Hot rods have always been about imagination, fabrication, and making something personal out of old steel. This 1930 Ford Model A roadster, now listed on eBay, is exactly that kind of build. It isn’t a catalog-assembled car or a fiberglass reproduction. According to the seller, it was hand built between 2015 and 2018 using leftover Model A coupe and Tudor body parts, shaped into a custom all-steel roadster.
The foundation starts with a 1930 Model A frame that has been swept, kicked up, plated, and reinforced. The body has been channeled four inches over the frame, and the front window posts have been chopped to accept quarter-inch safety glass. The seller notes the body was lengthened six inches behind the doors to improve legroom. The doors themselves are welded shut, constructed with square tubing and door skins rather than original inner structures.
Power comes from a 2.3-liter Ford four-cylinder topped with a Holley two-barrel carburetor. It’s backed by a four-speed Ford manual transmission using a cable-operated clutch. There’s no odometer fitted, but the seller estimates the drivetrain likely has fewer than 10,000 miles. Braking is handled by Ford drums in the rear and GM disc brakes up front.
The car rides on 16×4.5 Coker wheels at all four corners, wrapped in Coker Classic tires measuring 6.00 in the front and 7.00 in the rear. Suspension remains rooted in 1930 technology, and the seller openly describes the ride as firm despite the addition of gas shocks.
Inside, the cabin features hardwood oak floors and bomber-style seats. The seat cushions are memory foam covered in waterproof faux ostrich material. The seller also notes that the original steel is pitted and the single-stage paint is rough, reflecting its hand-built, driver-quality nature rather than a show finish.
The water temperature gauge is currently not reading, reportedly due to a loose connection behind the panel, though the seller states the car has not experienced overheating issues. The horn, which was previously inoperative in a video, has since been fixed.
With build receipts, hundreds of photos, and documentation available, this Model A represents a personal project built over several years. It’s raw, mechanical, and unmistakably custom.
Is this the kind of hands-on hot rod you’d enjoy driving as-is, or would you take it further and refine it into something even more polished?
This one is flat ugly.
Looks like a stretched T bucket to
me. Last time I’d seen one was in
the Time Tunnel segment of Rod & Custom Magazine in May of ’71. That car in question was built in ’61 with almost the same
alterations to the Model T body.
Although I think the doors opened and closed. While it may
not be everyone’s cup of tea 🍵
it’s still great to see someone actually building something with
their own two hands and using their imagination for a change.
And for the young folks out there,
THIS is what street rodding was like 56 years ago at the first Street Rod Nationals in Peoria Illinois. I wanna say that this car
was inspired by the track roadster movement that was starting then and if that’s what he
went for, he nailed it in spades.
And by today’s standards, it’s different I’ll say that.
“he nailed it in spades” – totally agree. He went for a look, on a budget and got it done, well.
Well said Ken.
It looks like fun 😊. Is it street legal without fenders?
That depends on the state.
Steve R
Looks like a fun car. The rear axle position is very interesting
This may not be your cup of tea, but you have to give the seller credit for coming up with a plan and executing it. Too many people sit around and talk about what they’d like to do, if only they had more time, money, the right skills, an understanding wife, and a few less kids.
I love it. The “Pinto engine” is an anachronism but it works and I’m sure it makes all the right noises, and surely has all kinds of modification opportunities. Someone in a fender-free state will have a lot of fun with it.
I don’t love the rear end setup. Also, they couldn’t find a flat head 8 somewhere? The 6 banger doesn’t get it done.
Not even a 6.
Pinto 4 banger
Old flatheads that are worth anything are x-pen-sive! And prone to fail or overheat or whatever, and heavy. A Pinto 4 banger you can almost get for free and he made it look like it belongs. Plus, Model As were 4 bangers.
It’s a 4 cylinder. (Count spark plugs, or read the article)
“Pinto” 4 cylinder isn’t for everyone, but is a lot more dependable than a flatty. Horsepower is probably closer than you might think.
Looks like fun to me. 🤷♂️
Still enough HP to scare any passenger and break any speed limit.
Unfortunately it’s a 4 banger, and the hits just keep on coming. I honestly can’t find a single redeeming quality about this. While I realize that someone put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into this thing and I applaud the effort, I’m afraid it just is way too much for me.
Very cool, not a cookie cutter ride that’s in every driveway. I run a 36 Chevy truck without fenders and never had issue.
Sweet ride. This one gets photographed a lot, I suspect. If I were in the market, I’d certainly pursue this one. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.
Obviously built by someone who knows vintage style hot rods and what works visually and mechanically. It’s not a “goofy rod” with some of this and some of that tacked on haphazardly. Everything works together here for a singular dry lake vibe. Just cool as it can be.
And it’s no an over-the-top-’32, nor with a ’32 price tag.
Priced to sell and you could probably get it for less than $8k if nobody buys it.
Now, that’s a lowboy! I’m sure you could high-center it on a cigarette paper. Personally I’d rather see a flathead V8 sitting out there in the engine bay; the Pinto engine is so–Pinto. College preppy, pizza delivery. In a hot rod I like to hear the exhaust bark instead of breaking wind. Otherwise, this could be a lot of fun. I wouldn’t kick it off my driveway…
Yeah, the modern engine is a compromise. It was probably real cheap compared to any period piece that still runs well, and it is far more durable and drivable than a vintage 4 or v8. It’s well disguised here, especially with the pipes. A pretty well thought out retro-rod.
rip out the 4 and put in the flat head it deserves
These were called “cut downs”. What a lot of people built in the 50’s.You ran with what you could get.It taught a lot of people to adlib.
Flattys looks cool but they sure are a PIA. I’ve had several. You learn to dread slow traffic.
Period piece.
Flattys are a pain!
Awesome rod. Love it. This Ford is over the top with looks. When I was 15 I had a 1954 Chevy frame, shortened 12 inches, firewall, windshield, bench seat and a Ford 312 for power and a three speed transmission. No body. Drove it all over. We lived out in the sticks. Would buy but no more inside room.
Harsh Ride it says. I wonder if lowering the tire air pressure might help.
In the dune buggy world they recommend closer to 20 in the front when you don’t have alot of weight to deal with. They say it improves the ride.