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Posted: January 19 2006 03:42 PM
 
Robert Siminger (aka 29robert) [ View ] [ rsiminger@rcs-pdm.com ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
La Verne, California
909-599-3191
 

When I started my 29 Model A Tudor, I knew I had a really steep learning curve in front of me. This was my first hot rod, although I'd been thinking about it for 55 years. I did as much homework as I could before making final decisions on things like chassis, suspension and drive train. From Pete & Jakes, I ordered a new Model A frame narrowed in the rear with a 2 1/2" kick-up and a Ford 9" rear end set up with all the hardware to support ladder bars, coilovers and a sway bar. So far so good. When I received the rearend I noticed that the pumpkin wasn't centered, but this made sense because the pinion was centered. The pumpkin cover was also an irregular shape rather than symmetrical, but I assumed that that was the way things had to be. I spent days detailing the rear end housing, grinding welds, filling gouges and painting. It turned out looking great, but the off-center pumpkin still bothered me. In most cars it probably wouldn't be noticed, but with a Model A Sedan, it really hangs out there for everybody to see. Recently a friend asked me why I didn't order the housing centered with the pinion off-center and a nice symmetrical pumpkin cover. My answer was "I didn't know I could". I also realized I could have used a smaller 8" rear end which would probably look more in proportion with the car. This isn't going to stop me from continuing with my build, but sometime before I'm finished, I'll have to make the decision to correct this issue or not. Always learning. Sometimes you can get away cheap, sometimes you can't.



Thanks for all the great info on this site. You just can't find this stuff in a book.

 
 
Comments
 
Posted by crash12888  -  01/18/2006 09:09 PM
Robert, Once you get the rest of the body parts and everything hung on the frame I bet you wont even see much of it. Are you going to use the lower valance panel? You could have that widened (to make it hang lower)to cover the rear diff. Might give it a "on the ground" look from the back as well. just my .02 You might be the only one who ever notices it......and us. Mitch
crash12888 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Chesterfield, Virginia
 
Posted by APLUS  -  01/19/2006 02:27 AM
This is a little off subject but I was always told that it was a 1928 when you had the 3 mounting holes in the body for the arm that held the "tuna fish can" tail light. The 1929 tail light mounted on the fender. I'm not an expert on the subject and no matter what year (28-29) they're pretty much the same and yours is a really nice one.
APLUS [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Austin, Texas
 
Posted by 29robert  -  03/28/2007 12:52 PM
Crash: I'm not planning on using a valance panel, but I will use the stock bumpers, spreader bar and a luggage rack. APlus: You're right about the different tail light mounting for the 28, but it held over into early 29 and my car was built on 02/23/29. The car is already settled a bit and changing the rear end won't be my highest priority. It's just something that bothers me, and I'm only going to build this one car so I want it right. We'll see. Sometimes I think I know so little, I don't know how little I know. Does that make sense?
29robert [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] La Verne, California Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by Judge  -  01/19/2006 11:19 AM
29 Robert, yes, your last sentence makes perfect sense:"sometimes I know so little, I don't know how little I know". This certainly describes myself, and, I'm sure, some others coming to this site to learn the "how to" of building a street rod. Half the time I spend working on my project, I don't know what I'm doing and the other half, it doesn't make any difference. Thanks for your remarks; I feel better knowing I am not alone in my confusion.
Judge [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Billings, Montana Charter Member since July 2003
 
Posted by farmer  -  01/19/2006 08:22 AM
Wish mine looked as good as yours does ...it's still covered in junkyard paint. Most who notice will just think ford rear end. Looks great just keep building.
farmer [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Carthage, Illinois
 
Posted by 31tudor  -  01/19/2006 03:42 PM

I think I know where you're coming from. Nobody will ever notice it (especially with the luggage rack/bumpers/spreader bar), but it bothers you, right? Oh I can SOOOOO identify.



But don't worry. You'll soon stop worrying about it. Then some yahoo will come up to you and pick off the scab saying "Hey man, your diff isn't centered." At which point you will be justified in beating the living crap out of him. And we have your back!
Eric Hibbs [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] St. George, Utah Charter Member since January 2002
 
Posted by protruck69orange  -  03/13/2007 10:37 AM
after waiting 55 years ,go for it grey beard,knock your self out,have fun,just take your time do not burn yourself out,as i do this from time to time,just stop drink a few beers ,or a bunch as i do,think about the next step,get away from car for about a week,start back on you car than,this works,as you know a lot of good guys here with a lot of help,just ask questions, hot rods forever dude,we talk hot rods,not rice burners,rice burners f--k em
protruck69orange [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] kountze, Texas
 
Posted by jimmothershead  -  03/13/2007 11:00 AM
CRASH is right........fun with rods.

