Projects 60's Era Street/Strip Model A Coupe

Dude, just stumbled across your build. What an awesome ride you just put me through! One of the reasons for the awesome execution is the fact that you've been building this in your mind for 12 years - and more! Also, you found two good builders to help guide your vision into reality - and a bit of a challenge with the body work! Great authoring and terrific photos of Ryan's artistry. Just way cool. By the way, Hurst-Airheart were advertising their "spot disc" brakes in '63...

To have someone use my car (I'm just the latest caretaker of it!) as inspiration - and not in a negative way - is pretty humbling. My car was built in '62 and over the years it's had a new engine, trans, rear end, and a few wheel/tire combinations. And four owner-caretakers. With any luck it'll be with it's fifth one this fall.

The other angle of the one you posted - an early morning at the Saturday So-Cal get-together:


A tail end shot at a buddy's place...in front of my coupe is Chip's (needlouvers) beater T, and in front of it is another HAMBer's '29 A roadster.

And at it's home...for now....

Sorry for the long reply, but wanted to give you more views of an old jalopy...

 

I love that coupe @nitrobrother .

 

Size Matters: 60s era Motorcycle Headlights on a Model A

This car wouldn't look right with anything but a pair of small headlights. Smaller headlights are an element of many 60s hot rods that I've always loved.

I chose to run (for now) a 5-3/4" bottom mount headlight. Something you'd find on a Panhead or a chopper of the era. I have a few original KD-869s (Bates) but none of them match since the housings vary and there were minor changes over the years.

While I searched (and ended up collecting too many buckets), I came up with an idea of how to mate them to my headlight bar.

I stole some Play-Doh from the kids' art cabinet and sat out on the tailgate on a warm evening and came up with an idea.


This was the idea I started with. I needed something flat for the headlight mount to sit on. Also, the lights run a smaller headlight mount bolt.

Here's what Brian (my pal who narrowed the Olds/Pontiac rear) came up with:



Here's what they do:







Here's the mount sitting on the stand:



It looks a little funky with the washers staggered. I didn't want to "over squeeze" the tabs. I'll address that later. THis is just a mockup.



When there's better lighting, I'll snap a couple of pics that aren't so close up. But, for now, that's the latest update.

My goal is to tinker a little bit but I've gotten my butt kicked (business-wise) these last few months and I need to concentrate on getting life righted again. So, bigger updates will be slow while my effort is put on getting back in financial shape.

I hope you're all well!

 

Here's another pic.

And here's a teaser of how the exhaust will exit on the sides. It's just the belled tip set in place. No exhaust work done, yet.

 

Your lighting solution is "brilliant".
Keep up the great work and post whenever you can.

 

Looking Great!!

 

Not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I love the T step inserts.
I had considered doing something like that on my A but regular width boards might look a little goofy.

 

Thanks!

Are you talking about the running boards? If so, those are from 30/31 A Truck.

 

No shit? Totally thought you'd nabbed the steps off a T.

So you're saying there's hope for me yet.

 

Haha, yep, there's hope! Always.

If you find a used set they're usually pretty inexpensive. That's what I tried first, since we were going to modify them. However, I ended buying a set from Rootlieb, which is about the best quality you could find.

For those wondering what the heck we're jabbering about:

 

Man, Brent! Those running boards are really sanitary! Great looking car.

 

Why I bet you could grate cheese on them

 

Great look. I like the head lights As well. Very cool Brent.

 

Love this build! That car looks like it’s going to kick your a$$ and steal your lunch money.

 

Rear Fender Brackets:

I'm chipping away at little projects, sowly but surely.

These earlier rear fender brackets worked so much better than the stamped steel brackets the 30/31s used.

Originally, I narrowed a set of the 30/31 style but they were never going to fit or look "right".

These forged brackets can be moved around if needed. And, although nobody will likely notice, they look way cooler.

Here they are, before:

I made a cardboard template and compared it to both sides to make sure there wasn't any discrepancy.

