The Ford Barn

Rocketdog1 · 04-28-2016, 02:01 PM

Hi all,

New to the group, but several hours of surfing and I feel like I've found a home. I'm going to look at a '31 Fordor and was looking for some input. They claim "all original", though obviously that's not the case. Engine is not original, though I'm told correct for the car and runs well. Paint is certainly not original, and the interior has been redone (very nice, but not to stock). And though I think they look nice, I'm pretty sure Ford never offered this car with white wall tires. So, the "all original" thing is out the window. Assuming the car runs well and drives nice, what sort of value would you place on the car (the asking price is $8K)? Also, it has a passenger side spare as well as a rear mounted spare - was this normal? And, last but not least, is there anything in particular that I should look for when inspecting this particular model?

You're input is greatly appreciated. Should we end up as the proud new owners I'm sure you'll be hearing from me quite a bit!

Steve_Mack_CT · 04-28-2016, 02:28 PM

Welcome to the barn. Depends on what you are looking for in a first model A. Lots of small changes on that one that may not make it the right choice for a high point car, but maybe a decent first A you might enjoy while making some changes, or not, again depending on your own goals. Basic car is a Murray bodied slant window sedan, a nice model. Paint, sealed beam headlights, nice but later wheels and interior all point to someone who wanted to personalize the car to their taste. Those can be tough to resell and usually won't sell for as much as a car closer to stock. I would look to see how it is mechanically, what's been done does look ok, maybe they handledon't mechanical side also.

goodcar · 04-03-2018, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_Mack_CT

Welcome to the barn. Depends on what you are looking for in a first model A. Lots of small changes on that one that may not make it the right choice for a high point car, but maybe a decent first A you might enjoy while making some changes, or not, again depending on your own goals. Basic car is a Murray bodied slant window sedan, a nice model. Paint, sealed beam headlights, nice but later wheels and interior all point to someone who wanted to personalize the car to their taste. Those can be tough to resell and usually won't sell for as much as a car closer to stock. I would look to see how it is mechanically, what's been done does look ok, maybe they handledon't mechanical side also.

This particular car may be a '31 but definitely not a slant window model.

goodcar · 04-03-2018, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodcar

This particular car may be a '31 but definitely not a slant window model.

OK, looked at the latest photos, it is a slant but visor has to go.

Rocketdog1 · 04-28-2016, 02:37 PM

Thanks for the thoughts. I'm really interested in your basic "Sunday Breakfast" sort of a car. I'm not concerned about little issues that might cost me points at a show, just looking for a decent A to tool around in on a nice summer day. So the headlights and wheels aren't original either?

Steve_Mack_CT · 04-28-2016, 02:39 PM

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One more thing, the issue with a car like this is it is neither fish nor fowl, in other words a less than perfect original or more faithful old restoration or a traditional hot rod, if one is going to modify, will find a buyer a lot faster than a car like this. That said it seems reasonable in terms of price if you can use it pretty much as is. Sedans are nice, imo. Good luck with your decision keep us posted!

Steve_Mack_CT · 04-28-2016, 02:40 PM

Look like 16 inch v8 wheels, but that's not necessarily bad, very common on these cars for a little better ride and tire contact. Others I am sure will chime in! :-)

Charlie Stephens · 04-28-2016, 02:46 PM

I always liked the '31 4 door slant window because they have a lot less wood than the other 4 doors. I think I would get rid of the sun visor that was added to the outside above the window. The only reason I mention this is that you might want to check how much effort it would take to do this (probably the first thing I would do). Decide what you need to do to make it the car you want and then add the cost of this to the purchase price and consider if you could buy one in the shape you want. From what I can see it looks like a good car at a reasonable price but it is hard to tell from a picture. Plan on taking a lot of pictures and posting them when you return. Take a knowledgeable Model A person with you when you go to look at the car.

Charlie Stephens

sphanna · 04-28-2016, 02:50 PM

Sure looks like a great car and price for what you described as what you want. Someone has put quite a bit of money into that car and it looks like it was lovingly cared for. I can only guess that the car is mechanicly OK based on the outer appearance. If I was in the market for a car as you described for your purpose, I would definately pursue futher inspection on it.

sphanna · 04-28-2016, 02:55 PM

By the way, since you are not interested in making it totaly original, I like the non original sun visor.

