Projects 1930 Fordor AV8 Project

I've been lurking around here quite awhile and learning how much I have yet to learn (and do)!
Determined it's a 1930 Briggs body but my neighbor told me the wheels aren't the correct year? Not sure about that but no big deal since not going the restoration route.
OK to the point:I want to keep it a four door with an accessible back seat and I really like the fender look so that has to stay. Got a 302 / T5 already from a previous car. Not sure about the rear end or brakes but I do want to be able to drive occasional highway speeds and many of the roads around here are 40-50 mph so with 4 people in the car...
Advice and opinions welcome, or PMs too! I'm very grateful for this forum and all the information and help you've all shared. Thanks for reading!

 

Nice car. Will make a cool hot rod.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

First of all if you are going V8 you will need to box the frame, change rear end to one out of a newer car or truck, possibly put in a x member to stop the twist caused by torque of the eng., modify the firewall or buy one designed for the V8 your going to use, rewire, change or modify the gauges, just a small list of things need to be done on my conversion.
Find a club or a friend that has the knowledge and resources for such an undertaking before you start. It took me a year to get mine back on the road and another 3 months to change out the brake system to something that actually works.
This isn't words of discouragement , just reality to the scope of what to expect. Take your time and do it right the first time unlike I did, and you will enjoy every minuet it took to do the work yourself.
have fun and get it done right

 

You will need to box the frame and remove/replace the stock center cross member to accommodate that setup. There should be some prefab options for that readily available. You will also want to change the rear bones out for something stronger, as Model A rear bones are a bit flimsy.

Start researching "AV8" on here and in books for ideas.

 

Yes boxing the frame, adding crossmember for rigidity and rear suspension mounts as you both suggest are definitely part of the plan. I've been reading alot of posts by brianangus and others on how to build a model A frame and suspension, bookmarking builds. I'll do that search for that keyword thank you!

Also looking for pictures of AV8 full fendered cars.

Hmm I'll go back to watching and reading until work commences, thanks for the good advice!

 

post more pics

 

Man,looks cool,subscribed

 

Way cool project...and welcome !!
Keep us in the loop on this too.
Cheers.....

 

Your plan sounds perfect! I love a functional, full fendered 30's four door, I would love to have one myself.

 

Been a bit since any updates here, but never fear I have not given up! Now in full dis-assembly mode to get the body off the frame. This is going to require much more effort than I thought, but less than I'm willing to put in! Here are a few progress pics, mostly for me and family/friends since I think most HAMBers have been through this already!

 

Go Man, Go!

 

Git 'er done!

 

BUT.... could use some advise on a couple points before I continue. What's the best order of disassembly? The cowl and then front fenders then doors and remainder of body? This particular car had a steel roof welded / screwed in at some point so I'm thinking that has to go next. Opinions / suggestions? The second pic is from the back looking forward over the drivers side. The third pic is the cowl / roof line. Lots of fasteners!

 

The roof is not in line plus has a valley along both driver and passenger side and across the middle..... maybe I can use it for patch pieces (the fenders are hurting.....). Anyway there is another point some expertise would be appreciated. The body tag says 163-2277 so confirmed a 1930 body type 170-B. The patent tag however seems beyond restore =[

 

Alright then last question, the flat screws are kicking my ass and in many cases I've had to drill them out. To get the cowl off I have to remove the front doors right? Any ideas on those? A hammer drill with a flat head screwdriver tip? I've been through about 2 cans of PB blast already...

 

I wish I could be of help in your order of disassembly, but I have never been that far into one of these. I'll keep watching though, because I have been looking really hard at one.

 

Went to the show at Goddard Park (in East Greenwich, RI). I'm sure there were at least a few of you there too and last year I saw one rod with a HAMB firewall tag. Got some inspiration and motivation to work on mine so spent Sunday afternoon wrenching, cutting and busting knuckles. So progress this weekend: pretty much got the body off just need to jack it up more to support on 2x4's before rolling the frame out. Also I'll need to get a two jaw / pitman puller to get the steering off. The wood is OK around the back but the sills, around the roof and doors are rough. I'm thinking I'll replace that but not decided if I'd use wood again or not. That decision is a ways off, I'm going to focus on the fame and running gear first.
And to answer my own question regarding disassembly, I sawed through the seat bolts and then the easiest (for me) was to take the floors out then viola! Easy standing up access to all the frame bolts without crawling around getting rust in the face underneath. Here's a few pics then I'll update again next week (after more research for dealing with rusty frames!). Thanks for following along and pointers welcome.