From side-to-side they were 3/16 different. I pulled out on the short side (by the lip of the fender) and they matched right up.



After narrowing:



Mocked in place:



I'll get these mounted and then it's onto getting the shifter handle moved over.

 

just found this thread, your car looks wicked. Really coming together !

 

Thanks, Kim! I appreciate it.

 

Customized 1935/36 Ford Dash in a Model A:

A thread popped up about dashes so I mocked mine up and snapped a few pics. There's not much left to do on it other than figure out the placement of the ignition and light switches and drill the holes.


Superior 500 wheel, 60s greenline SW gauges, a chromed 1936 open car waterfall, and a chromed ashtray.



That green thing mounted to the dash is a gauge bracket off of a 1960s commercial washing machine. I thought it would be neat to put a smaller gauge, off of center with a couple of indicator lights and a switch on the plate fastened to it. It might look neat black with a polished accessory plate or fully chromed. I'm still debating it. But, man, it does fit that curve of the dash perfectly.

 

Like the steering wheel had on of those on my 55 Ford more door had lots of people counting the holes LOL.

 

Did you have to narrow the dash any ?

Sent from my SM-A520W using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Just a bit. They're actually a great dash for Model As because they need very little trimming on either side. Some keep the dash side where it ducks back. On this one, you can see it's been flattened.

 

great thanks brent

 

Chopped 1930/31 Model A Front Splash Apron:

I got this apron along with the fenders (only ended up using the original fronts) and it was a bit too bulky to use in stock form. I wanted to be able to hide the cross-member and U-bolts but still see the axle.



I measured, compared it to a few reference photos, and eyeballed it. Came out to a precise 2-7/8" because that's how I roll, I guess... not a 3" chop, no... gotta have 2-7/8" hahaha.



I don't have a bead roller so I sent it over to Matt's (Seret). We both got a bit busy and kind-of forgot about it. Then one afternoon he text me this pic. It had a small bit of rust which he repaired. Then he flattened it enough to roll out a bead he templated and marked. It took a little finesse to keep the old bead at the end and tie in the new. Once the bead was done, the rest was trimmed away. The apron was put back into shape and it became what you see.

We went with a different shape on the sides to mimic the frame horns. When it's painted, they'll blend right in with the fenders.



It's got a fast, mean vibe. I'll have to roll the car out and take a better overall pic. I couldn't get one in the messy garage.

 

Question for you Brent: how do you plan to final mount the dash? Weld it permanent, or bolt/screw in? Incredible work


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Thanks!

The dash has ears on each end to mount it in the factory holes. As well, there are two tabs on the bottom bend of the dash allowing it to be mounted to the dash bar. It's removable and very solid.

 

I like having the starter button under the dash next to the drivers side door, that way its easy to bump the switch to turn the motor over while making different adjustments... I always like this feature on the sixties Ford cars, they put the ignition switch on the left side....

 

That's actually a neat idea. I have a bump starter that I'll have to modify to work with this car (or I'll just make one) because the battery will be in the trunk. I like it for finding TDC, adjusting starters, and such.

I'm using a 55-56 Chevy ignition switch (but with an accessory). I have always loved those bezels. Same with the light switch. I've been thinking about the light switch on the left and ignition on the right. It's what I'm used to. I had considered putting them both on the right when the factory control holes were still there.

It's on the to-do list, which I've been slacking on. Haha.

 

Rolled the A out to get a better perspective of the apron.

 

Another thread I don’t get update notifications on anymore. Dang looks like you’ve been in the shop. Good deal man

 

Now that you say that, I wondered about a thread I follow that I hadn't seen any notifications on. I'll have to check.

I need to clean my bench, so I have a place to make an offset bracket for my shifter. The garage is a mess, but since I don't workout in there anymore, I have no excuse but to neaten it up... especially before the snowy weather comes. Oh, and the motor on my vintage Atlas/Craftsman dill press took a dump... that's pretty critical for a few things that need to be done, as well.