Projects Yep, one more 29 Model A coupe build starts

Close your eyes! Here are before and after photos of the face-less Solstice (fugly to the max) and my friend Jim who will be putting a LS into it. He has a whole series of mags with the how-to articles for the conversion, complete with part nrs. We both are very happy about the whole deal. His other car is a 32 5w with a SBC. It took us 3 days to label everything and get the engine / trans out and over to my place. In 90 percent humidity... man. The motor is very clean, ran well and is wonderfully compact. A perfect little super-banger, IMHO. After a bath, some wrinkle finished / polished parts and possibly a racier injection system, it should look like an old Alfa with "upgrades." Since the Ecotec 2.0T is a corporate / international motor and my build will be somewhat of a 50's special, I've even been thinking of retro names to put on the valve covers, like Fordillac. Think Frick and Walters' would mind? LOL. Later, Gary.

 

The Aug '14 SR just arrived and I was very pleased and surprised to see the article on the Jeff Eischen-built 29 Ford coupe (for Bruce Leven) in print so soon after I saw it in show coverage of the NW earlier this year. This car is just so close to what I've been imagining for my coupe, it's unreal. Not every little detail, mind you, but the overall stance, the banger power and the vintage racing influences. And having just got my 2.0T engine / trans home just a few days ago, I'm even more motivated to get going. I guess I better get after cleaning up my garage! Photo below from a fellow HAMBr. Gary

 

Here are some pix of the 2.0T Ecotec. Sure reminds me of my old Alfa! And not too filthy for 64K miles. I like the fact that the motor is "flat" at the front, nothing extra will need to be bolted to the front end. The AC and Alternator are all behind the front plane of the block. That should make fitting the radiator / shroud / fan a lot easier. The motor is nice and compact, about 21" long to the bellhousing, 49-50" over all, 15" wide at the bellhousing, 11-12" wide mid-tranny, and 24" tall. Next up is a good bath and then I want to build some sort of cradle / stand with wheels that will hold the whole deal where I expect it to be at ride height. Gary

 

THREE (?) years later... perhaps I should just delete most of what is above, but what the heck. I've got my chassis plans down to (1) a store-bought MOAL torsion bar 32 chassis to make the 29 a low-boy, (2) a fabricated chassis with straight axles all around - QC or small truck rear, and (3) same as (2) but with IRS hidden away from public view. The IRS isn't so much for comfort or handling, but packaging. SO much space can be saved out back with a Miata / Caddy-ish IRS it's too amazing not to look at. IRS aside, the basic plan is torsion / four bars all around, Armstrong or tube shocks, sway bars, and small rack n pinion mounted on the front axle.

I'm bound and determined to get going next month - get the old 29 apart, sell the running chassis and left-over bits at the NSRA show here in April and get to ordering what I need for the chassis. Just to review, motivation by Ecotec I-4 2.0T and 5 speed. Simple but strong chassis with oval track influences, a cage to stiffen it up, and just a hint of 32 rails up front. Ride height in the 6-8" range with 25" front and 29" tall rear tires. I'm sticking with the early 50's GT road racer idea, overall, so it will be low but not super low, probably have a 2" wider track at both ends and period narrow rims and tires. Under 2000lbs still a primary goal - much less if possible. Body wise, trying to keep everything stock-ish and out of the wind to reduce drag, including laying back the windshield some and a chop (very last things). So... no cowl steering or other unnecessary junk hanging in the wind from the chassis (at least for the stripped down, kid racer version). The full GT version will have cycle fenders up front, bobbed body mounted fenders at the rear, a faux-Indy style oil tank on the driver's side for extra junk and a slide-in rack at the rear for a spare tire. The single exhaust / muffler will run under the pax side door sills (no burnt calves) and exit up and over the rear axle on the right rear like an Indy roadster. A full pan of some sort is also planned. But just about everything else is TBA / TBD / WIF (will it fit). Here is one of the zillion sketches I've done... sort of close... hopefully...