 

Got more done this weekend. Progress! Finally got the pitman arm off, then the steering wheel assembly, and the body is completely separated ready to come off. Fenders removed too. I want to keep the fenders but these are in really rough shape; the drivers side center piece is almost disintegrated and the passenger side rear fender is 2/3 fiberglass... So plan is next weekend to get the body off and stored so I can get the frame apart. Slow but steady.

 

I think you are referencing door pin removal... google it and you'll find some socket/c-clamp ideas. They make a tool, but I've seen a lot of broken tool photos. Spraying PB daily until you get to the doors can't hurt.

 

Thanks for the answers! Yes I've seen lots of comments and opinions (and swearing!) about those tools. It turns out I don't have to remove the doors just yet as the whole body - cowl roof doors and back - are all attached by the bottom wood frame pieces so I'm going to lift it up and off as one and set it aside while I work on the frame part. The doors and their stubborn hinges get a reprieve for now.

 

How do you eat an elephant?....one bite at a time. Think of it as a bunch of small jobs, projects and not one big undertaking. You'll keep your motivation and not get discouraged. Good luck. As to removing the hinge screws from the cowl, most won't come out without heat. If you don't have access to an Oxy/acetylene setup, a small bottle of MAPP gas from Home Depot with suffice. Get the screw heads cherry red them let em cool for a minute, then try to unscrew them. 9 times out of 10 this'll work.

 

This will give you some good info when you're ready to start boxing your frame. It's the frame under the coupe that I now own, and I can tell you that it's plenty stiff enough to handle most V8's.
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0708rc_boxing_the_frame/

 

Another couple bites out of the elephant these past two weeks. Separated the body from the frame and moved the body to storage (big thanks Joe!). I'm looking forward to starting the frame build once the rest is disassembled - hopefully soon within September. So, here's the current progress pics! Hmm got to straighten out the garage.....

 

Definitely been awhile since I've shared any activity. I've completely disassembled the car and had the frame blasted.

 

And this weekend scored a rear axle although I don't know exactly what type it is. It has (had?) hydraulic drum brakes. The tubes are sort of oval, tapering out to each end. There is a number cast into the center section "600211-B" but my google searches haven't led me to a positive ID yet. If anyone recognizes it or could point to at least a manufacturer I'd be quite grateful. Thanks!

 

Just found your build thread. I generally have different ideas than others and not to proud to share. That don't mean I'm right or wrong,, just different. On the average I totally disagree with Boxing frames. There are other ways easier for me. A stock 302 don't make a lot of Torque and unless your putting Mega Meats on the back boxing that frame is a waste of time from my Point of view. If your running Buggy springs front and back you can't twist the frame enough to hurt it.. It's a matter of physics. These photos are just Food for Thought. No the rails are not boxed.
As for the Door pins, don't beat on them. The just turn into a Rivet and get worse. The press out Tool is a P.O.S. Again,, personally I use a Morgan Knocker more commonly called a dent puller. Drop a 5/16 bolt in the reciever of the tool, clean the rust off the head of the pin. Now tack weld the bolt end in the Knocker to the Head of the hinge pin. Now just use the weight on the tool to drive the pin UP and out of the hinge. If you don't over Smoke the weld you can actually grind and clean up the head of pin and re use it.

 

Thanks Pist-n-broke for your advice, I appreciate the feedback and I haven't actually boxed anything yet! The motor I have is a modern 302 roller block 0.030 over, E303 cam, moderate compression with aluminum heads. Recently I've been working on other things including piecing together a big table and work area to do this project.

 

Here is another A Chassis I'm doing. The Roadster body was used to help place motor mounts. It will be getting my 30 2 door sedan body. It also will Not be Boxed. It's all about Tires and how you hook the rear Axle to the chassis. Boxing a frame is highly over rated.
The Wizzard

 

Nice! You certainly make a point, you could say you put your motor where your mouth is!

 

I've been in all kinds of shops and worked on several types of frame tables. Stationary tables and single style fixtures are nice. Nice if you have lots of floor space and a Fork Lift. A table with a solid top makes clamping things down a challange. Not sure what style of work table your thinking of but I've been using the one you see under the Hemi Chassis for 30+ years and it's done countless number of chassis. It's 4"x6"x 3/8 wall tubing. It's portable and very universal. It's low enough to build comfortably and high enough to be under for over head welding. When it's not being used it can be left outside, no Scrap Tramp is going to carry it off. The big frame is just a base. I weld different cross beams such as the I beam you see to build on and clamp to as needed. I also tack weld my rails and crossmembers in place when needed. This system has worked grate for me. It adapts well. Here a few photos of a different project and how well it adapts for all kinds of stuff. Just Food for thought.
The Wizzard