Entire Model A built with repro parts?

John Walters

John Walters

Member
I was looking at a catalog of Model A parts today and saw complete repro bodies, which made me wonder...if one started with just a bare frame, could you create a repro Model A solely from catalog parts??
 
However, I think you would have to find an original gas tank.
That's one of parts that no one makes, unless I am mistaken.
 
Theres a guy in south texas that did it. It cost him a fortune. Everything but the frame rails and body were from a catalog i beleive.
 
Just curious, if these guys are restoring a Model A solely from catalog parts, what are they doing for new axle housings, torque tubes, radius rods (front & rear), axle carrier, steering column tubes, gas tanks, cylinder blocks, spindles, etc., etc.??
 
Mike V. Florida said:
YUP

He plans to use repo parts wherever possible.
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But :confused:, help me out here, ...what does "wherever possible" do or prove?

I can save John all the work as I (and others) basically have done that a couple of times albiet it really wasn't my intention nor the customer's. Even though we used a Brookville body and all reproduction sheetmetal, we still had to use an original gas tank in the project. Then when it came to the undercarriage, because there were many parts that still were/are not being reproducted, (items like the frame, the axles, front radius rod (wishbone) spindles, rear end internal parts, etc. etc.) we were forced to use all original Model A manufactured parts there too. Adding to that the engine/trans parts that are still unavailable in reproduction would force someone to use those to until Terry B. and items like clutch housing are reproduced. Therefore I am of the opinion that you really aren't building an entire car in reproduction when you still must use about 25% of original manufactured parts because of those items not being reproduced.

I might add that in my mind, "totally built from reproduction parts" would be like the Ford T-100 project that was "re-manufactured" for the Centennial. Even though that car had some difficulties with certan parts (i.e.: the engine pan) they still reproduced every part to make the car 100% reproduction. Granted this is just my opinion only, but I'm thinking we've got a ways to go until the Model A can be contructed of repro parts and not look like a street rod.
 
Back in the early 60's the big thing was to use all NOS parts. There was a guy called "Model A Joe" in Michigan that had a roadster,he claimed was 90% NOS. A lot of the Repo stuff today is junk,Made in China. I would not want a car with very many repo parts.
 
There is another problem with building a car with all reproduction parts ---legally it would be a "new" car, it could not be titled as a 28-31 car, it would have to meet the regulations of the year of assembly for cars of that classification --safety and emissions.
 
Kurt in NJ said:
There is another problem with building a car with all reproduction parts ---legally it would be a "new" car, it could not be titled as a 28-31 car, it would have to meet the regulations of the year of assembly for cars of that classification --safety and emissions.
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Nahh Kurt, I think you're wrong about that. This has been discussed here before and the consensus was that this really isn't any different than owning the 'George Washington's ax' that he cut down the infamous Cherry Tree with. Even today that Ax is still in great shape even though over the years the handle has been replaced 3 times, and the head has been replaced a couple of time too. Even with all the "repair work", it is still old George's beloved Ax!!:cool:

On a more accurate note, you are correct in that even the T-100 project was touted as a new vehicle that was to be used for "non-highway useage".
 
We are building a reproduction Model A. It is an interesting project, but not the first. Some folks will remember a little article we did on using a Brookville body for a hot rod. That car is now finished. This started out while we were visiting Brookville at the SEMA show and we were discussing the use of the roadster body for the reproduction Model A . Well it turned out the engine was going to take longer so Don wanted to use the body for a hot rod and here it is.

And a look at the Model A chassis being used for the reproduction original style Model A
 

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Strictly speaking..

If you are building a 'new' car with all reproduction parts then in some (most) states you should legally title it as a 'new' car. This would mean following state rules.

The requirements would vary drastically by state. I know in NJ that the car would have to meet emission requirements for the date of manufacture of the engine. So a new Terry Burtz engine would have to meet 2011 requirements for emissions. You also need to prove you paid state sales tax on all the parts. You would also have to meet a safety inspection.

They are now asking for pictures of antique cars when you go to register them in NJ. I have talked to 2 rod owners who have had their NJ titles pulled and changed to a new manufacture title. They had T buckets that were obviously not Model T cars. The one guy commented next time he knows to pull pictures from the internet and send them in to the state of a real T.

We all know that many cars are not titled through technically legal routes. So it is easy enough to build a car out of repro parts and not worry about the title.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Just curious, if these guys are restoring a Model A solely from catalog parts, what are they doing for new axle housings, torque tubes, radius rods (front & rear), axle carrier, steering column tubes, gas tanks, cylinder blocks, spindles, etc., etc.??
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All reproduction bushings and bearings are used in the axels, torque tube an stuff like that. They are pretty much ordering as much as they can out of catalogs. They evn order the motors for sale in the catalogs. Its not exactly all 100% reproduction, but they do it as best as they can.
 
SEMA has been working on legislation that allows for the car to be equipped to the year it is being built as. So an engine such as the Burtz engine would be an original engine vs using a V-8 etc. They have been successful in a number of states and are working their way around the country, hopefully it will be that way in California. Here there is a lottery for registration of a hand built car each year. With that you don't have to comply with all of the requirements imposed on new car manufactures. This was how the Shay was made they limited the production to less than the manufacture cut off for "new" car production requirements.
 
Regarding Kurt and Brent's discussion: I am under the impression that Shay Model A's and later Shelby's were new car's titled as continuations of an older model year.


Brent's story about George Washington's axe leads to the Ship of Theseus dilemna. This is an ancient Greek philosophical debate about replacing the sum of the parts. It's also the legal argument used to nail Boyd Coddington.
 
During my Ford 8N period, I was getting catalogs from Biltrite (?) annually. One year they sent me a catalog with a "New" 8N tractor on the front. The had put it together entirely from repo parts. Here's the best part, It had a new engine! You know the kind that run on soy sauce! Never the less, it was new, not rebuilt.
With my recent experience with cracked blocks, I was wondering why someone couldn't cast chinese mod A blocks (Mod B ?) I know it's a big risk, but it's only a matter of time before we run out. Ora Landis told me he's going thru 3-4 blocks to get a god one. How long is that going to hold up?
Terry
 
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