Thanks for the ideas, guys. It's nice to know that folks are watching this thread. It only took a 4x4x8 foot piece from Home Depot, a cherry picker, a floor jack, and a lot of jackin around to lift the body in a solid place, so's the stilts could be removed. Good news is I can even return the 4x4 I'm also particularly pleased to see the car, for the first time, down at the ride height as initially projected with 26 and 31 inch tires. And, the gas tank nestles nicely within the body Surely some tuning as time goes on but it all seems to be working as planned,....so far
I’m reminder of Hannibal from the A team saying “I love it when a plan comes together!” Excellent job!
The Hamb notifications let me down this time and I didn't see this update. Very cool profile. That's one wacked lid!!! Love it.
One thing I'm really good at is makin little pieces outta big pieces. So,...I decided to put this talent to use and roundup and and use-up a bunch of scrap cardboard and sheet metal, and design a Panhard Bar. I wanted to pull this off on the cheap. Used Speedway Motors swaged aluminum tube and rod ends. $80.00 incld shppg and it arrived next day. The bar needed to be as long as possible to minimize the rearend wiggle that is prevalent in my Roadster. Center to center the assembly measures 34",...almost 10" longer the other car. Spent a lot of time fussin to get the everything horizonal, square and parallel while visualizing interferences and a space for exhaust pipes. Pretty pleased with how this turned out and,....for my critical eyed friends, I still need to get the correct length bolts.
The Panhard Bar project filled the gap while working to make-up my cheapie steelies. I scored four of these refurb stockers from a vendor in the Midwest. They're for a 90's Crown Victoria, 6.5"x16", 5 on 4.5", $50.00 ea. Two for the rear will be "reversed", and two will have 4" space saver hoops welded on. The wheel guy is very accommodating and has been very patient working on my vision. Image below compares the stocker to the "reversed" version.
Scored two take off 235/85R-16s for trial fit "rollers" and to see if I liked the size,.... 2" taller than those on the 32. Yeah, they're too truck like so I'll research lighter duty tread patterns before deciding 215 vs 235,....ultimately. Also, wheel spacers will be required and this temporary setup allows me to determine their dimension and confirm the location in the wheel well. Another feature I was anxious to mockup was the nerf/overider. A friend handed off these "store bought" bumper guards,...store bought in 1939 for his Ford Convertible Coupe. These are currently held in place by magnets but suggests a pretty trick solution for something different IMO.
I might add that the 215/85 LT tires on the Roadster cost about $150.00 ea. as compared to about $440.00 each for a 700 or 750 radial Excelsior, the preferred look,....when I win the lottery!
Note the Hot Heads adapter only allows 50% of the starter gear to engage the flywheel [flexplate] ring gear? Does so on my 325 poly. Newc
One thing I'm particularly good at is making little pieces outta big pieces. And sometimes,.... those little pieces find a use. These are the byproduct of a 5.5" hole saw used to raise the "C" notch in the 32 frame and were just too precious to scrap. Friends delighted in referring to them as my "11ga napkin holders". The thinking is they could be fodder for bump stop brackets. Also, repurposing makes me feel good especially when some stuff that Henry did some 90 years ago can be reused. I needed to provide clearance for the U-joint at full suspension compression. This 1930 piece saw a use. It's from the original car's floor providing clearance for the A's rear crossmember.
Nice work Bill, I love seeing recycling like that! On the panhard mount - and I know it's done now - but looking at the overhead picture, I'm wondering if you could have made a mount up off the ladder bar bracket on the diff tube? Just thinking out aloud.
Tx,....yeah thought about that. However the attachment point at the suspension end was several inches forward and above of the axle bracket and I was concerned about the push/pull side loading of the ladder bar. And,...I sincerely welcome comments and observations as like,...I've not F'd up before.
Mmm, yes it is. Would have required a totally new/different bracket for the ladder bar. I still like how you've tried to max the bar length.
