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Projects New vehicle acquired, 1929 Ford Model A Tudor.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HotRodToomer, Jun 7, 2020.

  1. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    So, this happened.

    I'll spare the story of how it went from not being my car. To being in my ownership.

    I now own a 1929 Ford, with all the remaining bits to be almost as complete as it rolled off the line.
    What am I going to do with it, I don't know. What I do know is whatever I do with it, it will be driven, driven often and enjoyed.

    Still in shock? Yeah, me too.
    Stay tuned!
    20200607_145952.jpg 20200607_162318.jpg 20200607_162231.jpg 20200607_162404.jpg 20200607_162644.jpg 20200607_162842.jpg 20200607_163026.jpg IMG_20200607_165417_268.jpg
     
  2. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    Fun lays ahead .:)
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  3. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    And funnily enough, here's it in 2011 at Detroit autorama with my Cadillac behind it.
    FB_IMG_1586300947221.jpg
     
  4. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,514

    5window
    Member

    I think we need the story.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.

  5. raven
    Joined: Aug 19, 2002
    Posts: 4,698

    raven
    Member

    Agreed.
    r


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  6. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    Ok, here it is.

    The car was my friend, and fellow Nightmares C.C., George's. Two years ago he tried selling it to me, but of course life and financial problems came to light at the same time and I just couldn't do it.

    A year later, he lost a short, and privately kept battle with cancer.

    I never thought to ask about the car, I didn't feel it was right. I completely dismissed the car in my head because I thought it would be bought by someone with a closer tie to George or someone with more money.
    About mid May I was talking with his wife about car stuff and she asks if I was still interested in the Model A. After filling her in on what me and George talked about she made me a deal.
    That deal was good enough I'd be an inept fool not to take it.

    Sunday was my birthday, and for it I got to haul a 91 year old car full of importance to me and LOTS of others and make it something to be enjoyed again.
    That's a damn good present to yourself.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2020
    cfmvw, alanp561, Stovebolt and 17 others like this.
  7. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,087

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Story is even better than the car. Congrats
     
  8. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,514

    5window
    Member

    Good story. Good memories will come from your build.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  9. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    Great story. Great car. Its not often you get to acquite a car where you know a good part of its history.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  10. Congratulations, you will have a deep attachment to the Model A. HRP
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  11. hotrodzmartin
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 128

    hotrodzmartin
    Member

    Congrats on the purchase.....looks like a great car and story to accompany it! Thanks for sharing
     
  12. Glad you ended up with it.
     
    scrap metal 48 likes this.
  13. what was Georges vision for it? maybe you could complete what he wanted, or at least give "a nod" to his plan?
     
  14. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    Thank you very much everyone.

    As far as what's going to happen, I honestly haven't the slightest clue.
    His thought was as you see it, strip it down to the bare bits and drive it.
    It was a complete car when he got it, sitting in a barn for a long time, has a registration sticker on the windshield from New York, 1979.
    When we drove to Detroit for Autorama in 2011, me with the stock, (and very much hurting transmission and electrical wise), '53 Fleetwood and him in The A. We were just trudging down The Lodge with barely any traffic not a care in the world.

    Clearly from the picture from 2011 to last week you can see the elements haven't been kind to it. But honestly I don't care about that. I'll give it a tune up, fresh fluids, slap a new battery in it and if it runs blast up and down the road a few times laughing like a escaped mental patient.

    Certainly needs tires, a roof insert, a good cleaning in and out and odds and end mechanical bits. But I popped a 12V battery in it and after a couple steps on the switch the starter woke up and spun great, and the Ahooga horn was reluctant, but it came back to the party.

    It will see the road under it's big wires again.
     
  15. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    I thought that the 2011 picture was the AFTER picture, not the BEFORE one! A nice starting point for sure.
     
    5window likes this.
  16. i.rant
    Joined: Nov 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,301

    i.rant
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. 1940 Ford

    Good karma.....enjoy your new ride.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  17. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    I'm so happy for you...you know that. George was one-of-a-kind. At one time, this car was the fastest stock-powered Model A in the Model A Restorer's Club. Did a bit over 70mph, IIRC. It's a great car. Kinda jealous you have it but happy nonetheless. Take care of it or I'm coming after you!!
     
    HotRodToomer likes this.
  18. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    Haha, you KNOW I'm not going to mess it up.
    Once I get a good idea how everything is and what it's going to need to start getting cooler. Things should start happening fast.

    But of course, I gotta finish the Cadillac first!
     
    flatheadpete likes this.
  19. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    So I haven't done much, but not much is all it took.

    The thing runs, and it runs well.

    And I wasnt even ready for it to run, yesterday was my dads birthday and while over at the house I just joked around about trying to get it going. But, after setting the jet knob, spark and throttle levers, and putting my boot down, low and behold she kicked off like it was just waiting to go.

    I have only rebuilt the carb, cleaned the points, checked the plugs, filled it full of fresh gas and pressurized the tank till it blew out the rust gunk in the pick up.

