Finally found a beautiful hood in a fellow club members attic. I need to clean up the adjusts and the brake will be done. The hubs and drums I got ended up being late F-100 so I need to pick up another set of F1 hubs and drums. That's the price I pay for not doing enough research. But I know now.
G'day Mate What are you doing with the rear of your frame. I'm using a frame with a similar kick at the rear as your drawing and a model A cross member with a reverse eye T rear spring. To get it a bit lower I've mounted spring perches forward of the diff housing. This has the rear axle tubes about level with the frame rails but to me it is still sitting too high. I have a 28" tall tyre so the middle of the frame is 14" from the ground. Interested in how your doing yours. Also I did my thumb nail last August with a claw hammer and the nail won't grow back all the way to the end of my thumb - hope you have better luck! Cheers Tony
I REALLY dislike having a step in the frame. I have been exploring the options of using a 35-41 FRONT spring with a flattened rear crossmember to fit the spring. I'm using the 35/36 rear bones to create a wishbone for the rear suspension. So my springs will be behind the rear axle to lower as much as possible that way. There are plenty of ways to lower an 'A' using 'A' springs or 'T' springs. A lot of people building on '32 frame rails seem to use a flatter profile spring with a flattened rear crossmember (sometimes the 35-41 FRONT springs). I have no idea if it will work and there isn't a lot of info about doing it on a Model A frame. There are going to be axle clearance issues the same as it would be on a '32 frame, but I think the step or sweep can be a bit more mild. I want to mimic the look of a '32 frame using a Model A frame. This might help- http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=687632&highlight=front+spring http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325003 http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0605rc_1932_ford_deuce/index.html
I finished putting together the front brakes. I didn't have the special tool but figured out a way to do it with what I had. I also painted the axle. Alienbaby also hooked me up with a '39 Front spring for use on the rear.
The other day I found the steering wheel I'm going to modify for the car. It has been hanging off the same nail since I first entered the building 18 years ago. It was at a junk store North of Brainerd, MN. I first went there on bike when I was 13 years old to pick through the piles and look at stuff. A friend and I set out on bikes with a tent for the 32 mile ride to the junk store. Our parents would never let us stop to look around, so we made our own trip. I have remembered those wheels all these years. We were up that way for a family reunion and I knew I had to stop and have a look. I went to the part of the shop that I remember and all the steering wheels were still hanging. Same price, same spot. $22. It's an old 'Quicksilver' boat aluminum steering wheel. I live in the Land of 10,000 lakes and boats are a plenty. I know it not real traditional, but I have some plans to dress it with some polishing, some paint and a little bit of vinyl. I'm going to have some fun with this piece!
It's traditional enough for me that thing is cool with tons of potentional cool find and cooler story
Man...I could repeat that word for word in how I feel about the "quest"...and I'm sure fitzee, rustydibris and many other friends could repeat it too! In many ways the quest for parts is one of the best things about building Hot Rods!!! Lovin' the build Beau.
It really is! It has forced me to learn a TON of stuff. Four months ago I didn't know the difference between a Model A and a Model T. I'm still no expert, but I have learned a so much in this short period of time. Today I met another nice local. He happened to have the F1 hubs I needed. While he was here, I also picked up a rebuilt master cylinder and a set of new F1 brake hoses from him. I'm going to pick up the bearings later this week then the hunt for drums is on. I also found out that the front spring I purchased was the wrong one. A local speed shop, http://www.unionspeedandstyle.com/ , was nice enough to order me the correct spring and exchange it for me (it's really my fault for no knowing what I was buying). Either way, they are fucking awesome! Check them out! And last, the guy I bought my 35/36 bones from is delivering a 35/36 dash to me this weekend. Parts on the way! The cycling season will die down in August and I an really start getting to work. Until then, the hunt for parts continues! I'm on the downhill though!
BTT50's swap was PACKED! I only went through once, but didn't really find much. Lots of toys, cheap tools and collar store looking spaces. I don't remember it ever being that bad. Oh well. I picked up one'40 Ford hubcap. I have noticed that finding '40's Ford hubcaps at swaps is pretty rare around these parts. This cap isn't perfect but a clean and polish should make it good for a driver. Now to find three more... I also found the headlight lens I needed to complete my set. I ended up getting a nicer bucket with it too. Into the polish pile that will go. Lastly, the 35/36 Ford Dash. My parts list is nearing it end.
For some reason I thought I should check ebay today for some parts. I ended up scoring an S10 T-5 shifter housing for what I thought was a good price. This allows me to move the shifter about 7" forward from where the stock Camaro shifter is located. This allows me to run the Camaro ratio instead of the super low S-10 ratio. No mention I'm only into the whole trans for about $185 now with shipping. The downfall is that it's an electric speedo and not mechanical, but I will deal with that later. July first will be 5 months of collecting parts now. I figure another month of gathering parts and I should be good. Then 6 months to do the build and paint over the Winter.
