My Toys - Model A, Jeep, etc
 

Maybe this isn't the best fit in the "1987 - 1996" forum, but I mentioned my Model A and Jeep projects in BiGGreen350's build thread and Gigger asked for pictures. I didn't want to hijack that thread, so I'm starting this one.

For starters, here's my Model A. It was a 1929 Tudor Sedan. My dad bought it when I was about 10 as a father-son project. We played with it over the next several years, fixing things that needed fixing and him driving me in it around my paper route. Then when I was about 17 I started a frame-up rebuild that I finally completed almost 10 years later. It was basically a restoration, but I did convert it to hydraulic brakes and added seat belts and turn signals. Otherwise it stayed true to original. Here are a few pics:

Here's what it looked like when we bought it:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125596

One "project" picture
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125597

The interior
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125598

And the exterior
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125599

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125600

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125601

I sold this car a few years after finishing my Jeep. I couldn't keep both toys and the Jeep was more fun. I do miss the Model A and kind of wish I still had it, but I'd have hardly ever driven it. And selling it let me buy the slide-in camper that's in my avatar. My family got a lot more use out of that.

Gotta go now. I'll add my Jeep and other toys later.

1975 Jeep CJ-5
 

The Jeep was my second frame-up rebuild. I bought the Jeep in the middle of the Model A years, but didn't start working on it until the A was finished. It took about 2 years to complete.

I rebuilt the engine (258 in-line 6), lifted it 2.5", put on 33" tires and a Detroit locker in the rear. It had the stock close-ratio T-18 4 spd, Dana 20 transfer case, Dana 44 rear axle and Dana 30 front. The body was shot so I put a new fiberglass body on it. Over the next several years I used it (trail riding and rock crawling on family vacations as well as driving for fun in good summer weather). Many small projects came and went on it over that time.

Here are the pics:

Before (with a canoe rack, and right after vandals broke all the glass out of it)
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125613

A "project" picture
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125614

Installing the homemade aluminum dash
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125615

Completed and out on the trails
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125616

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125617

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125618

Eventually my 2 sons outgrew the Jeep's back seat. So I bought a '71 Bronco (see my avatar). I had hoped to keep the Jeep too, but economic realities dictated otherwise. I'll add Bronco pics later.

awesome stuff man too bad you never get to keep your toys:(

It's not that bad. I've always been ablto keep one, I just haven't been able to keep more than one.

And here's the one that replaced the Jeep. It's a 1971 Bronco. I didn't do a frame-up on it. Having a family it's a lot harder to put as much time or money into projects. So even with the slightly smaller scale of this one it still took about 6 years.

I put in a rebuilt 302, built up an AOD with a manual valve body (and then didn't like it so I put the 3 speed back in), Detroit Locker in the rear, 4 high-backed bucket seats with shoulder harnesses all around and a full "family" cage. I stuck some skinny 33" BFG AT's on it that I had sitting around from one of my trucks. It'd be nice to put wider mud tires on it, but the price was right on these and they aren't bad.

Pretty solid when I bought it:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125619

Off to the paint shop:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125620

The "almost" finished product:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125696

And some trail shots:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125697

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125698

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125699

The Bronco has a lot more room in the back seat for my teen age sons (they were getting a little sick of the Jeep's back seat). And it has room to carry 4 people and lunch! (I had to build a rack to fit lunch on the Jeep). I still have the Bronco and don't see getting rid of it any time soon. It's not only the summer fun and family fourwheeling vacation vehicle, it's also my summer daily driver (more fun and get's better mileage than my truck). The Jeep quit being a daily driver about the time I turned 30 (I just couldn't take the beating anymore), the Bronco is a lot easier on you. In fact, in December I drove it 450 miles to Indiana to pick up my '97 F-250 (and then towed it back with the truck that same day). I couldn't have put that kind of day in with the Jeep!

Nice, the toys are always important! Here's my explanation to my Mopar handle on a Ford forum
http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/...ps03f3d931.jpg
http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/...psc7dc687c.jpg

I've had trucks too
 

Since this is a Ford truck forum...

