Purchase Advise: 1930 Model A Tudor

vespaholic

vespaholic

Senior Member
1930 Model A Tudor
Restored +/- 20 years ago.
It's been sitting but runs.
Very cool patina which I really like.
I went over the body with a fine toothed comb. Very solid and looks to be all original sheet metal.

Here's what it needs according the the vintage car dealer that has it:
Carb Leaks fuel
Won't idle long without the choke pulled partially open
Low beams do not work
High beams do not work
Rear parking light does not work
Brake light does not work
Need Brake shoes all around
Needs emergency brake shoes
Needs Oil Change
No coolant in system
Needs new + battery cable
Vac wipers do not work.
Gas tank has a bunch of crap in it.
(It also needs tires but that's not part of the deal)

They want $4000 for the car.
They said they would fix everything listed for no less than $1500 to no more than $2000.

So all in I could have a running driving safe A for $6000 or less.

Is that a good price?

My time is a factor as I travel a lot on business, so having it running driving and stopping safely would be a plus.

I think it may be but I'd like a second, third…..20th opinion.

BTW: It does not have the original engine in it BUT, it does come with the original engine out of the car.

Thanks in advance.

PS: They already put a new battery in it.
 
Welcome. 4K seems in the ball park you may be able to dicker with them a bit. Here is my 2 cents worth:

-The electrical can be fixed in a few hours with about $100 in wiring.
-The brake system will cost around 1500-2000 to completely rebuild.
-The vacuum wipers are not required as RainX will be your friend.
-A rebuilt engine will run you about 4-5K done right.
-A gunked up fuel tank can be cleaned out (assuming no cancer) but it will just take you awhile.

Do these people know how to work on a Model A? They are simple but have their quirks for an 80 yr old car. Where do you live as local club member may go with you to look the car over.

Mike
 
They do have Model A service experience.
It's an awkward situation.
All my friend that are in the Model A club locally are better friends with the 2 guys that own the dealership.
I guess that could work both ways.
$4000 is the "dickered" price.
Thanks for the reply.
 
i doubt they can properly fix everything for 2K without half assing it..the carb may be screwed from a contaminated gas tank to boot. most model A brake systems need more than shoes usually drums also as a minimum.. since your time is valuable and you want a good running reliable car i would spend more and move on. probably has a cooling system issue also..
IMO your buying a can of worms
beware and educated...
good luck
post some pics if u have
 
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Another question you need to ask is how is the wood in the car? the roof and around the windows all have wood. Does it drive halfway decently, any noise from the ****** or rear end? I assume you work on vintage Vespas so will most of the skills to work on this car.

Mike
 
I can't speak to the wood as the interior was finished when restored.
I'll be driving it Saturday, it was raining today.
They do not have a ton of info on the car as it was purchased from the estate of the prior owner.
 
This dealer is fairly reputable but not cheap so I'm thinking they have already inspected what is needed to make it right.
 
You can't buy a lot for that money first of all. Secondly remember it is a Tudor which is entry level Model A and does not command the same amount of dollars as the much sportier models. It would've a good idea to post several photographs before you sign the deal. There are a few experts on this site that can assist you greatly. Good luck! Wayne
 
I think it sounds like a good deal. It basically needs 3 things to be running right. Clean the whole fuel system, fix the wiring, and fix the brakes. Plus it needs new tires, but I still think it sounds good. Pictures would be the deciding factor though.

If the body, paint, and interior are good, that's a lot of money saved, plus a lot of down time.
 
The body paint and interior are all sound.
I could find no evidence of bondo anywhere and like I said I love the patina.
I'll get pictures on Saturday morning.
 
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Mitch: I guess I should have said that the cooling system has been drained.

The car was put into storage a while back, then the owner died.
 
the gas tank being full of crap is a very major concern and usually a deal breaker for me.
wonder how they plan to rectify that
 
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Strange the brake shoes are all shot, I wonder if they checked or just noticed that it didn't stop like disk brakes? I would be worried that I wouldn't get $2000 worth of proper repairs out of a shop like that, I don't know them but my level of trust with things like that has been dropped to almost zero over the years. The 4K sounds decent especially if you decided to work on it yourself which is part of having one.
 
PICTURES< PICTURES< PICTURES>
"Restored 20 +/- years ago" If so, how/why are so many things shot/worn etc?
Patina How's the paint/interior?
Paul in CT

1930 Model A Tudor
Restored +/- 20 years ago
 
@Sunnybrook: I'm wondering the same thing myself. I'm really leaning towards getting it towed home and checking it out myself.
I guess I'll look for "how to rebuild your model A brakes" videos on youtube.
@1931 flamingo: No pics till Saturday. As far as why stuff is worn…. who knows?
If it was restored then used a lot, then stored, that could be 1 answer.
I know what I'm looking at from a body, interior, frame condition.
The motor looks simple enough.
The brakes give me pause.
 
vespaholic said:
@Sunnybrook: I'm wondering the same thing myself. I'm really leaning towards getting it towed home and checking it out myself.
I guess I'll look for "how to rebuild your model A brakes" videos on youtube.
@1931 flamingo: No pics till Saturday. As far as why stuff is worn…. who knows?
If it was restored then used a lot, then stored, that could be 1 answer.
I know what I'm looking at from a body, interior, frame condition.
The motor looks simple enough.
The brakes give me pause.
Click to expand...


The motor is pretty simple,
as long as the block is not cracked....
 
The brakes may just need a CORRECT adjustment. Many don't know how to work on mechanical brakes. You can also look at how much of the adjuster shaft is showing on the back side of the backing plates. If they are screwed in a lot, then you won't see as much shaft showing, and that would be a good sign the brakes are worn out. At any rate it wouldn't take much work to pull a front drum and inspect the front brakes.
 
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