Love it Model A Ron! K-Code or not, a solid little 289 /4-speed is a great motivator. I’m subscribing. Make sure you post a video of it up and running here at some point. FWIW, I think I remember that a lot of stock ‘65 parts have casting numbers that are also “correct” for a K-Code, so that’s not always the best way to tell. I think that’s maybe where @anothercarguy was coming from with his comments, but, then again, I have forgotten more than I actually remember about this stuff. Thanks for sharing.
It's more than likely Frank bought the K-code Cobra motor, then used whatever accessories that made it fit better in the car.
From what i can have seen i think this grill is form a 1932 commercial truck or van. It fits the radiator and was in with the parts that came with the car. Some one did a nice job of welding the filler hole in the top of the grill. Can someone confirm what the grill and radiator are from?
Grill shell is commercial 32 ( pickup or truck), radiator looks like a modified original 32. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Congrats on this Hotrod acquisition @ModelARon...it's great that you have so many period pics to help with where you want to go with it...the 70s look is going to the Moon...great to hear!! Have fun with it...
He probably got it for $25 and wrote the bill up for $50 just not to look to obvious he got a steal of a deal...
Frank bought the dropped axel from a speed shop. How do i figure out how many inches the axel was dropped? Did they bend them different sizes? What do the stamping mean? #3 and the F in the triangle. Just like to know what this is.
Here is the set up that he built. If i were 17 and back 1954 I might roll the dice with this set up. The holes in the rear bumper bracket to hold the top shock bolt were made with a torch. He loved the torch , seems like the torch was his go tool. He made brackets and Gas welded them to the axel. Frank told me he became a certified gas welder. This car must have been his first go at it. The swing arms he cut off an old car in the junk yard . He could not remember what car they came from . It's only been about 65 years ago. And the shock bracket looks like some thing from and old impala.
Cutting the brackets off the axel was taking forever and i could not get the grinder inside the bracket to cut the inside weld so i went to the torch. After i torched them off i noticed the tubes were bent. I think that was from the heat but i am not sure if they were bent before . Also the axel is too long and the tires are too many inches away from the body of the car. I decided to get a new housing. I had Pete and Jakes make me a new set up they welded the spring mount and shock mount. I liked the look of the ladder bars so i now have ladder bars.
I took the 9" ford rear apart and found an opened differential . After counting the teeth on the ring and pinion gear it has a 4.57 ratio. At first i though i would leave the 4.57 , but it might be too much for a beer getter. So i installed 3.89 set. I could always pop the old set back in if i need to. After watching a few videos ( many times) I installed new bearings, seals and the gear set. Also installed a Detroit Truetrac diff. The housing had a red paint so i cleaned it up and used the same color. and gears. Told the wife I need to buy a dial indicator so i can save some $ installing this my self. Ha Ha
Working on the rear brakes i had a problem with the spring mount . The brake cylinder was behind the spring mount. I had no clearance to attach the brake line. So i welded the holes on the plate. Drilled new holes and rotated the rear plate so i could screw in the brake line. I clamped a copper spoon behind the hole as i welded the holes. The best i could tell the brakes are from a 1961 Galaxie
After installing the stock spring the car seemed too high. So i went with a reverse eye spring that will bring the rear down . Installed the ladder bars
The tunnel ram had some mice living on it and they made a mess that i could not clean off. I had that part bead blasted. The engine was clean inside so i installed new water pump, oil pump , gaskets . I rebuild the holly carbs , they are 4160 390 cfm . I though the Hilborn style scoop would fit this 60's hotrod
I took the old drive shaft to a shop to have a new one made . The guy told me the old shaft was out of phase. The yokes should line up. I am learning all the time on this project. I don't think it was balanced.
Talking with Frank one day i asked him if he had any other items from the car. He told me he had some old trophies in his garage that he almost tossed in the garbage last year. He said he would give them to me but he would not ship them. I was surprised he kept these for so many years. So i drove up to New Hampshire one weekend to pick them up. I cleaned up the trophies . Two of the trophies are in the picture from 1965 at the show in the New York Colosseum . He won the blue trophy that year. Drivin Deuces was an old car club in North Jersery.
Nice update in the rear suspension. My A pickup had a similar setup, with all flame cut brackets, nothing ground down, they used what they could find at the time. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Subscribed! If yours is anything like my Model A you can eliminate a few plies out of that rear spring. I found that the car rode better and it also lowered the rear of the car some.
Thanks. This car has some parts that were just cut with a torch . Build by a kid in the 1950's. I plan on keeping as much of this as i can but make it safer. I think it keeps the history of what was done back in the day .
Glade you said that because the after putting the new spring on i felt it was too high and stiff so i think i took off two leafs . I will see how this works as i get this on the road.
I had the flywheel cleaned up. The old clutch look good but I wanted something better. I installed a Center Force Dual friction clutch.
The front brake cylinder must be real old, i have never seen one that was made by Lockhead. Checking the rims to make sure they fit. I am keeping the drum brakes look great. I am thinking about installing Lincoln style front brakes because i read they have better stopping power .
I cleaned up the dash and gauges. I didn't want to strip the wood and lose that patina and the cracks in the finish . I just gave it a coat of tung oil finish
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