Projects Drdave accidentally buys a Model A. Now what?

Tim,
I tried to order that. Front box from them. It’s discontinued as you can see in the link. The one for the 29 was not and after paying and waiting weeks, I got an email that that one was discontinued as well. I’m going to make my own now.

And yes Doc,
That trunk is nice for locking things or stopping for groceries, or booze!

 

Yeah I saw that after I posted it, I recently went threw a similar thing.

I was thinking they were available threw other retailers but it would be easy enough to make one I suppose. Anyhow, I was just linking so he knew what they looked like

 

I do like that box, Tim. Maybe somewhere along they line they will decide to make another run of them. Something to keep and eye out for.


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DrDave… What day are you planning on heading to Dewey, Thursday or Friday?

 

Just another something to look for at swaps I suppose haha

 

For Lead Ain’t Dead or for the fall swap meet? For LAD I’ll probably get to town late afternoon on Friday. Not sure for the swap meet yet.

 

Who did you get the interior kit from?

 

Sorry, I was asking about L.A.D.

 

Dave, I ordered it from Mac’s....Cartouche I think they call their line? I went with what they call the authentic interior. I’m really pleased with how it looks. Here’s a few pics...it’s more olive than the pics show, but it really highlights how shabby the original interior is. @Cliff Ramsdell was asking me to report back when I got the interior how I liked it as well...so far so good Cliff!

 

Any updates? Getting cold up here, time to start getting winter plans together

 

wow - big difference in the colors. But I can see it working with black or tan. Were the other stock interior colors?

 

The color of the new parts shows how the original has faded over the last 90 years.

The pockets and nice and tight as opposed to the original ones.

I never got a notification when you mentioned my name and spotted it today looking over the car. Looks great, how you making out?

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Calling @drdave
Any updates?

Phil

 

LOL....wow...you guys must be bored today. Might I refer you to Ryan's blog post on Brian Bass' car....MUCH more interesting than mine. Haha

No new news to report, really. Just been driving the car back and forth to work on days I can avoid most of the traffic, since I'm new to the whole Model A, double clutching and mechanical brake thing....hate to be holding everyone else in a hurry up. I'm actually getting a pretty good feel for the car now and have to report that for poking around town, I'm pretty happy with the mechanical brakes. While I've driven cars with standard trans before, I've never had one of my own I put too many miles on. I'm getting better, but I wouldn't say I'm exactly efficient yet. I do need to spend some time probably disassembling, cleaning and relubricating all the carb linkages....I feel like they are kinda gummy and I've been having a hard time managing the idle speed where I think it should be when it's driving.

My near range plans involve addressing the aforementioned accelerator/idle linkages, redo the seats and work on getting the dropped headlight bar I picked up fitting right and swapping out the headlights....all in no particular order. As @Cliff Ramsdell pointed out @belair, the original interior is very faded (I had no idea how much until the new interior arrived) and the new interior is as close to the original when it was new as I've been able to find. Might not be exaaaactly right, but it's pretty close to what it once was. Colors in the pic above are also skewed just a bit of course due to the florescent lights in my shop (the new is not really as bright green as it looks). Naturally, I'd really like to put the whole interior in, but to do that all properly, I really need to redo the top insert (which I siliconed to stop-gap fix the leaking), but then if I have the insert out, I really should repaint the top to fix the peeling paint, which then leads to....you get the idea. I really am enjoying it as a running driving car at the moment and don't have the winter free to really tear into it and have it back together by spring, so for now I'll just mess with little stuff as time allows.

I have been studying a little bit on hopping up the banger a bit. So far I've learned that I probably don't want to get too crazy with multiple carbs and stuff since apparently its real easy to over carb a banger. Single carb, lightened flywheel, higher compression head...so far that's what I've picked up are my best first bets. Still learning, and don't know enough to buy any parts though. Haha

 

One thing ALWAYS leads to another.

 

Sounds like a good plan.

 

Good to hear Doc. Enjoy as the weather has turned here lately, it’s about 10 degrees and below zero with the wind chill this morning.

Cliff Ramsdell

 

Unusually cool here, too....about 30 degrees below average. Supposed to be back up to 60 by the first of the week though.

 

Well, with all the time off work, in between other projects I've been working on redoing the seats. Of course, started by taking lots of pics and measurements as stuff comes apart, but the Mac's instructions are real good and everything fits just fantastic.

I'm super pleased with how good condition all the springs and frames have been overall. I have had to weld just a couple broken spots on some spring frames, but no broken springs at all. Most everything is still in original paint in good condition. A little rust on parts of the back seat where the top has leaked in the past and the seats retained water. Nothing a little wire wheel and a fresh splash of black paint couldn't handle.

