Projects Finally! The -29 barnfind is MINE.

I’ve been chasing a rod project for some time now. It started out in the spring, when my wife found a ”strange, old looking car” out in a field nearby our town when she were out cruising her Virago.
I was at work, so i asked her to snap a picture;


I had a hard time identifying what car it supposed to be, so when i got off work that day we went over there and knocked on the door at the farm it was sitting on.
”-Oh, it’s my old Jaguar!” the owner said. ”You are welcome to check it out! ”


The Jaguar Mk8 was in a sad condition, but the frame looked ok, and the beautiful straight six still turned after some 40 years at the field.
Sadly no vin or papers on it, but the owner said i could have the ”car”for $150.

I didn’t buy it, but my head started to work....
What if i could find some rustbucket to put this awesome engine and trans in...?
Few weeks later i participated in a cruising arranged by a american car club in a nearby town.
This club has a really nice workshop, where the members hangs out and work with their cars or bikes.
In a corner stood a sad looking -32 model Y, ”Ford Junior”.
I asked the owner what he planned.
”I dunno. It’s in a really bad condition, maybe we chop it up and use it as wall art”.
”Ok, would $250 save it?”
”Sure!”

So, i bought it. Not sure what to do with it, but i thought it would be nice to save.


When i got it home, i realized it was reaaally far gone;
All the wood in the cab where deteriorated, the frame and floor didn’t exist from the gearbox and back.
As my wife had a small flower/vegetable stand in front of the house where she sells homegrown stuff, i thought it would be better off as functional yard art.
I made a simple frame out of tubing, chopped the cab to make it a pickup, and put a wooden bed on it and some home made rear fenders.
Happy wife!


Well, back to square one.
No hot rod project.

So, i called a buddy of my father.
This guy restored a Model A back in the early seventies, and has been driving it since then.
I called, asking if he knew a project model A for me to get a hold on...
”No, i don’t think so....YES i do, actually! A couple of years ago i checked a -29 Tudor for a friend, but they never made a deal. Sadly i can’t remember exactly were it was, only which town....”
”Great, let’s take a roadtrip!”
I drove over and picked him up, and we cruised around waiting for his memories to come alive.
After an hour or so, we got it pinned down to this one house.
I knocked on the door, but no one home.
I checked the adress and got a phone number, called it the same evening;
”Hi, i heard rumours you own a -29 Tudor?”
”Correct.”
”Would it be for sale?”
”Sure! Come over tomorrow, i’ll show it to you”

I got over there the next day, to find this original restored -29.
It’s been sitting in a little red cabin in the woods since 1984, since a cracked cylinder head stopped the man to drive.








I adressed my interest, but the owner wasn’t reaaaally sure on selling yet.
”I’m going on a three week vacation in my r.v, i’ll check with my son if he got any interest in the car. I’ll get back to you when i get back from my vacation! ”

It’s been a looong three weeks, but this thursday he called me:
”Sorry. I think i got a lot of work for you.
My son isn’t interested. ”

-Wohoo!

So, i rented a trailer and went over there yesterday.




It’s a fantastic little car;
It’s been sitting since -84, but still air in the tires, brakes working flawlessly, electrical seems to work. As the head’s not on i haven`t tried the starter and so on, but rear lighting and the turn signals works.


The engine turns smooth and easy, even sitting without a head for so long.
As i planned to keep the fourbanger, i ordered a new copper head gasket, and the guy who helped me find the Tudor has four or five heads laying in his workshop, asking 50 bucks.

This is gonna be fun!

 

WOW, cool story. Keep us posted on your project...

 

Congratulations. Looks like a solid project. Did you get the model Y engine running ?

 

Sweet looking ride. The yard art also fits the bill.

 

Will do, for sure!

