My New 1936 Ford Fordor (looking for some suggestions/opinions)

So, I recently did some trading with my buddy Joe (A-Rodder) and acquired this '36. It is a very nice car with a fresh restoration. I intend to use it as my daily driver. It is basically all stock with mechanical brakes, 3-speed, 6-volt etc. The only exception being that it has a fresh 59AB flathead.

So now for the opinion part. I like the overall look of the car. It just needs a little more "flavor" (for lack of a better term). I am thinking about larger tires in the rear and a mild lowering. It currently has 600-16's all the way around and I'm thinking about stepping up to 700-16's or 750-16's. I'm just a little concerned that it might look kinda goofy with bigs and littles on such a large car. I know that there are a few of you folks running 750-16's on coupes and I would assume that the fender space is similar on a sedan. But I'm not 100% sure if there is enough room to stuff that much tire.

Anyways, here are the pics:

 

Man.....that thing is slick looking. Is the interior as nice as the
exterior? Not sure if those larger tires will fit conveniently - but I've
never tried fitting any to a car like that.

 

36s are one of my favorites! I think you need to break up some of the tan, a little red perhaps? Pin striping and the wheels, looks like a real nice car! Trade ya an '81 Courier p/u and a Sportster basket case!!

 

Paint the lines in bumpers and the hubcap emblems. Factory style or better pinstriping would break up that expanse of Cordoba Tan.
It is a Fordor sedan not a hotrod, enjoy it for what is... just a great old car to go everywhere in style and comfort.

 

Lowered all around but a bit more in the back, teardrop fender skirts, ripple disk flipper hubcaps and a set of Appleton's and you have created the perfect 1940's cruiser.

 

Wow that a real beauty. I wouldn't get crazy with her..

 

I would look at this thread, there are some great looking '36 Roaster's. Maybe it could give you some idea's for the Four door.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=773325

 

IMO, 7.50-16's are too big on fat fendered cars. I would go for Firestone WWW 7.00-16's and 5.50-16's on the front, then a set of '36 spider caps, twin 97's, finned heads, pilot manifolds full twin exhausts with smithy mufflers, Reversed eye springs, or maybe a dropped front axle, '39 steering box and '40 juice brake conversion - job done in my book! Good luck , just don't muck it up, she's a sweetie pie. Jm2cw.
-H.R.D-

 

second that!

nice car on its own so would do only some minor 'n mild changes on her

 

here is my 36 done in a street rod 4 in drop split wish bone with chassis eng rear springs 350 with a 2004r simple to do with that car its jsut a good fam car.

 

Leave it alone or go all the way, just sayin. It's neater'n hell!

 

Too nice to mess with.
Sell it to someone on FordBarn.

 

Nailed it !! Thats what I would do as well, but we are probably the minority! Beautiful car!

 

My first thoughts would be juice brakes and 12 volt, season to your taste.

 

update the brakes, add some tasteful pinstripes, 7.00-16's and 5.50-16's as has been mentioned and call it a day!

 

So.. According to your initial thread the car is dead stock except for the 59AB engine.. Now you want to muck it all up with "bigs/littles" i.e. 750 tires on the rear.5.50's on the front..
There are several reasons why you should reconsider the tire/wheels change.. For one, the fender clearance on the rear, mechanical brakes that will be unable to overcome the "flywheel" effect of the large wheels.. Secondly the steering, front suspension, will also be also be very heavily taxed..
If you intend to drive the '36 on a regular basis you need to do some upgrading to the brakes and suspension:
Upgrade the brakes to '42-48... Use '40-48 drums with 15" wheels from a '57-64 Ford F100. Use a '39 peddle assembly or the same as from Bob Drake.
Upgrade the steering box to a '39-40 unit.. Add a 2" dropped front axle for a '41-48 with tube shocks...
Change the rear axle assembly to a '42-48 unit using the '36 center section and '37 radius bars.. You will also need a '42-48 rear spring..
The suspension mods will lower the car over two inches without the use of long shackles... The ride and handling will be great.. Nothing will requires cutting and/or welding... All bolt together modifications...
If you want to customize the exterior to an old school look: Add teardrop skirts, flipper disk hubcaps, dummy Appleton's and a nice red pin-strip down the belt-line..
In 1950 I had a '38 Chevy 4dr sdn, same color as your Ford.. I had all of the above accessories on the car.. It looked so cool..
My "36 Ford coupe, which I have owned for 61 years has all of the modifications I have listed in the-above... The 59 AB engine in my Ford is highly modified with all of the good stuff from the early '50's..
The headlights shown in the first pix are '40 Chevy, a popular mod in the early '50's..
The bumpers shown in the second pix are '37 DeSoto's, another popular mod in the early 50's..
In 1961 I went back to a more stock look on the car.. In '65 I replaced the Chevy headlights with stock Ford units...

