Hot rods came to life after WWII when former GIs turned old jalopies into street cruisers and drag-strip denizens, loaded with cool attitude and high performance. The Ford-bodied roadster became a template, still being built today in much the same configuration as the originals.
The Pick of the Day is a 1929 Ford Model A that actually is one of the originals, a hot rod built in the 1950s and kept alive and sympathetically updated through the decades, according to the Tucson, Arizona, dealer advertising the roadster on ClassicCars.com.
“This car has been a hot rod since at least the ’50s in California,” the seller says. “The earliest pictures we have of it are from April of 1960 when it was in drag racing form running A/Gas.
“It has been featured twice in Street Rodder magazine, once on the cover in 1977 and also in 2001 shortly after its last build was completed. The car today looks as fresh as it did when it was completed 19 years ago and has had only 4,000 miles put on her since.
“It’s received many awards, including ‘Dick Magoo’s Personal Choice Award’ at Daryl Starbird’s Hall of Fame Show and the Goodguys ‘Real Hot Rod’ award.”
The bright-red Ford roadster looks exceptionally clean and tidy, still true to its original intent while sporting the modern upgrades for performance, drivability and, of course, eyeball.
“This A is powered by a Crate 350 engine with Edelbrock aluminum heads, competition cam, an Offenhauser intake with 3 Rochester carbs, and Mallory ignition backed by a TH350 automatic with Lokar shifter,” the seller notes.
The original ’29 Model A body is painted Viper Red and mounted on a modified ’32 Ford frame, with a custom aluminum 3-piece hood and a ’32 Ford grille, the dealer says. The roadster has a “genuine” Mor-Drop front axle, hairpins, ’46 Ford backing plates and brakes utilizing ‘57 Buick drums, Pete and Jake shocks, “and it’s all show chromed,” the seller adds, with a Halibrand Quick Change rear, Pete and Jakes ladder bars and a Model T-style rear leaf spring.
The wheels are 15-inch “smoothies,” the hubcaps are from a ’42 Ford and the headlight housings are genuine King Bees.
“The windshield is a hand-formed bronze and then-chromed masterpiece,” the ad says.
The seats and door panels are done in Austrian Bone leather upholstery, and a ’32 Ford dashboard houses Classic Instruments gauges.
This classic, period-built hot rod with modern upgrades looks stunning in the many photos with the ad, and seems well-worth the asking price of $44,500.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
I absolutely love this car but, gee, another “350 crate engine”. These are getting so boring. Along with all the “LS” swaps. I get it, but I just wish there were more creative and interesting choices being made.
I agree 100% mine runs a 4.6 cobra DOHC it took more to do but this isn’t the ’50’s anymore.
Randy
GREAT choice Randy
Mike is so right! There are many Ford flatheads, and probably many Mercs. I too love the 350’s — but not in this beautiful roadster. Pretty much ruins it for me.
FLATHEADS FOREVER!!!
I built this car.