 

Thanks!
Yes, it’s truly solid!
Haven’t find a single spot of rust yet, i washed it yesterday before i rolled it down in my basement garage.
My wife and i got the interior out, and washed and vacuumed the lot.
Every single nut and bolt seems to be in place.
The hood, radiator, head and the rest had been neatly put in boxes and safely brought home in my daily.

No, it’s frozen.
Haven’t really had the interest for it yet either.

 

What a great project for a good price.
Good luck and above all have fun.

 

Steel wheels, stance, done
....except for maybe cleaning the back up a bit, mud flaps, spare and holder, reflectors and change tail light lenses

 

Looks great! Let’s hear your game plan! Boy do I know first hand how you feel!
Towed my find home Dec 29th, 2018...keep us posted!

 

Mm, quite basic:
First of all, get the fourbanger running, and keep it.
Add the model A straight lake headers, and make a right side hoodside, so i can keep the original hood side intact.

Get a 4” drop front axle, and reverse eye spring.

I’m going for a drive to check out some wire wheels i saw some time ago in a flea market. $5 a piece, i really hope it is Ford wheels....
Well, i’ll go for fenderless.

Not planning any chop or channeling.

 

Looks like a good find.

Can't wait 'til I can bring home the Model A I bought recently.

 

Sounds great. Love driving mine with that 4 Banger too. Can’t wait to see the drop! Enjoy...

 

Nice car! Chop that roof and leave that jag engine where it sits. Hopped up 4 bangers sound awesome.

 

Great story , enjoy & have fun. If you don't need the "Y" model door hinges I maybe interested in them.
Cheers
Tony

 

Yea but what about the Jag?

 

Great project A. Have Fun with the build and the Wife being interested is a definite Plus. When you finish that, you can always go back for the Jag!

 

I might go back for the straight six sometime, but for now i’m full.
Just wanted to take you guys through the process.
I guess i doesn’t have the perfect written english either, but i hope i make myself understood...

I have tight space where i live, no space for an additional Jag....

 

I’ll check, i don’t think the hinges are there.. The doors was spotwelded in place when i got it.


Skickat från min iPhone med H.A.M.B.

 

I'll enjoy following this one. best of luck with it!

Glad the project wasn't the Y. You did the best thing with it.

 

Looks like a nice "A" to start with.. Also a great story...

 

Nice find Sir.Looks like a fun project.Why not get the Jag and strip the drive train and junk the rest?
Lot less room needed that way.I`ll saddle up and go along for the ride.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Thank you, sir!
The big problem is handling the Jag-

I would need a tractor with fork attachment or such to get it out of there, and space to handle it at home.

To much work in this case, i think.



Skickat från min iPhone med H.A.M.B.

 

Hi Sid.Well,it was just a thought.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Good work so far!

 

I wish I could communicate as well in Swedish as you do with English Have fun on this journey which you have undertaken!

 

Small update time;

I’ve been around chasing parts the last days.
The other day i got hold of a n.o.s copper/eternite head gasket, and yesterday i got hold of another head.
(The original one had frozen apart.)
Got the ”new” head aluminum blasted internally on my lunch break, and i made almost an hour blowing the water channels clean from rust and nutshells....
I guess a squirrel or something have been using the open engine as a dinnertable.



I also removed the fuel line by the carburettor and drained the tank.
There still was about 3 litres fuel left in the tank, but it smelled like kerozene and had to go...

I hope to get some free time this evening to put the head in place, and try to figure out distributor, waterpump and so on.



Can anyone tell me wether the steel mesh filter housing at top of the fuel tank is removable?
It’s all rusty, want to get it out and blast it at work tomorrow if its possible.
Even flush the tank, to get rid of loose rust.

 

Mesh filter should come out with a little fidlling . If it,s real rusty maybe better to soak in cleaning vinegar for a few days instead of blowing it to pieces.

 

Fantastic find! Sounds like people in Sweden are really friendly and open to strangers inquiring about old cars on their property!
By the way, your English is great!

 

-Good idea,sir !

 

you are doing good - continue with updates