 

WTH,
I give a buddy a smoking deal on a completely restored to almost all original status and no he wants o muck it up with different sized tires and go all "hot rod".

Sheesh....

Signed,
Joe, and I am looking for fenders to back on the restored coupe that Mitch "destroyed" before we traded.....

 

Joe,

Keep your eye on Craigslist, I will be posting up those fenders soon! I promise to give you the "Buddy" price on them.

-Mitch

 

Seriously though, I appreciate all of the comments.

Yes, the interior is all fresh mohair and I have to say that it is one of my favorite parts of the car.

I completely agree. I am working on that now. I have always wanted a car that is nice enough to have either Kurt Silva or Mitch Kim stripe.

It's funny that you mention this. I figured out the hubcaps, but completely missed the bumpers. Consider it done.

^^This!^^

As for driveability, the stock 36 mechanical brakes seem to work just fine for now. They are all new and dialed in. I am used to driving stock Model A mechanicals and understand the maintenance and care involved. I may switch to juice brakes if I get tired of them. As for the 6 volt, it will stay. I am perfectly happy without a big stereo or air conditioning. I've grown to appreciate that brief moment of panic when I hit the starter button. The flathead will be getting a Thickstun PM-7 with 2-97's, some higher compression heads and dual exhaust.

Thanks Again,
Mitch

 

Thought maybe I would save you the trouble of posting those fenders on Craigs list. I'll do the $5.00/fender we already talked about.

 

Im thinking 3 leaves out of the front should help some.....

 

Well what ever you do , don't turn it into a roadster. Trust me

 

Drop the front a tiny bit.
Or just leave it as is.

I saw the car at Joe's when I was limping up "the 5" a few weeks ago. That thing is really nice.

 

100% agree with Rik here.

Rik, can you post a picture to show how AMAZING these 4-door sedans look as a 40s styled mild custom? It seems like nobody sees their potential.

Lower the rear slightly more than the front, tear drop skirts, flipper hubcaps (the real ones), and appleton 112 spots!! ohhhh boy. And a hot flathead to go with it?? Yes please. You'll have a tasteful mild custom that your average joe in the 40s would be cruising around everyday.

Besides, nobody else is doing it.. you'll be a trend setter!

 

I'm with rikster


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Exactly what i thought,you don't need to do much when you start wih something thet nice.

 

How about something like this.

 

Gorgeous car. Swap the brakes to juice and do this:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187518

I'd go with blackwall tires on yours though. (Would on mine too if I had it to do over again.)

JH

 

Juice brakes,lower it a little in the back and a dropped axle up front.

Add a white wall rubber rake and a subdued belt line pinstripe and your golden!

BTW,,nothing wrong with a 4 door. HRP

 

Mitch,
I think all it needs is longer shackles in the rear, dropped axle in the front, 6.50x16 in the front with one bar flippers, Desoto or Olds bumpers and skirts with Buick swoosh/trim. Graduate slowly to a Pines winter front grill that you fill with a Cad/LeSalle incert and smooth hood sides. Do you think a darker color would make it look more sinister? Just a thought.
Nice car, my first was the same thing, bought with lawn mowing money at the young age of 13. Sold at Albany Swap several years later.