18 Year Old Rebuilds Ford Roadster

18 year old rebuilds Ford roadster FARM HOME Cars 12-3-10 When his dad challenged him to rebuild a rusted out, banged up 1929 Ford Roadster convertible, 18-year-old Mike Amst, of Geraldine, Mont., went to work. Originally, the Roadster sported a 4-cylinder, 40 hp. engine. Mike replaced it with a 300 hp. Ford Mustang 302 engine. To accommodate the bigger engine, he made alterations to the firewall and "beefed up" the running gear. He also replaced the car's rear end and transmission, installing a 1954 Oldsmobile rear end and a 1971 automatic transmission. Mike designed and built his own frame for the car, using a 1929 Ford as a prototype. "I was able to salvage the Roadster's body. But its steel fenders were in bad shape so I replaced them with fiberglass fenders," says Mike, who painted the car a bright canary yellow. It's equipped with bucket seats and a trunk. Mike's final step in renovating the sporty-looking "roadster" is to redo the upholstery. Last summer, his car renovation project earned him his state's top 4-H "automotive" award.

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