List of What I Need/Prices

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

alright so I finally found a 1930 Ford Coupe body..guy wants $2,000 for it..in great shape he also has a front axel with it and a Six Cylnder motor with a 3 speed trans that go with it..I want a 350 motor though and 350 trans but anyways on to my question..I want to come up with a list of every part I'll need to build this car and an average price of each part so I can figure out how much money to set aside for this project..I got $5,000 I can work with right now so $3,000 after buying the body..so lets me the list! thanks

 

[hillbilly4008]

Most of the main parts are pretty decent when it comes to cost.

What im dealing with right now with mine are the small parts that have to be bought new. Thats when they nickel and dime ya. Figure that your going to spend 150-200 on brake parts(master cylinder, wheel cylinders,brake shoes, hard lines, fittings, hoses) Then ya gotta figure cost of tires, if you want the vintage look plan to drop minumum 400, add more for WWWs. If your chopping it(and i have no doubt you are) your gonna need glass made $80 installed if your lucky. If you want to run an electric fuel pump you could spend anywhere from 45(cheap advanced pump) up to 300(holley, stewart warner)

If the motor you got is an old stovebolt ide run it, theres tons of aftermarket stuff for em. Dual carbs, tri-power, split manifolds..... Thats what im gonna run in my next rod, just to be different. Stovebolts were direct competition against the flathead V8s back in the day. That is untill the chevy V8 was born.

Oh yeah, where the H*ll are the pics?

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

thats for the advice and help I appreciate it! I dont have picts yet, picking it up tomorrow hopefully..also had a question about frame, the guy said he can get a model A frame for $200 for me..would I even need a stock frame? I plan on channelling the car and making it low so I'll need to build a new frame right?

 

[hillbilly4008]

can you weld??? If so, dont waste your money on the frame. You could get the steel you need to make a new frame for cheaper. That way when your finished you'll have what you want, rather than having to buy that one, cut it apart, box it, then add to it.

I seem to remember someone buying a frame from speedway for around 200, but dont quote me on that.

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

can you weld??? If so, dont waste your money on the frame. You could get the steel you need to make a new frame for cheaper. That way when your finished you'll have what you want, rather than having to buy that one, cut it apart, box it, then add to it.

I seem to remember someone buying a frame from speedway for around 200, but dont quote me on that.

yeah I can weld, thats what I figured but wasent sure if I'd need a stock frame for anything or not

what rear end should I use..I've heard best way to go is a Ford 9''

also this car has been chopped already 4'' but I want to go radical with it and do a 7'' chop can I still chop it 3'' without any problems, I'd assume so but wasent exactly sure and wanted to know before I cut

 

[hillbilly4008]

They say that the 9" out of an early bronco is the closest fit for the model a's. I've never owned a model a, so i wouldnt know. I do know that a bronco 9" is 4" narrower than the banjo i took out of my truck. That ****ed me off!

The 9" is probably the most common axle choice. If you cant find one you could go with a Dana 44 out of a jeep. Or a GM 10bolt, 14bolt. Or a Dana 60 out of a postal jeep. All super strong axles. Keep in mind they use diffenrent bolt patterns. Dont buy wheels that arent gonna go on your ride, or vise versa.

as far as the chop goes, just make sure to take your time and plan it all out. You've seen it done before, so naturally it can be done again. And if you F*ck up you can always have a roadster.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Model A frames need a lot of work. Usually should be boxed and they have a butt load of holes that need filled. New metal prices have gone through the roof though. Generally speaking the more you can do yourself the less money it costs. Do you have access to a shop with basic welding equipment? I consider a cutting torch and some sort of arc welder basic necessities.
The list of what you need and prices depends on how much sweat equity you want to put in. Junkyard scrounging and modifying what you can find to make it work is the real hotrod spirit but not everyone has the time or talent to do it that way. For instance I put a many hours into cleaning up and modifying an econoline axle because it is already dropped and has a good set of spindles and steering already laid out. I got 2 of them for $5 from a junkyard. Or I could have shelled out the money for a dropped axle and then bought the spindles and other bits, maybe spend $1000 or more to just order the new stuff from a catalog and I have less than $200 into mine with all new disc brakes.

 

[tiny1]

thats for the advice and help I appreciate it! I dont have picts yet, picking it up tomorrow hopefully..also had a question about frame, the guy said he can get a model A frame for $200 for me..would I even need a stock frame? I plan on channelling the car and making it low so I'll need to build a new frame right?

I would build the frame and Z it instead of channeling the floor . Seem like when you channel one there is no leg room. Of course I'm not small by no means either that may be why no leg room lol . I have a friend who has a 46 chevy truck its been channeled and he has been trying to sale it and because of channel not just anyone can drive it. He's having a hard time selling it.

 

[35Mastr]

Also remember after the chop that you will still need to see. A 7 inch chop is an awful lot for that car. I personally would leave it at 4.

 

[Abomb]

I hope your a midget, especially with a 7" chop, and channeling.

I've never seen a model A with a chop over 5" that I liked, and in my opinion, 4" is about perfect. My car was a 4" chop, with no channel, caravan seat sitting on the floor. I'm only 5'9" tall, and headroom was getting tight. Sure you can always lean back, but how much fun is a car that you can't comfortably drive ???