    Then, like any person of sane judgment, I had to drive it. The last time I had actually SEEN the car drive was in 2011 when my buddy, and fellow clubmate, George was behind the wheel.
    So chuckling to myself all the way to the top of third, i was happy to share something again with my departed friend.
    I'm glad to say, 91 years after it rolled out of the plant, it's still one decent set of wheels.


     
  20. scrap metal 48
    Joined: Sep 6, 2009
    Posts: 6,079

    scrap metal 48
    Member

    Great looking project.. It's nice to start with such a nice and complete one...
     
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  21. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    So had a small hiccup today.

    The oil in it looked okay but it was very old so before I started it again I thought I'd give it some fresh stuff and some STP to get everything coated nicely.
    Got it fired back up and asked my dad if he wanted to go for a ride.

    Made it 1/4 mile before it starved out. Coasted into a parking lot, checked everything and it was still getting gas but it was a slow trickle. Got it winged back over and tried to get it back home but it just died again and wouldnt flow at all out of the tank, all the crud in the tank must of finally got loose and plugged it up.

    So, walked back to his house, grabbed his truck and flat towed it home, fired right up after a few minutes of sitting with the gas on. I wanted to get it flowing and cleaned out because there had only been short periods running it, so as you can see, I got creative!
    20200907_144207.jpg 20200907_191630.jpg
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2020
  22. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    Had to take a step backwards in the, "How to build a hot rod" rule book and start putting the fenders and bits back on. It's going into storage soon and I just didn't feel right doing a dogpile of parts inside the car. And I dont have an option to store them alongside/under it.
    Had to switch the headlights side-to-side to clear the fenders.
    Once the Cadillac is finished in the spring I'll drive it full bodied just to get the experience.

    Then of course it'll probably all come back off again, but who knows.
    20200914_195252.jpg 20200914_194458.jpg
     
    flatheadpete likes this.
  23. You should post that in the half-fendered hot rods thread.
     
    HotRodToomer likes this.
  24. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Very happy for you, HRT. A little envious in fact. Funny thing, today, I went to look at a 1929 2 door not very far from me, in just about the same exact condition as yours. Runs good and very solid. A little high on the price though. Very happy for you. Seriously.

    I'd like to take notice of something. A couple of our good friends here who've posted expressed that owning this car, working on it, driving it... will provide you with "good memories". I've never owned a car from that era that was driveable, so I can't say firsthand that it's all that it's cracked up to be. I imagine it is. I love these old cars. But I can't say from experience. But these other guys have done it! So they know! And I think lesser experienced guys like us are happy to hear it.
    I'm glad your shocked.
    And chuckling. LOL!
    I hope you do make a lot of memories with it!
    And God bless your old friend, George.
     
    alanp561, Steves46 and HotRodToomer like this.
  25. I hope that you enjoy your "birthday present" as much as I enjoyed mine. I, too, acquirered a '29 Tudor Sedan on my birthday a few years ago and had a lot of fun turning it into something that I had in mind for a long time...
    Bringing it home... 19.jpg
    And the final outcome... 113.JPG
     
  26. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    So, status report.
    There is a local show, it's about 15 minutes from where the cars at. All summer I helped my dad get his 49 Ford squared away and being this was the last show today I told him to go have fun and not worry about helping me on the 29.

    But then, like all people with a new toy, I got to thinking.
    If it runs well, and the brakes "work", and the radiator leak is only a drip. Why the hell am I not at the show either?
    So, loaded up an extra gas can to fill the janky auxiliary tank I zip tied to the hood strap. Grabbed a quart of oil in case and a drip pan and hit it.

    Straight and true 35-40 MPH no problem.
    Except the roof blowing off looking like a half opened sardine can.
    Got to the show, got a lot of confused looks and a lot of happy faces.
    On the way back to my dads I had him follow me, it was getting dark and the lights work but not the stoplight.
    There is a Laguna Seca style corkscrew down the street from him. I was going uphill on it but I gave it all the beans not hitting the brakes. Topped the hill then rolled into the gas until I hit 55, and it was a happy camper to do so.
    I absolutely love driving the Cadillac, its almost therapeutic how much fun that car is to drive.

    But man I love how just plain bonkers this '29 is.
    20200915_182209.jpg
     
  27. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    "bonkers" LOL. I like that.
    "love driving the Cadillac"
    The big cars are nice to drive. I've had a few. Comfortable, nice ride, beautiful, awesome.
    But "bonkers" sounds great! LOL
    Nice to have one of each.
     
    HotRodToomer likes this.
  28. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    IIRC this Model A, at one time, was the fasted stock engined A in the Model A Restorer's club. It topped over 70mph with only a good tune-up. George was a wizard with that damn car.
     
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  29. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    It's going to need some help before it does anything like that again.
    Brakes certainly are a big thing, and so are the tires. The both exist, but are far then what they should be.
    As far as driving though, if I had it more fixed up and all functional, I'd see no problem daily driving it. The bones are good!
     
    flatheadpete and warhorseracing like this.
  30. Interesting headlight position.
     

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