1930 Model A Ford Wood Boat Tail Speedster Project

1930 Model A Ford Wood Boat Tail Speedster project.

I purchased this unfinished project car locally from a third party this past August 2019. It came from an estate sale so I do not have any details about the car or owner but I have many questions. Mostly, I wonder about the craftsman owner and what he envisioned with his Model A Ford Speedster. I do know the chassis is a 1930 Model A with a more modern built wood boat tail body. I must remark that this speedster is a full wood cowl on back to the tail end. Researching boat tail speedsters, I see most Ford speedsters start the wood construction after the cowl and tank, so this car is unique. You must begin to appreciate the past craftsman owner, all the more, for his dedication, his vision, of his speedster.

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A friend and fellow Model A Club member, Jerry, and I checked out the engine, transmission and rear end. All three major components are in good order. The engine needed a new distributor, a rebuilt carb, a temporary gravity gas tank, new battery, and some love to get it running. Compression was equal on all 4 cylinders. Looking up into the engine from the removed oil pan the pistons looked new. Plus, no overheating after 20 minutes of idle. I believe we have a strong running engine in place so we have a major dollar win with that.

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So, we have a body and rolling chassis. We do not have a gas tank, or windshield, or gauges, nor an interior. The body is in great shape but the finish is cloudy so it needs to be refinished. The front end is sloppy and has to be completely rebuilt. The steering column has too much play and a model T steering wheel. It seems that the best approach is to remove the body and further inspect the chassis, brakes, brake lines, shocks, and electrical components. Soon we will begin a “to do” list and start a parts order for the build.

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