New guy looking for advice...

Join a local Model A club. They will have a lot of people to rely on for advice. Look at the MAFCA.com or MARC.com websites there are cars being sold there by members of the national clubs.
 
You are better off paying $10K than buying that one the needs at least $10K of work and a couple of years time. Your first Model A should be ready to drive and enjoy otherwise you will get tred of the hobby before your can is running. I put together some suggestions about buying your first Model A and Jim Mason was kind enough to host them on his web site:http://jmodela.coffeecup.com/wherestart.html
Charlie Stephens
 
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assume the frame's bent and the engine, steering & brakes are worn out unless he can demonstrate otherwise. with all these problems it MIGHT be worth half his $7K asking. but the Bondo and the bozo interior make even that number a stretch.

if you want a car to drive and upgrade don't drive anywhere to look at one unless the seller can guarantee it will be driveable when you get there. if it won't go 45 mph for 45 minutes without problems then it's a project, NOT a good driver.

make friends with an experienced Model A person or persons to mentor you in this quest. take your time, there are plenty of cars for sale.......
 
I bought what I thought was a "good to go instant driver". Seller said that it was completely "restored", albeit 20 years ago, but with only 1500 miles on it since "restoration". Over the past 2 years I have found all sorts of things where shortcuts were taken and/or just not done. Incorrect parts used, just plain shoddy work. The only redeeming fact is that the body work and interior were top notch. Mechanicals are another thing.

End result is that although I have been able to drive it around 1500 miles over the past 2 years, it has spent more time in the garage being worked on than being driven. And I'm still thankful that the body work was done so well. I can handle most mechanical things, body work is not my forte.

I'm almost afraid to open up something else for fear of what I will find. Hopefully in another couple weeks I can get it back on the road again and get a little use out of it before winter sets in.
 
I second joining your local model a club . Many times you can buy a car from a club member . My club ,presently has 2 for sale.When you find a car have model a guru from your club look it over.There are somethings you can repair on these cars reasonably and some things ( such as rust ) that cost big bucks . Good luck ,and make sure you drive the car before you buy it .
 
My question to you would be what are you looking for a project or a daliy driver or something in the middle. Honestly alot of model Aers act as if if everything isnt mechanicly perfect its junk and needs to be rebuilt. the truth is alot of things on cars are fine a bit warn out. My stearing balls are worn out so is my gear box so what it still steers with just bit more play in it. my breaks all i did was just though new shoes on and put new springs and adjuster in stops great even though i know the internal cams are worn and this is worn. My tranys worn and makes way more noise than most of the other guys and my motors warn i have trubble hitting 55 some days. Who cares good enough for me and i drive mine a hell of a lot more than any Aer i know every day every were as my only car and i tell you shes reliable even worn. So say you want something u can drive and tinker on. something that would be awesome providing it runs. One day you save up some and u tackle the breaks, get cast drums and all the fancy stuff now u do it and let me tell u theirs no feeling better in this world than when you finish that project. Now you drive it like that for a while next winter you tackle say the steering. Bam that's done then one day you re do the hideous upholstery By the time your done you have a car that you feel like is a part of you maybe not the prettiest maybe not a 500 pointer but its your car and your proud of it. I tell u when i was looking for an A i had a lot of trouble finding anything half that decent for under 4 id go to see cars in eastern Ma Boston area to NH and for 3 grand i could get a car that was sitting in someones field for 50 years motor seized swiss cheese for sheet metal and not roof or interior to speak of. i opted to buy basically a roling chassis with a crawl hood grill and two fenders nothing from door hinges back bought it for 1400 no idea if it ran or anything. bought new sheet metal and did all the work myself was at it every day from 330 pm till midnight for 2 months till i had it pretty much done. Between buying it and parts she cost me 5500 the one best feelings is every time some one see her who hasn't seen her in a while they say wow she looks better every time (i was lucky enough the motor did run and i didnt have to do jack to the drive train) * rember everything can be fixed and the equations is more energy hard work elbo greese less money, more money less work up to you
 
Don't buy the first Model A you look at!!!!! Model A's are not rare classics, ie: 1 of 1. There are many different body styles that you will want to check out before settling on one particular type. There is NO reason to buy a parts car to rebuild anymore unless you want the fun of doing the rebuild yourself. That is a steep and expensive learning curve from my experience. Good Model A's are coming on the market every day at a cheaper price than you could redo one yourself and way cheaper than you could pay someone to redo it for you. I see guys all the time that buy junk cars with big dreams of restoration, tear them apart and get burned out on the project in a few months. Then the project gets sold for parts or worse it is hauled to the scrap yard. Bottom line is to buy the very best condition Model A, in the body style that you want, and one that you can afford upfront.
 
I'm not as pessimistic as the others. First find out the guys bottom dollar. Then get it out of the barn, in the sunlight and look it over real carefully. Yeah, the interior is not too pretty but it sure beats NO interior! If the engine runs, and doesn't have any knocks or too much smoke, and the frame is straight, go for it. I know what its like to not have the money to buy exactly what you want, besides, it will be a lot of fun fixing it up! As long as you know exactly what you are getting, it could be just the right car...
 
I am glad to see your looking for advice post. I more or less made an impulse buy and have been wondering if I really did the wrong thing. After reading all you return comments I am still wondering.
I wanted a closed cab pickup and having restored cars before (muscle cars), and having a very limited budget, I went looking. I ended up buying a 1929 ccpu in parts, but not all parts for $3000. I have a good frame, fenders, box, body, wheels, etc. Engine is in parts. All the parts I have are correct for March 1929. I am missing the hood, doors, seats, radiator, and many small parts. I took the rear end apart and the ring and pinion is shot.
I am looking for advice on what to do. I can finish what I have - long time with limited budget. Or look for another complete 29 ccpu and have lots of parts.
I know I should have got advice earlier and joined a club. I am in Montana and the nearest club is about 200 miles away.
All comments are welcome but dont give me too hard a time.
 
Everyone so far has had great advice, take your time and be patient. You can get a very reliable "A" for this same dollar amount and have a much better running, straight frame, unmolested car to tinker with and upgrade as you go along. Tudors and Coupes are the most common.
 
I've found that if you join a Model A club WITHOUT a car, folks will go out of their way to find or get you in a car, so's you won't lose interest & drop out of the club. If a car is for sale by a member, you'll find lots of folks whispering in your ear about that car's history, or it's ILLS, or it's STRONG points. Weasle in and tour in the car that's for sale! Be suspicious if he doesn't want you along!! If the car does well, don't act all EXCITED, kinda' act like,HO-HUM. Bill W.
 
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