I'm new to HAMB-friendly builds, but I've found the same thing is true no matter the era of jalopy you're interested in. At 42, I'm seen as a "kid" to a lot of these guys too. I've fallen into parts for other builds just because someone... either local or through contacts on the interwebs... heard I was looking for something. I was just recently pinged with a generous offer of a pair of Buick 215 heads because a guy with a stash heard what I'm up to on the Olds and knows they'll be put to good use. So when I get into this pre-war build, I'm confident that if I stay vigilant and create a support network, I'll find the stuff that I want/need. "Hey, that new guy building the pre-war car in PA is looking for a pair of '26/'27 front fenders. Doesn't Ralph have a pair he isn't using?" That sort of thing. I'm not looking for anything exotic, so that certainly helps. I believe having a reasonable plan and establishing a network of friends that can help and support a build - even just as cheerleaders - is probably the "secret" to making a first build achievable. The HAMB has been super helpful in establishing both of those for me.
ryan ak, you got it ! if you choose a model A body I will be happy to donate a part to the project... high school buddy would say what the bleep are you messing with that junk for... month after I got my first rod on the road, I overheard the same guy telling another "you oughta see what he does with these" … ditto on the fan club...
Hey, thanks for your thoughts! I do like how a stock banger can be upgraded here and there as time, budget and inclination allow. And do it again, differently. Gives something to keep the car interesting and engaging after it's "done". "Tinker" with performance. You know... Save up for a cam. Find a couple carbs at a swap meet, clean 'em up, try 'em out. Finally pull the trigger on that head you've been dreaming about. Hey... I bet I could make an intake... That sorta thing. I won't lie... a fendered roadster is my first choice, and that's where I'd be willing to wait and pay a premium for a good body. But, I'd be thrilled with the right RPU or pickup if it came along. And I gotta admit... a touring would absolutely make my day. I have a family and it would be nice to load them ALL up and go bouncing around. Throw a cover over the rear seat when I'm by my lonesome and go! Your '27 Tourer on an A chassis is excellent and with a few personal tweaks could be a "forever jalopy" for me. I thoroughly enjoyed your build thread. That car is a hot rod.
Roadster y'say? I have been gathering parts for another one. Here's what I've started with and how it's going... With hindsight - it's always better to start with as complete a car as possible no matter how rough.
Thanks, man! The stories and community are as important as anything else. It'd be super neat to point to a part on a car and say "my pal Smitty in Maine set me up with that when he knew I needed a better cowl."
I would pass on that complete "restored " T if I were in your shoes. Not because there is anything wrong with it, BUT because you will spend the first 6 months learning how it works...and then biff all that away and change to a learning how a Model A works. T has similar but really different ignition, transmission, brakes,steering, in fact about the only mechanical part from a T which is useful on a pre war traditional type " banger" A hot rod is the rear spring. A T has no steering box, no shift lever no clutch pedal, no distributor(as such) 4 coils ( one for each cylinder), a magneto to charge them and run ignition, a separate lighting system, brakes on the rear wheels only, almost none of the engine parts interchange, none of the transmission, chassis is completely different, none of the steering ,brakes , front suspension or the differential will be useful to you once you have the Model A chassis and running gear. Apart from all that it is not driven in the conventional manner, the electric starter works sometimes, or you crank it. The car is in gear practically all the time , just that when the handbrake is on it controls the trans. high and low gear (two forward) are controlled with a combination of releasing the handbrake partially and pressing down on the left pedal for low gear and releasing both for high gear. reverse is achieved in a similar manner with the handbrake and middle pedal, the right pedal is the brake. When the brakes start to fade the reverse pedal can be used judiciously to slow the car down while the wheel brakes cool off. Fuel has no pump, gravity feed ( as is Model A ) but sometime when the fuel level is low you may need to reverse up a hill because in forward the outlet from the tank is uncovered . There is NO gas pedal only a hand throttle on the steering column, and the ignition control (advance and retard) lever is on the other side ( A has this feature , but has a gas pedal as well as the hand throttle. ) In short , a T body is great for that banger hot rod , but the mechanicals are more Gow Job than hot rod!.
