Another Barn Find...well sorta

[bogdonj]

I have been looking for a rolling chassis for awhile now to begin a ground up restoration for a speeder and 2 weeks ago I was in luck. I got a phone call from a gentleman telling me that he found a barn find model a that was sitting in there since the 60's and the only thing he needed was the Tudor body. I cringed when I heard the thought of someone cutting Henry's original metal but there was nothing I could do to change his mind. I drove down to look at it and it was buried in snow but the frame was straight and solid and the motor turned over. Last week I got the trailer and headed down to pick it up. It's an early 1930 Tudor Sedan with engine number CAT7374

Few days past I managed to get the snow off of it and begin tearing it down to get to the basic frame. This saturday we completed it and will be stored until spring when I have room in my garage to try and start it and continue to see what work needs to be done. Just goes to show you that these gems are still around in the barns.....well or in the snow bank in Canada.

 

[Farrell In Vancouver]

Bogdonj SCORES!
So lucky he took the body off nice, not a single cutting torch mark?!
Usually out here they just cut everything in the way off.......
Looks like a great start to your project!
Cheers!

 

[Doug in NJ]

What's the extra cross member on the frame, just ahead of the rear cross member? Possibly the remains of a home-brewed trailer hitch?

Doug

 

[Craig Lewis]

Nice scoop.
Of particular interest is you appear to have a steering wheel with no cracks. This is rare for a 80+ yr old part which soaks up water like a sponge!
Occassionally a steering wheel which has been kept dry (body on) will show no cracks until exposed to the weather for a few weeks.
If you have such a beast please consider protecting it well as they are few and far between. If you remove it let the penetrating oil seep in for a couple days, carefully use some heat on the metal hub & try not to hammer on the brittle wheel or twist the spokes while pulling.

 

[bogdonj]

Bogdonj SCORES!
So lucky he took the body off nice, not a single cutting torch mark?!
Usually out here they just cut everything in the way off.......
Looks like a great start to your project!
Cheers!

Ya he did use common sense when he took the body off. He said all the bolts came out pretty easily

Craig- I wondered about that also, I will have to remove this and put it back to the way it was.

 

[bogdonj]

Nice scoop.
Of particular interest is you appear to have a steering wheel with no cracks. This is rare for a 80+ yr old part which soaks up water like a sponge!
Occassionally a steering wheel which has been kept dry (body on) will show no cracks until exposed to the weather for a few weeks.
If you have such a beast please consider protecting it well as they are few and far between. If you remove it let the penetrating oil seep in for a couple days, carefully use some heat on the metal hub & try not to hammer on the brittle wheel or twist the spokes while pulling.

That is why I took the picture of the steering wheel to show everyone what kind of shape it's in. I will remember your advice when I plan to take it off. Thanks

 

[700rpm]

It is amazing to me that there are still people who are foolish enough to leave something like this out in the weather. Common sense (obviously a rare attribute) would tell one to at least cover it with a tarp until they were ready to sell.

Nice find by you, Bogdonj, and glad it got into your hands for saving.

 

[frank mcdaniels]

Bogdon, I love how sometimes model As (find you) instead of the other way around. Most often these gems turn into real special cars. Have lots of fun on this baby.Frank

 

[peters180a/170b]

early 1930 to Nov. 1930 side aprons and running boards , early front fender brackets and no crack steering wheel [might be a soy bean wheel] they hold up better then the rubbers ones. See if the engine numbers match the frame #... Go by the frame numbers on what time frame.Good luck with your project.MY guess its a early 1930 going by the rear bumper brackets .

 

[mot]

it looks like it has all the original hardware
photgraph and document everything,including the bolt heads and which way they face
its a great find

 

[glenn in camino]

You are a lucky guy.

 

[Tudortomnz]

Engine number is actually early to mid May 1930. The car has late front Canadian bumper clamps which would be right as engines were 3 or more months old before going in a chassis. It would probably have had the ribbed dash panel as just about all Canadian cars do with those type domed bumper clamps. The splash shields look to be the normal 1930 2 piece type.
Re looking for a chassis number to verify your engine number, let it be said again [ & again] Ford Canada did not usually stamp the frames after 1928. This was only a legal requirement in the US, not anywhere else, & the engine number was the cars serial number.

 

[Jim Parker Toronto]

Nice find!! That extra part across the frame could have been for seat belts. have it running soon?

 

[bogdonj]

Nice find!! That extra part across the frame could have been for seat belts. have it running soon?

Won't try and get it started until spring. My garage is full with the other Sedan and Roadster and my Lexus. Hope for an early spring! When I do get it running I will have it on video.

 

[columbiA]

I have only seen one 30 CDN frame with the engine # on it & I have seen many 30 frames over the years.I also have a spare block with a CAT#.That was a lucky find for you!

 

[metalho]

Very cool, nice work pullin her outa the snow.

 

[swo4rd]

Get all the body bolts, wood blocking and pads. the bolts should be good and the pads and blocks used to make new ones. Good luck.

don

 

[dumb person]

Nice find.

 

[bogdonj]

I have only seen one 30 CDN frame with the engine # on it & I have seen many 30 frames over the years.I also have a spare block with a CAT#.That was a lucky find for you!

Yeah looked to see if the frame had the engine number and it's not there... Too bad production didn't continue to stamp this on all cars across North American

 

[Russell in Tulsa]

And I thought all Canadian cars were Right Hand drive. Evidently not,huh?