New Model A project owner

Hoogah said:
This is the one:
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138951&highlight=army+truck&showall=1
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Thank you for the link! I guess all is not lost to make it into a staff car.

1930artdeco said:
Great looking project you have there. Two things, you have a wooden wheel in the parts stash. Model A's could come with wooden wheels as an accessories. I don't know how many you have though. And two, Yes, the US Army used Model A's in the early 30's. There was a thread here about someone making an Army truck, just use the search engine.

Mike
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Mike, there is a total of 3 wood spoke wheels in the stash. I talked to Mrs. L's son about them and he thinks that they were late Model T wheels that his grandfather had put in with the A's parts stash. Since I have an A, I have no use for them. I may have a buyer lined up that is looking for wooden T wheels. If they are what he is looking for, I will sell them and give the money to Mrs. L.

I made it back down today to look at my A. I managed to find the number on the engine and the fuel tank. I was unable to find the number on the frame. The engine is stamped 2031909 which makes the manufacture date 07/26/29. The fuel tank was stamped 07/24/29. I think the fuel tank was a replacement tank from another A. I did find another tank in the shed that was also stamped in '29. Even without finding the frame number, I think it is safe to say that I have a '29 Model A.

While digging through the parts, I found two either NOS, Repot, or re-chromed headlight buckets. They are in perfect condition! In the same box, there were also 4 perfect headlight lenses. I also found a radiator in a box that looks like it was boiled out, repaired, and painted. It is not perfect, but it should work.

On a sad note, I also found the hand crank for the engine. I attempted to turn the engine over by hand but it would not budge. Although I think the engine was gone through 20+ years ago, I think it may be stuck now. I did pull the dipstick and it was full of clean oil.

When I move the A to my parents shop for winter storage, I am going to pour an ATF/Acetone mix down the spark plug holes and hope for the best. If I ask my father nicely, maybe he will continue to add the mix over the winter for me. I am in no hurry to free it up. I have 2 Cessna airplane projects that need to be finished before I can really pour my attention into my new A project.
 
As of right now, I am planning on moving my new Model A to my parents shop on Friday. I will head down there Thursday afternoon to get ready for the move. Hopefully, if everything goes well, by midday on Friday, my new '29 will be safely stored in my fathers shop. I think I will bring all the small and loose parts home with me to inventory store away here. I am excited to finally take possession of my '29 A! I will post pictures of the move.

If anybody knows someone that may be interested in two '28 Nash project cars, a toudor and a fourdoor sedan, let me know please. Mrs Lorraine still has the two Nash's and a '27 Ford TT to get rid of yet.

Thanks everyone!!
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Looks like you have some very nice parts to work with. Have you checked the gas tank date?

Glad to hear you are keeping it original. Hot rodding a Model A is like putting a jet engine into a biplane.
It sure wouldn't look or sound right.

If the firewall doesn't have a heater hole, rather than cut the firewall, I'd run heat or heater hoses through the wood floorboards.
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Tom,

After looking at pictures of the heater installed in other Model A's, it looks like it would be a pretty tight bend to route the heater hose down to the floorboard? Are you suggesting going through the floorboards to preserve the cowl or because it would be an easier installation?

Thanks
 
Yes, to preserve the cowl. I just hate to cut holes in good metal, but wood floorboards are easily replaced if someone doesn't want the heater. The underseat heater in my 1959 Studebaker gives excellent heat and it's evenly distributed to the front and rear. I just use the forced air of the side vent and don't have to use the fan.

In the Model A you could use a pancake motor with the floorboard heater, and wouldn't have to use the radiator fan for forced air.
 
JRhoa2, you may get onto the AACA website and post a for sale ad for the remaining cars. The TT can be posted here and there as well.

Mike
 
nice looking car. I am a flyer too with time in several old airplanes from cubs, champs, taylorcrafts, T-6s, and even a pietenpol powered by a 40hp model A engine
 
Easy restoration. It's already apart, wheels ready for paint, no rust, engine painted. Should be done next week. Buy all the Model A restoration books, ask lots of questions on this forum. Good luck.
 
My Tudor and its parts stash have been moved! Last weekend I went down my parents house to retrieve my new car. It took the better part of a day but I managed to get the Tudor and most of its parts moved into my fathers shed for winter storage. Since this was the last car that Mrs. L's father was working on before he passed, I inherited EVERYTHING he had left in his shop! I have duplicates and triplicates of many parts. For example, there are 2 visors, 3 carburetors, 3 windshields with frames, 2 generators, 2 1/2 sets of seats, 2 starters, 4 dash bezels, 4 headlight buckets, and the list goes on and on.... There are still more parts in the shop that I have not picked up yet! All said and done so far, the parts that I picked up filled up the bed of a 8'X12' trailer.

I headed back down to my parents house this weekend to do some deer hunting with some old friends. Although I did not get a deer, it was still a productive weekend.