Cheers, brother! Great post and the video is tops. Thank you. I’m not going T driveline for a first build... the learning curve would just be too steep... though I am familiar with the principles of driving a Model T and spend lots of time in the seat of a Ferguson 35 tractor... which, granted, is really only similar in having a hand throttle. Which I guess is to say... not similar at all. Anyway... I guess the point I was going for way back was that I had considered searching for a complete ‘restored’ car and modifying it, rather than buying separate components and building from scratch. I think I’ve moved on from that. But thanks a ton for the advice and information! Well, now! Only 387 components to go! Thanks, brother!
Ryan, I haven't been there for quite a bit, but this guy up in Watsontown had tons of Model A stuff in barns and knew a lot about them,too. Might be worth a field trip-if he's still there. https://www.cars24.cc/company-bills-model-acres-ford-farm-in-watsontown-pa-50552
Apparentyl you people do not read the HAMB for sale forum. Nothing on there for what you think you should pay
You know... I had completely forgotten about that place. 20 some years ago when I was just a pup, my Pap and I went looking for a '48 F1 project that never was to be. I wonder if he's still there... you could see the field of cars from I-180. It's only 15 mins out of my way on my commute home tonight. I may have to do a drive-by just to see if he's still around. Thanks for the reminder, friend! P.S. - Spencer is making you a 'thank you' card!
If you have "welders/fitters/boilermakers working for you".......grab YOUR shield and ask questions and watch. Wire MIG machines are super simple to weld with once the very basics are explained. NOTHING like stick welding from the past. I could teach someone how to run a nice...X-ray quality bead in 30 minutes. That simple if someones really wants to learn. Practice is what makes a good welder. You have a huge advantage over most guys with employees that are GOOD welders. Watch and learn people! 6sally6
I'm not sure I get your point. The HAMB classifieds are great, but, probably only a fraction of a percent of what is out there and all offered by people with a decent idea of what their stuff is worth. There's plenty of material available locally.
Hey, man. I've been watching the HAMB classifieds as well as some other sources... though not religiously as I'm not quite to the point of actually purchasing something. Lot's of stuff around out in 'public' that would fit for me financially though... as well as some things that are popping up privately via PM. Not sure if you're suggesting to watch the classifieds more often and stating that you checked recently and there's nothing within my starting budget... or you're commenting on my perception of value and worth. Anyway... I do appreciate you taking the time to contribute to the thread. Cheers!
Hey, man. I'm absolutely planning on it. Right now we're on 18" and 24" gas lines way up in the rack, but when we get down to the valve stations and I can safely look over the fitters' shoulders, you bet I'll be watching. No shop welds at the moment, all position welds. TIG root and stick out. If they blow an x-ray weld while I'm watching though... I'll never hear the end of it! I can only imagine the comments on the weld map submitted for record. "R1: Asshole superintendent/PM breathing down neck caused porosity." Maybe I should see what I can see watching the ironworkers putting in the new support steel...
Open root or consumable inserts? Wait until they go to the shop and MIG some stuff. Different technique. That's what you want. Wire gun/MIG 6sally6
You don't need to weld to build a pre-war car. Start with a Model A, hop up the Banger, bolt in a dropped axle and a T rear spring, add some '35 wires and you're well on your way. No welding required. Model As seem to be pretty cheap at the moment. I bought a coupe with original interior and paint a few years back for less than $10k. Sold off the extra parts the previous owner had gathered and was able to afford most of the aforementioned hop up parts.
PotvinV8 nailed it. I built my roadster from pieces. Only welding was modifying the 32 K member so I could run a complete stock 32 front end, B trans and 32/34 pedals. With a high compression head, downdraft carb, stock B cam and a B dist. you can run in the 60 mph range easy. Easiest car you could ever build and a lot of fun to drive.
Thanks, Potvin! Ya know... I’ve been thinking on this. I still want to learn to weld, but it’s becoming apparent that a chassis can be done without sparking an arc. I just reread @Hitchhiker ’s build thread for his A pickup, and other than juice brakes, that’s pretty much my end goal. I think he mentioned only drilling a few holes and I think they were all related to the brakes. That approach is definitely achievable for a guy like me. Another great example. That’s a great looking roadster. What needs done to run a synchro trans in an A frame? Is the 32 K needed? I haven’t dug into that quite yet. This stuff is fun, and I have zero parts. Can’t imagine the good times when we have jalopy parts scattered around.
