"A-Bomb" Roadster/Bucket Project

[sandmountainslim]

Attempting a Rat Rod A-Bucket roadster which I am calling "Project A-Bomb"

The components I have to begin with are:

Frame Rails
2.3 Liter Ford Engine and Trans from an '88 Mustang
Front Axle, drums and Wishbone from a '48 Ford Coupe
Grill Shell from a '23 Ford Model T
Cross Members from a '22 Ford Model T

and today I acquired the rearend from a '94 Mustang.


The kicker is the BODY....I no longer have a roadster body and do not wish to go the fibreglass route again so I am starting with this Cowl Top/Gas Tank/Dash from a 1928 Ford Model A and gonna try to build from there!
They sell repro side panels and firewalls and body panels for a Model A but a friend of mine is good at metalworking and we have the sheetmetal so we are gonna try to construct the cowlsides and firewall first, get 'er mounted up on rails and then build it into a Bucket style roadster using steel tubing and covered in sheetmetal.
This is gonna be a rough go but I think worth the effort. Wish us luck!
Dunno if anyone has ever rebuilt a Model A roadster from just a cowl top and dash before!


Here is the Cowl Top when I started

This is the first day of working on the project

And this is where we got to today

This weekend we plan to start on the frame and once the cowl section is mounted on rails we shall attempt to fab some body panels for it.

Wish us luck!
Wp

 

[hotrod preacher]

good luck--i'll try to follow (and def. learn from this one!)[P[cl

 

[ratdog]

Good luck on your build. We'll be watching. I was planning that route too but then happened to find a very cheap tudor body ,so building that first . Plus it gives me some insight on how those old cars were built and some of the shapes and dimensions to work off for doing my own roadster someday.

 

[Sniper]

I'll be watching how this goes, I have something similar in the works. Best of luck.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Model A cowls have some very subtle compound curves. The repop lowers aren't the same, I've helped put some in.
It looks like you have it coming along, nothing is quite as satisfying (or sometimes frustrating) as bending tin. keep us posted.

 

[sandmountainslim]

Thanks for the welcome, lads!
I hope the A-Bomb turns out good but there is a still a long way to go. Will definately be working on the frame this weekend.

I appreciate everyone here being so encouraging.....VERY unlike another unmentioned "hot rod" forum [ddd where apparently If you don't own a 30,000 Deuce you ain't worth talkin' to.
Wp

 

[ratdog]

I have NO idea what forum you would be talking about.LOL.

 

[bullet]

sandmountainslim,
Build what you want, the way you want, and don't sweat the small sh!t.

I showed them my custom Studie and was roasted for it.

I belong to this forum ( http://canadianrodder.com/ ) in Canada and everyone is welcome no matter if you're an amateur or experienced builder or what your passion may be. There are several American and International rodders on the forum as well.

Check it out, great bunch of people.

 

[sandmountainslim]

Bullet,
Thanks for the link and invite I will definately check it out
Wp

 

[PA41]

Yeah--you got the key part to a roadster/bucket the compound cowl curves are the killer.

Heres an example of one built without the cowl you have. OK, but so much better with what you have.

The other concerns might be that there is a slight crown in the side panels of factory cars, and the rear lower corners on many buckets are a compound corner. Altho many A buckets are just chopped off square in the back. You might look at the sheetmetal in JY car doors and hoods and van tops for sheet iron if you are looking for that detail.

I like the choice of power--the Ford banger is a winner..

All sounds fun whicheve way you go..

PA41

 

[sandmountainslim]

Altho many A buckets are just chopped off square in the back. You might look at the sheetmetal in JY car doors and hoods and van tops for sheet iron if you are looking for that detail.



PA41

I have the hood off of a '64 Falcon that I hope I can use to build the back of the bucket body. It is a remaining piece of a Falcon that I built in 1990.....and never shoulda gotten rid of.
Wp

 

[sandmountainslim]

Here is the front end I plan to use
It is out of a '48 Ford Coupe and I bought it for forty bucks....complete with Vienna Sausage cans

I have Model A Axle but it doesn't have the springs or wishbone etc. So I figger I will go with the '48 for ease.

 

[sandmountainslim]

sandmountainslim,
Build what you want, the way you want, and don't sweat the small sh!t.

I showed them my custom Studie and was roasted for it.

.

Logic would say that anyone who loves old cars would be GLAD to see any old tin saved no matter how it was done.
If I hadn't got this fragment of a Model A cowl to start out with it would have ended up in the scrap heap and because I started the project I bought a Model A instrument panel today and Im looking for a A grill shell to use rather than the T. So pieces of several old cars are being rescued from obscurity.
Why anyone wants to down it I have no idea.

They should have been glad to see your Studebaker [cl
Wp

 

[sandmountainslim]

Won the instrument cluster bezel for a 28-29 on Ebay last night so that should jazz up the project some

Still uneasy about using this Model T Grill Shell but not having any luck finding the shell for an A at a reasonable price.
Wp

 

[CrashTestDummy]

http://www.shoppalstores.com/RoadSideWerx/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/28608/subcatid/0/id/390801


Fred B.

 

[sandmountainslim]

http://www.shoppalstores.com/RoadSideWerx/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/28608/subcatid/0/id/390801


Fred B.

Thanks for the link

I actually checked on that grill shell by phone the other day and it is gone.
He was going to a swap meet and was supposed to email me if he found one but never recieved an email.
Wp

 

[CrashTestDummy]

Thanks for the link

I actually checked on that grill shell by phone the other day and it is gone.
He was going to a swap meet and was supposed to email me if he found one but never recieved an email.
Wp

Bummer! Well, I'll keep an eye out. I need one myself but not in too big a hurry because I need a LOT of things


Fred B.

 

[bullet]

Logic would say that anyone who loves old cars would be GLAD to see any old tin saved no matter how it was done.
If I hadn't got this fragment of a Model A cowl to start out with it would have ended up in the scrap heap and because I started the project I bought a Model A instrument panel today and Im looking for a A grill shell to use rather than the T. So pieces of several old cars are being rescued from obscurity.
Why anyone wants to down it I have no idea.

They should have been glad to see your Studebaker [cl
Wp

It wasn't old school.

 

[sandmountainslim]

Frame is finished.

Will get some pics later this evening.
Wp

 

[sandmountainslim]

Just propped up a grill shell and the cowl on the rails.
Starting to look more like a project car now