Tiss A Shame.. another one

[Dan Baron]

The more Model A's that go to hot rodders the more our Model A's are worth. That's how I have to look at it. Before a hot rodder wouldn't want to spend more than $3000 for a Model A. Now I'm seeing up around $6000. The only reason I got my 30 Coupe so cheep, was because the seller knew I wasn't going to hot rod the car.

[kp]

HMMMMMMMMMMM ,I have both ,48 Ford coupe street rodded ,I rescued from a wrecking yard ,it now sports a 350 chevy motor and transmission ,hyde mustang 2 front end ,posey rear springs,exterior is mostly stock looking,did most work myself ,and a 31 Ford coupe that is restored to original cond. I enjoy both vehicles ,I figure a guy has the right to do what he wants ,and I can actually say I have considered sooping up my 31 but probable wont.It does seem to be a shame to mess up a good body. What ever trips your trigger .

[Mountain Dew]

Rodding out good Model A's is going to happen. I hate to see it but I try to be optomistic about it. Look at the parts that the rodder is not going to use that we could pick up at a swap meet. The front end, rear end, engine.... all they want is the body. It still hurts to see a good body chopped.

[Mike V. Florida]

I think mentioned this before but at a car show we saw what was to us a real beat up sport coupe. You could see light throught the back, the fenders were repaired (poorly) and the price tag on it was $7500.00. Way Way Way too much we all said for something in that condition.

We bumped into a guy that just bought a coupe that he was going to rod and asked us if we wanted to take a look and make an offer on the parts he was not going to use. So off we went, in the garage was what we were told was a '30 coupe that we saw sat on a 28-29 frame with welded in front cross member rot around most of the out side and little or no interior. Far worse that what we saw earlier. We got to talking and made offers for the drive train and front end, steering etc.

During our talking we found out that he planned a restomod. That is from the outside it would look stock with stock interior, not chopped or channeled. He told us he paid $8000.00 for the car and had it shipped from Tx. This car was in our opinion far worse condition then the sport coupe. He also showed us catalogs that if he bought the body and frame aftermarket it would cost him about 22000.00.

So shipping costs were offset by selling us the parts he did not want leaving 22000 minus 8000 for a 14,000 savings. That will buy alot of patch panels!

[Bassman/NZ]

A hot rod (not a street rod) can be made from a Model A without doing anything irreversible. There are a few examples on the Hamb. A dropped axle (yes, mechanical brakes can work with a dropped axle), reversed spring eyes and the removal of a leaf or two at the rear, 16" wires or solids with bigs and littles, remove the bumpers, an aftermarket head, twin 97s and nice exhaust and presto! Instant hotrod. No problem, could all be put back to stock in a weekend.

For the record, my AV8 project has earned me the wrath of some purists in my neck of the woods. I am very quick to point out to them that the body was offered to two vintage car clubs, and both of them deemed it too far gone to be worth bothering with. Now that I spent nine months on the bodywork getting it all in shape they turn all righteous on me. Gimme a break.

[custom53]

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original cars are very common and do not turn too many heads. a real period correct hot rod is not that common and gets alot of attention anywhere it goes. the one in my avitar is my dads and it gets driven almost every day. he also has a restored original that he will not drive but a few times a year. i would rather have a hot rod too.

[denis4x4]

After reading some of the comments here, I really feel bad about selling Model A running gear for 10 cents on the dollar to restorers! On the other hand, I've picked up some choice early thirties speed equipment (Stromberg-Bendix intake and an original CRAGAR head) because Model A guys wouldn't pay the going price. This subject has popped up every couple of years and nothing ever gets solved, so get over it!

[Bruce in southern OH]

No, what we need is a new government agency, take tax dollars under a grant and purchase these cars as they become available and store them until we can distribute them to a preservation group, FordBarn A members, that would be a change, Bruce

[George Miller]

Do you guys really want laws that tell us what we can do with our property, I do not. We have enough laws now. Yes I have made many hot rods built my first one in the 50 ts.
Would I use a car that nice no. Most of mine were made from cars no one wanted, they said they were to far gone.
But we have to remember to most people they are just old cars.

[Terry, NJ]

When I bought my 30 Town Sedan, the owner had turned down an offer from a rodder. He put it in his Farm auction and sold it to me for exactly what the rodder was willing to give, which is not much. The owner didn't want the car "rodded' and neither do I.
Terry

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Bruce in southern OH

No, what we need is a new government agency, take tax dollars under a grant and purchase these cars as they become available and store them until we can distribute them to a preservation group, FordBarn A members, that would be a change, Bruce

FINALLY! A guy that wants to put common sense into government.

It will never work though, because government can't comprehend common sense!

