New surprises with my 'new' 31-Tudor

[braol]

As I continue to sort through my new-to-me '31 Tudor I am finding more interesting non-OEM parts on the car.


1) After reading an article in The Tudor Book I have determined that the ignition key is non-standard. It is cut on both edges of the key...as opposed to being cut on only one edge as in the original keys. It is still a pop-out switch however.


2) I have door lock keys but they do not work. I will check the codes on the handle shaft at some point here.


3) Some old pros are going to skewer me on this one but my engine serial number does NOT match the title. Personally I don't care but it could be an issue if I ever try to sell. I will be checking the frame serial number soon. Might just have been an engine swap at some point.


4) The box of parts I have includes an old Tillotson carb.


5) My front seats are vinyl. I knew this wasn't original when I got the car but it is an interesting point of conversation. They didn't have vinyl in 1931 I don't think... The rear seat is just a solid black 'wool' material that is very scratchy. Headliner and side fabric and welting is new.


6) Fiberglass rear fenders. Oh well...they look good.


7) Electric wiper. No provision for a vacuum wiper on the intake manifold....


8) New front drums...original or old rears.


9) No shocks.


10) New taillights.


11) Car is a Standard Tudor but it has painted rims in the pinstripe color.


12) Car title says black but car is Chicle Brown. Either I got swindled on the title or it is a repaint with an engine swap. My upcoming check of the frame serial number will tell all.


The car is cosmetically good and starts right up. It has zero rust. I got the chatter and some wobble. I'm thinking that my car was a barn find a long time ago and had been gone through by a pretty competent guy over the course of time who never got a chance to finish the car. I know it was part of an estate sale a few years ago in Iowa. I bet the shocks had been removed for rebuilding and got tossed out before the estate sale because someone didn't know what they were.


I wrote down the name of the prior owner and will post that at some point. Maybe someone knows the car/prior owner? We love the car and am enjoying going through it from radiator to rear bumper. I gotta get rid of the chatter though....

[TerryH]

A friend had an A, with an engine that did not match title either, and he was told by his insurance company they needed to match. Not sure if that is generally true, but you might check to be sure....

[Bob C]

1) After reading an article in The Tudor Book I have determined that the ignition key is non-standard. It is cut on both edges of the key...as opposed to being cut on only one edge as in the original keys. It is still a pop-out switch however.


Sounds like one of the old repros made in Spain.


Bob

[marty in Ohio]

My engine number does not match my title either, but nobody has ever questioned me on it. I have no idea what the frame number is and I hope I never have to find out. The car is insured by J.C. Taylor and has been for the 25 years I've driven it.
If I ever have to correct this problem I guess I have two options.
1. Grind off the engine number and restamp.
2. Go through the state to have the title changed.
I would do option one as, option two makes my stomach hurt.
Marty

[GerryAllen]

Drive it and enjoy it, I bought mine in Jan and started to drive it in Late March. Now have 4000 miles on it, everyday driver, very dependable so far. That is once the bone head behind the wheel learns to listen to what the car is telling him.
One thing I did when I got it was flush the radiator, it was bad, car runs cooler.
Have fun and enjoy the car, I think the key is to drive it regularly.
Gerry Birch Bay Wa

[braol]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by marty in Ohio

If I ever have to correct this problem I guess I have two options.
1. Grind off the engine number and restamp.
2. Go through the state to have the title changed.

I feel the need to get out my stamper...

[31a]

Drive it and have fun I never check the engine # and the title Have fun!!

[Brentwood Bob]

Another possibility with the registration is that the number was off a engine not the frame.

[SSsssteamer]

I have found that when re-stamping the engine serial numbers that I have often only had to change two or three of the stamped numbers. I grind down the the wrong numbers thin enough and then over stamp them with the correct numbers. That way I still retain Ford's stars at the beginning and at the end of the serial numbers. When I had my last "A" engine rebuilt by H & H in La Cresenta, CA, they offered to put any serial number on my engine that I wanted. That was nice service to have available. From Mac's and others, serial number body tags are available that look proper for an old car. On several of our model A Fords I have mounted these to satisfy the DMV inspectors. I either put them on the left front door pillar or on the firewall by Ford's body patent # tag. The DMV inspectors are just doing their job, and if a body serial number tag is convenient to read and it has matching numbers, the tag makes their job easy and they are happy.