I know that you're excited to get started and all, but step back, take some measurements, and really think things through, so that you end up with a car that you can actually get into and out of without a helper, and a car that is comfortable enough to drive more than 5 miles at a time.

As far as a parts list with prices goes, add up all the big parts that you need, take that total, and add 50% to it. These things will nickel and dime you to death, just when you think you've got everything big, then you need wire, fuses, brake shoes, brake lines, fuel lines, radiator hoses, clamps, nuts, bolts, shocks, so on and so forth.......In the last 2 month push to get my car running and on the street, I spent about $500 at my local NAPA.

I'm not trying to discourage you or anything, just be realistic about it.

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

I hope your a midget, especially with a 7" chop, and channeling.

I've never seen a model A with a chop over 5" that I liked, and in my opinion, 4" is about perfect. My car was a 4" chop, with no channel, caravan seat sitting on the floor. I'm only 5'9" tall, and headroom was getting tight. Sure you can always lean back, but how much fun is a car that you can't comfortably drive ???

I know that you're excited to get started and all, but step back, take some measurements, and really think things through, so that you end up with a car that you can actually get into and out of without a helper, and a car that is comfortable enough to drive more than 5 miles at a time.

As far as a parts list with prices goes, add up all the big parts that you need, take that total, and add 50% to it. These things will nickel and dime you to death, just when you think you've got everything big, then you need wire, fuses, brake shoes, brake lines, fuel lines, radiator hoses, clamps, nuts, bolts, shocks, so on and so forth.......In the last 2 month push to get my car running and on the street, I spent about $500 at my local NAPA.

I'm not trying to discourage you or anything, just be realistic about it.

I agree 100%. All very good points. Sage advice...

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

this is an 8'' chop..by far my favorite car I've ever seen

this is a 7'' chop

I'm 5-11 or 6-0 on a good day haha

this is 6'' I believe

 

[dmw56]

Yes, they look cool. Have you ever ridden or drove a vehicle chopped and channeled that much? They are hard to see out of and not very comfortable. If that doesn't bother you go for it.

 

[hotrod preacher]

every one of those cars has the "cool" factor, don't get me wrong, but the reality of the deal is they are NOT drivers-sure maybe cruise the fairgrounds and all, but to me they're as useless as the $100,000 trailer queens --not trying to be ugly-- just be realistic about not only WHAT you CAN do with the car but ALSO WHAT you want the CAR to do...how many miles do you plan to actually drive in it, visibility factor and other things....
and then of course show us pics of what you build!!

 

[Abomb]

If that's what you like, who am I to talk you out of it. I'll make a suggestion though, If you have never been inside a model A coupe, find someone with a running driving car with a good chop and channel, tell them what you have planned, and ask to sit in their car. Check the relationship of the seat steering wheel, and pedals, just see if you think you'd be comfortable enough to drive it the amount you have planned.

I can't imagine building a car that I was unable to drive , I'd consider that a failure.

If I were 6 feet tall, there's no way I'd want a car like the one's you show....of course, I'm closing in on 40 years old, and kind of crippled up in the back a little, but they look like a total waste of a car to me....undriveable for any distance other than show grounds cruising. Same as a trailer queen.

Art car or hotrod ?????

 

[eugene vik]

investment

I bought a model A w frame and chop and was a roller w fresh engine, I budgeted $200 to finish it, then got started and one more good part led to another
now granted I am old and really felt deprived as a kid of not having any decent parts, and going out and scrounging is just as costly now as buying new, a little paint, wheels, chrome wire and some chrome headders so I think the latest talley is 25K so be prepared to go a little over budget

 

[Willowbilly3]

I agree 100%. All very good points. Sage advice...

X2
Notice that squished A doesn't have license plates? Probably because they trailer it to events, not drive. Not saying it isn't a cool car but it isn't something you could really go anywhere in, look how many tries it took just to get it backed halfway into a parking space. Kinda reminds me of the girls that used to soak their tight levis to get them on. The were willing to be in miserable pain just to look cool.

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

X2
Notice that squished A doesn't have license plates? Probably because they trailer it to events, not drive.

You are absolutely right. I know for a fact that car gets trailered everywhere, because I have seen it. Nothing but a fairgrounds cruiser. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying a hot rod has to be as comfortable as your daily, but to me the whole point is DRIVING your car. Not standing next to it at a show watching people gawk because your car looks like a go cart with tractor tires on it. Bring a lawn chair - you can sit next to the other trailer rodders. Some guys just don't get it...

 

[glenn33]

Don't forget to factor in the wiring harness...$130.00 to $150.00....

 

[Classic_Crime_Inc]

I guess to each his own..I like it I'm 20 yrs old and can get in and out of those with no problems and no this wont be my daily..I have a bagged '68 Caddy Deville that will be my summer daily..the '30 coupe will be for cruising around town and taking to shows it wont be driven on 5 hour trips or anything farthest it will be driven is an hour and 30 mins away so I'm not worried about it if that offends people oh well..it's my money but I do appreciate the suggestions/advice