Rocketdog1 · 04-28-2016, 02:57 PM

Yeah, I thought the sun visor looked pretty OK as well......

Thanks for your thoughts.

C26Pinelake · 04-28-2016, 03:24 PM

Dont worry about the WW tires. A guy at a car show told me my Cabriolet was not original because of the WW tires and I questioned his powder coated rims. He was a powder coat freak and had powder coated everything he could. Henry also never used powder coating. I told him he couldn't wear two hats. Wayne

1930artdeco · 04-28-2016, 04:39 PM

Welcome to the barn! Other things to check on-assuming they are stock:
-engine bearings if they are poured babbit.
-brakes, if there is any slop then she won't stop well especially if she still has steel drums.

Mike

Rocketdog1 · 04-28-2016, 04:49 PM

When you say "slop", what exactly are you referring to? Slop in the brake pedal, as in having to push further/harder than anticipated? Or something else?

Checking those bearings would be more in-depth than one could realistically perform on a cursory inspection / test drive - yes? I'm thinking I may just have to take the owners word and base my opinion of the engine on how it runs / sounds / gut feeling. Is there something I can do (fairly quickly) to give an idea of bearing condition that I'm not aware of?

Probably dumb questions (and I'm fairly mechanically inclined), but I've never checked out a car of this vintage and want to know what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

DougT · 04-29-2016, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocketdog1

I'm thinking I may just have to take the owners word and base my opinion of the engine on how it runs / sounds / gut feeling.
Thanks!

With the owner calling this "all original", it would make me question anything he told me.

Mitch//pa · 04-28-2016, 05:02 PM

Look in the gas tank fill with a flashlight for rust or other junk. Contaminated tanks in these are a PIA very important,,,
Make sure the engine oil is clear and not milky
See if it has shocks ,,, many cars are missing them ,,, that's a G right there
Look for a bad oil leak at the rear main area...
Steering with a lot of play like 2-4 inches or more could mean box or frt end issues....
Follow the hood alignment line down the cowl many of these cars have frame sag
Feel clutch for chatter
The brakes should stop the car quickly and the pedal should not go down to the floor on a panic stop...brake systems in these cars are expensive
Make sure all the doors close evenly and nicely
Maybe you can post pics under the hood from both sides when you are there and the undercarriage frt and rear
Ask if it's still positive 6 volt ground
Stock wiring in these are in looms and it shouldn't look like a birds nest / fire hazard
Make sure where the collumn mounts to the fuel tank that you don't see any fuel stains there..another PIA
See if they run antifreeze or water...

One last thing and I hope you don't think I'm a dick but I am giving you my personal opinion which may vary from others...
This car is not my cup of tea due to the fenders are not black and the body color is not appealing to me. The interior material is totally redone from the way these cars should look.. That being said yes anything can be fixed but I would rather spend a little more to get something more correct.
Good luck on your decision

Rocketdog1 · 04-28-2016, 05:42 PM

Mitch-

No offense taken at all - different strokes, right? Since I'm not currently subscribing to the "keep it bone stock" mantra, the little things that aren't absolutely original don't really bother me. Again, we're just looking for a nice looking A to putt around in when the sun comes out - and this one looked to fit the bill. I was just looking for learned opinions on approximate value (re: is the seller in the ballpark).

I really do appreciate all of the tips on what to look for.

Thanks again!

mshmodela · 04-29-2016, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Look in the gas tank fill with a flashlight for rust or other junk. Contaminated tanks in these are a PIA very important,,,
Make sure the engine oil is clear and not milky
See if it has shocks ,,, many cars are missing them ,,, that's a G right there
Look for a bad oil leak at the rear main area...
Steering with a lot of play like 2-4 inches or more could mean box or frt end issues....
Follow the hood alignment line down the cowl many of these cars have frame sag
Feel clutch for chatter
The brakes should stop the car quickly and the pedal should not go down to the floor on a panic stop...brake systems in these cars are expensive
Make sure all the doors close evenly and nicely
Maybe you can post pics under the hood from both sides when you are there and the undercarriage frt and rear
Ask if it's still positive 6 volt ground
Stock wiring in these are in looms and it shouldn't look like a birds nest / fire hazard
Make sure where the collumn mounts to the fuel tank that you don't see any fuel stains there..another PIA
See if they run antifreeze or water...