[Tony Martino]

Her's my story. My 31 sat as a complete car in a barn for 50 years, When it came up for sale at a reasonable price nobody wanted it. After some deliberation it was decided to rod the car. All of the unused parts went to Model A guys. That included a complete frame, engine trans fenders bumpers hood etc. What was left was turned into a traditional rod. There are no modifications to the body, so theoretically it could be restored by the next guy if he wanted. Considering that my vin is 4 MILLION, 600 THOUSAND AND SOME.There will probably be plenty of parts around for at least another 50 years. One other thing, I drive my car as almost daily transportation. You don't see many stockers doing that. Just my 2 cents..... DRIVE THE WHEELS OFF!

[George Miller]

I think you got the answer. A good share of us model A guys are cheap. We do not want to pay as much as the rodders A lot of A guys when it come time will sell there car to a rodder, if they can get more money.

[Chris in WNC]

I keep hearing about the rodders who pay big bucks for Model As, but when we had our unrestored 31 Tudor on eBay last spring, they were conspicuously absent.

[panhead_pete]

Wasnt there 5 million model A's made? Surely enough for everyone to enjoy them however they want. Having said that I've seen cars that are MUCH too nice to mess with. They are beautiful as they are.

My last two cars have been a 32 and 29 Coupes, both rodded. My next coupe will be based on the best car I can find, preferably an older restoration then rodded as per Bassman/NZ suggested, just mild 40s style changes including going highboy. Who knows, the one after that might be completly stock when done as I am getting older. My rodding mates reckon Im joining the dark side, my mates with restored cars say Im seeing the light.

My point here is whilst I obviously recognise this site as predominatly for restorers just as the HAMB is for traditional hotrods, just seeing theses cars in pretty much any use is still a buzz to me.

BTW if I do buy my next coupe off here I will make it clearly evident what my intent is.

[Tony Martino]

Here is another thought. Even in the 30"s and 40's people modified their cars, Model A's didn't come stock with grill guards, trunk boxes, radiator ornaments, running board guards, etc. This was all to set their car apart from everybody else. Now the restorer puts a value on having all these extras like they were ORIGINAL, but they really weren't. So if a guy in the thirties put a 4 port Riley head on his car and you have the opportunity to restore the car are you going to take it off because it wasn't STOCK? I doubt it. My opinion is that at this point in history, the best restored Model A has been done. Why not start restoring some of these cars to the way they are found? Then you would be adding new stories to the long great history of the Model A, Probably one of the top 10 cars in history, and never loosing popularity in 80 plus years. How many cars can make that statement? Drive on.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Here in Florida, there have been some really NICE restored cars bought to be rodded.
The rodders state that it is cheaper to find restored cars, than to have to hunt for good bodies, fenders, bumpers, lights, grills, etc., when all of that has been done. They don't have the body repair, travel, chrome expenses, etc. It makes sense. They can get right to work.
MIKE

[Keith True]

I found ebay was NOT the place to sell to my A's.As one guy that bought one of my cars put it,We are not paying $9000.for a Model A,we are paying for a car body we can look at,climb all over,and actually lay our hands on.We don't have to have it hauled 1500 miles across country to find 50 year old brazed or pop riveted patches.We are paying $9000.for a solid,straight body instead of $10,000 worth of bodywork,plus buying the cheap($3-$4000)body on top of that.Funny thing about that coupe,I asked a friend of the buyer how he was doing with it(hoping for chassis parts) and the friend laughed and said he found he didn't have the heart to cut such a solid straight car.He may have gotten over that by now,but last I knew it was taking up precious work space in his garage.

[Greybeard]

I'm one of those "hotrod" guys who has been visiting the "barn" every day for the last 3-4 years. I had a plastic '32 roadster that didn't fit me too well so I sold it. Along came a 180A on _bay in New York & it looked just like a roadster, only longer. I could move the seat back and make it comfortable to drive. I bought the car for $7000.00 because "all the sheetmetal was in good condition". I didn't know anything about the body style and it unique-ness. As it turns out, this car would probably been turned down by a "purist" due to the conditions. The only thing remaining of the original car is the tub, 1 door & 1 fender. I had to replace both rear fenders, running boards (and braces that had been bondoed because they we so badly rusted) splash aprons & windshield frame. The original tub had been patched with window screen wire, carpenter nails & bondo. Thanks to Pete, I was able to get a new lower rear patch panel fabricated as well as rear door pillar quarters. I had to replace the lower cowl panels.
This weekend we got the car back together, sitting on a TCI chassis, Chevy 406 small block, 200 4R transmission & Ford 9" rearend. It looks beautiful in black primer, 285/75-15 tires, spun aluminum discs, Speedway Motors bucket seats, '40 Ford dash, steering wheel & shifter. It will be in Bonneville in 3 weeks, fulfilling #1 on my bucket list.
I want to thank all the "purists" for their contributions ( &, for the most part, understanding) as my project moved forward. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of knowledge and quality of contributions that exist on this website!! Bonneville or Bust 2010
P.S. The car's name is: Faye and her personalized plate is Pheaton, only because the correct spelling & FAY TON were taken.