Hey HAMB, I would like to introduce my 1931 AV8 post war style build to the faithful. I found this car locally five years ago and dragged it home but had no time to start working on it. The coupe hasn't seen the road in 50 years. Time and bad ideas had taken it's toll on it. Previous owner wanted a street rod and was steering the car in that direction. Well fast forward Five years and I ( through a job loss) suddenly had some unexpected time on my hands. So about 4 months ago I began to unwind the street rod issues with the car and focus on a post war style build for the coupe. I have been cutting, grinding, sawing, machining, rebuilding and everything else that goes into a poor mans hot rod build. I failed to start a proper build thread then but here is where I am today.
The coupe when i found it had a poncho 400, turbo hydro 400, 12 bolt chevy rear, ( about a foot too wide) Tilt wheel column, vega steering with cross steer and four bar suspension front and rear with coil overs and more. UGH. Now going with 59AB flatty, stick shift, ford rear end, transverse springs, wishbones, single shaft steering column, conventional steering, steel wheels and other old and vintage parts like a GI might do after he came home from the service. More to come.
Perfect! This is how to do it, and thanks for having the courage to pursue the traditional. This is going to be fun!
So it's been slow going on the coupe but still chipping away. I had hoped to have the car road tested by the first of September, but some hurtles popped up and have slowed things down. The gas tank in the original photos will not fit in the trunk as I had hoped. So now I've been sloshing 5 gallons of apple cider vinegar in the stock Model A tank for a week now as to clean it out. Vinegar is working good to de-rust but still flakes every time I drain it. Probably drained it at least 40 times now . Any advice on getting all the rust flakes out of the stock gas tank? Here are some up dated photos.
Nice choice on the Hexagon intake, my 41 had one of the first batch cast and still runs it. The intake performs really well and fits your period range. Will be watching and good luck
41FordSuperDeluxe, that's good to hear about the Hexagon. Cause I've heard folks doubt the carb and intake function of the Hexagon. Not to mention I am going to be attempting to use the Marvel Schebler 10-3300 Mystery carbs. They are quite uncommon and to say that there is not much of an aftermarket for them is an understatement.
Nice! It looks like you've done some very neat and methodical work on your A. I like that conservative step Z on the rear, just the thickness of the frame itself. I've seen little pages articles from the early '50's showing it just like that. One concern, and this is based on looking at the photos, is the amount of bracing from the steering box to the frame. In the 4th photo, it looks like the two tubes with the longer bolts are the only connection from the box to the frame. I wonder if a couple of welded triangular braces, fore & aft, going from the bracket that the box is bolted to and connecting to the frame would help make that rock solid. There may be more bracing than I can see in the photo, but it does look like it is sort of hanging out there a bit. K6
"So now I've been sloshing 5 gallons of apple cider vinegar in the stock Model A tank for a week now as to clean it out. Vinegar is working good to de-rust but still flakes every time I drain it. Probably drained it at least 40 times now . Any advice on getting all the rust flakes out of the stock gas tank? " Try boiling the vinegar before you pour it in. White vinegar is what you need. The de-scaling effect of vinegar is increased ten fold for every 10 degrees above room temp it is. If you could pull the tank you would boil it in there so heating it first might work. Works awesome in the cooling system too.
K6 That is a dead on assessment of the chassis work. Great eye man. The "Z" is just one box tube height. As for the steering box. First it is 3/8 plate and is sturdy now. I agree that welding it in is better and may have to. I just didn't yet cause if I do the motor and trans would need to be removed to install or remove the box. Easier to weld it if I need to than to "un" weld during the fab. If it flexes it will get bracing.
Up date on the coupe: After the de-rusting headache in the gas tank came to an end and i muttled through the wiring. The coupe was ready for a test fire. Attached are a couple new photos. I can not figure out how to load a video yet but here is the car the day I got the un rebuilt 1946 59-AB Flathead running for the first time in 4 decades and the 1931 Model A under power for the first time in half of a century. What a feeling
Nice job- first ride is nerve wracking, but it's the best! You look a little concerned, but your co-pilot looks like he can't wait to take the wheel! Good stuff!
Throw some pea gravel(small,round and smooth) in the tank and shake,shake,and more shake. You will see results,but it is a bit of a struggle and labor intensive.
How did you mount your rear spring? Saw the spring behind the axle and was wondering if you used A crossmember? I have a Fourty Axle and would like to mount with the rear spring. Have seen different ways. Have to keep the wheel with in the wheel well Location for the look! Remember the Look!! Ha Ha.. And you got the look with your ride.. Thanks George
Well George, In the first photos when I dragged the car home It was in project purgatory. All poorly designed coil over rear set up. A mess. Truth be told when I look back on it, I piece by piece cut that chassis and rebuilt/modified so much of it it would have been quicker to just have made a whole new frame out of all box tube. So to answer your question. The chassis is all box tube in the rear, no model A cross member( and sorry no pictures as of now). I extended the frame rearward ( the same distance/length as the speedway spring perch hangers) past the stock frame length. Welded the hangers on to the rear. Then mounted the transverse spring to it, then rolled the rear back under the car. Set the frame down onto the spring, and hung the U bolts over the a frame plate and around the spring. So the rear wheel/tire is in the stock location with a spring behind rear. All this to preserve a flat trunk floor. In hind sight I'm not sure if this was the very best path to take. And as far as " The look" that ain't no joke. Right? You know how many cars that have been built with tons of money and tons of time and missed "The look" how sad. Forum and Function! Good luck Scott
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