1929 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup Hot Rod RPU 1932 grille headlights Hopup Rat

1929 Ford Model A Description

For your consideration is my 1929 Ford Roadster Pickup. This car continues to be a show stopper wherever I go. It is very reliable and enjoyable. I have driven this truck in 7 states. It has been in multiple magazines (street rodder, rolls and pleats, CK Deluxe, etc) and featured on multiple websites. This is a very nice and reliable little hot rod. I wouldn’t hesitate to drive it from my house in MA to CA. Anyone involved in the New England rodding scene is familiar with this car. It is a very clean and aesthetic “old school build” with modern reliability.

Reason for selling: I have 5 cars. Two of which I’ve been working on and could use the money to finish. I don’t need to sell, but maintaining 5 cars, 2 drivers, a trailer, a lawn mower, snow machine and the mother in laws car is becoming a full time job – this coupled with taking care of my house, and my career----well, you know the drill….

Details: I purchased this RPU as an unfinished project. It was originally being put together by a fellow in MO. I bought it in 2004 and did a lot of work to her. I have enjoyed this truck tremendously over the last 12 years. This truck is 100% FUN!

The vehicle started life as a 1929 sedan. It has been cut down to what you see now and is well proportioned. I am 6’-1” and can sit and drive in this truck all day with comfort. An RPU panel was welded to the back and the doors were lengthened. The doors include bear claw latches. The bed was shorted 12” (5 “ in fron, and 7” in back). The back of the bed has a rolled pan and houses a storage compartment for tools, beer/drinks, and that jacket for your girlfriend on cool nights. The body is all Henry ford steel except the radiator shell (Brookville). The insert is Henry ford. The lights are from a 1932 commercial unit updated with halogen bulbs and turn signals. A painless wiring kit was installed. Every wire on the car was run through rubber tube (fuel line, windshield wiper line, etc.) so it wouldn’t rub against the frame and short out. This has also proven to be pleasing to the eye. A battery shut off switch is located on the floor. The bed shows dents and dimples from its previous life as a work truck. It lets whomever looks at the truck know it’s the real deal and is a neat discussion point, this bed was sourced from a parts collector in UTAH. It is a rust free bed shortened 12”---- 50 Pontiac tail lights are in located in the rear bed along with turn signals that were sourced from Harley Davidson.

The bed has an “ammo box lid” built into it, this provides access to the battery. The battery is brand new. I just put it in the truck this month.

The windshield stations were shortened and sloped back. I don’t know how much as I didn’t do this or work on the cowl but I’d assume somewhere around 4-5” Windshield is safety glass and features a super rare “orange drag strip class winner decal” From Orange MA ---- this decal is probably worth 300.00!!! ---maybe even more.

The interior features a very rare chrome dash panel. I have not seen more that 3 of these in my life. She includes all updated SW gauges and an original speedo that works. The gauge cluster also offers a rare jeweled lamp. The seat is a reupholstered ford escort rear seat that folds forward. Nice black pleated door and kick panels compliment the black carpet and seat. The clutch and brake pedal are from a 1939 ford. The E-Brake is located on the floor. The interior is supported by a steel floor. Seat belts are included for yourself and a passenger. The center piece of the interior is the 1939 deluxe banjo wheel. The horn and head lights have been re-located to the dash. The horn is an old school “ahooogah” horn. A very rare New England Speed Society decal that pre-dates New England Dragway is featured on the dash.

Front suspension: 1939 Ford steering box, column and wheel. 1939 spindles on a ’41-’48 drilled front axle. ’51-’52 ford F1 self -energizing brakes. Recent kingpins and a super bell dropped axle drilled out with Model A buggy spring on top. Front wheels are 5 on 5-1/2 with 5.50 firestones. Radius rods were sourced from a 1935 ford and were Pie cut to run a larger tire (16”), however I thought the 15” tire looked more pleasing to the eye.

Rear suspension: 1960 ford Galaxie 8.8 rear end with 3:50 gears. I re-did all the seals and truthfully forget how many splines are on the axle….I haven’t taken apart to find out either – assume this is stock. Rear suspension is supported by coil springs and radius rods. Drums were recently turned and an e-brake assembly from lokar was installed. Rear has fabricated panhard bar, rear axle has 5 on 4-1/2 bolt pattern.

Frame and gas tank: Frame is fully boxed model A frame with stamped numbers on frame matching title. The front shock mounts were sourced from a 1941 or 1942 International Harvester Truck and use chrome PETE and JAKES hot rod shocks. Rear shocks are mounted on fabricated bracing (from rear part of frame) and are Gabriel shocks (replacement shocks for a 1963-1966 Chevrolet pickup). The wheel base is 115” (12” over a stock Model A wheel base). Frame has been “Z’d” in the front and the back 4”.

