1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan

Description

The "patina-look" phenomenon has redefined hot rodding in the modern age, taking cars back to their roots of being simple machines built on a budget (or at least appearing to have been) from parts collected from uncommon sources. Some are radical while others, like this 1930 Ford tudor sedan, are a more user-friendly variation on the theme, but which still subscribe to the simplicity and home-built attitude of the originals.

The Model A tudor sedan is the most common Model A, so it was a natural choice for a lot of early rodders who wanted something other than the ubiquitous rumble-seat coupe. This one has an instantly recognizable look despite the many modifications because there's just no way to disguise the Model A DNA. But make no mistake, this isn't a beater, it only looks that way. The body is straight and clean, the doors fit well, and everything lines up as if someone spent a lot of time getting it just right. The blue paint is new, but it's intentionally distressed and in places, kind of haphazard, which is all part of the charm of a rat rod and it works quite well here. The frame is a custom job that allows the '32 Ford radiator shell to stretch a little farther from the firewall that it would on a Model A chassis, giving the car great proportions and a sleeker look. A few traditional-looking pinstripes finish the look with a nod to the old-school guys who did it first.

A lot of builds of this style are crude, either by design or by necessity, but this one is pretty nicely finished overall, with comfortable bucket seats up front and a full interior that makes it easy to live with. Durable cloth is simple and easy to maintain, and they actually spent some time getting the doors right with map pockets and original-style door handles. The buckets have black vinyl bolsters to help hold you in place, while the back seat has been converted to storage and a place for the gas tank, now that the in-cowl tank has been removed. A custom Champion aluminum gauge panel has a retro hi-po look and is now filled with new gauges that look a bit like vintage Stewart-Warner dials. There's an AM/FM/cassette stereo discreetly tucked under the dash and the shifter on the floor looks enough like a Model A piece that nobody will think twice. Yeah, it's a little basic, but isn't that what rods like this are all about?

Mechanically, this sucker was built to run and is strapping a 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 for power. There's a 4-barrel Edelbrock up top, blacked-out Chevrolet valve covers, and bright red paint on the block, which really pops against the blue bodywork. It's all out there ready to be examined, so they dressed it up with nice ceramic-coated headers, a black alternator, and a matching air cleaner, none of which call much attention to themselves. There's a big radiator up front to keep it cool, along with an electric fan. As I mentioned, the chassis is new, and includes traditional radius rods and a dropped I-beam up front and a 10-bolt rear end on ladder bars out back, but you can't argue with the way it rides and handles. A 700R4 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission makes it very livable on the highway, because this car was built to cruise. The exhaust uses glasspack-style mufflers for an old-school soundtrack and vintage-looking American Racing Salt Flats wheels are the perfect choice, especially with big-n-little Bridgestone radials.

Cleverly built, bulletproof reliable, and exactly right for driving in any conditions, this is the rod for the guy who would rather be behind the wheel than polishing a fender. Call today!