Front seat is typical of the interior as a whole....mostly intact and serviceable, but pretty shabby. The bottom cushion just lifts off the frame, but the back cushion is attached and the cover nailed to the outer frame, top and bottom.



Minimal surface rust below it all and the wood is still in great shape. I sandblasted the metal and repainted it all (all the seat tracks and hardware got blasted and repainted, too). You can maybe see the holes in the bottom of the back I drilled to mount the seat belts. When I put them in last year, I just drilled through the carpet cover and put the bolts over the top since there was no easy way to get the carpet loose and hide the bolts underneath. While I had it apart, I rounded off the heads of the bolts and welded the washers and bolts to the seat back. They will now be covered in padding and the upholstered cover and I only have to tighten the nuts without a wrench on both sides.



All cleaned up and the pad on.... I have jute on the bottom to help smooth out the bolt heads and also fill out the carpet insert. The rest of the outside is covered with thin trunk liner. There was a thin layer of jute padding on it, but I couldn't find it that thin, so the upholstery supply had this and I think it will work great (I don't have the seat frame cover on yet, LOL).



Moving on to some actual upholstery...I do have the bottom cushion done. The springs like I said are in super shape....they all even still have these tags on them. Dunno what the codes are, interior trim color and standard or deluxe I presume.



The covers from Macs could not have fit better. They provide a layer of jute that goes down on the springs, then a layer of cotton padding then the cover with cotton filled pleats. Very nice and I couldn't be happier with the quality, fit and looks. I think I will hit them with a steamer and a brush when I get all finished to even out the nap from being rolled and folded in the box. Amazing the difference in the look with the buttons in....I wouldn't have expected the big change. Definitely worth the extra $36.50 for the deluxe interior in 1930. LOL Pardon the difference in color tint in the pics....there's big window right where I'm working that gets afternoon sun. haha Now to just keep plugging along with the rest.

 

Seats look like they will turn out great!

 

Kool to hear that a project went as planned. Looks great!

 

Good to hear from you, I like your car and always enjoy what you are doing. There is one thing in the accelerator linkage that is frequently overlooked. Where the accelerator shaft passes behind the engine the shaft is supported on two towers. At the top of the tower there is an opening that was intended for an occasional drop of engine oil.

Charlie Stephens

 

Nicely done!

 

Dr Dave. I too accidentally found myself with a 4 door. Body came from one place and the chassis came from another. I had the engine and 40 Ford engine and wheels. The body and fenders were restored in probably the 60s. Plenty y of patina

 

Thanks guys! I appreciate the kind words. I'm really pleased with how it's looking. Funny, I got the first cover on and my wife came and looked and said someday when I'm retired, I can take the time to put a "pretty" interior in it. LOL As I said way back at the beginning, only enough, I am really drawn to the colors and think it looks classy as it is. Gonna look great with fresh seats.

Thanks for the tip on the accelerator linkage Charlie! I've caught myself dropping some lubrication around it, but likely i've missed the spot it's actually supposed to go into. Probably has its fair share of gummage gathered in there as well, so cleaning that up and lubing properly will no doubt make a big difference.

Nice Dave!!!! Wish mine was a '32 and I entertain the idea of stepping up to a '32 someday, maybe the '32 grille shell on my A will suffice, maybe not. Maybe you should give me a shout if yours ever goes on the block just in case. Will miss seeing you in a few weeks in Indy.....hopefully we will both be able to make the trip in August.

 

Seats are looking great. Always nice when plans come together, at least I think it is since mine never do!
Between you and D.Conrad, I'm beginning to miss my "A" more and more. Later....

 

Started reading this thread a couple of years ago and lost out on it somewhere about the wheels. Just went back and re-read the entire build. You have done a super job on this car. Sits just right. I owned a 30 coupe banger and the only upgrade was a head (5.5.) I don't remember if it was a Snyders, but I bought it from Mac's. New distributor and a nicely rebuilt carb woke that sucker up. My wife said one day after the engine upgrade," This thing runs like a regular car".

 

Thanks Jim. Still a long way to go, but making some progress at least. Haha

Thanks for the input @cheepsk8. I'm thinking a new head will be my best starting place....and easiest, compared to a flywheel at least. Haha Glad to get a good report on such a move.

 

Dave... I did the lightened flywheel with a V8 clutch, single Stromberg 97 on a Tattersfield intake and F.S.I. distributor. My engine came with the police head. I also had a '38 trans with late style gears. It was a blast to drive!

 

Finally catching up with your posts and really like what you’ve done, great project and hope you are doing well!


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