Hotrod Regrets

I have been looking for a nice original standard black coupe with a trunk, and there are none to be found. They are all on ebay, chopped, big motor, fancy paint (or junk paint) and big prices that never meet reserve. The would be hot rodders have grabbed them all I guess.
 
I like both, but never ever take a nice car like that one to make a hot rod. The ones that I used over the years were just pieces of model A's or really bad ones. It might have been ok many years ago, but now it is just plane wrong. But it is your car.
 
Just passing on a story to ponder. A friend of mine had a stock Model A he freshened up ten years ago. That is, got it runnig decent, new paint and interior, and had a lot of fun. But he runs the local auto store and as such always heard when guys were rodding. Well he caught the bug, and ripped out the stock drive train for the standard v8,trany,diff combo. When he found out I was restoring my A, all he talked about was how much he loved the sound of an old stock A bone motor and the whine of the transmission. And how he wish he'd kept the drive train and should look for anther to use as a dirt road/back road runner. Now he didn't outright say he regreted modding his baby, but his response said something different.

I can appreciate a classic as well as a hot rod, they both have a style and class unique to each one. But I have to agree with the status quo, there are a lot of cars out there in pieces and bits that are sitting waiting for someone to finsih them before they go to scrap.
 
The majority posting on this topic seems to lean toward stock over modified. Of course this is Ford Barn! If you bring up this topic on HAMB I'll bet you will hear the other side.
I agree with the majority. Mine is stock and will stay stock as long as I have anything to say about it.
Marty
 
You have a nice looking car, and the fact that it is capable of a 2 hour trip is not something to be taken lightly...there are lots of folks reading this that wish they had that!
I like hot-rodded cars too, but that one is too nice to cut up, IMHO. Find an old forgotten project and get to work on it....when you get frustrated cause things arent working out at the moment, hop in the little coupe and go grab a cold drink or an ice cream and enjoy the ride. Good Luck
 
One I'll leave the way God intended.
The other was made to be a hot rod.
Know and respect the difference.
You'll be happy in both Worlds...
 

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When I bought my Model A it was with the intentions of hot rodding it. Once I got it home I started to change my mind. It was so cool as it was. Maybe just restore it instead.
It was easy for me in the end. I wanted a V8 and the car wasn't in the greatest of shape anyway. Hot rod it's going to be! Do what's right for you. You could do a simple rod that could be switched back like someone else did that's replied to you.
 
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Hey its your car do what you want with it. There were just under 5 million model A's made, they are not rare. You need to decide what you enjoy most,
tinkering and maintaining what you have (including 45 mph) or engineering and creating something of your own design that is likely to be driven more and farther. 40 years ago a restored model a was worth twice the cost of a nice hot rod. Now it's the opposite. Be honest with your abilities and ambition as well as how much money you want to put in it. Most of all have fun with it!!
 
Mac_4 said:
When I bought my Model A it was with the intentions of hot rodding it. Once I got it home I started to change my mind. It was so cool as it was. Maybe just restore it instead.
It was easy for me in the end. I wanted a V8 and the car wasn't in the greatest of shape anyway. Hot rod it's going to be! Do what's right for you. You could do a simple rod that could be switched back like someone else did that's replied to you.
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Life is short & I think the comment in red above is the answer to this subject & definitely my outlook . I have several street rods & a pristine 31 Tudoor & we're happy . I do regret hammering a 31 A coupe & an A pickup prior to having my first car on the road--a 35 Ford coupe --60 some yrs ago .
 
Tom, I think those handlebars are a safety feature. They prevent texting while..............

question is- how many pull ups can he do, without crashing?
 
ronn said:
Tom, I think those handlebars are a safety feature. They prevent texting while..............

question is- how many pull ups can he do, without crashing?
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I should frame that picture and hang it on the wall. It's so stupid that it's funny. It would be good for a daily laugh.:D:p
 
Why not keep that one original and build a nice street rod with identical paint and upholstery... Then drive them on alternate days to keep everyone guessing.
 
Does this mean that all of the "keep it stock" crowd will never buy Model A leftovers from a hot rodder no matter how good the parts are and priced to sell? Just asking.
 
Why anyone would take a car that could be restored or ran as an unrestored original and pimp it to a hotrod is beyond me...
 
Mikeinnj said:
Well then you did not follow the skilled work of Tom "Flop", (as he is known on Fordbarn) whan he returned a 6 1/2 inch channeled roadster body back to a bone stock roadster for the owner. Here is the link....

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72648
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I like both, but think hotrods are far easier to drive on the highway with all the morons doing 80 MPH while texting.

Was interesting reading on the other barn site a while ago about a prior top chop being too low and the owner doing a raising of the roof .

What a nightmare job, making all those missing bits.....

I think top chops are butchery too, it does nothing for the looks or function of the car, and a full height A or T looks far better.

Was not Edsel one of the first hot rodders ....probably rebelling against the old man and old ideas ...
 
Well now that I have been persuaded to keep the keep Coupe as Henry built it. What ever should I do with this jewel?
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