Charming and oozing with history, this Ford Model A roadster is a barn find that was in the same family until recently. By no means perfect, this Ford does run and drive, but needs a good looking over before being a road goer. With a whopping 44 bids, there is definitely a bidding war going on for this Ford. With a little more than a day remaining in the auction bidding has reached $6,200. Find it here on eBay out of Park Falls, Wisconsin.
The Flathead 4 cylinder engine looks simple and untouched with some superficial surface rust. In running condition, we would opt to do an all-inclusive safety check on the engine to insure safe operation. The firewall looks nice as do the engine covers.
There isn’t much of a back story on this Ford, but you can tell by looking at this car that it lived a colorful life. Perhaps some can criticize, but we love to see cars that people worked hard to keep alive and on the road. We bet the fenders on this Ford can tell a heck of a story based on the cracks, welds, and brackets to keep the fenders together. Originally blue, this Model A was brush painted in the 1950’s to its current finish. Overall the paint coverage is pretty solid considering its age, and application method. Though there are some areas where you can see the blue peeking through. The methods used to repair the fenders may not be the prettiest, but this Ford is complete, and is still drivable after all this time. Aside from the fenders, the roadster body itself is pretty straight minus the passenger side door which is dented. Rust is at a minimum with some various minor surface rust on the exterior. There is some rot in the rumble seat floor area, but it looks to be minimal. This A does still have side curtains, and the top is described as good but with some rips.
The interior also received the paint brush technique, but still looks suitable. The rumble and front seat upholstery match and are in decent condition from what can be seen. The gauge console looks pretty good with some surface rust that may likely polish away, and the gauges look remarkably clean and clear. The steering wheel is chipped, and the wiring looks a little haphazard needing to be sorted, and tidied up.
By no means perfect, we think this Charming Jalopy would be awesome to preserve. Its scars tell a story that can’t be made up. We would likely fix the rust, wiring, and the interior to make the car solid, but we can see where someone would want to restore this one, or even use it for a hot rod effort. We appreciate its current condition, how about you??
Being an avid old Ford guy and a Hot Rodder to the nth degree, especially for any old Ford from 28 to 34, I love this car. That being said and allot of emphasis on the old part (me not the car). I don’t think I could round up the courage to take on a project like this, maybe just let it sit in a corner of the garage, and enjoy looking at it, and responding to the questions of what are you planning on doing with that old Ford. Oh that, “its just garage art!”.
I would really have a personal tug-o-war on what to do with this. I would probably make sure everything is working and reliable then drive it for a while. Eventually I would want to actually do an ongoing restoration but keep driving it. I would own the car; not let it own me. I might add that I’ve got a ’35 pickup that’s complete albeit rough. It’s been around my neighborhood since its original owner bought it new and I know the entire history of it. I will eventually restore it but in the meantime I want to get it running and enjoy it in its rusty state before I do the major rebuild….
This could be the rat rod of my dreams.
I’ll strip it down to its bare essentials and would be a new build. I’ll hand fabricate the sheet metal except the cowl. I’d replace the frame with 2 x 4 tube chassis I would install a 305 H.O. with new cam, lifters, double roller timing chain, new water pump and new 600 Eldebrock carb. I’d add a Comp Cams Thumper series. T I’d mount Legend wheels with new tires with poor boy white walls. I’d get rid of the side curtain door windows. I’d put weather stripping around doors. The injection set up will be a hand made breather cover made out of bed pan and table legs. The frame will be a 2 x 4 tube chassis with a 70 ish Mailibu 10 bolt rear end. It will have a new fan and radiator. The transmission will be a 400 Turbo and the fuel cell and battery will be mounted where the rumble seat was. I’d add LED tail lights and turn signals. A B&M shifter will be installed. I would fiberglass all interior seams, and take care of body embarrassment with bondo. I would install all new or almost new:
QA1 chrome coil over shocks on rear axle
radius rods
steering rods
steering box
disc brakes front spring
bushings
heilm joints
Legend wheels
Lexan windows
shifter cable
guages
speedomter ( needs cable)
steering wheel
hoses
belt
master cyclinder and lines
headerswill install all new or almost new:It has new:
QA1 chrome coil over shocks on rear axle
radius rods
steering rods
steering box
disc brakes front spring
bushings
heilm joints
Legend wheels
Lexan windows
shifter cable
guages
speedomter ( needs cable)
steering wheel
hoses
belt
master cyclinder and lines
headers
I’d paint it candy apple red with evil clown graphics on the doors
Why cut up an orignal for that? I rod cars too, but given the amout of “work” you would do, it would be easier to start with a ratty body or a repop?
Go back to your trailer park and work on your Nova. Leave the original Model A’s alone.
Ok HansGrafinBurgerMeisterBurger or whatever your name is Whats up with the Nova dis .Ive got a Nova that probably just as nice as your precious Model A if not nicer and I sure as _ _ _ _don’t live in a trailer park.Oh and one more thing.Do you know how to make a Model A go faster? PUT A CHEVY MOTOR IN IT .
To each his own evil clowns, flames,whatever floats your boat.If he buys it, ITS HIS AND HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO TO IT.Except give him so many thumbs down that it all but erases his opinion.I actually read Francisco’s post and he has a pretty detailed plan on what he would do to this car.More power to him….Hey Francisco you should buy it build it the way you want to .Then send us a video of you giving us the thumbs up,doing a Burnout dressed as an Evil Clown.
My model A has a Hemi in it but I didn’t start with a nice mostly original car. I started with a pile of parts and turned it into a very nice Hemi powered A with full interior and fenders. Nothing against Novas but I just had a feeling his mullet was groomed to match his nova with skulls and cross bones and Maltese crosses all over it
am i the only one seeing the joke here? LMAO rat rod and candy apple red paint and Q1A shocks dont go together jeebus wheres the humor guys?
Howard A, she is pretty close. Going for it?
I love it just the way it is.
This is not all Mod A.wrong horn, ’35 rims, new style starter solenoid and alternator instead of generator.
Good project but don’t say it’s original Model A…
I see only two options here, either restore it to driveable only, or go for the complete hod rod build. High boy? The all metal roadsters are much more valuable than the kits. A full restore to as built would likely be way more than the final product would be worth. I was with Fransisco until he through in the comment about the evil clown graphics.
This old girl would draw a crowd, as is. Park it with the mega dollar roadsters at the car shows. As a public service, this would serve as a perfect example of the “before” 31 roadster. There’s plenty of “afters” around. Rock chips, finger prints etc, who cares?