Although its well under way, I wanted to show pictures of my 31 Model A Coupe build here, get your feedback and opinions, and also tell The HAMB how happy I've been with Stony at Oddball. About a year ago I found a body and frame in Tennessee which seemed to be in good condition, with front and rear axle for a pretty reasonable price. I contacted the folks up at Oddball Kustoms, just outside of Toronto, we arranged to get the body and frame up to CA, and the project was under way.
Nice start! One question though, were they all out of BIG tires? Just giving you a hard time. I'd be stoked!
Soon we found out everything wasn't quite as awesome as we had thought. Check out the 50 lbs of bondo on the roof, the less than sup-par welding on the frame which happened to be fairly twisted, and the glued on patch panels on the doors.
The guys at Oddball were super cool about building a new frame, which we could build to spec, so we ordered the front end and the job of removing all that filler from the body began.
The frame started to come together, with airbags for the rear end (a 9 inch), 4 link, and an upward sloping front of the frame instead of the traditional "z", seen here without horns yet, so the front end could be mocked up. We decided to go with a 4 inch drop cross drilled i-beam from superbell. Finally, the body would only be channeled enough to cover the frame, so that any scraping or damage from speedbumps, etc, would be absorbed by the frame and not the body.
We were super lucky to find a stash of 10 331, 354 and 392 hemi blocks and about 20 sets of assorted heads that an old drag racing engine builder in Ohio had sitting out in his barn. I snatched up a 392 for myself and Stony took the rest for future projects. I figured this was going to be the time to do a blown 392, so mock-up began with the plastic motor and I flew to Toronto to get inside the coupe so we could measure for the chop and eye-ball steering wheel placement.
My friend Jim was kind enough to be willing to part with this sick looking grille shell, which Stony sectioned. Then he finished welding the frame.
the old dash was removed, the new dash installed, wheel wells adjusted for the low stance of the car, doors suicided, all in preparation for the chop. I had a local North Carolina tool shop use a water jet to cut the spades into the visor.
The car is starting to look pretty mean! We decided to use English style racing seats, and 1950 Pontiac brake lights to compliment the E&J's up front.
The roof is filled in, and the roulette gauges mocked up, which are so gaudy that they are pretty awesome. Or so I think.
The center console gets tacked together. We're using a 700R4 and a Hurst Pro-Matic II Ratchet Shifter (truck series for a bit of added length). The Garlits Scoop which will enclose a Holly 850 double pumper arrives, and looks pretty wicked sitting on top of the plastic motor. Stony, who has an amazing eye for lines and is an all around awesome fabricator, decides that the grille shell is leaning forward a bit too much and leans it back a little, which requires stretching it out a bit.
Center console drawing, and a very cool Americar steering wheel from Willy's project. (Not my project). I found an article about this tube amp stereo head online somewhere and was able to track one down on ebay. They never sold in the US, and a tube amp car stereo is probably the most impractical thing I've ever heard of, so I figured it would be perfect for the hot rod. Finally, we are using aircraft style switches, like the one shown here.
Needless to say, I was pretty stoked when we found those old hemis in Ohio. I was also pretty excited when I found a pair of "Chrysler Industrial" Valve covers. But nothing could prepare me for seeing the fully built (well almost) motor. My jaw hit the ground. Once again, Stony and the guys at Oddball outdid my highest expectations.
The body went to the body shop for primer and a little touch up work. The frame and the chassis parts have been painted with black urethane, so they could even survive the Canadian winters and any flying debris that might come at em.
And finally catching us up to date, the body with some of the weld seams getting a bit of a smoothing over. The trunk and graphics. Thanks for the positive comments y'all, will post more progress soon. Thanks again Stony!
Thanks guys, appreciate all the compliments. Here's some new pics of the rolling chassis, some with the engine/tranny mounted. Soon the underside of the body will be painted, then the body re-attached, and the whole thing painted. Then we will be in the final stretch of assemby.
well geez man it took about all of 5 hours before I was proven wrong there are more hemi coupes being built in NC...other than mine and James damn that hemi looks serious....I gotta step it up nice motor man
Thanks, much appreciated. I'm bummed I missed the show in Wilmington last year, but hopefully when we're done with the build I can cruise out and say hello.
Some bitchin' chassis work there! Lookin' good! Ya' know I'm lovin' that Blown Hemi too! Quick question... do you have any pictures of the dizzy adapter on the back of that hemi? What is the distance from the bottom of the distributor body to the of the block? Thanks!
Where are you in NC and what do you do for a living, OR are you just born RICH ?............God, that thing is sweet.......... I can see a ton of money and time invested already........ Last question ,Do you need another KID .....PAPPY..... Nice ride, take care and have fun..............
Thanks guys, I'm pretty excited and I think she looks pretty awesome as well. Scooter, I don't have any pics of the adapter on hand, but I'll see if I can wrangle some up. Not sure on the measurement either, let me check on that. Mr Ink, I'm in Chapel Hill. And no, I'm definitely no trustafarian rich kid. I worked my way through high school and college as a bicycle mechanic and from time to time as a bouncer. No kids yet, maybe thats why I can afford to build the car! Seriously though, I figure now was the time to do it, before the fiance and I tie the knot. I was also really lucky in finding a body in great shape for cheap, as well as the hemi for super cheap, so that has helped with the cost a lot on the build. Otherwise, the guys at Oddball do awesome work, and I think they are worth every penny for anyone looking. Just ask for Stony.
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