Justin's 1930/1 Model A Roadster build thread

I just happen to have one.. Any idea of the value of one?

 

Are we talking about the rear bearing retainer?

 

Thank you Sir, It's fun dragging home old tin in the ol truck isn't it? I see it as a nice outing, the girlfriend sees otherwise. Thanks for the compliments.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=437327

 

Notched front crossmember for pulley clearance.
Also gathered a few goodies, subrail extensions ,inner cowl braces & a drivers door that wasn't rusted to hell.

 

I like the period correct wood mounts! Just to be safe, is the wood pre-'64?

 

I'm definitely going for a Pre 1900 look with these wood motor mounts huh

 

Make sure the grain of the wood is facing the right way.. Just for safety reasons.

 

Looking good

 

wow you've made great progress!! really inspiring!

 

Thanks man check out these cowl braces after I dimpled em

 

I look at the F1 crossmembers often used in A-V8 and all seems too good to be true but the fault I find while mocking up a V8 Ford trans in a Model A is that it sits so high in the frame as compared to the '32 style K member which sits lower in the rails and puts flatheads and bangers on the original line through the crank and trans. Most builders didn't grow up backing up weak batteries by hand cranking old Fords which makes me more aware of where things sit or sould I say sat. For the several that may not know, Fords were crankable by hand at least through the forties. I liked that. I go to many old car and hot rod events and it's getting where I can often spot a rod with the F1 option just by how the engine sits, either low in front to improve firewall clearance or just that's where the Bishop/Tardel style front mounts end up. I read you guys falling all over yourselves blowing smoke, but getting these cars functionally right or wrong can be obscured by that smoke. I know that posting late in such a nice thread won't get much play, but if you have observed what I'm writing about or proved to the contrary, send me a PM or start a thread about chassis planning touching on F1/Model A crossmember altitude. Good Luck: Fred A

 

Maybe I am missing something here FredA But it looks like he took all the material out of the bottom of his F1 crossmember. The relation to the top of the frame is the same as in a 32 K member mount. The difference is the 32 rails are deeper and swept more in the front. this gives it the illusion of being sitting up on top in a an because you see more. The motor moutns are right at the level of the top of the rail. Even when you put a 32 K member in you have to narrow the outer part to meet the thinner A frame. By the pics it looks like his motor is sitting down in the frame and under the cowl split pretty good. I know the A banger sits down in and hangs out the bottom a bit but I think a flatty would look weird that low. The head would be almost at the frame rail level. Just my $.02

 

My av8 Ford utilizing a F1 trans crossmember and toploader is crankable by hand and has the proper orientation out the rear to meet up with my 40 torque tube rear end. I'm not sure what you are getting at.....

 

I can see what you're saying Fred, though I have no clue where a 32 k member sets the transmission. And honestly , I haven't even put an angle finder on the motor because I've lost it for now.. The pass head does kiss the firewall at ideal "eyeball" height.. I've even considered looking at taking some material out of the trans saddle to drop the trans/motor in the rear, but that would sit my front motor mounts pretty low, because they're already low now. I've got to come up with some motor mounts before i do anything though.Thanks for the input guys

 

Hitch , you got your cross member in? How do you like it

 

I think what Fred is talking about goes back to my question about cutting the center crossmember. It seems when a 32 K member is used the motor sits lower and no notching of the center crossmember is required. On my build I reworked the entire F1 crossmember so I did not have rework the center crossmember. The front motor mounts are about 1/2" below the top frame rails. The photo on the left shows template of final shape, right photo shows cuts. The bottom flange was pulled up and the top one pulled up and a wedge shaped filler added. Sorry no photo of finished crossmember.

 

Hey I like that!!

 

I love that ya got it from uncle tim

 

I missed the mark for some readers. Agreed that both the members are usually mounted flush with top of the frame, however there is considerable difference in the height of the transmission center line after you hang a trans in the frame with all mounts installed, the K member being significantly lower, making cuts to the existing crossmember moot while with the F1, deep cuts are needed. How that effects your build is for you to determine. I like to start with an arrangement that puts an engine at the original angle simplified by making the carb level. Only fair to include that the K member I'm using (or not due to pedal issues) is the Tardel offering which may not be precisely genuine. Since I have been playing with my '47, really liking the '42 style one piece mount and all of its advantages. Unable to precisely measure the difference now as I'm trying to get my roadster together on a trailer to satisfy the verifier for title/registration purposes which requires that it be a "car". Good Luck: Fred A

 

Thank you for the input Fred.

 

Uncle Tim? Hey Tim where are you anyway?

 

I see it now Fred. I went on a research binge and saw that the 32 K member you can slide the torque tube under the stock A crossmember while with the F1 you have to notch it. Still looking for the motor mount local for a 32 K member swap. Cant seem to come up with a good pick but it would seem they would be down in the frame a little as well to get the correct drive line angle. Carry on!

 

One little reminder got to pound in here is that the K member is not a good choice for open drive in that the rear "bearing retainer" that it's made for was used '32 thru '36 with model specific rubber mounts, meaning there are plenty of them out there. The F1 transmission crossmember, or really more correctly the pickup crossmember, '42 thru '52? will go either way with the appropriate rear "bearing retainer" and the one piece engine mount. So what i think of as too good to be true, puts the back end of the old three speeds annoyingly high. There is always the temptation to regard the flathead as sittin low anyway because we're well used to seeing overheads with all that valve train suff stacked on top. Really laughable is seeing the little sixty down in that same hole. Luckily I have some bling to add to the front and top to fill those gaps with the 60. Good Luck: Fred A

 

Well I needed motor mounts, so I made some. I'm thinking these will just be mock-up mounts. I'd like to make some more that are more stout. Same idea, just beefier. But I had this channel laying around so..

 

Why do the mounts need to be beefier? I'm asking because I am unsure....I made mine from .120 wall

 

I guess if built right, that's sufficient enough. I believe the material I used was 3/16" . I wanted to make some gnarly .25" mounts. But I really just needed something to hold up the motor while I push the car around

 

Loving this thread! Nice to see you out of the dirt and into a building. I'll be watching for updates.