Projects The Hitchhikers Guide Episode VI: Return of the Hitchhiker.... Hot Rod Model A banger

what the front tire diameter
i think i had to run a 525-500 front on my phaeton to clear the fender
i had a 33 axle reversed eys spring and 2 leafs removed

this is what i ended up with with the t spring in the back

 

And...I see you have the A/C on....

 

Yeah, it's got all the modern conveniences... A/C, Pushbutton starter, cruise control....

 

The positive comments at the picnic are well deserved
It's a very cool truck

 

My plans at this point are to drive it as is till the end of the month. My birthday is the 27th. After that I am going to take it apart and start the first stage of the rebuild process. I want to have it back together no later than the flathead run in September. Plans call for a hopped up banger and v8 trans. I'd like to make about 80 horsepower or more. I've agreed to purchase a rebuilt engine with counterbalanced crank and lightened flywheel. I'm planning on changing out the cam, head, intake and exhaust. I'm also going to lower it and get juice brakes on it. While it's apart I'm going to chamfer and polish the front and rear springs. It starts to hurt my kidneys when I drive it all day. I also want to install shocks,but I'm not sure if I will use tubes or the original style. I might fill some holes in the firewall and paint it gloss. I don't plan on doing any other body work at this time, but will take it back apart for rust repair and either nice gloss black paint or a black brush job. I'm leaning towards the later. Maybe I'll even do the interior.

So far I have collected:

A nice V8 trans
complete front hydraulic brakes with round back spindles
33-36 4 inch drop axle. ( may get dropped model A axle)
2-16x4 solids front (undecided on tire)
2-16x4 1/2 rear. 7.50x16 firestones.
46-48 rear tube shock mounts.
1937 passenger rear lights.
I have a couple different rear spring set ups to try.

Need to get:

Clings v8 adapter kit.
New banger motor with counter balanced crank and lightened flywheel, (don't want to hurt original engine, I've agreed to purchase one from Chris's Dad)
Downdraft intake( thinking maybe just a single 97? or dual 81's? not sure)
Winfield SU-1A cam or similiar
High Compression head. ( thinking about just getting the Snyders 6:1 head, I prefer iron over aluminum)
Exhaust. (thinking about the dual manifolds)
Rear hydraulic brake parts
Something for front tube shocks.
Banjo wheel( I want one with the headlight switch still so I can use the stock a switch)

 

That's it, I've had it! I want an old truck!!! Damn that thing is killer.

 

Should be fun...BTW...trucks are cool!

 

ill lighten your fly wheel, the balance is up to you.

 

Thanks for the offer, but it's actually already lightened.

BTW parked next to you at the Ford picnic. But didn't see you till you were leaving.

 

Looks great.

 

Threads are to big for the A shifter....The real question is are v8 trans shifter threads bigger?

 

I don't believe so. Bush it???

 

4000 should be enough for a banger, right?

 

Matt when will your endless supply of neat shit ever dry up ( hopefully never)nice score on the tach and knob your friends should call you lucky..............

 

Haha, thanks. It's a every revolving collection. Always looking and scrounging. Surprisingly, both the gauges were leftovers from customer projects. The tach came with a El camino I built for a pizza place and the temp gauge from a 1962 Land Rover. The handmade aluminum mount is amazing...they both are a little newer than I would prefer, but my wallets not complaining.

 

"A" and V8 both have the same thread on the stick

 

I ran into the same problem when I wanted to put a bigger-threaded knob on my shifter. I took a helicoil and screwed it into the knob, and it threaded perfectly onto the rod...

 

I was thinking that too!

 

Hmmm...so shift knob is 3/8-24 and the stick is 5/16-24. I can't seem to find adapters or threaded inserts for that as they are so close. Anyone know of any? or should I just epoxy it?

 

If you've got or can borrow the necessary tap and die, go to the hardware store, get one of those plastic (urethane likely, though some call them "nylon") spacers of the appropriate size and make your own adapter. That way you won't have to fight the epoxy at some later date.

 

Great idea!

 

ill fix it!

 

Just thought I'd ask....where did you find this cool knob?

 

Awesome! I'll bring the beer!

Ebay.

 

Adapter complete! You going to billitproof? Bring your new shift knob, you will be the talk of the town!

 

My knob n' shifter was the same size difference. I think the size helicoil I used was a the "5/16-24 x 1D UNF 18-8 Stainless Steel Free Running Wire Insert" from Fastenal (I looked it up on their website) and it worked absolutely perfect. I'll dig around in the garage and see if I can find the package I bought. I have probably a half-dozen sitting around somewhere...

 

Best way to warm the banger is a Dan Price hi comp head. Make a real difference. I put on 2 SU's, ground the cam and the horsepower on my local dyno went from 40 to 80 at the rear wheels.


All reversible which on nice orig truck is good.

Cheers and good luck with it, Tom.

 

shit! I'll pm you now.

Thanks, looks like it covered.

thanks.

 

was about to order the v8 trans to banger adapter from Clings. But still kinda thinking about a t5...

 

T-5 that bitch! If a banger likes it half as much as a flatty loves it, you will never look back!