:

 

Awesome car!! Being restored to its former glory I hope! Any pics from it's racing days?

 

As to where we are going with this, the plan is to get it back on the drag strip. I'll be cleaning up a few things that have deteriorated in storage and a few safety concerns, but will do my best to leave as much of its quirky 1950s originality and rough edges as possible.

It was obviously run, and run hard, in Street Roadster class, as it has full exhaust with dumps and brackets for fenders. I'll probably be putting a pair of cycle fenders up front and bobbed stock fenders in back.

I don't have dreams of this thing being particularly competitive, but if I can have a laugh or two at a drag strip, in an original early period racecar, I'll call that a win.

 

Thanks, I'm still in shock that I own this thing.

I've been collecting parts to build a period correct drag roadster for a while. Now I guess I've got my work cut out for me.

I have no history on the car, the guy it was bought from didn't know anything other than his father bought it years ago and parked it.

I'm hoping someone on the HAMB remembers it, or even has pictures of it running back when it was built.

 

Too cool! toploader and a later banjo underneath?

 

Too cool!

 

Awesome. I do believe I'm becoming a Coupster guy.


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Looks like loads of fun. Now you don't have to race the family car

 

The '39 just became a tow car...

 

'39 box with a stock Model A rear. '40/41 Ford brakes all around.

 

Pics of the car a bit more cleaned up:

 

Amazing, glad you were able to scoop it up and restore it to it's racing glory.

 

Great find! Looking forward to seeing it tearing up the strip!

 

Marshall and the guys at Thun Field tried to fire the motor this morning...



...but to no avail. The engine is free, has spark, and will fire, but refused to run. The number 4 hole has no compression at all, and there is definitely at least one stuck intake valve. Shiny oil after rolling it over a few times might give a clue as to why this car was hung up so long ago.

Marshall will be keeping the motor, but I got another short block, that came out of the same place, that will be going into this car if it checks out okay.

 

Nothing wrong with a find like that. Lots to work with. Congrats.

 

Watch out North end.. LOL... glad that deal came about and you got it.. I want to check that out in person ... Is in home yet at Casa RainierHooker? I bet you have already been sitting in it and making vroom , vroom noises !

 

It is still at Marshall's over the weekend @rob-redm Gotta make space for it in my shop, but it'll be home Monday.

 

The original motor was pulled today and its replacement short block put in its place:



This short block came from the same place as the Coupster but we have no idea if it was a spare or for a different car.

It bears the hallmarks of an old drag motor at least. Along with some battle scars, like a welded bellhousing, it's ported, relieved, and has adjustable valves, a 4 1/8" crank and 3 3/16" pistons. Should be punchy enough. All the machine work looks un-run, so I'm hoping to pull the main caps and cam and look for good news.

And, just for more viewing pleasure, here's the Mag from the original engine:

 

Outstanding piece of history. You are a lucky man to own that.

 

That didn't end up half bad!

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Holy Cow, what a score!

 

Phenomenal ! We're all glad you didn't chose to get off the pot !
Hope someone on here knows some background on the car ...either way what a great piece of hotrod history.


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