Just picked up a new project a couple weeks ago. I was told its a 31 because of the stepped cowl. Beautiful condition: a little rust on the doors, a little on one side of cowl. Im pretty much a noob on Model A's. The plan: -32 rails maybe -6" chop -Nailhead with some 5 speed -Traditional front-end bagged -9" rear with 4 link and shockwaves -all steel interior -Traditional wire wheels -dont know what im doing with the dash. Any suggestions or anyone with a cool dash? Any other suggestions?
Looks like a good start. I like your ideas too considering they are pretty close to mine. <<<< W motor.
No not really. I like the visor and all but with that large of chop, im afraid of losing visibility with the visor. And I plan on driving the shit out of it.
There's way more to making it look like a '32 than just simply rmoving the visor. I wouldn't mess with that until you've got it chopped, running, and driving. You just might have more visibility than you think. Looks like you're off to a good start. Keep us posted on your progress.
And...when driving your chopped Model A, you can't even see the visor unless you stick your beak right up to the glass. It doesn't get in the way at all. When I first chopped my car I thought, there is no way I'm gonna be able to stand the little bitty windshield, but after one trip around the block, I got used to it. Don't get too crazy on the chop...keep it 4 or 5 inches and you will be fine. 7 or more gets way too claustraphobic. Also, it is a SHIT load of work to ditch the visor and not have the car look like ass. Chop it 4 or 5 inches, leave the visor and you will love it, I swear. Good luck, -Abone.
Nice project. Like your engine choice. Too nice to chop! Why make it look like the other over-chopped, over-kicked, sedans with flat paint on here?
After talking to a buddy, he talked me into a 5" chop because its easier to make look right. Thanks for all the input.
Any recommendations on wishbones and a drop axle? Im a college student on a budget so maybe "best bang for the buck"
good luck and post pics of the chop. I have not mustarded up the balls to do so yet. bEING 6'2" I might regret it, not in the looks department but in the practical department. I am also running a back seat. Front axle from speedway. You can hunt swap meets and come out cheaper. When you are not in a hurry is how you can save money. Good luck. I agree that the 4" to 5" is the magic number.
Definitely use a deuce frame if fender less, forget bagging it if you mean air bags, not traditional if that is what your looking for. Five inches on a sedan looks bitchin, and there are an endless choice of dashes to use, I did a 34 pu dash which was and easy conversion. Have fun with the build. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409232
Im not really looking for traditional because im am going to bag it. Thats just my style. That 34 dash looks great in there.
Are you going to channel it? If no channel then i like the 32 rails, but i must agree with saying no to the bags on an A. Don't get me wrong I dig the crap out bagged cars and trucks from late 30's thru 60's era, but its your ride ...enjoy it thats the bottom line. Keep us posted
imo if you bag it it's got to have fenders and if you're going to have fenders then use a model a frame. btw when you say bagged do you mean front and back?
Well its been a while with not much work done, except I built a garage. But plan on hitting it full force in the next week. So far I have the motor (364 Nailhead), tranny (World class t-5), and front end mocked up. In the last few pics you can see the wood cut-out of what the frame will look like. I also scored a 34 chevy dash? from a swap meet.
Hey Kaboom, just a few thoughts, take 'em for what their worth. If you plan on driving the shit out of it you'll hate more than a 4" chop. I'm 6' 1" and like my seat down low with legs straight out in front of me. My head sat just behind the A pillar in my car... driver's side B-pillar was about my 10 o'clock, passenger side was about 2:30. My car was chopped 3 1/2" and although I always like a more "radical" chop, it just wasn't practical for a driver. I couldn't see a SINGLE stop light from my driving position (if stopped at the intersection). It's been said before but the sun visor will not affect your vision, and if you remove it you'll have a strange Frankenstein looking "forehead" above the window. It'll be a real eyesore unless you COMPLETELY reshape the entire top. At that point you may as well start with a Deuce Tudor because you'll be money ahead! I know a 3 1/2" chop isn't much, but if you're interested in the profile look at the pictures on my "for sale" thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397140 Best of luck, I'll be watching your thread... I've got a real soft spot for Tudor A's!!! Man, if unless your the size of
Good info daddio. Im guessing you had stock height floors? When I do get to that point, I think im going to take 4" out of the top then set it back on there with the seat in it then see if I want an extra inch out of it.
Yeah, my floors were stock height. Just a recommendation, but as soon as your floors are mocked up (including trans tunnel) get your seat in there just how you want it. Have your steering and pedals in and in a comfortable location. Have your motor/trans in, and have your final tire size on the car. Once you have all of this done (establishing the ride height, stance, and seating position) put the car in the street in front of your place, get inside and have two friends stand on each side of the car with masking tape moving it down to the a point where you're comfortable with SAFE vision. Remember, the windshield frame takes up some of that hole in the body where it mounts (1/2" all around?), so have it in place when you take your measurements. Take the time to do this and you'll never regret doing so... especially if you end up doing a radical chop. Mine was already chopped when I bought it, so I had to modify this process some. We drove the shit out of our car too and it was always a pleasure... and comfortable. The one thing that DID suck was sitting at a stop light and craning my neck trying to watch for the green. It doesn't take long to get a sore neck! That was easily remedied by buying a "Lite-N-Site" vinyl window sticker (think of those prism things in the back window of a motorhome, but smaller). I trimmed about 3/8" off the top and it was perfect, and wasn't obnoxious looking. Best of luck to ya, do it right the first time and you WILL be able to drive the shit out of it... and enjoy it too!
No such thing as 'traditional bagged front axle' it is either/or. TuDor 'A's are great cars to build and lots of ways to make them look right, i have seen where the body gets shortened in the rear quarter window, when you drop the roof the window gets some strange dimensions working on it and shortening the body brings things back into perspective. Again, no bags. They only work on the hot rods in the magazines where a professional is taking pics, it is his job to make your nipples hard. In real life i have never let the air out of the one i drive, it is handy to raise it so's you can get a jack under it. But i have never gone to a show and dropped it down on the ground -i'd be ashamed to do it.
The more I hear "dont bag your A" the more i want to do it. Thats just the rebel in me. But I promise the Hambers this, it will be done the right way! Thanks for all the suggestions.
Not to bag on you Because it looks like you have a cool project in the works...But I will be highly impressed if the front Bag set up doesn't look like shit. it's just to bulky of a set up to run in the front of a fenderless car....It ruins the lines of the vehicle. trying to convince most hamb members that it will look good is like asking a bunch of abacus users to make the switch to a calculator. I do wish you luck, as maybe you have thought of something no one else has..... and I understand the "you can't do it....Yes I can attitude." I'll be keeping an eye on this.
Hey I don't mean to sound like a know-it-all douchebag type, just letting you know what worked for me, taught to me by several old school hot rodders who really know how to build cars. Anything I can soak up from an expert is okay by me, and if I am so lucky as to positively influence or teach someone else something then GREAT! At least that's why I'm here.
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