You got that right! And even it looks like sunday driving, behind the wheel it was scary as hell Somehow it did not run as smooth on higher rpms as it did at home, maybe it was that rain pouring down on distributor, spark plugs and spark plug, not wires, but stripes. Or maybe i was just trying to run it too high rpm and spring of points or valves could not keep up. Who cares, it was fun anyway!
I just realized that i haven't shared any pics of, not finished, but kind of race ready T-A-B. So here are couple taken after the really wet race. Not too much rust built up anyway. I did not have time to fix really rusty Ford Prefect gas tank, so i borrowed a motor cycle tank from my friend. And see all safety features: fire extinguisher, seat belts and safety pin for door lock, cause the lock would not keep door shut even a moment.
So next steps are finishing some welds on body, get body and frame painted. And mayby even adding some components to make it street legal. Well, just maybe... But right now i have to finish lots of things around house, i promised my wife to get fixed before winter. And meanwhile dropped model A axle for a fellow hot rodder and getting 5 sets of friction shock parts ready for zinc coating. Keeping busy and doing crazy things is best way to avoid going insane....
Thanks Harald! I think it is about time to get back to work on T-A-B. In couple of weeks i hope. I also try to make some progress with my tudor, which has been waiting so loooong time. Maybe i should start a thread about it also, if some people likes to read these?
So cool to see what other guys and gals are doing around the world. I did not know Russia made Ford engines! The cage you built for the body and those friction shocks, wow! Nice read.
As you can see at picture, that one is model B engine, not A. Just like mine. Russians used to make model A copy named Gaz A 1932-36 and AA truck 1932-38. They started with model A engine, i do not know if they switched it to model B engine during 30's even rest of the car remains same or maybe produced B later. Russians used lot of AA trucks on battle field during war against us. So maybe my engine is from a truck they left behind during battle and we "stole" from them. Never know..... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ-A https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ-AA
There has not been any progress with my T-A-B but some with my tudor. You asked for it so here it is, link to that thread https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/28-tudor-with-270-dodge-hemi.1329756/
Not much to update for this but some anyway. It was time for Hayride Jamboree dirt drags again the 9th of August. So it was wednesday week before the race i drove the T-A-B out from garage for test drive. Worked as good (or bad) as last year, so i decided to tear it for parts to get some paint on it. Also straightened frame front horns a little and make fake rivets out of hexacon socket ****on head bolts by welding nut to the screw to prevent them getting loose and filling the hexacon by welding . Maybe a clever idea, maybe a stupid idea..... Some long days working, but i got it painted and ***embled by the race day. Race went with some technical issues. The starter broke down, the screw holding bendix spring to the shaft were gone. Did not have any 5/16" UNF screws with me, so i forced a M8 screw in place. Not very proud of that, but got the starter working again anyway. Now it was really hard to get motor running, but when it ran it ran just fine. It took a while before i figured out the reason. I have coil with ballast resistor and a switch to override the resistor when starting. That switch is one of few new parts in the car and of course it were broken. They do not make them as they use to do... Anyway, i connected the wires together while starting and had no troubles to get it running anymore. So i got maybe 6 runs on track during the day, and i was not even the slowest one! That is all for now, hopefully i'll get something done during next winter. Plan is add lights, windshield, other seat etc. and maybe even get it licensed to road traffic. or maybe not, let's see....
congratulations on moving up from slowest to faster!! aren't old bangers fun...and glad you are keeping this old one alive!!
Sure those bangers are fun! I have a question. Somehow it seems that the engine runs better on high rpms exhaust running through the muffler than with open headers. With open headers it seems to have some unburned gas popping in headers. Of course the muffler will reduce that noise, but it still feels like it also runs better with closed headers. I have stock cam, valve and valve springs. Stock cam has only 16deg overlap, so i do not think it requires any back pressure in exhaust. Could it be that those pretty weak stock valve springs ain't closing exhaust valve quick enough, causing overlap increase? Do you have any experience like this?
No, i did not find the answer. Tell the truth, haven't even tried. But i was originally thinking to make and add spacers under valve springs, to get more pressure. But then i ran out of time and was hurry to get it running for 2024 Hayride Jamboree, so i ***embled it without spacers. Next question: Can you raise valve enough to get spring out when head is on. Or do you have to pull the head off for that job? I'm pretty sure i need to take head off. I have been lazy during this winter, but some little progress to make it street legal. Worked on wind shield frame. Lower frame was badly rusted, so i made a new one using 22mm (7/8") pipe. Cut slot to it, bend U-channel from sheet metal and welded it in the pipe. The windshield frame have originally half circle shaped bar floating in, which have threaded holes. Those original ones were in several pieces.Speedway sells them and price ain't bad. But they can not ship them to Europe, cause they can not prove the part won't have raw material from Russia. So i ended up to make ones from flat iron bar with nuts welded on. Rough ones, but they works.
The windshield frame also have gl*** holders on the ends. They are fixed with threaded holes in that half circle shaped bars i'm missing. So i cut circle pieces from 5mm steel, grounded slot for the gl***, welded on the end of the frame and drilled M5 threaded holes to fixing the gl*** holders. Speeking of gl*** holders, i was missing one. So i made one from 25mm (1") pipe and sheetmetal. Not exactly same as original, but good enough for me. I think that job working so small pieces would fitted better for a swiss watch smith than hot rodder, but i got it done somehow. Results, lower part 4" chopped and upper part 1 1/2" chopped. Plywood molds done, so they can cut gl*** for me.
Yes, some deliveries are a pain; you can't get Motorcraft FL filters from RockAuto anymore either. To replace the valve springs, you'll have to remove the cylinder head; you need the space occupied by the valve stem. You did a great job on the frame. Regards, Harald
Thanks for the answer Harald. That is what i was also thinking. Can not raise valve enough with head in place. Well, now i have to consentrate to getting, fuel tank, lights, temporary cycle fenders etc. done. Hopefully get it registered during next summer. After it i might play with valve springs, it is running engine now anyway.
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