Too Nice to Hot Rod? - 1935 Roadster

I picked up this clean little '35 Ford Roadster. 57k miles and was owned by the Kellogg's Family (who knows if that's true.) I was planning on just juice brakes, slight drop, slight chop and maybe a little hotter engine.

Here's the problem. Everyone I've talked to says I'm making a big mistake. They say this one should stay stock. Even my hot rod friends say this one should be left as is. I know its "my car, do what I want" but is it just not right to make this one into a hot rod?

Thanks.

 

I know it is against the rodders way, but yes.

 

I would, but only to the extent that I could undo it later. Nothing wrong with adding some speed equipment to that engine or swapping in a later flathead, lowering the car, changing wheels, adding juice brakes, etc.

But I wouldn't channel it, section it, or cut it up in any way. I'd leave the paint alone and leave the interior just the way it is.

 

I dont care either way, that car is F@$!ING GORGEOUS. I say just drive it until you HAVE to update things

 

As long as you don't cut anything & keep all of the stock parts it can easily be put back to stock. ask yourself the question "will I enjoy it more as a stocker or warmed over a little?"

Everything you are thinking of doing can be just as easily undone - even the chop can be put back if you were to chop a different windsheild, stanchions and top. Cutting a coupe is pretty much a don't look back move, not so much with a roadster.

 

Yank the flatty, put a juiced up flatty in.... then if you want to sell you can put the original motor back in.

there was 32 Ford build in a magazine awhile back and the 32 was a barn find original and the plan was to hop it up with parts that can be exchanged with original if you wanted to go back.


or... swap an early 283 disguised as a vette motor, 3 speed trans and 57 chevy rear end, tranverse leaf etc, dropped axle. leave paint/interior as is.

 

That is clean. I'd do everything but the chop, and possibly the drop if I had to really cut into anything. That thing is a dream how it is, though.

 

How about doing a mild hotrod treatment? Everything you mentioned can be bolt-on. Keep the stock parts, just in case. The main thing to consider: it's not really useable with mechanical brakes and a totally stock powertrain. A lot of people with '60s collectibles are going through the same scenario you are and they're building 'restomods'. Good luck!

 

I would change it but nothing that couldn't be redone.

 

Soup up the stock engine and DRIVE it... way too cool already to try to improve on it in my opinion.

 

I'd even run the mech. brakes!!

 

This is a no brainer in my opinion. Juice brakes, lowering and some more power? SURE! Chop top... NOPE! Keep all the original parts. YEP!

Go for it.

 

What you propose is just fine. I would go for it and start building a hotter flatty to go in when I got tired of the stocker.

 

Keep the body and interior stock. Yank that 21 stud and put in a 24 stud with some speed equipment. Maybe convert to 12 volt. And of course update the brakes to hydraulic. You can always put to back to stock later.

 

she's perdy!

 

Everything I've done to my 3-window(juice brakes,dropped axle,dual holleys) can easily be changed back......I'd do it......save all the parts...

 

drop it and drive it!

 

I would hot rod, but no body mods, so it could be brought back to stock in the future.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Only need one for the museums...but if it was mine..and I wanted something to something a bit more radical. I'd think hard about selling it to somebody who would appreciate it for what it is, and then find your self something that won't come back to haunt you at nite after you put it under the knife. Cause lets be honest, if you're a chop'd and channeled sort of guy.. are you really going to be happy with some rims and a couple more ponies?

 

In 1920 W. K. Kellogg purchased 377 acres of land in Pomona CA for an Arabian horse ranch. Years later he willed the property to Cal Poly Pomona University. So it is possible the car could have been owned by someone in the Kellogg family and somehow wound up in New Mexico. I think I would try to find out either way.

 

Do everything except the chop, doesn't need it. And paint those ugly ass wheels. That way your not doing anything that can't be easily undone.

 

That car should be left as is...

 

There's plenty in museums already. Juice it, hop it up, drop the front, but no need to touch the body. Everyone wins

 

Go mild...Hang on to the original parts.

 

I guess I'll just reiterate (regurgitate?) what most everyone else has said.
That car is astoundingly gorgeous.
If I could easily undo the modifications, and I kept all the original parts, yep, you betcha I'd get a dropped axle, juice brakes, warm up another Flatty (keeping the original one under a cover, full of Marvel Mystery oil, or something like that) but I don't think I would chop the top. I know this flies in the face of hot rodder wisdom, but that car is too damned nice to mess with.
IMHO.

 

Drop axle up front, 7.00x16" Firestones out back and drive it!!!! Maybe some heads and an intake later.

 

My thoughts exactly. Give it a stance and leave it alone.
That car is simply beautiful!

 

+1 only modify things that can easily be reversed. DO NOT TOUCH THE BODY. Also I would only do the mods if I was planing on keeping the car for a long time.