Thread: Got a 32 and have questions about it

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Hi guys,
I got a 32 model b from my grandma cause it was just sitting in her garage and she offered it to me and i swooped it up. So i took it home and i cant get it to run right. I took apart the carb and one of the jets was broken. so i replaced it. the car still wont run. I have only got it to start one time. it ran for about 10 seconds and then died. The car is presently at my dads house so i cant work on it right now but i want to tow it up to where i live but i dont want it to just sit here. the car hasnt been driven since the early 90's. all it will do is crank and crank but wont turn over. any ideas on what would cause this. ill attach a pic of the car. thanks for your comments.

Sitting at your grandma's......So you swooped it.
Some of us should be playing the lotto right about now.
Some of us (like me) should hide.
Congrats on the find.

You're a little skimpy on info, so I'll swag..........15 year old gasoline that's turned to varnish.

What a find! Just stay cool and replace a few parts like the fuel pump and maybe the carb and replace the points. As Bob says it might be a good idea to replace the whole fuel line and have the gas tank soaked in a hot derusting tank, just slightly acid. You could even find a complete new reproduction tank if your tank is rusted. Just give it a tune up at first and treat it with the historical reverence it deserves; you have something valuable there so just take it easy and then worry about what other things you might do. Is it a true Model-B with a 4-cyl or a V8? If it were mine I would not rod it to a large extent, just add hydraulic brakes and try to find a good flathead block to build up; I'd even keep the 6V system just to keep the gauges original. Although the flathead will be more expensive and end up with less power than some OHV-V8, the overall expense of changing the whole driveline would be more expensive than just changing the engine. If it had a lot of rust and needed many patch panels you could do whatever you want but for me it would be a return to teen age wonder to just build a mild flathead deuce coupe. If it is a 4-cyl you could really have some nostalgic fun with mild upgrades like a higher compression head or even a rare OHV 4-cyl conversion (warning $$$) along with a dual or down draft carb manifold and some attention to insert bearings and pressurized oiling. You might end up with only 80 H.P. but it should still be a good car for rod runs or flirting with AACA folks.

Note that if you have an original, uncracked V8 block you could sell it to a restorer for an amazing price, high enough to build up a 59AB 24 stud block or buy (maybe) one of those French (new) V8 blocks along with a stroker crank and add a 4-bbl intake.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

That is a jewel!

Another alternative to some of these suggestions would be to build it however it pleases you, but keep the original parts together.

I've watched many guy over the years who were not happy with their car, but were afraid to change it. I know you wouldn't sell, but it's worth more as a rod, than as an antique.

Whatever you do, do it so you enjoy it.

Originally posted by Don Shillady
What a find! Just stay cool and replace a few parts like the fuel pump and maybe the carb and replace the points. As Bob says it might be a good idea to replace the whole fuel line and have the gas tank soaked in a hot derusting tank, just slightly acid. You could even find a complete new reproduction tank if your tank is rusted. Just give it a tune up at first and treat it with the historical reverence it deserves; you have something valuable there so just take it easy and then worry about what other things you might do. Is it a true Model-B with a 4-cyl or a V8? If it were mine I would not rod it to a large extent, just add hydraulic brakes and try to find a good flathead block to build up; I'd even keep the 6V system just to keep the gauges original. Although the flathead will be more expensive and end up with less power than some OHV-V8, the overall expense of changing the whole driveline would be more expensive than just changing the engine. If it had a lot of rust and needed many patch panels you could do whatever you want but for me it would be a return to teen age wonder to just build a mild flathead deuce coupe. If it is a 4-cyl you could really have some nostalgic fun with mild upgrades like a higher compression head or even a rare OHV 4-cyl conversion (warning $$$) along with a dual or down draft carb manifold and some attention to insert bearings and pressurized oiling. You might end up with only 80 H.P. but it should still be a good car for rod runs or flirting with AACA folks.

Note that if you have an original, uncracked V8 block you could sell it to a restorer for an amazing price, high enough to build up a 59AB 24 stud block or buy (maybe) one of those French (new) V8 blocks along with a stroker crank and add a 4-bbl intake.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

A flathead 4...how cool would that be. I agree 100% with Don. I wouldn't do anything to that car that couldn't be undone. I'd look for vintage speed parts for whatever engine you have and leave well enough alone. The make steel reproduction bodies for hot rods. You have a time capsule. As mentioned, I'd change the brakes to hydralic (safety issue), but other than that...

