This project started with the chance discovery of a dilapidated
Pattisson groundsmans tractor behind a museum while on holiday in Cornwall.
The tractor was made in the 30's from Ford components. It featured a shortened
32 frame, 32 steering and front suspension, a 32 firewall and cut down
truck cowl, front crossmember and K-member, a 32 4 cyl motor and TT truck
worm drive rear axle. The condition can only be described as deplorable,
but it did have a number plate attached, which, while there was no paperwork
to accompany it, might be enough to re-instate the number when it finally
hits the road.
I started to repair the chassis, replacing one frame rail and the
front crossmember. The idea at that time was to build a roadster pickup,
using a Model A pickup bed I had "picked up" ha ha.
The project foundered due to the lack of a suitable body (or funds
to buy one) until a roadster body came up for sale in Holland. It
was reasonably priced, but, boy, was it rough. basically just a collection
of outer panels, plus a tank, seat bases and soft top assembly. Knowing
the good availability of repair panels for the A, I decided to go out on
a limb and go and get it. It was stripped down to the bare panels already,
and the whole lot fitted into the back of an estate car.
The Model A pickup bed and the 32 firewall were sold to offset
the cost of the body and from then on the project took a different approach.
So, heres what I started with:
Probably not the best '32 chassis you've ever seen.
Probably not the best Model A roadster body you've ever seen, either.
Back
|