Projects CAR'S YOU SHOULD HAVE FINISHED

back in the 80's I helped a co-worker who lost her apartment to redevelopment to move in with her boyfriend. Basically I would take a truck bed load each night after work, it was mostly on my way home so not a big deal.
When we took the last load she asked me if I wanted her old vw in her landlords barn. The battery had died and the car had sat in the garage for 4 years. I said sure, old vw's are easy to repair. Opened the barn it was a 1964 Karmen Guia with 21000 miles. She had bought it new ( it was a demo!) and literally drove it to church on Sunday, the grocery
once a week till it was parked. Someone offered me 2500 for the car, I was building my garage at the time, it paid for
the garage.

 

"Cars I should have finished"
Realistically every one..after all "they really are never done" after all.

 

I can think of several. Back halved tube framed V8 Vega, 69 El Camino, 38 Chrysler Royale coupe, 27 T Tudor sedan, 36 Ford pickup, 48 Ford coupe just to name a few. Some were close to driving, some were mainly collected parts. All would have been worth more finished or at least driving. Shit happens as they say, so they had to go.

 

Had a few... the '35 Chevrolet in my avatar photo, a 40 Ford coupe that I put a Dodge 361 into, a 54 Ford convertible that I was going to put an Olds in and a 57 Ford Custom with a 390/4-speed. Life got in the way of all those... and I was easily distracted by the "next one".

 

None. No rear view mirror.

 

I've had a few that for one reason or another I wasn't able to see through. One that comes to mind is a Model A Coupe I had about 4 years ago. I finished the chop and put it onto a nice chassis I had with a B motor. I was in the process of converting to juice brakes when a friend of mine decided to sell one he had chopped that was a much nicer car overall and didn't need any patch panels like mine did. So, I sold mine and bought his instead. It was such a great car, a perfect body. I had every intention of completing it. But within days of buying it, my 32 Coupe popped up for sale, so one thing led to another.. The story of how I got that car can be found here:

https://ironandsteele.com/blogs/news/better-lucky-than-good

(It's not done, but will be soon.)

The first coupe:


The second one:


The reason they both had to go:

ironandsteele.com​

 

I had a 1955 Ford Customline Tudor Sedan. It had a 223 Fordomatic, I completely rebuilt the brakes, installed a new gas thank and fuel line, started on the engine to find out it had broken rocker shaft supports. I had a 302 and C-6 that I set in place and then as they say, life got in the way and I sold it to a Buddy’s Dad. He was long time car guy and knew where to get 223 parts. Within 6 months, they had it running and driving. Six months after I sold it, I discovered the HAMB. With your guys help and inspiration, I would have finished it. Nuts! I’m still on the lookout for another project. In retrospect, if I would have found you guys sooner, I would have Y Blocked it with an overdrive.

 

I spent the better part of 10 years building a ‘33 Victoria (tupperware), it was set up for a 351 Clevor/ C4, Winters 9”, and four wheel discs. The interior was roughed in ready for upholstery, gauges were mounted, steering completed. All the body work was professionally done and was ready for color.
I became bored with the project and working on it was not fun anymore. I decided to send it to another home and concentrate on my Cyclone and some other of my vehicles.
I never heard if the car was ever finished, if anyone see’s a ‘33 Victoria with a cowl hinged hood, inverted louvers, three windscreen wipers and an aluminum Winters rear end take a picture and post it for me.
Jim

 

I would have done the same thing, that 3 window body is nice! HRP​

 

Thank you. This is how it sits as of now:


It will be getting the Baby Hemi sitting off to the right in the photo. Hoping to be driving it by the fall.

ironandsteele.com​

 

Man, you were close, did it ever get finished? HRP

 

I know,it was close. Car got drivable but never painted, I think it is still in Nebraska

 

I also let a '29 Roadster on '32 frame go as a rolling project, it was built in the McGoo style. HRP

 

my sons model A

 

my 60 caddy

 

all of these

 

The 34 Two door that was seriously nice body and frame that I had in Texas that I sold to someone from Houston for 350 bucks in 1977.

My old 51 Merc that I sold in a weak moment when I was broke and being given a hard time about where I had it stored. Shown here with the father of my soon to be born first grandchild.

Then there was the Devin roadster body that I sold because it made me itch every time I got close to it.

 

ALL my cars were unfinished projects. some were driving and some weren’t. if i was rich i would finish them all. but i would have NO time to enjoy most of them.

 

I bought a 32 roadster body on a 34 frame back in 1980 for $150 and started collecting parts to build a very traditional Hot Rod. I got a 34 rear axle, 35 wires,39 motor and box etc and planned the build. Three years on i was being pestered by a guy wanting the body for a restoration and i sold the body with two trunk lids and mint hood bows for $450 and the 34 frame for a resto 5w coupe for $1oo and so on. I was 23 when i sold it and have regretted it for 40 years! It was an old local Rod from the 50's.JW

 

Model A coupe in 1957

Hello,

I was surprised that my brother wanted to buy this Model A Coupe we saw in a neighborhood lady’s backyard. It was a stocker and we had seen it walking to our junior high school everyday. At one time, my brother said that he saw a couple driving around in it. He had bought his first car, a 1951 Oldsmobile two door sedan a couple of years earlier. So, I knew he still wanted a hot rod with a modified SBC motor in it. His friend still had his 1934 5 window Ford Coupe and was doing well at Lion’s Dragstrip.

