It may not be a “barn find” by definition, but this hot rod is seriously cool! It was built to mimic the hot rods of old and could easily pass as an authentic period machine. The 1930 Model A body is still wearing its original 85 year old paint and the 331 Hemi V8 only has 31k miles on it! You can read more about its creation here on the owner’s site or view the auction listing here on eBay. The seller has some terms that I thought should be mentioned here. “The next owner must abide by a few caveats that are absolutely a condition of the sale! You can’t alter it, paint it, or do anything to it except drive it and enjoy it. THIS IS NOT NEGOTIABLE” Sounds like a plan. The asking price may seem steep, but it would be very difficult to recreate something like this for less. Or would it?
People like this really annoy me. If I buy the car, it is mine, and I do what I want to it. If it needs to stay the same, then he should keep it.
Fully agree with you, unless seller does offer a substantial discount. Then its negotiated and the caveat is paid for, making it obligatory at least in a moral sense. Just a thought.
I agree with Paul 100%, this is NOT an original from 50 years ago, it is a new build, nothing special!
What’s “completely original” about this rat rod? The seller talks about how his car is no “rat rod” because rat rods are cobbled together from parts then explains which parts were cobbled together to make this car. And the gauge cluster – don’t get me started.
I tend to agree with you, in principle anyway. MOST of the components are vintage but this car was built just a few years ago. I like how it was done with a few exceptions, the greatest by far being that HIDEOUS instrument cluster. If I bought this car, the first thing I’d do is RIP THE DAMN THING OUT and drive without gauges if I had to, just so I wouldn’t have to LOOK AT IT!! >_<
(And, yes, of course I REALLY wouldn't do that but I'd find a nice vintage repro cluster that would fit the look of the rod much better)
The real shame is the “very original” 1930 Model A that was destroyed to make this rat rod.
And I agree with the other comments. If it’s mine, I can paint it pink if I like. That should piss him off.
Thanks for spoiling my day…I was trying very hard NOT to think of where the body with original paint came from… >_<
If I were to buy the bloody thing, it would be mine to do with as I may please. What’s the guy trying to sell? Indentured servitude? I say keep the lousy thing, and place it where the sun don’t shine.
Was a nice car before it was rat rodded. Rat rods are terrible and so are the people that do that to cars. I would like to buy it and turn it back to 100% stock and send the guy pictures. That would make his blood boil.
He couldn’t have chopped and lowered that roof, and still kept the original paint. Who is he trying to kid?
If someone could explain to me how you can chop a top and retain the original paint….
Good question Fred. I’d like to know too.
Crazy glue? ;-)
Then a few squirts from a rattle can and as good as new!
I like the car but would never buy anything from anyone who tells me what to do with it after I paid them 38K for it. Yes the gauges would have to go for more period correct ones. I had to straighten out my wife’s perspective on giving our sons a car and what they could do with it after we gave it to them, it’s theirs now to do what they wish not ours as long as we are not paying for it.
Here’s an interesting article about the car: http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/1305-1930-ford-model-a/
Hmm, that’s odd. The gauges were different then. Seems like someone has made a few changes…
Wow, thanks, that was really interesting. Imagine driving across the country in something like this! Interesting geography, though. Death Valley is not on the way to Newport Beach, though, it’s East of 395. So sad about the unmolested Model A, though.
If he wants to send me a monthly check to store it as is and drive it and pay the maintenance and labor bills I promise not to change a thing!
interesting that both this site and Bring a Trailer seem to have accepted the naming of the car. Seller is trying to create provenance where there is none, current build on a reproduction frame, load of bull web site, and an overly annoying seller trying to flip someone else’s build after current flipper bought it from another flipper. No thanks.
Hey this isn’t Grabowski’s “Kookie” car from 77 Sunset strip, that was bought by some guy and repainted Gold. How will this guy enforce his rules?
I too, was convinced that this was an ” original” hot rod. from back in the day. sure took the wind out of my sails! you WILL see some ” beat up” hot rods at car shows, to some degree, that is part of the charm . but, with so many ” strings” and the price.. he can keep it Jesse thankx for posting the article on it!
I think that’s a lot of money, we used to build ‘rods’ because we didn’t have ANY money.
