Need help! Just bought my first classic car

Bob C said:
Your 1929 looks like it has a 1930-31 AA truck radiator shell on it.
It also appears to have a dropped axle on it, does it have hydraulic brakes?



Bob
Click to expand...

Yes it’s a 30 AA truck radiator shell on it.
Yes it has a 4 inch dropped axle. Not sure about the brakes. Like I said I’m new to this car world so I’ll definitely be picking everyone’s brain on this forum. Especially now with the decision to leave it stock. I’ll post a pic of the brakes on my board so you can let me know
 
I looked at it and say,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,leave it as is. Except, maybe find a stock original looking 29 hood and radiator. I saw this body on craigslist and went and looked at it. The kid who had it liked rat rods and had a 29 pickup sitting there next to this body. You could just step in to it over what use be doors. He was going to hack up this 27 body but i talked him out of it. It is a perfect body and i bought it just to save it from being hacked. Sorry. Not a rat rod lover here. ;)
 

Attachments

  • rustee6.jpg
    rustee6.jpg
    74.4 KB · Views: 47
jonathan2014 said:
Yeah I think that’s what I’m going to do. Just keep it as stock as possible. Seems like the car might be too complete to go the other way. Thank you guys for the help!
Click to expand...

Wise decision! Look up a local Model A club. Plenty of guys there to give you a helping hand. Have them check the car over for you. As you drive it, I'm sure it will grow on you! As you cruise down a lightly traveled back road, you will discover that life back then wasn't all bad!
The club guys will also know where various bits and pieces are that you can use to build your rat rod type rig.
 
Another point: You can fit only one other person into a rat rod. Your stock two door will hold 5 (if they're thin and friendly), so you can load up 4 friends and enjoy going nowhere-just driving. You may get far more positive interactions with people than with a rat rod, too.
 
I just looked at the profile pictures and I believe that going "RR" is a mistake especially if you have limited experience. I bet the car has been modified with a dropped front axle, modified rear spring 16" wheels and MAYBE hydrallic brakes (i bet you do have the Hydrallic brakes installed) get it running & stopping well with the stock engine then get in touch with local LA rodding clubs that will be glad to help a newbie out in updating the car.
Get glass in it clean up the interior. Go to the H.A.M.B. and you will get a wealth of information AND encouragement There are young guys in LA to help you LEARN!
 
zzlegend said:
I looked at it and say,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,leave it as is. Except, maybe find a stock original looking 29 hood and radiator. I saw this body on craigslist and went and looked at it. The kid who had it liked rat rods and had a 29 pickup sitting there next to this body. You could just step in to it over what use be doors. He was going to hack up this 27 body but i talked him out of it. It is a perfect body and i bought it just to save it from being hacked. Sorry. Not a rat rod lover here. ;)
Click to expand...

I think you might be talking about that dude in Glendora? He had a 29 pick up in his garage. He was selling a 29 Tudor that looked like it was pulled from the bottom of a lake haha
Yeah the radiator is the next purchase.
The guy I bought mine from was in West Covina and was an older guy.
 
geoford41 said:
I just looked at the profile pictures and I believe that going "RR" is a mistake especially if you have limited experience. I bet the car has been modified with a dropped front axle, modified rear spring 16" wheels and MAYBE hydrallic brakes (i bet you do have the Hydrallic brakes installed) get it running & stopping well with the stock engine then get in touch with local LA rodding clubs that will be glad to help a newbie out in updating the car.
Get glass in it clean up the interior. Go to the H.A.M.B. and you will get a wealth of information AND encouragement There are young guys in LA to help you LEARN!
Click to expand...


Yeah the rear tires are 7.50-16. I’m having trouble uploading pictures on this forum. It keeps saying “upload failed” but once I get it I’ll post pics of the brakes it has. My interior does have newer seats that look like they came out of a van and look completely out of place. I just need to find a local mechanic who can fix 4 banger engines.
 
Or you can start all over like I did.
 

Attachments

  • P2090288.jpg
    P2090288.jpg
    74.1 KB · Views: 29
  • P1200280.jpg
    P1200280.jpg
    110.1 KB · Views: 23
  • P1050272.jpg
    P1050272.jpg
    65.1 KB · Views: 25
geoford41 said:
I just looked at the profile pictures and I believe that going "RR" is a mistake especially if you have limited experience. I bet the car has been modified with a dropped front axle, modified rear spring 16" wheels and MAYBE hydrallic brakes (i bet you do have the Hydrallic brakes installed) get it running & stopping well with the stock engine then get in touch with local LA rodding clubs that will be glad to help a newbie out in updating the car.
Get glass in it clean up the interior. Go to the H.A.M.B. and you will get a wealth of information AND encouragement There are young guys in LA to help you LEARN!
Click to expand...

Here are my brakes
 

Attachments

  • D4F569F4-BF08-45D3-8293-EF35737A397B.jpg
    D4F569F4-BF08-45D3-8293-EF35737A397B.jpg
    12.5 KB · Views: 86
jonathan2014 said:
That’s why I came to this forum to get different opinions. Post #12 makes the most sense. Keeping mine as is and find another project car that’s been cut up to mess around with.

Like I mentioned before I had a strong feeling against cutting it up but post #12 definitely made some sense.
Click to expand...


Glad I could be of assistance! I love driving my 29 Coupe and all the smiles and waves I get as I drive it around.
 
I didn't read all the replies but i have this advice for you...

Everyone thinks they want a ratrod, they don't. They aren't really driveable.


The shear volume of people that cut one up & never put it back together again... It's far too high. Some horrible person i meet last week had about 40 cars all pulled apart and mostly scrapped, thought he was going to build them into something, no he's not, he's an idiot.

I started with a chassis, right? Got it rolling, don't need a V8, i used the orig' 4 banger. Put on an exhaust, got that chassis driving mighty fine, built a body around it. Only used about 3 original panels, the rest i made. Not very low, not badly proportioned.
Why do i tell you this? Because that car is more fun & get more attention than high dollar low cars. And i can take it everywhere. No worries about feeling like you've been in a tumble drier for hours like you do in a lowered car (i'm sick of lowered cars, can you tell that? hehe. Lowered is over-rated.) It goes places softroader SUVs can't go, and pulls them out of the mud on a tow rope.
Don't be like other people, be more like me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top