The front axle is at about 12" with 25" dia tires and the front rails will be raised so the lower edge is also at 12" - giving the effect of a 3" Z. The rear axle is at about 14' with 29" dia tires. The intercooler will be up front between the frame horns, the 3" rise in the frame rails will give that "high cowl" look I'm after while raising the radiator shell, hood / sides and tank top the same 3" as the Z. IMHO, this will not only look racy, but help get back any radiator core height lost in raising the front rails. A new, flat firewall will be set back a bit ICW suspended pedals and a super small, thin Miata booster mounted on the firewall alongside remote Jag style brake and clutch jars. The rear will be pretty conventional 4 bar / torsion bars and straight diff unless I opt for the IRS. Fuel filler / cap on the left rear quarter up fairly high. Comments / suggestions welcome. Gary

 

Like the blue one! Gary

 

Well Greg .... how many years is it now?

 

Dang... I say waving away the cobwebs... someone replied to my thread and I didn't notice. Well Glenn, things are moving again. Going to the PRI next month to talk to some buds about my chassis design (again) and visit a few vendors for last minute double-checks on this and that. Hope to start working on / order a chassis asap after that and get cracking on the car in the late spring. It will still have the 2.0T / 5 speed but that's about all that's really cast in stone at this point. I don't take the coupe out for short drives much anymore, but the old fliver still starts and runs fine. There is some sort of periodic knock, but I can't tell if it's the engine or trans. Hopefully I'll have the complete rolling chassis for sale in the spring, ifn there is anyone in Florida that might need one. Later, Gary

 

I got to meet the owner of this little cutie last week. Bob's a nice guy and the car is quite an inspiration. The frame was done by a fellow I'm going to visit in a few days during the PRI at Indy. It just might be time to get off the snide and get cracking on my A, eh? I saw Bob's car in some recent mags and was lucky enough to track him down and then get to see his car before I leave for Indy. Gary

 

Phase 3 of lumpy gravy... this just in... new frame for the coupe has arrived! Torsion bar front end but just a mocked up diff with exhaust tubing. The axle droop is because I cut the bailing wire used to hold up the axle to a more normal ride height, just to get a feel for travel, etc.. After all these years, and a recent garage rehab, the A is finally on the way! Perhaps I should start another thread? Gary

 

Further, got the frame dolly built today at ride height, about 6.5" at the cowl and 7.25" at the kickup, or 1.5 degrees of rake. Front spindle height is about 12.5" and the rear will be around 14.5" - for 25-26" and 29-30" diameter tires, respectively. That's the plan, anyway, for now. Next up, skinning the OEM body off the chassis. Gary

 

Mind sharing who you purchased chassis from. The torsion setup looks interesting.

 

I got the frame from Steve's Auto Fab (Steve Panarites), Jamestown, IN 46147. 765-676-5081. He's a couple of small towns west of Brownsburg. Gary

 

Well, the body came off today and rests on a dolly at ride height. It will be stored out of the way for now, until I can get suspension stuff, wheels / tires, etc. ordered. Later, Gary

 

The old running chassis sold today... with the rest of the loose ends and bits I didn't need. Moving on.

 

Did a little mock-up for the rear tires / coupe's axle width today, using the rears from my truck and some loose lumber. The body is on a dolly and the rear pan about a foot high. Using a 2x4 to space the sidewalls from the body and axle height shimmed up to 15-3/4", I figger the rear tires need to be about 31" tall (or so). Final rims will be 16 x 6 (narrower than those pictured) and the flange to flange on the diff about 60". Now... QC or not?

 

You said your gonna run 16-6 rims what are in the picture?


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Those are 255x70R15s on 15x8 rims, so they are shorter at around 29-1/2" high and have a section width of about 10-1/2". That's why they are up on a 2x6 to get them up to where I want the tops of the new tires to be. It's a good guess, I think.

 

Keep the progress going. I have a similar plan for a 27 Roadster with torsion bars and race inspired. I will be watching all your packaging challenges with interest.
I want to do the torsion bars in front, and extend the arms inboard for the shocks so they are not out in the wind, that might require a track nose though.

 

Any progress?

 

Sorry, but no. Been doing interior remodeling and also haven't started to refresh the 27 yet, so I can sell it to raise the funds for the 29. Thanx for asking

 

I's 2024, do you have any pictures and a rundown on what you did or would do different? I have a 30 A coupe that I plan on hot rodding but I am going to use a 8BA flathead.

 

Yeah Gary is still active on here, how about an update?