Hey all, I finally got my very own!! It's a '29 sedan and it's pretty rough... A lot of it is there though. The frame it's on, however, is HACK. The rails started to be boxed, and there's a horrid looking trailing arm setup.... Looks like they SMAW welded it using barbwire as filler rod... But, here's some pics. I'll post more as I (slowly) progress. First thing's first, I'm gonna loose the rear suspension and weld up a new front crossmeber. IMAG1520 by ShortyLaVen, on Flickr IMAG1521 by ShortyLaVen, on Flickr IMAG1522 by ShortyLaVen, on Flickr IMAG1515 by ShortyLaVen, on Flickr IMAG1528 by ShortyLaVen, on Flickr IMAG1517 by ShortyLaVen, on Flickr
So, I've been thinkin on this.... I've decided I want to go with an early 60s street/strip vibe. Not totally period, but looks like it to the average person. Would the existing suspension on my frame be a good place to start (design wise, the way they have the arms anchored)? Or what would be a reference? I'm not the best at coming up with this stuff from a blank canvas. But I can work from reference photos pretty well!!
Don't use anything from that existing rear suspension. Looks like total trash. Start from scratch. If you have any questions on a good way to set up a rearend, get a copy of Pete & Jake's catalog. Can't go wrong there. As for the body, I guess it's a good thing those A's unbolt into sections. You should be able to find pieces and parts to replace the bent stuff. That's how my brother does it, and he has amassed the biggest collection of Model A's in five counties.
Good for you! I've rekindled my love affair with em lately. Hard to beat a well done Model A, stock or rod. Enjoy...
Ok, so its been a little while since I last posted... But I'm finally starting to get things moving!! Since last posting, I've acquired a front axle. It's a model A axle with 40ish brakes/spindles and a set a bones that have already been cut (33" from perch to end of rod). I plan on buying new perches and shackles before it hits the road... The front spring needs to be re-arched or I need to find a better one. I also traded my old motorcycle for some 2x3x3/16 tube to construct a frame. I just figured it would be better in the long run to start from scratch than try to save what was goin on there... The dimensions I've worked out are 108" rails with a 3" kick up in the rear, 24" front crossmeber made from 3" round tube with suicide spring perch, and 40" rear crossmeber from rectangular tube (not sure what size yet). After the frame is welded up and axles are under it I'm gonna channel the body about 3" and build a new subfloor. What are some opinions on a good rear suspension? If i can get my hands on any kind of 30s Ford spring Id like to go that route, but I've also seen a few sets of coilovers come up for sale for cheap... It seems to me that coilovers would require a lot more fab work and materials than a traditional buggy spring... I'm uploading pics now, so I'll post them later tonight or tomorrow morning...
Good golly it's been a while..... so, time for some updates on this [extremely slow moving] project. Ive decided to turn my sedan into either a tub or a bucket. The roof is just too far gone for me to want to deal with. I also scored a better front axle, complete with un-split wishbones and operational stock A mech. brakes. Also scored a '59 Edsel rear end. The big score of the year, though, is a very decent frame to work with! It's a '28 Stude. The widths are all about right for an A, but its about 37 feet to long... its about a 120" wb as is, so I'll be taking around 10 or 12 inches out of the middle.. Possibly equally as exciting is the low-miles Cadillac flathead that came with it, backed by a LeSalle trans!! Theres supposedly only a few hundred miles on it since a rebuilt, and I'm willing to believe it. I'm still going to drop the pan and see how clean it looks in there.. pics to come!
The flat Cad will put you on my watch list. I was starting to yawn, just waiting for the mention of another belly button SBC engine.
Well, no real updates yet.. but I did order all new ignition stuff to get this motor running. I have high hopes after turning the thing over by hand.. like butter!! Im goin to work on it Friday morning. If it runs I'll post up a video!!
The Jalopy Journal