Using a Clings adapter you can install a 32 to 39 trans in your A. Still bolt in and you keep your pedals and wishbone mount.
My current build was a rotted out hulk that nobody wanted. I bought it cheap, and it was full of spare parts. Sold off all the spares I knew I wouldn't need, and began 6 months of cutting out rotted metal and welding in new. Then another 9 months of doing the all new drivetrain, and suspension. The only parts in it that aren't used parts are the engine build, tires and wheels, gauges, and a new wiring system. I've got a grand total of about $6k in it, including purchase price. I even bought a old Singer commercial sewing machine and sewed up my own interior, because estimates were way outside my budget.
Fantastic. This is feeling more achievable every day. Well done! Great approach. That’s a hell of a build for $6,000 all in. Eventually I plan on building a late ‘30s tudor in an immediate post-WWII style as a daily driver and all around family truckster. But first... this pre-war Jalopy.
@RyanAK, you can put something together on a budget. Get a plan and stick to it. Build something popular like a Model A because parts are plentiful and lots of guys still into them. My roadster went together in just over 3 years and for under 5k. Something from nothing 29 roadster build, enjoy
Find out everything you can from your DMV regarding paperwork. Try to buy a car/ with your state's title.. I wanted to build a post WWII hot rod. My dad came home from the war in 45 but he was into motorsickles . No problem....I still wanted to do an old Ford as it may have been done in 1945-46 and my budget was very small. My local hot rod shop had a clapped out 33 ford pickup cab with doors on a rusty original chassis for $450. I bought it. On my plumbing supply route I'd drive up to northern Iowa on Mondays where the business owner of a body shop had a 40 ford sedan he was street rodding so I bought the super rusty chassis out from under it and towed it home. It got more sway-backed as we neared my town and as I pulled it into my drive the frame broke in half! I was able to use the engine, [a 59 AB transplanted into the 40 years ago] all the brakes and sold off the wheels, trans, rear axle and a whole buncha odds and ends so I could buy a S-10, T-5 trans and the Speedway kit to install it. Got the primo 39 ford steer box from Corncobcoupe, 27 T pickup box and all 4 35 ford wheels at local swap meets. I chopped the top 5.50 inches myself using my Miller wire feed welder Point is, once you really get going on your project parts just seem to magickly appear! Let all your buddies know what you're doing and they'll help find parts with you. [ATTACH=fu
That’s where I am now... planning. That’s a big part of what I do in my work, and I’m damn good at it. That carries over into other parts of life too. I feel pretty confident that this build will be on a Model A chassis. Model T rear spring, dropped A axle, mechanical brakes (researching...), hopped up 4-cylinder (unless a running flathead shows up under the Christmas tree...), synchro transmission. Planning. Body... well that’s still up in the air. I can envision enjoying a lot of different things... T roadster or touring; Model A roadster, touring or pickup. I know I want to run fenders. I think my preference would be for a 26-27 T roadster, but it will really come down to finding something complete and not a heap in my budget. Your build sounds great! I couldn’t find a build thread. Really appreciate the advice and encouragement! Inspired story! Thanks for sharing, brother. I’m working on building a network of likeminded buddies. I think having a community is key to this. If only for moral support! That’s a great looking truck! R
So my choice right now would be a fendered T roadster running an A or B banger with a synchro transmission. Right now I’m gathering info on putting a T body onto a lowered A chassis. Some say a ‘26/‘27 body bolts up easily on an A frame. Others say lots of additional fab. Seems ‘25 and earlier needs an A frame pinched in the rear. So... That’s where I am. Looking specifically at an A or B banger-powered Model T with fenders. I may have a few bamboo rods being sold in the next few weeks and will have a ‘nest egg’ for this build. Exciting times!
I'm doing a 24T roadster now. Fully fendered on an unpinched chassis. No real fab work to get the later bodies on. Unless you Z the frame.
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