I've just finished this traditional A-V8 roadster build after a 6 month build-up. It's based on a '46 X-member with Model-A crossmembers front and rear. I even managed to get the '46 pedals to fit. It features an Evans and Navarro equiped flathead mounted to an early S10 T5. The entire front end is chromed including the drums. It features F1 steering, '35 Kelsey Hayes, and an extended hood with hand made side panels. Here's a short 4 minute feature show. Ed
very impressive, i like everything about your av8, especially ur fuel tank and filler that looks great, cheers for the clip , enjoy it
Here's some pictures of the Flathead V8 which is a tight fit in there despite the '32 frame. it uses the original Ford exhaust manifolds from the '46 donar which give good clearance for the F1 steering box. The hood sides are hand made. The original filled '32 grill shell has been laid back about 1/2". The hood catches are repro 1932, and I used Model-A brackets riveted to the frame to locate the rearmost latches.
The chassis The key to making this A-V8 better and stronger is the '42-'48 X-member, although any X-member will work. By reversing the center section I was able to use the wishbone ball cup to locate the rear axle. I welded a Model-A joke to the rear bones making them stronger and able to move independently of the chassis. Some will say they still aren't strong enough for an open drive rear end and recommend a torque bar. The front legs were shortened enough to locate the original '46 pedals in the perfect location. I was even able to use the original 1946 equalizer. Where possible original 1928-48 Ford parts were used. The X-member was installed using triangular fillet pieces rather like Chevrolet used in the 1930s. The frame was riveted together not welded. This made for an extremly rigid, and heavy frame, frame. It also provides space for just about any transmission you want. The transmission mount is made from the top section of a Model-A center crossmember. Those exhaust hangers are chassis parts from the '46 frame. "Waste not, want not"!
The rear crossmember is a Model-A Ford crossmember modified to fit the '32 frame. I have documented this before in this thread here: http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6061870 The rear spring is also from a Model-A and fits the post-war rear axle perfectly. It still has the original factory lettering on it! The front is also a modified Model-A crossmember. The fittment is documented here: http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=610718 The rear shocks are from So-cal and are mounted using rear lower shock mounts from "Purehotrods". The uppers are had made and riveted in place.
Loads of chrome on the front end! This basically came about by accident because the project came with an original '32 dropped and chromed front axle and cherry chromed front backing plates. I fitted new reproduction Lincoln front drums which we decided to chrome too. The front 'bones are also new, from Speedway, and were chromed too. The chrome drums look great behind the bent spoke '35 kelseys as the chrome reflects the spokes making it look like there's even more of them. I extended the grease baffles on the top to make attaching the steering arm easier. The front shocks (extra long) and the upper shock stands both came from Speedway too. If you look carefully at the backing plates you'll see four stainless steel studs mounted on them. These are for mounting the removable cycle fenders.
The interior. Eventually the car will receive rubber floor covering and interior trim. For now it is just painted steel. It's got a bench seat, maybe a Glide - I dunno. It's fitted to Ford Transit seat runners to make it adjustable. The seat belts are from a Bell helicopter. The S10 T5 shifter uses a '32 rubber boot with a hand made steel surround which will be chromed later. The Model-A parking brake lever mounts to the side of the T5 with a bracket made from part of a Model-A center crossmember. The column drop is from CCM (http://www.ccmrodshop.com/5_V8_Column_Drop.html) which is the only piece of billet of the car but it's so nice I just wanted to fit it there. I made an extension to the bottom of the '32 style dash to house switches and the ignition key.
love this thread, your car is gold, and forgot to mention in my last post how much i want your drums haha
The trunk The roadster body is an original which wasn't bad but had lived a bit. I filled the cutouts in the rear panel for a cleaner look. The car will get '37 Ford rear lights. We decided against a '32 gas tank and fitted a new one from Tanks Inc in the trunk behind the rear seat which is the safest place. I fitted the gas cap up on top of the rear quarter panel. The Optima battery is hidden in an Ammo box. Despite opting to delete the '32 rear tank I wanted the rear end to have the '32 style rear spreader bar. The frame needed stepping down to place the spreader bar correctly so I made the rear horns removable, to make rear accident damage easier to fix. The rear inner arches on the Model-A are straight along the bottom, but the '32 frame has a kick-up- I arched the rear inner arches to follow the '32 frame. This gives the rear of the roadster a lighter look and mimics the '32 a bit.
The late forties look. I tried to maintain a late forties, early fifties look and stance. It isn't too low at the front and isn't too high round the back. The seat may be a bit high for some folks, but the lucky guy who's going to be driving this roadster isn't small and needs a comfortable seating position. The only real concession to modern driving is the T5 transmission but that was deemed necessary because of the long distances driven in Europe, the high speeds, particularly in Germany and the high cost of gasoline ($9/gal). Cruising at lower revs also saves wear on the flathead. Also the T5 will be reliable and never fail behind a 100hp flathead. The battleship grey paint is a GM engine bay paint. It's a nice change from black but remains period correct I think. The grill insert will be painted dark red to match the wheels.
I rent my workshop from a friend of mine and he restores cars almost like on a production line. He specializes in early Mustangs because they're very popular over here. Must have over 20 Mustangs but also older stuff like 50s Pickups, Chevies and just finished the bodywork on a '51 Merc. There must be at least 10 cars being restored here at any one time. Ed
Thanks for all the positve feedback guys. It sure helps after busting your gut for 6 months to get some feedback. Ed
this car is awesome. i really enjoyed reading your thread on the frame assembly. stoked to see it together. nicely done.
No - US body, self built chassis using US Model-A crossmembers and Swiss assembled '46 Ford center X-member. The rest all US.
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