Gas Tank is a fabricated unit that has been sealed in the inside and “saddles” the drive shaft. The filler neck goes through the bed floor. The tank is made of 16 gauge steel and holds just over 21 gallons. Note: I never ran a gauge to the tank, if I wanted to see how much gas was in it, I’d unscrew the cap, look inside, or put in a long drum stick to see the level of the gas. The Car is set-up very well and the center carb sips the gas.

Engine, transmission, and radiator: The center piece of the car is the engine. All the bugs and gremlins have been worked out. The engine has about 20,000 miles on it since it has been rebuilt. It is a 1975 four bolt, 350 engine from a Camaro with a .030 overbore, 10-1 flat top pistons and a GM Z-28 camshaft with roller rockers. The distributor runs a point style cap with a Pertronix unit installed. The manifold is a polished Offy unit with three rebuilt Rochester 2 GC carbs. This set up was sourced from Charlie Price/Vintage speed. A silver soldered fuel line connects all carbs. I set up linkage for all carbs to work when you nail it, otherwise, the car will sip gas through the center carb. The carbs all have very rare original 30-30 cal custom scoops that I bought while out in CA at the LA Roadsters show about 10 years ago. They were NOS units and I will include the boxes! Headers are custom built to work with the geometry of the engine placement. They have cut offs and back plates to run through the side exhaust. I put together these twice to get right and they really look sharp. The headers are ceramic coated white and the side pipes are painted with VHT high temp paint. The motor is “tilted” a little to the passenger side to clear the ’39 steering column. Most people don’t notice this, doesn’t take away anything from the build at all. There are other polished goodys like Offy Valve covers and water pump, and a plastic flex-lite fan with a 90 degree blade. A fuel regulator controls the flow to the carbs on a polished fabricated aluminum bracket. The engine has a chrome 5 quart oil pan. I just changed the oil for this season and put on a Wix filter.

Transmission is a T-5 5 speed from a Camaro. This enable the shifter location to be upfront a little higher than the T-5 S-10 transmissions. The shifter is fabricated with an “8 ball” atop. The car runs at around 1500 RPM in 5th gear on the highway sipping gas through the center carb.

Radiator is a 1966 Mustang unit that I had re-cored with an extra core using CANADIAN STEEL (not the Taiwanese radiator steel). The car runs at 160 all day long in summer traffic.

Paint: Paint is a PPG black with a flattening agent in the clear coat. The body is very easy to take care of, I spray McQuires quick detail spray and wipe off with a terry cloth towel. The Black paint is accented with some tasteful red pinstripping on the cowl and on the tail gate. The chassis is painted with satin black Napa enamel paint (PDS-4) and the radius rods and front axle and painted with rustoleum sunrise red gloss enamel #7762.

Notes: I have driven this car at least 1000 miles each summer season in New England. The car isn’t perfect, It has some “road scars” I call them…..blemishes that shows the car is driven and enjoyed. There is cracked bondo on the dash where the steering column is, a few chips in the paint, a line in the driver’s door, etc…..it is what it is….consider the car a “rat rod” if you want…..fact is the car is very clean and presents itself very well. The car was chosen best hot rod at the Budweiser run in NH about 7 years ago….it wins trophies as best open rod all the time…the fact is, I drive this car, I’ve been caught in the rain with it,, I’ll take it on 300 mile trips to rod runs, etc…..the car is Reliable…..The truck also really is a piece of me…I really love this truck…but, I cant keep everything and the vehicle needs to be “exercised”. I’ve put a lot into this RPU and whomever buys it will be very happy. The car can change your life and it probably will – especially if this is your first hot rod!

Other Notes:

1). The car does not have neutral safety switch. This was never an issue for me, but you may want to add one.

2). The winged devil on the gas cap will be replaced by a devil thumbing the nose. This was a gift given to me by Hot rod “legend”, the late Fred Steele. If you don’t know who this guy is, you should google him. It was a nice compliment for him to say my rod was well put together.

3). Right now the car runs a full polished moon cap on each wheel. I took off the trim rings and baby moons. I realize a few pictures have the baby moons and trim rings on them. These pictures are from last summer. I will include these along with wider wheels that I used when I ran 10” slicks. They have some road scars on them and that why I replaced them…

4) car club plaque will be taken off, you can put yours on it.

Upon completion of auction, a 1000.00 deposit is required via pay pal. Balance to be paid in cash or with a bank check. I have title in hand. I encourage serious buyers to call me and inspect car, or have an agent see the car…have a guy from the HAMB take a look, etc….I can pick up people that want to look at the truck at Logan airport in Boston, or TF green in Providence, RI. I am located in between the airports and a 5 minute ride from Foxboro Stadium (Patriots stadium). I can help load onto a truck but delivery is up to the buyer.

PLEASE PM ME WITH SERIOUS QUESTIONS….AND PLEASE DON’T ASK HOW MUCH I WANT FOR IT, THIS IS AN AUCTION. IVE LOST OUT MANY TIMES ON THINGS I WANTED TO BUY WITH PEOPLE ENDING AUCTIONS EARLY. BID ON WHAT YOU WANT TO SPEND AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE THE TRUCK IS WORTH.