September 2024 Hot Rod of the Month

Year: 1930
Make: Ford
Model: Model A Roadster
Engine: 327
Transmission: T5
Rear End: 1957 9″

More about the car:

Here is the background on this car. My dad’s buddy “H” knew of this roadster that was in a barn in MI near where I grew up. The story is that it was once used as a coal bin in a nearby town that I grew up.
Apparently the body was sitting on ground and the trunk was used to store coal for the winter. Which I can tell after getting it sandblasted. I think it must have had something happen to it early on to just have the body sitting on the ground….It looks like it was customized back in the day. It came with one chopped windshield stanchion, A chopped convertible top that the hinges were welded. It had 50 ford tail lights turned vertical, very crude install, but cool anyway. It was at some point parked in this barn. The barn roof leaked on this car making it worse.

My dad’s buddy “H” knew that this car was in the same barn for at
least 30 years because he always wanted to buy it from the guy. He
would never sell it. 2011 the guy wanted his barn torn
down, which is what “H” does. So now was his chance to get this car..
Long story short he got the car for tearing the barn down. Probably
because it was so far gone…
My dad told me he got it, I kept asking my dad to ask “H” if he wanted
to sell it. I’ve always wanted a roadster. I don’t think my Dad ever
got the chance to ask him if he wanted to sell it. The next time I was
up in MI we went over to look at it. I was in love! It was a rusty
pile of crap. The back half was on the ground upside down and parts
everywhere. But I like saving old cars so it was perfect! I told him
about a couple of Maytag engines I had, which he always wanted, he
made me an offer. A few weeks later we came to an agreement over the
phone. I would trade my two maytag engines for his roadster. It was mine!

My 2 year old son and I took a 12 hour road trip
(which was fun in itself) to MI to get the car. Now that son is 14.

I’ve done most of the work on this car with the help of a few local hot rod shops. I even stitched the seat and top myself. I call it the coalbin roadster.

I’ve been driving this car for over 10 years now. I’ve had it on the salt flats, on el mirage with the rolling bones. Probably the best experience in the car was “rolling with the bones” from West Wendover to El Mirage. This roadster was in the 2nd rolling bones book. It keeps changing little by little, the most recent change was the T5 transmission. Next is a 57 dual quad intake setup.