Are those Stromberg 94s or 97s? (I’m sure their rip-offs). Does look good, but I’d pull that old Hemi and install a blown H block 392, then you would have something. The 331 Hemis moonlighted as boat anchors. Oh, and are we allowed to remove the obviously manually installed dust from the roof? Or does that have to stay also. I guess we could clear lacquer over it.
Jesse, why do you give free publicity to arrogant asses like this seller? This isn’t a piece of hot rod history and was not built by a legend of the “good old days.” It’s a new build that tries to emulate a style from the Fifties (not too well IMHO) mixed with most of the worst cliches of rat rodding, a fad I hope goes away soon..
Personally, I think this coupe was chopped 1-2 inches too much. Makes me think of an old cartoon in, if memory serves me right, an old Rod & Custom, where a guy is choppong his hot rod coupe, keeps ending up with one post a half inch or so too short and re-chops, and by the time he’s done he’s got a roadster.
Well, everyone sure perked up when I did! The good original finds weren’t getting any comments so we needed something to get everyone’s blood going again.
.I agree with so so many commenting on the car……..not for real and my money….
my buggy.think i will pull stumps out of the woods with it!!!…..
Please excuse my language…..but that seller couldn’t be a bigger wanker if he tried.
I’m upset at myself for spending so much time looking at it.
A cobbled up bastardization of a nice old A. Hemi motor? At least feed it a 351 or a 460. Probably impossible to put right. What a waste.
This makes no sense. “The Hemi is backed up by a T-10 Muncie close ratio 4-speed from a 1963 Corvette Sting ray, using a HOT HEADS adaptor, and a hydraulic clutch slave cylinder.” A T-10 was a Borg Warner transmission and a Muncie an entirely different transmission.
I am by no means an expert, however I personally find the build quality on this really questionable. Look at the chop line in this picture. Forget the horrid chop job on the back, the pillars don’t even line up! A few bumps and you have an instant convertible! Seriously though, I would not walk, but RUN away from this one.
As much as I would really like to own a rod with a 331 Hemi in it (I owned a very low mile 331 Hemi engine at one time and foolishly sold it), I would not touch this deal.
I hate the term rat rod, condition of sale or not I would be prepping for paint as soon as i got it home.
Another sign of his ignorance. I started reading Hot Rod and other mags, in the 50s, and had a few nice cars myself. Paint was always a priority and looks were important. Also air horns on those Strombergs are pointing in the wrong direction.
Car goes from getting 19mpg on his website to 22-23mpg on the Ebay ad. Wish all of my cars gained in mpg as I drove them more and more. My 1970 IH Loadstar might actually get up to 6mpg by 2020. He has been selling off old cars and motorcycles for a while now on Ebay.
I think I’m going to go get a lottery ticket tonight. If I win I’m going to do the Buy It Now option, drive it back here to Boise, pour gasoline all over it, light it on fire and film it in 4K. Then post the video online and send him the link.
I kid, if I did win the lottery I wouldn’t waste my time giving one of those “That Guy” money. Seems like he has enough to keep buying and selling them. What’s the flavor of the month?
Mick
Hey Mick, are you going to join us on the rally? We are based here in Boise too.
Jesse,
Would like to, but I’m spending almost every free minute working on my Loadstar getting it ready to go back to Bonneville for SpeedWeek 2015. Last time we drove it down there it had some overheating issues, some fuel issues and some rusting from salt issues.
The overheating issue was probably due to a cracked head we discovered so the whole engine is getting rebuilt. The fuel issues were due to tank solenoid going out, tank needed to be cleaned as well. Rust from the salt is turned into a large endeavor. Finished stripping the bed, cutting it down, rewelding and repainting last week. This week we pulled the rear end and started stripping the whole frame. Hopefully will be done by August, but it is a stretch. Also have to get both rear leaf spring packs rebuilt as one has broken leaf other has broken off shackle. Maybe we shouldn’t drive it so hard!
Mick
From the article, it sounds like this guy is at least the 4th owner of the car. It has some modern parts that were meant to look retro, so not completely an early custom look. Needed repair and tweaking to be able to drive, let alone to California from Florida. As the body came from a parade car, the patina and look of the paint are faked, which was also obvious as francisco and fred pointed out. I hate the glowing red cluster that he added. “The car is historic and famous and to change it in anyway would render it unremarkable and it would be just like the thousands of other ordinary hot rods in the world. I bought this car with full knowledge upfront that that was the terms of my buying it.” Historic and famous? The build is only a few years old!