1930 Model A Roadster Pickup

keith

Member
What started out as a fun little pick up to run at the Dirt Drags and the Hot Rod Hill Climb turned out to be a little bit more work than originally thought. The hope was to de-fender it and put in a different motor and clean up the body. A older restoration from the early 70's and just a little refresh turned out to be just a little bit more.

From what I was told there were only 2400 roadster pickups built in 1930. After digging into it. It was decided it would need a little more than a refresh.

The original parts were removed in case it would ever be put back original.

A donor motor with a 32 police head , 39 trans with a Ansen adapter plate,a dropped front axle, a donor rear end and the original mechanical brakes make up the drive train. It would also require the worn look.

The worn look was achieved by using all SPI Epoxy primers. Black , white and

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The frame was boxed and lightning holes were added and then shot SPI Black Epoxy.
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The running gear going together.
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The donor bed came from Colorado. It was rust free, but not dent free.

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After looking at the original bed it was decided to make the bead to be the same on the back as the front.


The back is longer than the front. A little over 8" was cut out of the bed sides. A repop tailgate and front panel were bought for it.


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Work then moved to the rust in the lower cowls.
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Then onto the doors. Small pin holes on both doors.


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The lower rear body panel had been repaired with fiberglass.
A new one would be made.
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It was decided to chop the windshield 3". didn't want to destroy the original windshield post so some new ones were made from scratch.
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With a lower windshield a lower column drop would be needed.
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The radiator shell needed the headlight wiring loom holes lowered.
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Which means the headlight bar would need some adjustments now that there are no front fenders. A bent donor was found.
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A spreader bar would be needed. A Model AA dump truck gave up its bent front axle. Cut to width and some fabricated end brackets were made to mimic the I beam construction. Some lightning holes and a recess for a brass tag.


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And a race truck would need a louvered hood.
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The frame needed a little something. Splash aprons, but not Model A ones to big. So it was decided to make some fake 32 frame rails.
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Now for something to sit on. A pair of MGB GT seats should work. Not quite small enough. lowered 1 3/4" and shortened 3 1/2" and a 2" lower profile.


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That's awesome! They're all more work than anticipated, and we always take them further than originally planned. Great work.
 
Great job Keith, very interesting pictures and thank you.
Always wanted to do a model A almost bought one at BJ about 2 years ago and backed out when price got up there.
Just to work on one time is why I wanted it.
 
Great job! You have absolutely convinced me NOT to get one of these. LOL I do not have the metal working and fabricating ability you possess. Love the patina!
 
Thanks! They are very easy to work on. You can get behind most panels and hammer and dolly the welds. Patch panels are available...but I get the satisfaction of making my own. Cheaper to buy the patch panels....but I am hard headed and think I can do it cheaper.
 
Great job Keith, very interesting pictures and thank you.
Always wanted to do a model A almost bought one at BJ about 2 years ago and backed out when price got up there.
Just to work on one time is why I wanted it.

Thanks Barry!

I need to thank you for taking the time to walk me through my epoxy primer questions. I put the epoxy in a paint shaker and it made all the difference. The stirring machine just wasn't aggressive enough.

I'm on my 3rd one. It is a chopped 31 coupe with a flathead , 5 speed with quick change.
 
We've had a blast with the pickup since I posted this. A couple things we finished up was the interior and the top. We took the old top material and cut it down to fit the 3" chop. First time I'd ever sewed anything. Took 2 of us to do it. One to feed the material and one to run the sewing machine.
The pickup made the 2019 Hot Rod Hill Climb calendar and is going to appear in Rodding USA Magazine later this year. We displayed it at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona CA this past January. I had several people ask what it was sprayed with I told them SPI Epoxy primer. I did stop bythe SPI booth at the show and told the gentleman that was selling SPI to stop by and give it a look. Of course SPI Epoxy isn't legal in CA.

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