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

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Please understand that any comments or suggestions I am about to make are done as honestly and as kindly as I can. No one on this forum takes shots at anyone seeking answers, but we do have to be straightforward in our replys. It would be very unfair to you to just say what you want to hear. You came looking for answers and we will do our best to help you get to your goal.

Yes, the car has a fair amount of patina to it. It is, after all, a 72 year old car that has been sitting for the last 25 years, so time takes it's toll. However, under all that patina it seems the body is pretty solid and straight. What the car REALLY needs is a total, frame off restoration. That is what it really needs, but doesn't necessarily have to get right now to make it usable. You could clean it up somewhat, upgrade some of the mechanicals, and be driving it until the time and money come for that restoration.

$ 2000.00 is a lot of money...............until you start buying car parts. Tires and tubes alone are going to take $ 700 out of that amount. Shopping wisely, you can get all four brakes in the later "40 to '48 style for maybe another $ 600.00. But then they will need wheel cylinders, shoes, master cylinder, lines, hoses, etc. You could very well be out of money when that is done.

Bob mentioned another thing I hadn't thought of.......the wiring. It may or may not be still servicable after all these years, but it must be addressed, as wiring problems will cause you headaches you can't imagine.

The car has been sitting for 25 years, so don't be in any hurry to get it going. If you can, get the engine running on a seperate fuel tank (plastic 3 gallon boat tanks are great for this and cheap) Your stock tank at the very least will need boiled out and lined. Change all the fluids. If it runs, have your radiator redone and put new hoses on everything. Drive the car around the block to see how it shifts, etc. If it seems ok, then start spending your money on brakes, tires, etc. Pressure wash it inside and out, and underneath too.

Now you can formulate your plan to restore/ hot rod the car, because you will really know what you have. I think the later engine is also great, as Bob mentioned. Much better than the '35 flathead. Maybe the transmission is a later one too?

Bottom line, you have a really great start here, but building or restoring cars takes lots of time, skill, and money. Take one step at a time and you will be ok.

Good luck,

Don