My first truck was a 1985 F-250 standard cab, 351W, NP435 4 spd. My dad gave it too me new as a college graduation present (I've got a great dad!). I had it for 13 years and 183,000 miles (that included the two years I drove it to work when I was an engineer with General Motors!). By that time it was pretty rusty (Minnesota), had stranded me twice and my family had outgrown the standard cab.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125700

I replaced that in 1998 with a 1995 F-150 SuperCab, 351W, E4OD. I lifted that truck 2.5" and put on skinny 33" BFG ATs. The load range C tires were too mushy with the camper (air helper springs so the suspension was OK) so I switched to load range E tires on 16" rims (leaving me tires for the Bronco). I put Lock-Rites in both axles, but took the one out of the front (handling quirks were dangerous on snowy freeways). My sons legs outgrew the back seat so after driving it for 9 years and 120,000 miles it was time to upsize.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125701

The next truck was a new 2008 F-250 Crew Cab, 5.4L, 6 spd manual. I hated that truck. Filed a lemon law claim on the tranny. Ford didn't agree that anything was wrong with it, but they did end up buying it back from me about 10 months after I had bought it.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125702

I replaced that with a 2002 F-350 Crew Cab, 7.3L diesel, auto. I had that truck for 5 years, 40,000 miles (driving the Bronco so not putting as many miles on the truck anymore)
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125703

I never really liked that truck either, so I decided that I was going back to the '80's - '90s trucks (I had loved my first two). So a few months ago I picked up this '97 F-250 Crew Cab, 460, E4OD.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ctureid=125704

I don't expect to be doing anything with this truck project-wise, just trying to maintain it as a reliable daily driver / vacation vehicle. Some day I hope to rebuild a mid '90s SuperCab shortbox with a 351W, 5 spd trans and solid axles. That'll be a project, but it needs to wait for more time and available money.

By the way, my screen name, "Nothing Special" comes from my vehicles. None of them are really anything special. As antique cars go 1929 Tudor Model A's are a dime a dozen, CJ-5s are hardly rare, and you can't find a more common vehicle that an F-series truck. But still, my vehicles don't stay stock, they end up being specialized to be what I want. And they take a lot of work to get to be nothing special. So there is some intentional irony in the name.

I'm sure this doesn't belong on this forum, but regardless, it's a neat story on how you got where you are now. I like the picture of the '85 because the Model A is on a trailer behind it, and the picture of the '08 with the Bronco hooked to it.

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Life is all about the journey and how we get there. Looks like yours has been quite a ride. I would love to do a restoration on a couple vehicles.

Thats what kids will do

Nothing Special that is a fine collection of vehicles you have(had)
I would be proud to drive any of them

Someone said it didn't belong in this forum, I'm sorry but I disagree, it gives us some background on this feller }> it lets us know he can do the work and is not all mouth, and leaves a trail of breadcrumbs showing how he got here..

There is a guy here that has a 29 A that looks like a twin of the one in post #1... Looks like you did a great job on it...

awesome couple other vehicles, impressive stuff man, i love that bronco it looks awesome!

I cropped the picture of the '95, but it has the Jeep on a tow bar. And my avatar has the '02 towing the Bronco. When people ask me why I have such big trucks I say it's a lifestyle choice and show them one of those pictures. My family vacations in the camper (the boys sleep in a tent). We set up in a campground where the truck stays until we go home. The Bronco (previously the Jeep) gets used to drive to whatever we do while we're there, including fourwheeling.

And BigGreen350, I love the Bronco too. I really liked the Model A and the Jeep, but since I only got to keep one of the three I'm glad it's the Bronco. Some time I wouldn't mind building up another Jeep, and it'd be fun to get a Model T (older than the A) some time. But I don't think I would if it would mean getting rid of the Bronco.

yes a model t would be sweet, i always wanted to build a 1930s ford sedan hot rod, but definitely dont get rid of the bronco hahah

Do you know why the A came out after the T?