While we undoubtedly have a considerable collection of Barn Finds readers who would love nothing more than to sink their teeth into the faithful restoration of a classic car, we also have a hardy group of individuals who would be chomping at the bit to get their hands on a vehicle like this 1929 Ford Model A Roadster. This is a wonderful old Rod that needs to be returned to its former glory. Whereas a faithful restoration will require an eye for authenticity, this one would require a person who can picture the original builder’s intent. They can then choose whether to return the Ford to that form or whether they might want to add their own twist to the Roadster. Barn Finder Ikey H spotted the Model A for us, so thank you so much for that, Ikey. It is located in Los Angeles, California, and has been listed for sale here on Facebook. It can be yours by handing the owner $8,500.

The old Ford wears many of the features that we have come to know and love from the hot rod scene. This includes removing the fenders and channeling the body, along with adding plenty of louvers. Some of the louvers are conceivably there for practical purposes, while the ones in the decklid would be purely for decoration. The body looks to be in good condition, with no evidence of rust. The interior photos show floors that look clean, and if the Ford has spent most of its life in California, there is every chance that the frame is also sound. The paint is an interesting combination because while the owner refers to the primary color as Grey, it looks closer to some form of Bottle Green in the photos. The flame job is also quite typical, and it seems like it has received a touch-up around the grille shell. An additional ’29 grille shell is included in the sale if the buyer wants to alter the vehicle’s appearance. Also included is a set of ’59 Cadillac tail-lights. The Ford has none fitted at present, so these would add a touch of spark to the exterior. The Roadster would benefit from a repaint, but if the buyer wanted to return the car to a roadworthy state, this does not appear to be something that requires urgent attention. The shortened windshield seems to be free from cracks, and the period alloy wheels look like they would respond well to a polish.

Powering the Model A is a flathead V8, which is backed by an automatic transmission. I believe that this could be a 239ci unit from somewhere around 1949 to 1953. It has received some go-faster goodies, including Fenton aluminum heads, along with an aluminum intake with a trio of carburetors. The previous owner indicated that the flathead requires a rebuild, and you can see that there is evidence that it has been partially dismantled. He did tell the seller that the transmission was working fine when the car was parked in the 1970s, and I get the impression that it was parked due to those engine issues. Treating a Ford flathead to a rebuild is not usually a complicated or expensive undertaking, and if I were going down that path, I would also pull the transmission to give it a service and some new seals. The V8 would originally have produced somewhere around 100hp, but with the visible upgrades, I suspect that figure will be a bit higher once it is given a refresh.

The Ford’s interior is pretty bare-bones, but you can see what the builder was trying to achieve. It seems that he wanted something that was tidy but hard-wearing, which would have been a practical consideration given the car’s lack of a soft-top. The upholstery on the seats is in good condition, although the modified door trim on the passenger door isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste. The driver’s door has been trimmed to match the seats, and that’s the way that I would be inclined to go with the rest of the upholstery. If I were to buy this classic, I would probably fit all-weather carpet or rubber mats on the floors. I like how the builder managed to quite neatly integrate a mid-1960s Mustang gauge cluster into the dash. It needs some fine finishing, but it has the potential to look pretty good.

There’s something pretty cool about an old-school hot rod build, and returning one to its former glory is an attractive proposition. Getting this one to a roadworthy state might not be that difficult and could be an excellent winter project. When the sun shines bright once again, the buyer could hit the road in a vehicle that would be guaranteed to grab plenty of attention wherever it goes. If you hunger for carefree motoring that harks back to a simpler time, maybe the right car for you has landed on the pages of Barn Finds in the form of a 1929 Ford Model A Roadster.