Projects Order of events - building a model A Hot Rod

Ron that is a good looking sedan. I would go with building another chassis also. You could enjoy your hot rod and when you do switch over as was said you could sell whatever you have left. If I had it to do over, I'd of bought a semi restored car and built mine. You don't run into as much screwed up crap that way.

 

Not a Flathead guy but love & follow lot of old builds. Surprised no one warned about weight of Flathead on engine stand. Have seen that warning on number of sites. Will be following your build love it

 

Thanks Mike...it’s a good running good handling rust free car...great specimen to work with for sure.

 

Well it's been a while since I posted - I'm really not good at this posting stuff so this wont be much of a build thread but I'll try.

So, what have I been doing? A) driving the snot out my car B) building my 8BA.

The 8BA
Based on strong recommendations from members of FordBarn, I settled on Gary of the Engine Shop on Long Island and boy am I happy I did. Gary, who goes by GOFAST on FordBarn is a top notch machinist that specializes in flatmotors. He took my old block that I had had for years sitting in a shed and gave it a perfect bill of health after a thorough inspection/testing. The he performed the machining and provided me with a "kit" off all the parts that he has learned worked well together. I have to say his and assembled "kit" was extremely well labeled and organized. All machined parts were labeled with their new specs and everything was packaged with the mind toward assembly. Here are the details.
- cylinders bored to 3.2245
- Isky Max 1 cam
- Eagle 4" crank
- Ross pistons
- Scat rods
- Isky springs
- Johnson style lifters
- Offy heads
- ARP main studs & nuts

Here are some pics.








Note - the "ticks" on the valves were my way of keeping track of the adjustment. One tick means its the one I'm working on, the second means I'm finished.

And here is a glam photo from me cruising around NYC.

~ Carl

 

One thing that might be helpful to someone was my method for installing the valves. Since Gary machines the bottom of the valve guides to accept a lower seal, the stock lip is removed from the guide. This makes the pickle fork method of installing the valve assembly useless. Instead I bought a cheap as hell spring compressor for the exhausts and made a tool from a Harbor Freight tire iron. The spring compressor was finicky but worked, the other tool was amazing! I took the tire iron and bent the tip. By placing this in the intake opening and pressing the valve guide down, you can add/remove the retainer with ease. Here are a couple pics.

~ Carl


Note the very tip of the iron

And this compressor was such a POS I'm amazed it worked.

 

Last updated.
I had posted in the wanted section that I was on the hunt for a transmission - preferably a local. Lots of guys responded which I really appreciate, but Randy (Flat Power) came through with a really nice '39 and he's just over the bridge from me in NJ. My son and I made the trip to his place yesterday and really enjoyed learning from a hot rodder with generations of hot rod knowledge behind him. We also go to look at his father's and uncle's projects. Impressive is an understatement.

In addition to the transmission we also walked away with other goodies that I'll need.

...I know you like pics.
~ Carl

 

Question for the group, do any of the battery box / master cylinder mounts for a banger give you a dual reservoir master cylinder?

I converted my stock A roadster to a T5 trans with a banger. Built a tidy little box for a skinny battery (6 volt optima currently - group 51 12 volt should fit also)

here’s some pics.