Projects '31 A Coupe Work in Progress - What do ya think ?

Work in progress...I've had the car 2 years. It used to be a '60s era show rod with a nailhead and candy apple metal flake paint according to one of the previous owners (owned it from '64-'01). I bought it in a started project state. I've chopped the top 4 inches...a bit of metal fab in and out...added the drip rails, which were missing. It has the traditional look, but also has a lot of later hot rod era parts...its going to be driven. Have a look, let me know what you guys think.......

 

Wheres the pics? You didnt do an intro tell us about you

 

Sorry...a little rusty with the whole forum thing....hahaha FNG

 

Sorry man, You lost me when I saw the 4 bar and the street rod firewall. Your mixing themes. It just doesn't work. You asked.

 

Looks good.
welcome to the HAMB

 

Yea...I'm not a big fan of the four bar or the firewall....but thats what it had when I got it.....

 

If your not a big fan of it then why settle for something that will always bug you. It's your car and your free to do as you please but I have never understood that mentality. In a few hours you could have that out and be building it like you invision.

 

True....but budget and time can also be a factor....esthetically and traditionally hair pins, wishbones, ladder bar set-ups are the way to go....I always understood that the parallel four bars were superior....no caster change...little or no axle twist.......sooo I left it....if it really bothers me....I may change it...

 

Nice job. The 4-bar front and rear setup will get you some gasps here and the super-modified firewall too, but don't worry you're on the right path to a nice rod. Enjoy it and have fun.

 

Looks like a solid start, I'd just ditch the four bar setup.

 

Welcome to the HAMB........I like the chop, and the louvered visor.....good tire choice.....nice car....keep it up.........

 

Sit's right.........nice chop too!

 

Dont get me wrong. I am not bagging on your project. The stance on that car is great. The chop is right on. You asked for imput and as you know the internet is full on know it alls. I'm sure I won't be the only one.

 

welcome to the fun park. theres lots of info here to help you keep on the right track. dont let the knockers get to you, be sure to check out how it all works and use the search feature. its a great place.

 

Thanks for the replies/opinions.....constructive criticism is always welcome

 

Chop and stance look great.

 

It's looking good. the wheels and tyres, the chop, . . . and the nailhead. Cool. i'm sure you'll change bits along the way. It always happens. Just keep at it.

 

Well, if cost is a concern, a flat panel firewall would look better, and be more trad. looking and cost almost nothing. Add a couple beads if you know someone with a machine and even better.
Hairpins aren't too hard to make either. Or source some wishbones. While not free, if you know where to look, they can be had for cheap. Two easy and cheap things to really improve the direction you are trying to go to.

 

There's a lot that's really right on that coupe and a few things that are, well....wrong. I have seen a solution to the front four bar that makes it a little better. The lower bar could be heated up and bent upwards with a nice radius and welded to the bottom side of the top bar. Then you could cut the bottom of the mount off the chassis and weld in a little strip to connect the plates. This would sort of make the whole setup look like a hairpin. If you painted it black it would blend right in with everything else.

Not saying you should or shouldn't do this, just something I've seen to solve the four bar ugliness problem. A firewall on a model A is a super easy swap and they're still pretty cheap on Ebay or at the swapmeet. Same with the visor, either leave it stock or punch some holes in it but the louvers scream street rod. The chop, the stance, the wheels/tires, the whole package is really spot on. Don't settle and let a few easy fixes take away from an otherwise really nice hot rod. Good luck!

 

not found of the firewall but i like the car alot..nice.....................dave

 

Yep, with a few changes that's going to look really nice.
I think we'd all like to know more of your plans for it.
It's a good start for sure.

 

Nice start! and wecome to the HAMB.

 

Are you reinstalling the nailhead. Cool looking engine.

 

Unfortunatly, the nailhead is long gone. I brought the car in from Iowa. When talking to one of the previous owners who is now in his 80's.....When he got the car back in '64...it had a stock nailhead. He took the stock nailhead out and put in a modified nailhead with 6-2's out of a crashed dirt track car that the the driver got killed in. When he parked the car years back he sold the modded nailhead. This gentlemen also louvered the visor back then when he got it....soo to me that will not be changed. Yes, there is hardcore tradition....however not every hot rodder from back then did everything the same. He said he did a bit of metal work on it when he had it including filling the roof....he had trouble remembering...he may have modded the firewall some what and the guy I bought it off of had to repair it...it's hard to say without pictures. This car is an old hot rod, and has history...not a stock model a that I've made into a hot rod. Certain characteristics will stay the same. I'm still trying to get the old guy to send me some pictures he has of what the car used to look like. Apparently it won some trophies back in the '60s at a big car show in Des Moines, Iowa.

Right now the car has a 289 small block ford in it with a C4 trans and a nine inch. I'm a ford guy...and to me its the perfect drivetrain. Yes, I know its not exactly traditional.....but it could be correct for a car that may have had a motor/drivetrain swap in the mid '60's.

 

I like the look of your Coupe, it sits right, the chop is good and the wheels and tires are perfect.
If the car has history (as mine does) I would keep it the way it is. The four bar front I could live with and although I have never liked parrallel rear setups..................I'd leave it the way it was made.
Good luck and post more pictures........................as for the Ford, I am a Ford guy also, but preserving it's history (at least for me) would be to put a nailhead back in it, they are great motors.

IMHO

 

You would have to try real hard to fuck that up, already looks great. I wouldn't change much else unless the seat ain't comfy. Sit in it and if it feels cramped, take the seat out and start over, I'd do everything possible to stretch the foot/head/elbow room where that is possible. Stance can't be improved on already, any suspension works if it corners good and it's nailed to the pavement at 70mph. Firewall is to keep motor out of the creature area so if there ain't any big holes in it............
I'd be drivin' it with about three days of work, then concentrate on the things that affected the handling and performance.

 

Updates...what else is your plans for the coupe...more pics!!!

 

Looks like a great start. I'm with everyone else about the firewall and the 4 bars. The 4 bars look kinda goofy on a fenderless car but what do I know.

 

Well....the 4 bars don't bother me really....I've been debating lately...to put hairpins on the front, but just the front....I don't wanna mess with the setup in the rear....I wanna get it running and driving first....the hairpins can be done anytime....it's just not one of my priorities right now....the car is not going to be 100% traditional.

Right now the front end is apart...I'm swapping out the tube axle and mono leaf spring for a drilled & dropped I-beam (powdercoated black) with a posies multi-leaf spring and So-Cal shocks...

I'm going for a look very similar to 3WLarrys '32 3 window coupe....black on black on black

I will post pics as I get the work done...