Jim, bangin' on old cars since 1957 and still learning something new EVERY day.
Jim [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Huntingtown, Maryland
 
Posted by AlPalusky  -  03/13/2007 07:46 PM
For me it is nice to see that others were in the same boat that I am in now. I see that someone else can do it. I sure as heck am going to give it my darndest in building a car.. Nice to see your progress robert. How long a period of time did it take you to get from start to where you are now??
AlPalusky [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Duluth, Minnesota
 
Posted by 29robert  -  03/13/2007 08:29 PM
Al. I'm embarrassed to say. It's been 4 years since I tore into that old Model A. I'm doing it all myself with only simple tools and only get to work on it once in a while. Actually took just about all of last year off because of other priorities. I originally thought it was going to be a 5 year project, but maybe a bit longer now, although I'm going to make a real effort to get it in paint this summer. Been working on a bunch of small stuff lately - installed the gas tank and filler door, finished dash & guages, constructing an overhead console, fabricated a fold-down shelf under the dash for my fuse block, just about finished up the body work. I need to get more done before Don comes out again, otherwise, I'll never hear the end of it! LOL
29robert [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] La Verne, California Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by AlPalusky  -  03/13/2007 08:52 PM
I set my time to be about 5 years. I am also doing all of the work alone. Only big problem I had was taking the Tudor body off the frame. You would not belive what what I went threw to take that off.. When I put it back on I am going to use a 12 volt winch.

I am try to learn to do it the right way. I couldn't afford to buy something that was completly finished. Now if anything goes wrong I should know how to fix it.. I think.. I am also going to do my own body work, paint, and interior. For now.. I just hope it starts.. Al
AlPalusky [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Duluth, Minnesota
 
Posted by AlPalusky  -  03/13/2007 09:13 PM
Robert.. What are the wheels that you have on the "A"?? I am tired of looking for wheels. I may just go with real wheels with some small hub caps..
AlPalusky [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Duluth, Minnesota
 
Posted by Streetrodder007  -  03/13/2007 09:32 PM
Hey Model A Guys, I just finished a 28' Ford Tudor Sedan last winter, complete ground up, I even made the frame from scratch. I have tons of pics of it in different stages if you ever need any ideas. I ended up selling it to a guy in California for $40,000. One of my favorite streetrods yet! The whole rear of the car -valance / pan turned out real good, very clean, and easy to make.
Streetrodder007 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Port Huron, Michigan Charter Member since April 2006
 
Posted by 29robert  -  03/16/2007 11:55 AM
Al: You asked about the wheels I used on my car. The fronts are 15x5 and the rears are 15x7 smoothies from Wheel Vintiques. The caps and rings are from them also. Their catalog shows all kinds of options. I specified the offset I wanted for the proper clearance and look. I'm sure there are lots of others out there who offer the same kind of stuff, I just had one of their catalogs. Good kuck.


Thanks for the encouragement Bill. I'm still having trouble with where the hood shelves, front splash apron, and fenders come together. Just don't like the look of it. I'm probably going to have a single piece of sheet metal made for the front. Similar to the original look, but simpler.
29robert [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] La Verne, California Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by AlPalusky  -  03/16/2007 06:53 PM
How do you figure out this back spacing stuff?? I would hate to buy wheels only to find out that the darned thins won't go on.. I'm not even sure what my bolt pattern is.. All I know is that there is a Mustang II front with 5 lugs, and the rear is 9" out of a truck. Is there some way to figure all of this out with out having the body on the frame??
AlPalusky [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Duluth, Minnesota
 
Posted by rltaylor46  -  03/16/2007 10:16 PM
Al, Here are a couple of resources to answer your back space/offset question


http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/custom_tires_how_to/


http://www.earlywheel.com/choosing.html


Hope this helps. Good luck!
rltaylor46 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Prescott, Arizona
 
Posted by sloper38  -  03/17/2007 12:44 AM
Ah, the hood shelves, splash apron and fender deal, still on that!!! I'll be there soon, I thought we'd be road testing by then! Keep at it, painfuk though it can be.
I'm X38 on any other sites. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Sydney, Australia
 
Posted by 29robert  -  03/17/2007 04:06 PM
Yeh Sloper. What can I say? Got em fitted, but just don't like the look of em.
29robert [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] La Verne, California Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by 29robert  -  03/17/2007 04:14 PM
Hey Al. I don't know how you can determine the correct back spacing without the body and fenders on unless you can figure out what the outside to outside fender dimension is. It was really important to me that my rear tires didn't stick out beyond the fenders and I wanted the front tires centered in the fenders when looking at the car from the front.
29robert [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] La Verne, California Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by mcduff  -  03/28/2007 11:54 AM
Hey Bill that is one fine looking 28 Tudor. What color is it painted? I have a 32 Tudor so it is always interesting to see what someone has done with another sedan. It is always interesting to read and see the exchange of ideas on this website.
mcduff [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Painesville, Ohio
 
Posted by Streetrodder007  -  03/28/2007 12:45 PM
The paint color is PPG - DBC- Fire Pepper Red Pearl. I was paying about $800 a gallon for paint only. It is probably one of my favorite colors I have used. It sort of had a candy apple red look at different angles.
Streetrodder007 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Port Huron, Michigan Charter Member since April 2006
 
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