Hey Bill, something that I have been struggling with and I haven't seen addressed...how the hell do you keep the shop so clean?? It ain't natural....
The camera has a narrow field of vision. If you move it off subject, yud see the peripheral mess I stumble through to get to the good stuff.
I found out the hard way that you want the panhard bar as long as possible. I first used a TCI dif mount panhard bar. Too much side to side rocking over bumps. A bit un nerving at freeway speed. I made a new mount off the 4 bar mount and lengthened the bar about a foot. Smoothed it right out.
Here's a bit of a "sidebar" for those who may be of an Early Hemi persuasion. It's also an excuse for not making progress on the A Project. And, now I have experience I'll probably never use again. That said, my Roadster runs strong and no valve cover leaks after 70K miles. I really didn't want another project however, I consented to addressing the faintest of lifter noise after endless pestering by a good friend. I completely forgot what a PITA adjusting the lifers was. In fact, dunno how I pulled it off in the first place even with the engine originally of a stand, not in a car. - Note, in the first pic, that you can barely see, much less access the adjuster nuts on the push rods. The intake push rods are beyond impossible. This is where I butchered several really good old tappet wrenches and I gained "experience!" I was not looking for . - Below is the valve train of the engine featured in this thread. Although Chrysler supplied adjustable rockers on limited Dodge and Chrysler engines, they are heavy, extremely rare and very expensive, if you can find them at all. This is the solution provided by one of our own. Not cheap but a bargain considering the alternative. Gary Stauffer www.qualityengineeredcomponents.com modifies and rebuilds your rocker assemblies. They look like jewelry when he has done his magic. I just like lookin at them!
Wow! Beauty work! I'm always interested in the thought process that goes into designing equipment, a lot of the time serviceability isn't considered. Farm equipment is definitely a victim of this. What an improvement that must be going forward, you'll be adjusting those things just so you can look at them again.
Adjusting push rods on early Hemis can be a bitch. One wrench bent 90 ° helps, but but not like adjustable rockers.
I didn’t know Gary did rocker arm conversions. I went through Rockers Unlimited out of Redding, CA on my 241 rockers. They turned out to be a very clean conversion. I may send Gary the rocker set off my 330.
Thanks guys, I appreciate the nods. Along with thinning down inventory, I am also cutting back on shop services such as rocker work. Gary Patrick is a good friend, and along with Hector in his shop they do an excellent job on everything they touch.
This is gettin to be work! Let's try this ,.....hope y'all get the pics! The following post offers an excuse for the lag in progress and postings on the Model A build. I've been preoccupied with plans for the trip to Victoria BC and more recently, with the wind-down and documentation of an epic Hot Rod boogie of 3360 miles. I am posting here because this thread is public, and I will be able to share the adventure with all who are HAMB qualified. I hope this does not violate any HAMB regs and,... apologies to those who may have no interest! Decided to do the Victoria boogie in a couple chapters. Waaaay to many pics to sort/edit for a single posting. I affixed the sticker before starting the journey to showoff, as the trip's a big deal to the local boys. Blasted through LA at Oh dark 30 to avoid heat and traffic. On the downslope of the Grapevine we saw this big rig afire just as the speedo on my old jalopy clicked over to a milestone number for me and my ride. Blew through Sacto early afternoon, picking up a few more cars, and arrived in Weed, after 680 miles, about 5:00pm. The Hi-Lo Motel is a modest Mom and Pop venue and the adjacent restaurant has all the home cooking choices yud ever want. Stayed there many times. And, they sure play up the "Weed" deal. Prior to Shasta, driving North on I-5 is just plain work but part of the job if you want to get to the PNW. After Weed the views get more interesting. Stopped at son's place in Chimacum, WA before making the 5:15 ferry to Victoria. MrBill
Hey Bill...pics are MIA...but I can attest to meeting you so I know you were there (trying to help with the "pictures or it didn't happen" crowd ).
The Jalopy Journal
