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Projects RainierHooker's '28 A - Wartime Tub Build

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by RainierHooker, Dec 9, 2012.

  1. mrdodge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2008
    Posts: 335

    mrdodge
    Member

    Subscribed. Cool car and thread. Like where you're heading. I've just scored a 30/31 rolling chassis and am thinking along similar lines with roadster p/up body and an "inline" motor but 6 cyl just to be different.
     
  2. jr9162
    Joined: Sep 8, 2008
    Posts: 247

    jr9162
    Member

    Spent past 3 weeks vacationing in Gatlinburg TN. On the 3rd of May went to the NSRA car show in Knoxville. What a blast. Looked at over 3000 cars and still did not see them all. The evening before I met some members of the Model A Club of America who were staying in the same resort. Learned you may want to check into the Mitchell Model A tranny and/or OD conversions for your ride. Pricey but the folks who go touring in Model As swear by them.
     
  3. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    It's alive!


    ...finally, and if only temporarily.

    Long story short; in the last two weeks, I buggered-up the motor that came in the car, sourced another engine (attached to most of another Model-A, but that's another story), tore it down enough to put my head, and other peripherals on it, and after a 5-hour Rainier-Beer-Fueled marathon with Snot275 and another buddy last night, got the motors swapped.

    After some timing shenanigins (sorry for your ear-drums, Chris), we called it quits late last night without the engine running. After work today though, I pulled the dizzy, rebuilt it, popped it back in the banger, cranked it, and she fired and idled. Success!

    Anyway, now that I've got a 'spare' I'll be sending out a camshaft for the Winfield 3/4 grind that I want, and I'll be patiently standing by for a package from BCCHOPIT. Once those get in my hands, I'll be pulling the motor apart again, but for now, I can at least drive the tub 'round town.

    ...well, after I get the cowl bolted back down, and get my disaster of a garage back in check.
     
  4. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    All stories are better with pictures, even bad ones...

    [​IMG]

    As you can see, the car is mostly back together. Just gotta bolt everything down and tidy-up.

    And here's what is left of the 'new' A. It was a complete stock rolling chassis. I've pretty much stripped it down to the bare frame, and after looking into the parts-stash, I've got pretty much everything I need minus a body to build this thing into a pretty cool '60s-style driver. But that's another, future, thread...

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    Nice looking rod. You guys are making it hard to find headlights for my Diamond T trucks, but its worth it. They look great on your Ford.
     
  6. ss34coupe
    Joined: May 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,239

    ss34coupe
    Member

  7. CGkidd
    Joined: Mar 2, 2002
    Posts: 2,909

    CGkidd
    Member

    Can't believe I missed this build. Looking good. Do you still have the old model A front spring perches? Looking at replacing my speedway ones with original ford ones.
     
  8. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Hooker...
    That tub looks suspiciously like Grandpa Amos McCoy's old Phaeton! (but some local rodders built it up for him after the accident he had...)

    Nice car, great plan. Envious here...

    Great you have a new home, and nice neighbors. (we do, too)
     
  9. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    Thanks all. Its nice to have this thing back together. Who knew that a simple head-swap would lead to me tearing pretty much the whole car apart...

    Barn Find, don't blame me, those headlights were pulled off of a Modell AA truck that got parted-out. Blame the guy that stuck them on that thing eons ago ;)

    CGkidd, I do have a spare set of A perches, but they are still in the stock front end at the moment. Depending on how nicely they come out of the axle, I'm always up for some horse-trading.
     
  10. snot275
    Joined: May 11, 2012
    Posts: 131

    snot275
    Member

    Was a good time. Pretty sure my eardrum is still bleeding though, haha


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  11. brokenspoke
    Joined: Jul 26, 2005
    Posts: 2,968

    brokenspoke
    Member

    Just curious...how did the motor get buggered up?
     
  12. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    Broke off a stud. Got pissed. Tried to easy-out it, got -most- of the stud out, but I'm gonna have to call in some 'professional' help to get that stud-hole taken care of. Its fixable, but probably not super-quickly. So, new motor.

    On the other hand, I got the timing and mixture dialed-in last night. Starts and idles good, but the carb float seems to be stuck down. Gets messy anytime it sits for any length of time. Just more of a reason to get my freshly rebuilt 48 on there...

    I'm going to start cobbling-up my exhaust tonight, and hopefully start getting the body and doors strait along with figuring out a seating solution (a couple old airplane seat-cushions just ain't cutting it anymore).
     
