So, I am at napa today and this amazing 32 rills up. The owner claims it is original paint. At first i was skeptical, but it looks very legit. Mohair interior, roll up rear window, very nice. It sits on an all new chassis, aftermarket rails, nice 51 ford flatty. A very nice car. Just thought i would share.
My first thought was that there is no way. Then, I realized my car isn’t really that much newer and it still looks pretty good for being original paint...
41rodders, what would be changed on the grill? I am not seeing it. The guy says it is just as built, but with an all new chassis. I am not disagreeing, i am genuinely trying to learn something.
Weird that a guy would use aftermarket rails under an original paint body (what happened to the original frame? Surely it couldn't have been damaged or rusted?) but it's impressive if that really is the original paint, 90 years later and still looking very nice.
The guy seemed like he wasnt really big on being traditional. He said he bought it to drive, and after only 49 miles of driving it the moter went south. Instead of tearing it all apart he built a complete chassis with a new flathead, s10 5 speed and a 12 volt conversion, and then simply peeled his body off and put it on his new chassis. The paint shows a lot of wear up close. The part where you hang your arm out is almost worn to metal, there are a lot of small nicks and scratches, but no dents or rust at all. Seemed like a real car guy that has enough money to buy a nice car and Make it drivable. By the way, he was on his maiden drive in it and he was like 70 miles from home when i saw him.
His flatty is beautiful. Its a 51 ford motor, with dual carbs, high rise intake and finned aluminum heads. He even had a chrome generator, alternator thing.
Just a guess because I don't know the car. I suspect the car was a super nice original car. The guy slipped a new hot rod chassis under it thinking he was not ruining it. (it is not ruined) Just as many do with a "patina" car.
Not that one would want to go back but the no change that can't be undone without an issue works on something like this. I've seen it on a couple of Model A's back when people thought all original even when a bit tired was more valuable than a decently rodded car.
@41rodderz When I zoom in and get a good look at the grille, I really don't see how " it's way over done" It sure looks like it's exactly the way it should be, but that's just my opinion. So enlighten me as to what you think should be done to it? Thanks from Dennis.
Sad... that car is such a specimen. Stock rebuild wouldve been the path for me, make street rods out of fiberglass cars (if thats your cup of tea) and hot rods out of the old rough stuff, leave the original paint rigs thatre 100 yrs old alone!!
Maybe he will but it doesnt much change what i said... i personally wouldnt keep a car this original. It belongs in a museum or a finely cared for collection. I like to customize and play too much and i habe too much respect for this cars 100 yrs and the previous owners who HAD TO have meticulously cared for it all that time
Great car, must have been well maintained. A tell tale for originality of the paint would be to look for the original pin striping as all 5 windows had it.
Or look for the paint drips on the undersides of the fenders. All 32 fenders were black, and dipped in a vat of paint, not sprayed.
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