Long time lurker after introducing myself many years ago so I should probably do it again. My name is Pete and I live east of Toronto and have spent most of my working career in the bicycle industry with a strong interest in old cars, cycling, building things with wood, volunteering, etc. I rebuilt a 1949 Meteor Club Coupe with my dad over a number of years and have been enjoying it ever since but never bought another car to work on until now. My goal is to be more involved with the Hamb community with my latest project as I am going to need the expertise and guidance from this group (which has already helped me immensely when searching for a Model A). It’s a 1928 Model A Tudor that I picked up from Saskatchewan a few months ago. I’m very pleased with the condition of the car considering I bought it based on some bad photos and good conversations with an old farmer. Has some fun as well trying to figure out how to pay him. And, had a great road trip with my dad flying out to Saskatoon, meeting the owner and then trailering the car over 2500 km home with a Uhaul truck and trailer. Ya, it cost a few bucks but we had a great time, saw some new places and met some really good people. It is a Canadian car that seems to be an early build as the parking brake is on the left side along with other components indicative of an early build. No doubt, I will have questions about the brakes, clutch, etc. as I get into the project. Plans are to turn it into a fenderless Forties style banger (if it lets me). So far, I have rebuilt the carb and the distributor (just to get it running). The wiring is pretty bad so I haven’t turned the key yet but hope to do so shortly. Compression is around 60 psi in each cylinder so I’m hoping the motor is fine. I finally got it into the garage this week after finding a nice winter home for my Meteor. I've got it up on jack stands so think I’ll drop the pan and see what’s happening there before I fiddle with the wiring and get it running. And that’s where I am today. Can’t wait to get some momentum on the project.
The Restoration Guys are sharpening their pitch forks just in case they need to pay you a visit. Nice little car, glad you got her drug home. -Abone.
Looks like a great start to a fun car. Starting with a nice body will save big $$ in the long run. Enjoy the journey!
I'm no Model A expert but I believe the left hand E brake handle means it is an early '28 model referred to Model A guys as an AR. Here is some info from over on the Barn. On the cars with the left hand emergency brake handle (very early 28 and early 28), pulling the handle back actuated the normal service brakes thereby actuating the brake shoes on all four wheels. These cars didn't have a seperate emergency brake band inside the rear drums. And IIRC some had red steering wheels but that might be total BS. Regardless great find.
Great work, make sure you keep this build thread going & check out the monthly banger threads too this is the current one https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...thread-halloween-month.1302409/#post-15006626
Being a Manitoba car I’m curious if it was assembled in Regina (the city that rhymes with fun...). I’d be torn between resto and roddin. Tough one, that.
Where is there any mention of Manitoba? I don't recall there being a car plant in sask. Or are you referring to the Model t s that were shipped unassembled to farm implement dealers
Congrats and sweet ride, looks like a great start to a cool project! The Ford Barn was very good to me when I first bought mine and was working through some basic problems just to get it running and driving down the road. Yours looks very similar to mine when I first brought it home.. if you have any questions or need a hand diagnosing give me a shout.
Good looking start to your project. My roadster was also a early AR car as well. Like you I definitely did feel a little bad thinking sone restorer would love to get their hands on this. Luckily those feeling passed and out came the Zip disks
Welcome to the banger community.....hot rod banger community... You have a nice original example of an early '28 and there are those that will cringe with anything beyond original It is your car...but if it was mine 60 psi is very good compression for a stock banger I would get it running and drive it after things like a critical inspection of chassis and steering...I usually perform this while doing a chassis lube....I use a 'needle fitting' on my grease gun for the grease nipples on the car... Check the wiring real close...the Model A wiring is 'hot' ...energized all the time on the ignition and horn circuits. So that wiring needs to be in really good condition and not find its way to ground... Check and adjust the brakes....the Ebrake is your friend too Check wheel front bearings and grease Fluids The water pump will probably leak...there is actual water pump grease and packing for a stock pump. A leaking pump isn't a reason not to start the engine and take a short drive It is an easy job to convert the pump to a leakless pump with a stainless shaft...a must for a hopped up banger in my mind. I'd pull the gas line to the carb and run some gasoline thru it into a bucket to get an idea of the tank condition. The float on the carburetor is probably stuck but just put gas to it first and tap the body of the carb. It's a updraft so it will ljust flood the floor if it leaks If you pull the pan to check the bearings....the center main is impossible to pull without the side cover off the engine....and it gets the brunt of the abuse in a three main bearing engine... Your engine, if stock, has Ford babbit...which has lots of lead in it for an easy 'run in' that Ford did in its assembly. In my opinion, is not a good candidate for a high compression head above 5.5 because of the babbit.... Welcome to the world of bangers....they are fun but the most money you can spend to go slow....next to a T.... Go have fun.... driving it stock and then formulate the direction you will take from there...
Thanks for all the great comments, really appreciate it. As far as I know (and only based on the engine code which may not be original) this car was built in East Windsor in September, 1928. I was told that there may be further numbered markings on the gas tank but I am not seeing any. There is a firewall tag on the passenger side firewall but it is blank. I believe I was also told that Canadian cars didn't always have the serial number stamped on the frame rail but I guess I will find out when I get to that stage. The body has an "F2461" code on the sub rail in front of the driver's seat which I am told means the body was the 2461 Tudor body made at the Rouge Plant foundry and shipped to East Windsor. I am also told the original owner was from Saskatchewan and the guy I bought it from was the second owner. It has always been a Saskatchewan car and it shows.