  13. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    Well, it drives. I got everything back together and went around terrorizing the neighborhood. All is well, but now my driver's side door wont shut right, guess its time to get crackin' on getting the body strait. It may be putting the cart before the horse, but I did start talking about paint with my buddy that should be shooting it this summer.

    Here she is out of the garage for the first time in a while, with the hood back on no less...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Felipe Toltecatl likes this.
  14. Kiwifruit
    Joined: Apr 21, 2006
    Posts: 199

    Kiwifruit
    Member

    looks great, man that must be a good feeling!
     
  15. hotrd32
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,560

    hotrd32
    Member
    from WA

    Lookin sweet man ..............!
     
  16. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    Thanks! It is really a good feeling to get to drive this thing again.

    I called it quits around sun-down but after about a half-hour I wound up back in the garage. I guess I'm on a roll. I got the donor-chassis' front end cleaned up and apart, and got my drop-axle mounted to the wishbone via '32 perches.

    Im hoping to borrow a reamer and get my kingpin-bushings reamed so that I can finish off the front-end build-up and get the front and rear suspension done this weekend. At least I can get the stance where I want it while I wait for the last few parts to come in before I pull the body off and start hammering out the body work and prepping for real paint.
     
  17. 340HilbornDuster
    Joined: Nov 14, 2011
    Posts: 1,985

    340HilbornDuster
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Looks great man!...can't wait to see it with it's new stance...

    T
     
  18. poprodder
    Joined: Jul 17, 2002
    Posts: 232

    poprodder
    Member
    from uk

    loving it, nice one.
     
  19. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    This is absolutely awesome!!!
     
  20. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    I've really been slacking lately on the build, but yesterday I had a little something waiting for me on my front porch when I got home...

    [​IMG]

    ...I got my downdraft intake from BCCHOPIT. Threw on a coat of paint, mounted it up to the block, and sat my rebuilt 48 on top.

    I've got the car registered for the Billetproof Drags next month, so I better get cracking. Aside from going to the drags this weekend up at SIR, I have cleared my schedule of all but this car, and work, 'till it is 'done' except for paint (probably).
     
  21. I really like that new intake!! Have you had a chance to road test it yet?


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  22. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    Not yet, I've still got to plumb fuel and fabricate a bellcrank for the linkage. Should be done with it today, and have it ready for some weekend antics...
     
  23. Keep us posted. I'm curious how this works out. This is one of my favorite build threads going currently


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  24. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    Well it's been too long since my last update, but essentially every waking hour outside of work has been spent in the garage. Over the last couple weeks I have...

    -Fabbed a carb-linkage
    -Mounted the intake from BCCHOPIT
    -Mounted the Stromberg 48
    -Plumbed the carb
    -jury-rigged a throttle-return-spring (need to make a better one)
    -Adjusted Valves
    -Pulled out the stock front end
    -Put in my Okie Joes 3.5" drop axle with '32 perches, '32 spindles, AA brake actuators, and stock bones and spring
    -Aligned the car
    -Adjusted brakes
    -Replaced the back-of-front-seat-panel
    -Shimmed Body (the doors close now!)
    -Re-did my headlights with OTB rings, trim, and parking lamps
    -and probably a whole bunch more that I'm forgetting

    I just got back from a spin around the neighborhood, and the car drives around, and stops better than it ever has, but the throttle linkage needs some tuning. I've got some play in it and it is pretty much all-or-nothin', and when you let off, it doesn't fully close the throttle-plates.

    Also I'm just about fed-up with manually adjusting the advance, so I just picked up a B distributor that I'll be putting in over the next few nights.

    Here's pics of her out of the garage today...
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  25. Looking great man!
     
  26. Evan, looking really nice. Keep the updates coming. Sweet
     
  27. That rear 3/4 shot is just right, even shooting into the sun......emphasizes the rake just right! Good work............
     
  28. RainierHooker
    Joined: Dec 20, 2011
    Posts: 2,031

    RainierHooker
    Member
    from Tacoma, WA

    Thanks guys. I've got a little more work and a few more goodies to get on the car before its ready to hit the streets for the rest of the summer.

    In the mean time, I'll try to get a good profile shot of the car, on something other than my very un-level alley, the rake looks really good in person without being too aggressive. I've got some meatier wheels and tires coming that'll go out back, and when they go on, I'll be dropping the back end just a tad to keep it from looking too ridiculous.

    Looks like it won't see paint before my wedding. Oh well, I guess we'll have to do with a primer'd chariot...
     
  29. Your a total Rockstar!!! Love it!!


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  30. Why are the AA parts needed?


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