BARE MINIMUM for V8 swap into an A chassis?

interesting thread kevin, not sure about mating the v8 to the a box, but anything is possible.

 

You'll have to box the frame or a V8 will twist it like a pretzel.

 

nah. stock flatmotor should be fine without boxing. definately need the v8 tranny, modify the stock A radiator for twin inlets/outlets. if you want to go REAL early Av8 run a 21 stud motor and keep the mech. brakes. leave the windshield stock height and take it off most of the time. I think it would be cool.

 

I am not sure the unsynchronized A tranny would be a lot of fun behind the V-8. I am scheming ways to get a synchronized tranny behind my 4-banger right now. The later synchronized gears in a '32 tranny is the solution that I may try to run. I thought about the adaptors to put a V-8 tranny behind the banger but I am not crazy about all the funky brackets involved for the brake, clutch, and wishbone mount.


Reece

 

Kevin: Apparently there are adapters that will mate an "A" trans to a flathead V8 although I've never seen one. The "A" torque tube will bolt up to the V8 top loader trans. I had to fab up a spacer to gain engine bay space for my 8BA style flathead in my '28 sedan. You MIGHT be OK with a 21 studder. There are definitely engine bay space issues if you are running stock hood and fenders. Regards, Dave

 

yep
it'll work, my car has the stock A rear hooked to a 39 box
you need all of the socket parts for the rear of the v8 tranny

if your going to go with the v8 motor/tranny your going to need to make some sort of way to bolt the tranny in as the A attaches to those 2 side mounts from the bell housing
and in the front you'll need somthing different also

i have an A radiator that they just capped the stock upper outlet and added one on each side

then for the lower they put an extra hose off the side of the original one...so it is a Y coming out and going to each water pump

if your gona run hydraulic brakes...mine has the master cylinder on the passengers side taking advantage of the stock brake cross shaft
you can use the stock pedals and all hooked up
then put the master cylinder under the passengers floor on a bracket and your done
i havent done this myself but my car has it done on it and a friend of mine just copied the idea in his roadster and it worked out great

you better go get it, sounds like a great project!!

 

Kevin -

what Zach sez is correct.

I wouldn't use the A box - no synchros and not a lot of torque capacity. I wouldn't worry about boxing the frame IF the V8 is stock - or close to it.

 

Kevin,The November,1953 issue of Hop Up mag. has a good article on how to do this. If you can't locate one,PM me and I'll send you a copy.

 

just a quick story
my dad's uncles (the Suhr Brothers) built hot rods and race cars since the 30's
there was a small garage in the town close to me

well the Suhr Brothers built a roadster and put a flathead V8 in it
I'm not sure what year this was but i think around WWII
then they drove it down to Grub brothers garage...
went inside and asked for info on putting a V8 in a model-A
the mechanics all said...that cant be done...
their reply...we did it....and its sitting outside!!

the old barn/garage is still there Grubb Bros garage with a big coca cola sign painted on the side
every time i drive by that place i think of this story and try to picture a little roadster sitting there idling away with a bunch of grungy mechanics standing around in awe

boy i wish they took more pictures!!

 

I guess I automatically think of a significant boost of horsepower when swapping to a V8.

But yeah, if you keep it light, it'd work -- and be a very cool project, too!

 

An option would be the mechanical front brakes from a '35. I've heard they have a larger contact surface area than stock A's and are a fairly easy swap. Not done it myself, just what I heard.....

I'd certainly look to avoid using the A trans though.....

 

Don't forget pedals-once you remove the "A" engine/bellhousing/transmission assy you no longer have a clutch & brake pedal. You'll need something out of a later car. '39 preferred if you're going hydraulic. A '32 K-member (Ouch! $) and a '32 pedal assy makes the V-8 installation a lot easier.

 

Hot Rod, December 1951,(A V-8 in your model A)

 

Hi SUHRsc,
could you post a pic of

"i have an A radiator that they just capped the stock upper outlet and added one on each side
then for the lower they put an extra hose off the side of the original one...so it is a Y coming out and going to each water pump"...

i don't understand how they did the lower hose thing.....

TIA
Michael

 

Kevin, I've been looking at this same swap and have done some measuring. I'm planning on using the A rear end and torque tube. I think the easiest fit is the early 59 block with a generator mounted fan. You'll need to fab engine mounts (or I believe Vern Tardel makes a nice bolt in set for the A frame) and a trans mount. As noted above, you lose the pedals with the A trans. A 1/2 ton pickup crossmember from 42 - 52 can be easily modified to fit the A frame and give you the pedals & tranny mount. You can then go to juice brakes, or modify the brake pedal to work with the A mechanicals. The next issue is your front wishbone mount - it also leaves with the A transmission. Split the bones and fab mounts. Another option, a 32-35 front end gives a slight (about 1 1/2") drop over the stock A front. The wishbone (longer than the A wishbone) can be mounted to the new crossmember with some fab work. The original brake rods can be connected to the 32-35 brakes.

It appears the 8BA engine/trans combo is to long to fit as direct replacement for the A engine/trans without considerable work.

If you're bored some weekend come on down and take a look. I've got about everything to do this swap and you can measure everything up. I'm only about an hour west of KC.

 

yeah i can when i get home...
in about 3 hours

Zach

 

i havent run the radiator yet
someone gave it to me for my truck...which is in a million pieces still
its pretty crude looking but i think it would work ok

I'm no radiator expert though
i'll try to get a picture as soon as i can

Zach

 

I'm doing this right now on the vicky. The 39 motor and trans to a model A TT. All you need is a V-8 coupling the Model A is a 6 bolt to the trans were the V-8 is a 4 bolt. I also used the V-8 U joint.. I didn't need any spacer and was puzzled by that.. As far as the brake pedal and stuff I had planned on useing my 32 K-member.. I have all the parts but the pedals that bolt in?? I thought I had them but no can do.. The brakes are juice ones I had picked up here or there..

 

i was wrong on the rad. sorry
hadn't looked at it in a while
heres the pic anyways
Zach

 

i have tried also sending pm. 1 1/2" without driveshaft mod will not work. im making a 1/2" spacer right now. thats all you need.

 

The 1951 HRM article is general in nature, covering several different ways of handling radius rod (best and hardest is belly band replicting original bellhousing), different crossmembers, etc. Best and hardest X member is likely what you've already done, '39 type with no boxing...
I don't think A trans is even a contender, and I've never seen an adaptor to keep one. I'd certainly base all locations on original tube, and figger out a way to map and duplicate original pedal locations, since there isn't much room to go in any direction on an A...
Two other souces are the old California Bill speed manual and the very specifically detailed builds in the 1954 HRM (car just featured in Rodder's Journal) and the A-V8 book. 3 sources? Probably correct way to plan period style is to select a random year of available wrecked V8 and use everything from that...
Even if I were building a B powered A I would use the general A V8 approach rather than the horrible stacked up adaptors to keep A pedals and trans.
I actually just started gathering an A V8/B, but screwed up at step one because the first frame I tripped over was a '32. So much for the plan.

 

i could help you out....i have a real nice A frame
wana swap

 

I think it's just destiny telling me to steer a careful line between the primitive and quaint (1931) and the trendy, faddish world of high tech (1933). I'm just a deuce magnet, can't seem to find anything that's not '32.