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by TerryH

A friend had an A, with an engine that did not match title either, and he was told by his insurance company they needed to match. Not sure if that is generally true, but you might check to be sure....

The number on the title should match some number on the car. Originally engine numbers were used but at least since the seventies California would install VIN plates on the door jam for cars that had been registered with the engine number and issue a title with that new number. In 1932 they began having visible frame numbers and the DMV uses them. If there is not a number on the car that matches the number on the title some BIG problems might come up in the future. If the car is wrecked the insurance company could say "That is not the car we insured". If you are pulled over by the police the car could as a worst case be confiscated since there is no proof of ownership. Worst case it could be a stolen car hiding with a title that someone brought off of EBAY.

Charlie Stephens

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by 31a

Drive it and have fun I never check the engine # and the title Have fun!!

What you say may be good in Texas but things are a lot different in California (unfortunately).

Charlie Stephens

[Bud Man]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

What you say may be good in Texas but things are a lot different in California (unfortunately).

Charlie Stephens

Actually, in Texas, unless you title and register it as an antique, with "limited" driving privileges, the required inspection regimen always includes a visual match between the VIN on the frame (or engine) and what's indicated on the old title. Wherever you live, unless you are going to be buried with the car, I would recommend resolving it in a manner that won't raise a red flag up to the next potential owner. Its only a matter of when- not if - you are going to sell it, and the extra time and effort spent will pay dividends when that time comes. Before I bought my '29, I ran away from more than a few cars where the engine number was either obviously altered, or re-stamped haphazardly. My .01 cents worth....

[BN]

I went through this nightmare in Texas earlier this year. My engine number did not match the VIN on the title. I was thinking of selling my Model A, and was told by a consignment company that it couldn't be sold unless the engine number matched the title VIN. The Texas DMV confirmed that. I asked the Texas DMV if the frame number would work. They said they don't recognize frame numbers until 1932 on Ford's. This was a real mess until Sept 2017 when they cleaned up their laws some. All you need to do now is fill out a title change form, supply them with a legible picture of the engine number, and they will issue a new title that has a VIN the same as the engine number in the car. I did this, and everything is fine now.

[copgib]

As far as the title goes, all you have to do in Florida is obtain a registration form from DMV fill it out and have a local Law Enforcement Officer come by to verify the number you put on the form is that is on the engine. He signs off on it after seeing it and then you take that form back to DMV and they will issue you a new title in your name. This is what I have to do also. Hugh

[braol]

My topic isn't a complaint so I'm not sure 'buyer beware' is the right term...I knew the rears were fiberglass and that the seats were not original before I even looked at the car. I was also aware that the cars often have had the engines swapped out and that old titles might not match so I was prepared to restamp the engine or to attach a body "serial number plate."


Some positive takeaways from the experience are that: the car looks GREAT, starts right up, had new brakes and tires and a new interior (except the seats). There are no leaks...except the first two days after I changed the oil (I swear I under-filled it enough to avoid a leak). Most cars have some incorrect repo parts (like my ignition with wrong style key) but it works fine. The car had clutch chatter when I test drove it (and wobble) but with all the posts on these topics on this forum I know I'm not alone.


The worst thing about the purchase is that I'm going to do a clutch job and maybe restamp the engine. The fact that I got the car for only $5900 makes me smile every time I open the garage door. It also leaves a LOT of flexibility to solve any issues in the future.


Oh, one last thing: I raised part of the body off the frame yesterday: In addition to there being absolutely no rust on top of the frame rails MY SERIAL NUMBER ON THE TITLE MATCHES THE STAMPED NUMBER ON THE FRAME! How about that!?

[Chuck Dempsey]

Excellent! DMV man will be happy too.....

[Tom Wesenberg]

That's good news. I'd make the engine number match the frame and title number.

[1927Tudor]

That’s a very nice looking car, I think you did well at that price.

[Chris Haynes]

[QUOTE=marty in Ohio;1661088]
1. Grind off the engine number and restamp.

What you are advising is a felony in most states. It is illegal to remove or modify any manufacturers serial number. It could cause you to lose the car.