Has the Model A taken the place of the venerable Deuce ?

[Greg Myers]

[rmvw guy]

?...I don't get the question but, they are two good looking cars. Are they real or models?

[Greg Myers]

More and more Model A hot rods on the street, in magazines, dare I say, "Rat Rods".

Are they pushing the "32 Deuce aside as Americas favorite "Hot Rod" ? Maybe a new song from the Beach Boys will tell?

[Joe Handley]

So long as they're well done, who cares!

[jeffs396]

I think the '32s have been done every way imaginable, people are looking to other years/makes for something different...

Sure would like to see more early Bowties/other GM makes done as rods

Early Mopars too...

[rmvw guy]

As they become available through Brookville Roadster I think also helps. Notice how most of them have a '32 grill!

Edited July 8, 2012 by rmvw guy

[Dr. Cranky]

I love them both as real cars and model kits . . . lots of potential for many styrene adventures.

[Art Anderson]

Supply and demand. Consider that Ford built more than 5,000,000 Model A's from December 1927 through early January 1932 (US domestic only, this doesn't count Model A production beyond US borders), but only slightly more than 250,000 Model B's (4cyl '32 Ford) and Model 18's (V8 '32's) from March 1 through November 1932.

Even "back in the day", hotrodded Model A's far outnumbered the Deuce, to the point that '32 V8 cars were seldom rodded prior to WW-II. A perusal of period literature shows that prewar hotrodders much preferred the Model A, along with hopping up 4-cylinder engies. It wasn't until wartime that HS kids, too young to be drafted, started playing around with the flathead V8.

Art

[oldscool]

I think it's the factory visor over the windshield that model A's have. It adds to the sinister look that is so popular today.

[Rob Hall]

Since it's been 80 years since the '32s were made and longer since the A's were made, can't imagine there are too many original ones left..

[moparmagiclives]

I think it's just a fact of what's available, look at how many wagons are popping up. Just don't find many two door hard tops anymore.

I found a complete rolling "a" chassis the other day, complete with wood spoke wheels. $100. If it was a "Duce" frame.. Hahaa good night, I would had to have taken out a loan

[Greg Myers]

No wood spoke wheels on a Model A. Last used by Ford on a '26 Model T.

Edited July 8, 2012 by Greg Myers

[Chuck Most]

For some people, nothing will ever replace a Deuce as THE ultimate hot rod, no matter how popular other cars are becoming. But Model A hot rods do seem more common today, even with fiberglass or repro steel bodies. '32s haven't been cheap in a long time, even the fiberglass repro bodies run more than a similar A. Thing is, Model A prices are starting to creep up as a result. They aren't at Deuce levels, and probably never will be, but that nice, workable Model A you bought for a hundred bucks in 1980 might be worth about eight grand today. Just ask my father.

Has anyone noticed Model Ts are making a pretty big comeback as hot rod material? Sure they never really went away, but it seems like you are seeing more Model T based hot rods now- they seemingly fell out of favor for a while, but now they're starting to come back.

[Ace-Garageguy]

My associate bought a fairly complete east-coast '30 coupe, rusty but buildable, a little over a year ago for about 5 grand. Sold the chassis and mechanicals on and recovered about a couple thou. Just a decent body shell needing a lot of work for a '32 roadster at the same time was over 6 grand.

3 grand for an A coupe shell, 6 grand for a '32 roadster shell.

I'm personally building a '30 roadster on repop '32 rails. '32s are beautiful cars and I love them, but I honestly couldn't possibly aford to do a nice steel '32.

[rel14]

I don't care if its 1901 to 2013, If it Feels GOOD, do it...

[Greg Myers]

Just found this again : http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=163873

[Tom Setzer]

During the time when I was building Hot Rods and Street Rods,1959-1980. I built 13 A models, but only 3 Deuces, all of them traditional Hot Rods! I built other cars, but They were Street Rods, incorperating the tech of the seventies! I love both the A Model, and the Deuce! There were many more Model A Hot Rods on the Road Back Then Than There were Deuces. Two reasons the Model A was Lighter, and it cost less to build!

Edited July 11, 2012 by Tom Setzer

[southpier]

...Model 18's (V8 '32's) ...

never knew that; thanks

[vintagestang]

I just had to.

[38 Crush]

Also ther were four years of the Model A and only one of the 32. Now that most or many of the 32's are taken there's only model A's left. Don't get me wrong A's are still cool ! BUT.....I'm still a chevy guy !

[Joe Handley]

I just had to.

And I'll raise you

[vintagestang]

I forgot about that one.

[Joe Handley]

I forgot about that one.

And that's from the guy that wrote it too, it was about the Model A he built from a wrecked Lincoln.....which might have also been his too, can't remember for sure.....

[mr moto]

What I notice is that both of these cars (and MANY Model A hot rods) have Deuce radiator shells. Most people wouldn't know the difference between an A and a Deuce if it has the Deuce shell on it.

[W-409]

I think Model A Ford looks better than Deuce Coupe. The A-Pillars are straight and in 90 Degree position, but in Deuce they are not straight. That's why Model A Ford looks better to me. But Model A Ford needs to have '32 Ford Grill Shell.