Thread: I'm a new user from San Francisco looking for some advicee

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Welcome aboard. You've got a great opportunity to learn on a car with significant personal history to your family.

Let's deal with the shop thing first. The S.F. and surrounding areas have been a hotbed of hot rodding since the beginning. There are probably more shops in the area than any of us who don't live there, and are active in the hobby, could possibly know of. As an example, you have one of THE best shops in the country in South S.F., it's called Brizio's. Roy Brizio meets all your criteria, except the tight budget thing. He won't cheat you, but he doesn't give his talent and time away. But this is putting the cart before the horse.

It sounds like you've been giving some good thought to how you want the car to look style wise. There are "themes" in the hot rod hobby that go along with style. These aren't hard and fast rules, hot rodding is about modifying, but, just to give you an extreme example, you'd be looked at ascance if you plastered tuner decals all over a traditional looking ride. You could do it..............and as you'll hear nausiatingly often, "it's your car do whatever you want to it". Just not a good idea.

I'd suggest you do some more research before getting too deep into the car. History is filled with guys having more ambition than experience (knowledge) which results in a torn apart car languishing away, broken dreams, and unfulfilled desires. Go to a major magazine rack, there are several magazines aimed at this vintage/style of car, nearly all of them have a variation on the word rod in their title. You'll see cars built to all styles if you look at enough of them, and you'll see just how well developed the aftermarket parts suppliers are. Then start going to live events. There are probably some local cruise in locations where the rodders hang out. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights are common, as well as Sunday afternoon. If you went to Brizio's, or any other shop others might recommend, the guys there can tell you where the gatherings are. Once you go to these events, you'll see first hand what folks have been doing. If the event big and diverse enough you'll see lots of right, and probably some wrong. Of course, part of what dictates that is your eye. But in this way you'll learn which styles wind your watch. A little conversation with the owner of each vehicle that appeals to you will give you some insight as to how they got there. Some of the folks you'll talk to did the work themselves, or at least part of it, others may have had a shop or friend do it for them. They can give you leads to shops that meet your criteria, and some of them will likely be honest about what it cost them. Yeah, you'll be b.s.'d some too...........they're hot rodders afterall.

Once you've learned what you likely want to do then you can start to realistically figure out how much time and money it's going to cost you. Don't know what your skill levels are for doing any or all the the work that lies ahead, but if you're normal you'll probably overestimate what you can do, and underestimate how long and how much it'll cost. We all do that, some of us for a lifetime. I say such things, not to discourage you, but to let you know, when you hit a bump in the rodding road, you ain't alone........lot's of guys can say, "been there, done that, but hey............I got this neat T shirt!".

Given your apparent level of experience I'd suggest you put the top chop at the bottom of your early list, That procedure, especially on a rounded car like that, requires considerable skill (and skill costs, one way or another), and a botched chop will ruin a good car in a heartbeat. Similarly the air bagging. These old Fords have a unique suspension (assuming yours is stock right now) in the modern context that, as designed, doesn't adapt to airbags. So while suspension changes aren't monumentally difficult, they would be moderately extensive on this particular car. The more you can afford to spend, the quicker and "easier" it is to accomplish. Part of why I'd strongly suggest you learn more first is that you may figure out that for your situation (whatever that might be)taking baby steps is the more sensible way to get there. For example, you might just lower the car in one of several tried and true ways (it might be info overload to try to tell you all of them at this point), without bags, and then work toward bagging later when you've got the highest priorities worked out, and the budget to get things done without wasting money on false starts.

Pictures work well in this internet environ. If you click the camera icon below my name it will take you to my photo gallery. There's a pic in there of my '36 5 window which is nearly identical to your '35. That's one style of car, built on a relatively low budget, flatty powered. If you took some pictures of what your car looks like, maybe some detail shots of the engine and underside, and interior, we'd have an idea of where to start with usable suggestions. Whole books have been written on how to do what you're asking, so the helpful folks here will pile on all sorts of suggestions, but you need to prioritize if you're on a really tight budget.

As a possible example. If your car is actually stock, it's got what's called mechanical brakes. That means your brakes are actuated by steel rods and cranks eminating from the pedal, rather than the hydraulic fluid type of system you're more likely familiar with. Personally, that would be one of the first changes I'd make, if necessary after cleaning out the fuel system, and doing whatever was needed to get the engine and trans in working order.

Posting pics here is pretty easy, just need some digital shots to post. Doing a search on here would be more good research for you, search function is in the link bar above. A few month's ago we had a thread on suspension mods on a '35 Ford, so that might give you an idea of what's in store there.

Right now, you've opened up a very broad area that could prompt a bunch of answers from helpful folks, but it would be better to give a little more info and get some better targeted responses.

I am in total agreement with all of Bob's statements. When I read your post, two things jumped out at me: Major modifications and very limited budget. The two simply do not go together. This car is a survivor and also has a strong family history, if you get 1/2 way into it and are over your head, the car will be ruined.

For example, just to have the top chopped is a major expense, unless you are capable of doing it yourself. Bagged suspension is another major hit. Even if you have those done, you are then looking at a lot more money to bring the rest of the components up to snuff.

Here is my suggestion. Walk before you run. Take some pictures, let us see what you have, inside and out, and underneath. Then, clean the car up, see if the engine will run, and if it does, freshen up what is there and drive it a little for a period of time. That will let you enjoy the car, and when your finances improve you can start to do the frame off items you have detailed.

I know my suggestions are kind of "wet blanket" but I tend to be realistic. I personally have ruined some very good cars over the years because my enthusiasm was bigger than my bank account or talent. I would really hate to see this great survivor ruined. You have to be realistic and ask yourself if you are capable of laying $ 20-30,000 on the table and devote it to this car, because that is probably the minimum you are looking at to do the things you have mentioned.

Doesn't mean you can't still get this car running, and people would love to see one of these that is in the condition you outlined, still around. You have a gem there, but if you aren't a diamond cutter, you risk ruining it. JMO.

Don


OH, and I forgot............WELCOME TO THE FORUM.