When I stopped in to say hi to Mrs. L and give her a hand moving some other stuff around, she had good news for me. She had found the title for my A while going through her safe! I was relieved, I would not have to go through the Title Bonding process.

My relief was short lived. When she produced the title, it was filled out by her husband to be transferred into his name. The title was not signed by the previous owner and it was never taken into the DMV to complete the transfer. To top it off, the title has it listed as a 1928 Model A. The ID number on the title matches the engine and the engine was stamped in July of 1929.

Since the previous owner is Mrs. L's brother in-law, I do not see a problem getting the title signed. I am afraid I will run into issues getting the year of the title changed to 1929. My Father in-law gave me an original 1929 MN license plate that his father had used on one of his first cars. I would love to use the YOM plate on my Tudor but I will need to get the title fixed first. Wish me luck!
 
Are you absolutely sure the engine number is 1929? What is the date on the firewall? If the title says 1928, I'd be inclined to leave it be. You can probably still use your 29 plate (that's OK in Oregon, anyway. MN could be different).
 
"I am afraid I will run into issues getting the year of the title changed to 1929."

Leave it, nobody else except for a model A person would know, after all it has been wrong for all these years and never stopped anyone from having the car.
 
700rpm said:
Are you absolutely sure the engine number is 1929? What is the date on the firewall?
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Yes, I am 95% sure it is a 1929. The engine number is A2031909. According to MODEL A/AA DAILY MOTOR PRODUCTION CHART, my engine was stamped on 07/30/29 and my fuel tank was stamped on 07/24/29. There is a second fuel tank that came with my project that was also stamped in late July of '29. I am still looking for my frame number to see if it matches my engine.

I realize that it would be easier to leave my Tudor titled as a 1928 but it would bother me. My car is a 1929 and should be titled as such. I do have the original bill of sale that was used to get the first bonded title. If you look closely at it, you can see where 1928 was written as the year. I think they knew they made a mistake and you can clearly see where they tried to make the 8 into a 9. I am guessing that whoever was entering the data to make the new title did not look to close at the bill of sale. I am hoping that I can take that bill of sale, a copy of the MODEL A/AA DAILY MOTOR PRODUCTION CHART, pictures of the engine number, and pictures of my fuel tank date stamp down to the DMV and get the title changed when I transfer it into my name.

All of this MAY be taken care of for me before I even try to transfer it into my name. Mrs. L has a long time friend that works in her local DMV. I am hoping that we can go down there together with all of my documentation and get everything straightened out before the transfer is made.

Here is a picture of the original bill of sale.
20141124_224143_zps95f43f48.jpg

20141124_224143_zps95f43f48.jpg.html

20141124_224143_zps95f43f48.jpg.html
 
Go for it. I had a year mistake straightened out on a title card with no problem. Just bring all the documentation as you mentioned.
 
After a lot of debating with myself and talking with Mrs. L, I have decided to sell my Model A project. I already have my plate full with other projects and can not see myself having the time or money anytime soon to finish this project. Both my garage and my hanger are already full with airplane parts. I honestly do not have the room to store this project until I can get around to working on it. If I sell it, I can use the money to fast track my airplane project and hopefully get it in the air sooner.

My question to you guys is, what should I ask for it? I was thinking it should bring somewhere in the 3-6K area the way it sits now with all the extra parts that would go with it. I will list it here for sale before I post it on ebay and craigslist. I would rather see it restored than turned into a Rat Rod.

Any input from the experts would be greatly appreciated.
 
Wow that sucks! Is there anyway you could get the engine running. A running engine and good drive train will raise the worth way up for little investment.
 
Mike V. Florida said:
Wow that sucks! Is there anyway you could get the engine running. A running engine and good drive train will raise the worth way up for little investment.
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Mike,
I have free indoor storage until the end of the month. Come May 1st, I have to move it out of my fathers shop, he needs the room. I would like to sell it "as is" if possible. What do you feel is a fair asking price for what I have and how much do you feel the asking price would raise by having it running?

Jack,
Thank you for the link. I have bookmarked it and saved it on my computer.
 
When i see a Model A that is not running I figure I need to figure on 3k for the engine rebuild, 600 dollars for the ****** and about the same for the rear end. So just to get it running I'm planning to spend 4200. If it runs that figure comes way down, maybe not zero but way down. Your talking about several thousand difference in price between running and not. I don't like to give dollar amounts because a lot depends where the buyer and seller are located. A local guy that can easily inspect the car will most likely pay more then someone that has to travel and ship the car.

The car is in boxes, the potential buyer has no real idea if it truly is all there so lower potential price. Taking a day or two and mocking it up so everyone can see what is there and what is not will help you in getting a better price.
 
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Hubba Hubba Ding Ding Ding,

Man, She's Got Everything.

Hubba Hubba Ding Ding Dong,

That Sure Didn't Last To Long.

"Tom Waits"
 
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