In 1963 I bought a Model A Coupe for $195 bucks. Everyone told me I was nuts to pay that much for an old Ford when sedans were going to $50 - $75 bucks. (those were the days) I stripped it and painted it 1963 Olds maroon with black fenders, rebuilt the motor, and found some chrome NOS wires for it. I drove the A up until about five years ago when it got to the point where it needed a ton of work again. I kicked around the idea of restoring it but decided that I wanted more than a parade car. I wanted a driver so I started collecting parts. I picked up a 350 crate motor, a coupe T5s, an S10 rear, a used dropped tube axle and started to dig in.
Hardly started and here is where the even best plans start going south. My son buys a '66 El Camino back from CA. The motor is a boat anchor. He wants to buy my crate motor. Back to the drawing board. I star shopping and come up with something different and and a great deal. An old time race car builder has this Aluminum Buick V8 that he built up years ago for a kit car. He did all the right stuff and was letting it go for less than what he paid for the machining work alone. It even came with a dummy motor for mockup.
After 50 years I guess it is about time for a rebuild. Good looking car and your going in the right direction,,are you sure you want to use a S-10 rear,,a Ford would be better. HRP
By now you are probably noticing that ain't no tube axle bones front end. Yup reset number two. I go to a guy's house to buy some better front fenders and seems he is cleaning house and lets me "steal" a brand new Mustang II front assembly complete with all chrome stuff. He wanted pennies on the dollar for it so I said bye bye bones, hello IFS.
Yup, IFS and now for the next reset. 300 motor, Mustang II IFS now what goes in the rear. I start catalog shopping for all the hardware for the rear. At first I though buggy springs then coil over then another deal falls in my lap. How about IRS to match the IFS. So the next thing I know a '73 SJ rear end finds it's way into my trailer and.....
Well, the Buick headed the car in a pretty cool direction, then you ruined it with the IFS and burried it 6 feet under with that rear end.
By now the more traditional guys are probably yelling nasties at their computer but remember this is a driver. I hoping for long hauls in my A so bear with me through the rest of this... Yup, the cage is ugly. So out it comes and I spend about a month sifting through every Jag IRS website I can find for here to Australia and England and beyond. Then I start fabbing.
Yup, me to. I started rear traditional. Some may say I went south from there while it may not be traditional, it's still in the spirit of "build what ya got hot rodding". So here is some of the rest of the stuff including the heater, brake/clutch sub assembly, firewall rims, and engine do dads.
I had it a new face plate laser etched. Am using the stock dash for ignition and light, heater, and windshield wiper switches and relocating the gauges elsewhere.
Aluminum V8 would be a 215 correct? You're lucky to find a bellhousing. They are $450 used. I'm interested in seeing how you did the air cleaner.
Yes, it's a 215 with a modified 300 crank, Kenny bell cam, Rover cast headers, running a stock Quad Four for now. I bought the bellhousing from D&D. Here are a few more details on the air cleaner. It was an old pumpkin style old bath. Ford I think. I gutted it and welded in a baseplate for the bottom of the paper filter. I cut down the bottom of the lid and welded in a flat plate to fit on top of the filter. I cut the bottom and grafted the bottom from an old Buick Q4 carb air cleaner base. I extended the threaded rod to screw the whole thing together. I sourced a Toyota filter that fit the top then fold a roll of brass screening to add a little sparkle and cover up the paper filter. When all done I powder coated it along with the valve covers.
Keep up posted on the build. I am interested in how you will mount the radiator, front fenders, hood and headlight bar. It appears the engine is too far forward, the fan mount looks to be over the front crossmember. I understand the IFS, if the roads in Wisconsin are as bad as SoCar, then you need all the suspension you can get.
Like Ryan says...Re-focus http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=742511&highlight=refocus
Yup, we've got chuck holes here the size of Geo Metros. Here's a photo of the engine tucked back into the fire wall after fabbing the recess with the radiator in place. The nice part about the whole deal is the stock toe boards still fit in the original place so no foot room is lost.
Ohh shit .... Change the forum, You ruined it in my eyes I justed puked....... After 50 years.....that is sooooo wrong Poor model A
Some clever fab work going on here, neat that you kept the car so long. Though not a true hamb friendly car , we can still learn from some of your ideas. I do hope you aren't going to run big roller skate rims and tires, then the wheel police will be at you.
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