One last thing and I hope you don't think I'm a dick but I am giving you my personal opinion which may vary from others...
This car is not my cup of tea due to the fenders are not black and the body color is not appealing to me. The interior material is totally redone from the way these cars should look.. That being said yes anything can be fixed but I would rather spend a little more to get something more correct.
Good luck on your decision

Stating one's preference is not being a dick...

Mitch//pa · 04-29-2016, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mshmodela

Stating one's preference is not being a dick...

If the poster had already purchased it, I would not have said anthything about how the cosmetic restoration appeals to me.. I don't think that would be appropriate

Barber31 · 04-28-2016, 05:07 PM

Welcome to the barn! I recently saw this vehicle listed on Craigslist. You must be in Texas? Good luck with the purchase. My personal opinion is you won't really know how well she is put together till you spend plenty of time inspecting every aspect of it. Something that cannot be done thoroughly in a quick sale. Its basically a matter of is it worth 8k to you.

04-28-2016, 02:28 PM	#2
Steve_Mack_CT Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Central CT Posts: 348	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Welcome to the barn. Depends on what you are looking for in a first model A. Lots of small changes on that one that may not make it the right choice for a high point car, but maybe a decent first A you might enjoy while making some changes, or not, again depending on your own goals. Basic car is a Murray bodied slant window sedan, a nice model. Paint, sealed beam headlights, nice but later wheels and interior all point to someone who wanted to personalize the car to their taste. Those can be tough to resell and usually won't sell for as much as a car closer to stock. I would look to see how it is mechanically, what's been done does look ok, maybe they handledon't mechanical side also. __________________ Steve 1930 Model A Roadster

04-28-2016, 02:37 PM	#5
Rocketdog1 Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Ferndale, Washington Posts: 42	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Thanks for the thoughts. I'm really interested in your basic "Sunday Breakfast" sort of a car. I'm not concerned about little issues that might cost me points at a show, just looking for a decent A to tool around in on a nice summer day. So the headlights and wheels aren't original either?

04-28-2016, 02:39 PM	#6
Steve_Mack_CT Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Central CT Posts: 348	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) One more thing, the issue with a car like this is it is neither fish nor fowl, in other words a less than perfect original or more faithful old restoration or a traditional hot rod, if one is going to modify, will find a buyer a lot faster than a car like this. That said it seems reasonable in terms of price if you can use it pretty much as is. Sedans are nice, imo. Good luck with your decision keep us posted! __________________ Steve 1930 Model A Roadster

04-28-2016, 02:40 PM	#7
Steve_Mack_CT Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Central CT Posts: 348	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Look like 16 inch v8 wheels, but that's not necessarily bad, very common on these cars for a little better ride and tire contact. Others I am sure will chime in! :-) __________________ Steve 1930 Model A Roadster

04-28-2016, 02:46 PM	#8
Charlie Stephens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,032	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice I always liked the '31 4 door slant window because they have a lot less wood than the other 4 doors. I think I would get rid of the sun visor that was added to the outside above the window. The only reason I mention this is that you might want to check how much effort it would take to do this (probably the first thing I would do). Decide what you need to do to make it the car you want and then add the cost of this to the purchase price and consider if you could buy one in the shape you want. From what I can see it looks like a good car at a reasonable price but it is hard to tell from a picture. Plan on taking a lot of pictures and posting them when you return. Take a knowledgeable Model A person with you when you go to look at the car. Charlie Stephens

04-28-2016, 02:50 PM	#9
sphanna Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Polk City, Iowa Posts: 526	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Sure looks like a great car and price for what you described as what you want. Someone has put quite a bit of money into that car and it looks like it was lovingly cared for. I can only guess that the car is mechanicly OK based on the outer appearance. If I was in the market for a car as you described for your purpose, I would definately pursue futher inspection on it. __________________ Steve Hanna, Polk City, IA

04-28-2016, 02:55 PM	#10
sphanna Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Polk City, Iowa Posts: 526	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice By the way, since you are not interested in making it totaly original, I like the non original sun visor. __________________ Steve Hanna, Polk City, IA

04-28-2016, 02:57 PM	#11
Rocketdog1 Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Ferndale, Washington Posts: 42	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Yeah, I thought the sun visor looked pretty OK as well...... Thanks for your thoughts.