His Oldsmobile Sedan was fast, but not as fast as the 34 coupe that had the big Oldsmobile motor. So, he wanted something similar. He knew it would take a while and the cost of the Model A was not that much, so we bought it and rope towed it home. Now, I was smiling from ear to ear. I played this scenario over and over many nights. My daily, school window, day dreaming was that I would get the 51 Oldsmobile sedan, since my brother would drive the Model A hot rod to school and to the drags.

Yippee! My future looked bright. So, we got to work cleaning up the Model A and get it running. I wanted to know why we did not take out the motor and running gear. I knew my brother had plans on putting in a SBC motor and 3 speed stick shift, as well as a Chevy rear axle set up. He was looking ahead as he knew he had to sell the 4 cylinder motor and wanted to say it was "running" when we took it out.

I was thinking all of my maintenance work on the 51 Oldsmobile was going to pay off when I could cruise around in it soon.


Jnaki

Within several weeks, it was getting into the fall of 1957 and the new model cars were at the dealer’s showroom floors and lots. So, there was much to see as our annual walkaround took place. So, I went to school one day and when I got home, a new 58 black Impala was sitting in our driveway. Over the weekend he had sold the Model A to a friend and his 51 Oldsmobile was also sold to a neighbor. Goodbye to my future car dreams…

The Model A was a perfect hot rod situation. The body looked old, but did not have any dents or scratches. The black paint had a nice patina from lack of maintenance and being relegated to being outdoors day and night. So, for us, the motor + driveline was going to be the main changeover. We had plans… But, my brother did not want to wait and build something, he wanted a chance race every weekend and since we lived about 1.5 miles from Lion’s Dragstrip, we had a great outlet.

Goodbye Model A and 51 Oldsmobile… so, after a couple of years of racing and cruising around in the 58 Impala, my brother got another wild idea for our future hot rod… a street legal Gas Coupe Class build… what? Did we not get rid of a nice Model A Coupe that was supposed to be a street legal Gas Coupe build? It was now history, so what was the new idea?

By the end of 1959, we went to the Riverside Raceway Drags for one of the Westcoast’s biggest drag races involving many top racers from all over the USA to match up with the Westcoast’s top racers. There we saw what our Model A Coupe was going to look like if we had continued to pursue that direction.
Joe Pisano Model A Coupe A/Gas Class

It is bad English grammar, but… “coulda, woulda, shoulda…” and it even was delegated as a daily driver to high school for the next three years… ahhhhh…




But, recently, I photographed this cool Model A Coupe, waiting at an old historic tire/wheel alignment shop. It had just about everything we would have wanted in a street legal daily driver to high school and all over our cruising grounds. Great paint color, flames that do not overpower the whole concept of "coolness." The stance with the American Racing Equipment 5 Spoke Wheels, and a modified SBC motor.

This version would have been a great image and in front of all of the students walking to the front of our high school. A prime car for a prime parking spot.

The only problem we would have had was that our longboards (9.6 feet and 10 feet) would definitely not fit in the trunk. Placed on top, the two longboards would stick over the whole Model A from front to the rear with over 100 lbs of pressure on top of the cab. The tie downs would have to be from the front and rear, as well as jamming in the tie down cords through the closed doors. What a mess that would be just to go to the local surf spots.

But, at least that powerful modified SBC motor would get us there in record time. All in a cool hot rod style… YRMV

 

There have been a few over the years but the two I regret selling the most were a 32 Plymouth PB4 roadster project and a 32 Brookville roadster project. Bought the Plymouth, a very complete and straight car before I was married. Got the 4 cylinder running so I could move it around. Then marriage, and a couple of kids later decided to sell it because I didn't have the time or money to finish.
A few years back I bought a 32 Brookville project and was in the process of completing it when I suffered a stroke four years ago and decided to sell it last year due to ongoing physical problems. Also sold the shop but this fall I bought a finished roadster and hope to put some smiles and miles on it this year.

 

Dealer restored it, now worth $2 million.

 

I had this 49 Olds in the late 70s. It was a pretty nice car except the hood had blown open and broke the windshield. I cut it all to hell put a 454 in it rolled the pan, made skirts, frenched the headlights rounded the hood corners, etc. etc. etc.. Lost interest, ran out of steam and had a relapse of my lifelong motorcycle disease.

 

An OT Super Gas car.....

 

Yeah, but he prolly spent 2.1 million restoring it...

 

I started collecting 50 Olds, cars and parts in 1984, had a total of 8 cars. After selecting the best pieces and mostly scrapping the rest (most the of the ones I bought for 100 bucks) I started building this coupe. By the later 90's I had the chassis done, and the body, paint and interior done. All of the plating, and a fresh 455 and 400 Turbo were ready to install, I had gone other directions with my car hobby. So, it sat until a couple of years ago, and I sold it. I am going to see it in a week or so, as it is nearing completion. I have not had one regret since I delivered it.

 

Marty
As soon as I saw your name on this thread I thought of this car, boy, what a beauty!

 

Yea Doug, It all starts as a dream, as a buddy of mine say's "I have been Dream Drivin my 29 Tudor". I needed to finish my '40 pickup, COE, and '29 Roadster pickup, and you can't drive them all.

 

Have sold many.. but the Only one I regret selling was my HS car.'49 Chevy Feetline..
Built it with '53 Olds V8, Cad 3 seed, Mercury rear end ran 'C Gas'...
Early '60s and rules were changing fast...
Seat belts, driveline straps, etc.. all easy enough to deal with, then Lions told me not to bring it back
without a Scatter Shield and wasn't wanting another teardown, so found a nice 210 '56 Chevy at the Felix Chevrolet Dealership that fit into 'K Stock' Class... Wanted the '56 So bad that I traded
in the '49 and have always kicked myself for letting it go for pittance $$. Young and dumb