I have been working with Tywy (Tyler) from west Toronto on his banger Model A roadster. He also is a newbie but has good contacts. If you are seeking out parts or info on any aspect of your build, especially finding anything in Canada, you can DM either of us. The banger community is growing up here as has been evidenced by the past couple of Jalopy Jamups. You have a great looking car, my first hot rod in 1961 was a 1928 Tudor. Always had a soft spot for them. My current Tudor came from Sask. and was worth the drive and price. Clean car with very little body work. My RPU in my Avatar came from Edmonton and was also a very clean truck. Warren
Welcome! Love your gameplan! What part of the bike business? I have been riding since 83 and spent half my adult life in the industry. Last gig was helping launch Strider Balance bikes. Now just ride (Norco HT, Black Mtn Monstercross) and dabble in frame building. There are a bunch of us cyclists that also are gearheads on here.
I was at Raleigh Canada for years, then a Product Manager for Pacific Cycle Canada (Schwinn, Mongoose, etc) and lastly I worked at General Motors in Oshawa on their now defunct electric bike program.
60 psi she will be a runner. Winduptoy nailed most of the things to look for. Your on the way will a killer car man. The banger stuff is addicting for sure. Best part about pulling fenders off is they can be put back on at a later date, just drill the rivets that hold the running board brackets to the frame and that fixes that issue. I did this coupe a few years back sold it this year but dang it was fun and pretty quick with what it had under the hood. The 40s era GOW jobs are a blast, best suggestion I have on it for retaining the mech brakes is upgrading the fronts to 32-38 front brakes. Huge upgrade and a big improvement in stopping power and resistant to brake fade.
Looks like a nice solid start. I'm in Alberta and building a 28 roadster pickup. Good to see another Canadian building a 28 A.
Ha! I'm sure you have many, as do I! Thanks for the additonal comments everyone. Can't wait to get back out in the garage.
Oops! I thought I read the OP picked up the car in Manisnowba... Anyway there was an assembly plant in Regina unless I’m COMPLETELY mistaken as there was in Burnaby, BC. To the OP: Canadian Hot Rods has a feature on a ‘30 Model A coupe entitled “The Carlyle Coupe” owned by Alan Wood of Ilderton, ON. Full fendered with ‘52 Merc engine. Grab a copy as it might be a pretty good guide/inspiration for you...
Wondering if I have got myself into a bit of a pickle here! Been doing some reading on this thread and elsewhere on wheels and brakes. I haven't removed the hubs to look at the brakes and I don't have a hub puller for the rears yet. I would rather buy used or borrow one locally than spend a couple hundred dollars and wait a few weeks for it. But, is there information somewhere that tells me how different these "early 28" brakes are compared to later brakes? If I need any components are they the same other than the lack of a seperate parking brake mechanism? How different is this brake system? Having trouble finding more info on this. Also, I want to get smaller diameter wheels. I currently have a set of 18" wheels from a '32 Ford that I am debating using. I like the tall skinny look and plan on lowering the car only a couple of inches and not chopping it so proportionally it should look fine? I dunno, looking for input here before I spend money on tires. In my research on wheels I have seem comments that "early 28" hubs and wheels are different and you cannot use a later rim on these hubs? One note said something about reading Service Bulletin #328." Anyone have a copy of this bulletin? The back side of the '32 rims seems very similar to the '28 rim although there are some subtle differences. The '32 rim is red, the early '28 is black. They seem to mount fine. Looking for input here as well. I did not know this was an "early 28" car until I saw it in person! Thanks in advance for help on this.
If you swap out to cast drums on the rear with the 32 brakes up front it fixes the problem for you if there was one, I have never had any issue swapping out early ford wheels for early ford wheels. The 32 18s will be killer and the hot ticket, some folks like the 16s for the availability of tires and the wider wheel etc. I'm running 17s and 18s on my latest 34 sedan with some rubber rake. My coupe that I posted had 17s up front and 16s in the rear. The 34 I have now I went the Excelsior route(1/3 the price), they are cheaper for sure and seem to be round and balanced out well. The firestones are cool, but higherthangiraffepussyprices takes the affordability out of them. 700-18 out back will be killer look and gets you some rubber gear swap action. 16s were more traditional as tires during and after the war were limited in sizes for sure. The early stuff was harder to get as 16s kinda became more standard sizes before the war.
you must know the Groupe Procycle guys out of Quebec then eh? Ray Dutil They used to own Bodygaurd Fitness and we were a dealer for them for many years.
You can build a nice hub puller for very little. Do a little digging using the search and you should find a couple examples. I'll see what I can dig up. Here TECH - lo-buck early Ford hub / drum puller | Page 2 | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) And another from my pal Jay. Hydraulic Hub Puller from scraps! | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)
I dropped the pan today to take a looksy. I didn't know the oil pump was going to drop down with the pan! Whoops! I saw what I did wrong on a Paul Shinn video afterwards. Anyways, I am not too fussed about that as the pan is really clean, the assembly looks clean and the cylinder walls look really smooth. I guess it was rebuilt not too long before it came off the road. I will ensure that I put everything back together in the correct manner. What I did find odd was the big glob of brass brazing around the oil drain plug! No idea what this is about! That's all for the next few days as it is Canadian Thanksgiving!
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