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Five Legit Ford Hot Rods You Can Buy Today

Five Ford Hot Rods on Craigslist

5. Chopped ’n Channeled Model A Pickup

Like the Model A coupes and tudors, there’s something about the Model A pickup that strikes perfect hot rod nirvana. In this 1930 model pickup, the original utilitarian charm of the Model A is mixed expertly with hot rod attitude to create a nostalgic looking custom with real attitude. The channeled cab sits low on the chassis, to the point where the cowl is about even with the protruding V8 engine. Beyond that, the cab was chopped and extended 6 inches and a pretty serious four-link hides under the wooden bed floor.

Matching the attitude of the sheet metal mods, is an Oldsmobile 425 ci V8 engine, which breathes through a tunnel ram with dual quads and exhales through open headers. Date coded back to 1965, the second-generation Olds V8 is a fitting choice in a classic hot rod, and known as one of Oldsmobile’s best engines of the muscle car era.

This all-steel Model A pickup asks $18,000 here on Jacksonville Craigslist.

4. ’27 Gow Job Roadster

The term gow job may strike you as odd, maybe you haven’t even heard it before, but in fact it predates the more commonly used term hot rod. More specifically, gow job actually refers to pre-war customs and the earliest post war hot rods, where the primary form of modification was lightening by removal of unnecessary parts. To make sense of the terminology though, read this quick passage from Hagerty:

“While the term is usually applied to hopped-up Model-Ts, the etymology of the word “gow” goes back to the 1800s and the Cantonese word for opium, “yao-kao.” The term was used in horse racing to describe drugged-up or “gowwed-up” horses, and the phrase made a short leap to early hot rods that were similarly hopped up for performance. It wasn’t until the post-war era that “hot” evolved to describe something cool, hip, or fast and “hot rod” became the universal term for a modified car.”

Opium aside, this ’27 Ford nails the custom high boy/roadster look perfectly, as the body is still mounted atop the chassis without any channeling work done. The body sits on a 1930 frame with full manual brakes and a four-cylinder engine with an Ansen aluminum intake and two-barrel carburetor.

This thing’s right from top to bottom and is sure to be adored by onlookers of all ages. The roadster asks $18,000 here on Orlando Craigslist.

3. LS1-Powered ’30 Roadster

I promised you only legit old-school hot rods, but even with the LS engine, this Model A still checks all the boxes, and it’s hiding quite well in plain sight. It’s a steel 1930 roadster body on a 1930 chassis, and it looks to have had some channeling done at some point. Everything is about what you’d expect to see from the beam axle up front to the steelies and old-school rubber, until you see the front discs, a pair of aluminum cylinder heads and a modern serpentine belt setup. That’s right, a Chevrolet LS powers this Model A, but it’s somewhat cleverly hidden under a pair of Oldsmobile valve covers and lake-style headers with baffles. Pulled from an ’01 ’Vette, this engine produced 350 hp in stock trim, and should scoot the roadster along well with a T5 manual transmission and Olds rear axle.

From the wheels and tires to the old-school paint scheme, this Model A is a knockout, and the LS is a fun surprise and an entertaining test at car shows. Find it here on Los Angeles Craigslist for $18,999.

2. 283 Chevy-Powered ’29 Coupe

Turns out right around $18,000 seems to be the going rate on Model As, and this ’29 coupe brings even more enticing features to the table for the money. The body has been chopped and channeled, and has new floors installed as well. To go the extra mile though, the builder opted to leave all metal repairs raw, without any body fillers or prep before paint. The result is way cool and allows you to trace the work required to give this old Model A body its attitude.

Plenty of work went into the chassis as well, which started out as a new Pete and Jakes Model A chassis, which the seller fit with a Turbo-350, Ford 9-inch rear end and a rebuilt Chevrolet 283 with a 3x2 intake.

This one’s pretty perfect in my eyes, exactly what comes to mind when you think of an old-school hot rod. Check it out here on Akron-Canton Craigslist for $18,000.

1. HEMI-Powered ’31 Coupe

These hot rods weren’t exactly arranged in a countdown fashion, but it would be wrong to go out without a bang, and this last Model A is exactly that. With a 417 ci Chrysler HEMI engine under the hood and tons of hard-to-find parts, this ’31 Ford is a real knockout, and priced in a league of its own at $42,000.

This original ’31 coupe body features a nice chop, a ribbed steel roof, an original ’32 Ford grille shell and is said to retain some of its original paintwork. It rides on a boxed original ’32 Ford chassis with a Muncie four-speed, Halibrand quick-change rear end and aluminum Buick brake drums. The headline of the program is of course the HEMI engine though, a 392 ci Chrysler pushed to 417 ci and topped with an Offenhauser intake, six Stromberg carburetors, original Mickey Thompson valve covers and lake-style headers.

The coupe’s interior also leaves nothing to be desired, with a well-worn leather seat over bare steel. The Champion cast gauge cluster and vintage Stewart-Warner gauges are also a home run.

With a spec sheet like that, it’s no surprise this one breaks the mold with a fat price tag. Asking $42,000, find this HEMI-powered Model A here on Chicago Craigslist.

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