Hi guys, it's been years of slowly pecking away at it, but my hot rod is finally drivable. Thanks to some recent help from some of you on the h.a.m.b. to fix the last big hurdle, the fuel system, I am now finally able to drive it. It's nowhere near done, but at least I can go out and have fun with it now while the rest of it comes together. I bought it back in 2008, but it had major engine trouble (462 casting heads with hardened valve seats that had been machined into the water jackets causing leaks) that needed to be replaced and a lot of odds and ends that just wouldn't work. Over the last 6 years I've replaced the cylinder heads with 461 castings from Valley Head Service, they completely rebuilt them and set them up with 1.94x1.50 valves, screw in studs and dual springs to handle the Crower 288 solid lifter cam. It has forged TRW flat top pistons and a small journal 327 crank that's had it's throws turned down to fit in the block, resulting in 316 cu. in.'s. I rebuilt the 2 WCFB carburetors and re-set them to factory spec.'s, cleaned and reinstalled the 1956 Corvette aluminum dual quad intake manifold, rewired and replaced every bit of the ignition system. When purchased, the exhaust consisted of only some crusty headers with mufflers bolted to them.....junked those and built a complete system at home as someone in the early 60's may have done. I used 2.5" Corvette exhaust manifolds (repro), flex pipe for the bends and Brockman steel-pack tube mufflers with cutouts. The transmission is a Muncie M-21 close ratio 4 speed with a hydraulic clutch assembly. The axle is a Chrylser 8 3/4 489 that's been narrowed. Unfortunately it has freeway flyer gears that need to be changed to a much more useable ratio ASAP. The chassis is an original Ford 1932, with a drilled 32 axle, split 32 bones, model A cross member up front, with reversed eye model A springs, 40 Ford spindles, 56 F-100 brakes. Front wheels are 36 Ford 16" wires with BF Goodrich Silvertown 5.00/5.25 16 bias ply tube type tires, Rear wheels are 56 F100 truck 16" steel, reversed, with 7.50-16 Denman bias ply tube type tires. The body is a 1930 Model A Tudor sedan from Canada, as stated on the VIN plate. (you can also tell by the use of Robertson head screws.) It's straight, with an old scratched up paint job and some rust down low that I'll need to repair. The vinyl top has been redone with new wood bows, so at least that's in good shape. Otherwise, the interior is nonexistent, just a bare metal shell at the moment with one 34 Ford Tudor sedan bucket for the driver. Though, there are still a thousand things to do, at least I can now drive it and have some fun with it as the project continues. Thank you for reading.
You don't need a interior to enjoy your car,at least I hope not or I've been doing something wrong! HRP
Congratulations! If you're like me, now that you can drive it , it IS done! You don't need no stinkin' interior; just a seat ( for safety's sake). Love to see another "A" hit the highway! Be safe, have fun.
Just a quick project update, last weekend I picked up my hot rod from J&S Gear in Huntington Beach. I had them install 3.89 gears and it's made a world of difference in the drivability with it's M-21 close ratio and 31" rear tires! (gears used to be something like 2.76 or so)
Thanks. The previous owner who I bought the car from back in early '08 said he bought them from Coker tire.
Damn, they must not have them anymore. I am always trying to find alternatives to the Firestones that everyone tends to use. The BFG's look great on your car.