Heck, just for the novelty I hope you do have the 4 cylinder.

hey guys,
thanks for all the replies. the gas tank had no gas in it when i got it so i just put a few gallons in there. when i get it up here i think i will go through the fuel system to clean it all out. the car is a 4 cylinder. its all original. my uncle may have changed the 6 volt system though. it looks like it has the original gauges and stuff though. i will post some more pics of it so you guys can see it. oh yeah and theres no rust or anything. the side step things are a little rough on the edges though. this pic is how it spent most of its life.

heres a pic of the engine. if you guys notice anythign that looks unoriginal id like to know. The top of the car has the big fabric type square and right now its destroyed. do you guys know of anywhere i can get a new one from. my friend owns an upholstery shop so he can put it all together. Plus the rumble seat is trashed too. the seat in the cab is original fabric though and its not to bad. my grandma said its mohair.

heres the engine

interior

here it is on the trailer coming home with me. if you guys want to see pics of anything specific i can see if i have a pic of it with me.

and i would like to keep the car original for atleast awhile. i know my grandma hates the idea of hot rodding it and if i did hot rod i would only want to upgrade the drivetrain with a flathead v8 or something that is still oldish and a new trans and rear. also does anyone know where i can get some new tires for the car. are there any clubs or people who specialize in these kinds of cars in my area. i live in the santa rosa area of california

Talk about a dream come true!

Here's your source for quality upholstery : http://www.lebaronbonney.com/

tires; http://www.coker.com/store/customer/home.php

Very nice! The B 4-cyl had a slightly better cam than the Model-A but still had babbit main bearings, so don't get too frisky with high compression unless you improve the oiling and main bearings. Still "high compression" for these engines is about 6:1. Plenty of repro parts are available for '32s and you really don't have to do much. Check out Lebaron-Bonney on the Internet for original style upholstery. To be honest I thought discoveries of this sort were long gone but of course family heirlooms are still possible. One thing is that you can improve the engine internally without it showing on the outside since the AACA people have developed a number of parts that "look" stock. I believe that the AACA rules allow you to chrome sheet metal parts that are stock and that gives some restored engines a bit of flash. I know there is at least one head casting which is basically the standard head milled about 1/8", but don't mill yours that much, it may not have enough thickness on the bottom. The 6:1 head is a recasting with the combustion chamber lowered in the mold by about 1/8"; the combustion chambers are like soup bowls! Another worry is to check out the water pump, it had to be "packed" every so often, but it will leak or squeal when it needs attention. As far as being afraid to change it, that is your decision but if you make changes which can be reversed it will keep the value of the car. I don't know your economic potential, but now that we know it is a 4-cyl, I would start saving up for an OHV conversion like a CRAGAR which I believe are still available on a waiting list basis. The last time I checked, a CRAGAR head or similar OHV head it was about $4000, but may be more now. When is all said and done, I think you could add a nostalgic OHV conversion that is reversible along with a rebuild of the block for less than changing over to a modern SBC, auto trans, modern rear etc. As far as the brakes go, the early '40 brake backing plates can be made to work but have to be hand adjusted, the '42-'48 brakes are self adjusting as I recall but maybe the best brakes are from the Ford F150 pickup from the early '50s since they were larger. The hole in the middle of the backing plate is larger than the A axle housing by a small amount, but I don't remember whether tha B rear was the same size. Some folks used old piston rings to fill in the gap and center the backing plate but there are still kits available from Speedway for less than $20 to provide the spacer rings, at least for Model-As. Well it is your project and the temptation to chop/channel may be there but note the relative ratio of height with the stock wheels. If you use smaller wheels then it looks too high or if you chop and keep big wheels it looks crunched so maybe you should play around with software and remember the proportion idea. Personnally I would keep it stock except for engine improvements and hydraulic brakes. I have said more than enough, you luckydog!

In edit mode, I would like to see a close up picture of the stock dash and instruments in the oval case. My Bebops 'glass body has a '32 style dash and when you look at the fiberglass at a slight angle you can see where the oval of the original instrument cluster was and I would like to go back to that, although with a five gauge set. One last comment is that there was also a Model-C 4 cyl engine built by Ford up through 1934 and they had a very desireable counterweighted crankshaft and occasionally you may see a "C-crank" for sale in Hemmings Motor News or maybe even on E-Bay. Maybe you better subscribe to Hemmings Motor News and then you will realize that you are in really high cotton with an original Deuce Coupe! Counterweights can be added to a B-crank or even an A-crank but that requires expense and the skill of an experienced shop used to working on old engines.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

not running, old cars have point's and condensor, you can probably get them new, change them.