I’ve not been sure of 8BA dimensions compared to what came stock. Really don’t want to have to modify the firewall, particularly since I’m going through the effort and $$ to replace the current one with a Henry Ford one. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
an 8ba is slightly longer because they moved the belts and pulleys further ahead to clear the distributor. there is an old thread by bruce lancaster that gives all the specs on the differences, sorry i dont have it bookmarked. even with the stock 34 motor in place they are tight in the back, thats why the tall breather tube that rises above the edge of the fire wall so there is room to put the cap on. i have a 59ab in both my 34's, they fit with no mods, and an 8ba with the early parts on it is the same length.
The little V wedge at the bottom Right? Make it flush, right where the toe board sits? You can see where it rubbed before below the throttle.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/flathead-8ba-vs-59ab-spacing.1074352/ see if this helps any
Starting the removal of the “kustom” tin top from the ‘34 Sedan. By the end of this, he should have a permanent remembrance of “righty tighty, lefty loosey” . 2 down...98 to go! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
It would have been so easy to just turn the carb around and mount it backwards. That's how I run them on flatheads. Dave
How would that work? It would have to push instead of pull??? Are you being Funny??? Did you flip the spoon upside down Too??? Ha!
Actually what I did on the WCFB on my '40 was made a little bracket to hang down from the carb linkage so it did pull from the bottom instead of push. No mods to the pedal assembly that way. Carb or engine doesn't care which way it faces. Dave
Cool! But that sounds like work too! Actually, Im gonna use a cable Throttle because of the Big Vaccuum Style fuel pump My dad put on the new engine, to give more consistent flow to the wiper motor. Im not sure I like that monstrosity though, if I could just find a small electric wiper off a small utility type vehicle like a Taylor-Dunn cart or something. And just go back to an electric fuel pump. Eliminate that growth. I feel kind of bad though, my dad did all this work to make that thing work on there.
The body is off! Getting closer to the point of being able to build it back up. Looking forward to having parts media blasted and stop having a pile of rust fall to the floor every time I work on it. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yes, that’s the plan. Unfortunately, the DMV is still closed due to COVID-19. I was able to find the 2nd stamped serial number on the frame, below the “b” pillar. A bit more legible than the one by the steering box. I was not able to find the 3rd that is supposed to further back where the frame starts to kick up to get over the axle. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Wow! Sorry to hear about the hand injury. Thanks for sharing the caution and ideas for a broader footprint. I do have wood spanning the width of the body, but atop a stand. Would be better as you mention to eliminate the stand altogether.
Looking for feedback. Here’s the right side frame rail. You can see the rust is severe right under where the doors had been. This passenger side is the worst. Front/Rear crossmembers look fine. Center cross members look fine along full length. My current thought is to keep this car correct to the early 50’s and I’m planning to put a Detroit Diesel 4-71 blower atop an 8 ba motor. That being said, my current plan for the frame is to get new speedway outer rails and go through the process to swap all the crossmembers to the new rails, and re-rivet them in place as they were originally. At one point I was looking to put a Pete and Jake’s frame under it, though the more I’ve considered this car the more I’ve found myself wanting to retain as much as possible in turning it into a hot rod. Would you suggest approaching this frame as I’ve described or would you suggest a different approach? Your thoughts are appreciated. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hard to comment about repair vs replace with aftermarket when I know little about your finances, spare time, work space and access to a frame jig. But I am certain you're gonna find those crossmembers have more rust than you expect when you clean then up. You mention wanting to keep it a "hot rod" as much as possible. My '31 Hiboy roadster has a Brookville body and a Pete and Jake '32 frame, supplied modified to fit under an "A" body. Even with a fenderless build and a frame fully exposed to view as a Hiboy, nobody has ever guessed either the body or frame were aftermarket pieces without a tipoff, or that either made it any less a "hot rod" after they did find out about them being what they were. I suggest that rather than something as subjective and open to conjecture as being any more or less a "hot rod", that you base your decision on the condition of ALL of the frame after a sandblasting and an honest evaluation of your spare time, finances, and access to the necessary equipment you do need, and the skill to use them.
Fair enough. I’ll separate the inner/outer rails and see how that mating surface looks and make a post-blast evaluation of the cross members. And sorry, I certainly didn’t mean to imply that non-OEM parts (frames, bodies, or otherwise) made a car any more or less a hot rod. That wasn’t my intent in my post at all. I only meant to say that as I continue to spend time working on the car, I find myself wanting to keep what can be kept of this 84 year old car to retain its history/origin and only discarding and replacing what really can’t be reasonably recovered. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
American stamping makes 34 rails as well. I think your plan is perfect. Drill out as few rivets as you can and then get the inners and X blasted. Even if you were to assemble it all and weld it together it would still be bitchin.
Thanks for the lead on American Stamping. That gives me a chance to search some member feedback on which rails people have preferred. Have you heard of members having a preference? I see ASC rails are 10 gauge, and Speedway are 11 gauge. Not a big difference with only 1/64”, though makes me wonder what the originals measure. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have a 36 Ford firewall that has the same patters so you could cut out the section you need and fix yours.
I would seriously think about new outer rails or even find a better original frame before trying to fix the rusted portions of your outers. There should be some better frames out there if you go searching. Good luck.
My 34 had the same rust issues as yours I bought American Spamping rails. I drilled out the rivets and sand blasted the X and crossmembers they where better than expected. My rails did not have the correct shape, they needed some heating and bending but it turned out nice
Thanks for that offer. I was able to track down a full firewall last week and get it purchased. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Was it the flanges that needed heated and formed more, or was it more significant issues like overall flatness of the rail, or incorrect upkick for the rear axle? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I bought JW Garage rails for my 32 Sedan. I was very happy with them. Everything lined up per the factory dimensions. If I were to be picky, the top and bottom of the rails were a bit wavy. Which was easily fixed when tacking in the boxing plates. Very good people to deal with, also.
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