04-28-2016, 03:24 PM	#12
C26Pinelake BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto. Posts: 5,800	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Dont worry about the WW tires. A guy at a car show told me my Cabriolet was not original because of the WW tires and I questioned his powder coated rims. He was a powder coat freak and had powder coated everything he could. Henry also never used powder coating. I told him he couldn't wear two hats. Wayne

04-28-2016, 04:39 PM	#13
1930artdeco Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lynden, Wa Posts: 3,552	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Welcome to the barn! Other things to check on-assuming they are stock: -engine bearings if they are poured babbit. -brakes, if there is any slop then she won't stop well especially if she still has steel drums. Mike __________________ 1930 TownSedan (Briggs) 1957 Country Sedan

04-28-2016, 04:49 PM	#14
Rocketdog1 Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Ferndale, Washington Posts: 42	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice When you say "slop", what exactly are you referring to? Slop in the brake pedal, as in having to push further/harder than anticipated? Or something else? Checking those bearings would be more in-depth than one could realistically perform on a cursory inspection / test drive - yes? I'm thinking I may just have to take the owners word and base my opinion of the engine on how it runs / sounds / gut feeling. Is there something I can do (fairly quickly) to give an idea of bearing condition that I'm not aware of? Probably dumb questions (and I'm fairly mechanically inclined), but I've never checked out a car of this vintage and want to know what I'm looking for. Thanks!

04-28-2016, 05:02 PM	#16
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Look in the gas tank fill with a flashlight for rust or other junk. Contaminated tanks in these are a PIA very important,,, Make sure the engine oil is clear and not milky See if it has shocks ,,, many cars are missing them ,,, that's a G right there Look for a bad oil leak at the rear main area... Steering with a lot of play like 2-4 inches or more could mean box or frt end issues.... Follow the hood alignment line down the cowl many of these cars have frame sag Feel clutch for chatter The brakes should stop the car quickly and the pedal should not go down to the floor on a panic stop...brake systems in these cars are expensive Make sure all the doors close evenly and nicely Maybe you can post pics under the hood from both sides when you are there and the undercarriage frt and rear Ask if it's still positive 6 volt ground Stock wiring in these are in looms and it shouldn't look like a birds nest / fire hazard Make sure where the collumn mounts to the fuel tank that you don't see any fuel stains there..another PIA See if they run antifreeze or water... One last thing and I hope you don't think I'm a dick but I am giving you my personal opinion which may vary from others... This car is not my cup of tea due to the fenders are not black and the body color is not appealing to me. The interior material is totally redone from the way these cars should look.. That being said yes anything can be fixed but I would rather spend a little more to get something more correct. Good luck on your decision Last edited by Mitch//pa; 04-28-2016 at 05:17 PM.

04-28-2016, 05:42 PM	#17
Rocketdog1 Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Ferndale, Washington Posts: 42	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Mitch- No offense taken at all - different strokes, right? Since I'm not currently subscribing to the "keep it bone stock" mantra, the little things that aren't absolutely original don't really bother me. Again, we're just looking for a nice looking A to putt around in when the sun comes out - and this one looked to fit the bill. I was just looking for learned opinions on approximate value (re: is the seller in the ballpark). I really do appreciate all of the tips on what to look for. Thanks again!

04-28-2016, 05:07 PM	#20
Barber31 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 687	Re: Going to look tomorrow, need advice Welcome to the barn! I recently saw this vehicle listed on Craigslist. You must be in Texas? Good luck with the purchase. My personal opinion is you won't really know how well she is put together till you spend plenty of time inspecting every aspect of it. Something that cannot be done thoroughly in a quick sale. Its basically a matter of is it worth 8k to you.