Today I smoothed out a few dings in the headlight buckets and polished them up on the buffer. They are just basic Model A headlights but I like them. I found them at separate swap meets, both locally. I still need to do some work on one of the rings but they should be good for a driver.
Looks like I found myself a tail light! $1 It's an old Yankee 920 tail light. I have to strip it and it will match what I have planned for the body color.
I have been on the hunt for a safe, secure workshop ever since I moved to Minneapolis. The space I have know is rigged with 15 amps of power and it is terrible. It's real tough to find a rental that will allow you to work on vehicles. The other day I stumbled upon an amazing place. I called the landlord and had a short chat with him. It's a shared space and that can always lead to sketchy situations. But I thought I'd check it out. The building was very low key and kind of hidden in the city. It's perfect! There were a few other builders there that are old timers. Turns out it was a machine shop one of the the old fellas used to run. It has since been converted to a secret lair for building old cars. It's a climate controlled space that will certainly make things easier when it's 15 degrees outside. Enough power to run anything you'd need, and RUNNING WATER!!! It's tough to keep a lady happy in the garage with no bathroom and no heat. She's an artist and we have an enormous drafting table to keep her happy at the shop. I have another month of the busy season and I will be able to start working on the car. It will be nice to have real power and lighting. It gets really old having to lock up the garage and go into a building to flip the breaker every 20 minutes. The new place has four outlets for power! My current garage has ONE outlet. I can now install tools I have been waiting to use without worry of meth heads stealing it all. The new place has an ALARM system! This is the new heater I scored down at Torque Fest. Heat is a good thing in MN. I really like it and the price seemed like a steal. Nice and simple.
I pulled my T5 apart today to see what's going on inside. The rear bearing isn't seated in the housing, and doesn't seem to want to stay in there either. Is it suppose to be loose in there? Other photos I see show the race sticking out of the housing. But it doesn't seem right to have it just bouncing around in there. For the time being I bolted the S-10 rear housing on top plate on.
Bass from www.basscustom.com posted these photos here- http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=367849 He used the '40 Ford front spring on the back of a Model A, on Model A rails. I finally found someone using a '40 Ford FRONT spring on the back. A lot of guys use this on '32 rails, but I have never seen it done on a Model A frame. The '39/40' (some other years included) front spring has a lower arch than a Model A or T spring, and the perch width is a narrower so it will fit my axle a little better. This will allow me to run the mild sweep in the rear of the frame, rather than a big Z, while still keeping the car low. I suppose I could also run a reverse eye and lowered spring to get it even lower. I'll have to see when I get there. Something to consider for you builders with trunks, rear seats and beds. (Please note- this spring can not be used over the axle because the arch is too low. If you run it behind the axle the frame has to be lengthened to keep the wheel in the stock location) Photos from Bass Custom So I have the same basic idea, except with a sweep-
Beau, This thing is really taking shape! I'll be taking some good shots of my frame this weekend. I guess I need to get my ass in gear on mine.
Howdy With the weight of the finished car on the suspension is the axle tube going to have clearance without notching the rails? Cheers Tony
The photos above certainly don't look like the axle will clear. I noticed that as well. I think it might be the photos though. I'm sure Bass knew that might be a problem. The guys using this set-up on the '32 frames c-notch theirs most of the time from what I have seen here. I won't know until I reach that point though.
If you'll notice in the photos above, there is a spring spreader spreading the rear spring to simulate weight and ride height.
Last night I signed a lease for my new work space! I will finally have a space that will allow me to work year round, in comfort. No more heating up the tools to work. No more multiple layers of long johns and socks. No more breakers blowing leaving me in the dark. No more pissing in jugs! I'm nearing the end of the six month parts collecting spree. I know these posts are boring, but I want to keep track of my work. Lately I have been sitting at home cleaning up the small parts I have. I started on the Yankee tail light and the steering wheel. I stripped them of most of their paint the other day. Other than that, I ordered all new front bearing and seals to finish up the hubs. Then the front end is pretty much ready to go on.
Oh shiny! Even with my shitty camera phone. The tail light was red, green, black and primer! A few coats of graffiti remover got rid of the paint. Followed by 3 hours in a vinegar bath to remove rust. Shot with Rustoleum appliance epoxy rattle cans heated with hot tap water in my back yard. Before-
The best way to get rattle cans to shoot paint has been to shake them for ever, and put them in a sink full of hot water. The paint comes out a lot quicker, is more even, and seems to dry faster. I usually dust the part with a little paint and let is sit for about 5-10 minutes. Then I hit it with a coat that leaves it a bit rough and let that dry. Finally, the last coat is sprayed on juuuuuuust thick enough to make the paint smooth, but not run. I always be sure to hold the can upside down to clean the spray nozzle after each coat.
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