Hot Rods First rod project (over my head)

Well I picked up a Model A pickup set atop a dropped front axle, frame boxed in, has an 86 Camaro 305 engine with 700r4 trans. I took off the pickup cap and dropped my roadster body on. One thing I notice is the rear axle is set forward about 8 inches from original which will cause the body (rear fender) area to be misaligned. What is usually done here, maybe slide everything forward 8 inches? which will start to crowd the engine, or should I redo the rear end setup?

 

Is the rear end by any chance a spring-behind banjo? 8" is about how long you have to stretch a Model A frame to use, say, a '40 rear, keeping the spring behind the axle.

 

What kind of rear end ? If leaf springs, are they mounted over, ahead of or behind the rear end ? A side pic might help.

 

More pix needed.

 

The spring is an original looking Model A spring, rear end is a 10 bolt Gm posi., I will post a photo.

 

There's a whole lotta old tin in that pic for this to be someone's first.

That Trans dipstick ain't supposed to fit , the dizzy should need a tunnel in the firewall and the valve covers too.

Your wheel base should be 103 on that a frame. If its 95" (8" shorter" you have to move that. If its 103" start hackink the fire wall.

 

I am thinking on making it a "highboy" I hate to hack up that original roadster body and firewall so I think maybe I should remove the firewall (it unbolts) and find a hacked up one to use.

 

Next round of questions: to get turn this into a good running car what do you guys recommend for an intake, carb., and distributor without spending a whole lot?

 

Where's the rest of the 305 stuff ?
Brand new dizzy 100.00 manifold 200, carb 375.00
Swap meet 1/2 or less.

 

New pics,

Is that a 2x4 hunk of wood in there with that rear crossmember ?

 

That 2x4 must have been there under the truck body, I must have forgot to pull it out before dropping the roadster body on.

 

That's all I got with the deal.

 

Maybe I'm missing something, but if you look under the back end of the stock roadster sitting next to yours in the first picture I think you'll discover where the missing 8" went.

The body mounts correctly in only one location on the frame. If you start moving the body around you'll run into a jillion unintended consequences...none of which are good.

Speaking of unintended consequences... You aren't going to like the misery that too-wide rear axle is going to cause you - even if you get it hung under the car correctly. Probably best if you discard everything but the rear spring and start all over again, this time doing it right.

Chevy V8 parts are everywhere...often for free if you'll just ask around. A stock point-type dizzy, a cast iron 4-bbl intake and a rebuildable Holley carburetor will get you a long ways towards a running engine. Chevy cast-iron rams horn exhaust manifolds fit inside an A frame like they were made for it.

 

The stock model A is a spring over axle design. The frame shown is '32 up spring behind style. You need to remount the rear. Or am I missing something?

 

Yes it is set up with the axle forward of the spring (8 inches) or so. I take it the pickup project was meant to have a shortened box on it so the wheel wells line up. Any photos or other information out there on how correctly set up rear end for the roadster body and what kind of misery will I have with the rear axle length?

 

On an A model chassis, the rear axle is directly under the spring. That one isn't. Whoever did it did it wrong.

 

Stretch the frame to fit. Just saw a A coupe where the guy stretched the frame 7 inches for a spring behind setup. Was at the New England Hot Rod reunion. Car came out fabulous. Can't even tell where he added the additional material.

 

Find a hot rod guy in your area- you've got a mother-lode of stuff to work with! That rear end set up is from a newer donor- cast center section- A's and B's had axle "bells" that bolted on.Also, it's set up for a 4 bar suspension, which is fine but needs to be re-engineered.I'd pull that out and start fresh.Someone set that up for" spring behind",which means you have to add to the frame(8 to 10") to mount the spring to the rear crossmember, but the wheelbase should remain the same.BUT- find someone in your area that's not whistleing Dixie and ask for help. You may end up with TWO hot rods( which is better that one).And save the 2X4- you can use it for your new garage. Good luck with it.

 

Here's your problem - in the first post before the additional pictures too ! Gotta love the hamb.


So put the axle in as a spring on top set up and simply Z the rear as done in the tardel/ bishop book. 1 weekends work if you can fab a just little bit, not quite a full day if you can fab pretty good.

 

The Ford A had spec'ed a 103-15/32" wheelbase.
Some folks would reverse the firewall, gaining clearance for the Chev engine.
The tradeoff was the interior space lost. I used a flat plate of polished up AL,
sheetmetal screwed to the rear side of conduit tubing, welded to the cowl-inside surface.
It was clean and kept some footroom for pedals. Usually you'd have a rear-shelf
behind the seat, it can go-away, and the seats moved rearward, depending upon
space needs, the cloth top on a roadster often has a small 'Vee" in laying it out,
so you can check for traffic left and right.

 

You're creating a lot of work for yourself and are going to end up with a disproportionate car if you leave that rear end in there as it is. The Model A has a 103.5 WB and you are trying to shove the body forward on an 8 inch shorter WB frame.

The fix is really simple, just buy a set of spring perches to move that spring to the TOP of the axle, as it was designed, move the axle back, and make up new radius rods. Then you can proceed with the rest of the build. In addition, look at how close your frame is to the top of the rear end housing tubes.........it needs more clearance than what you have.

Here is how a stock A frame sits with the spring over the top of the axle and with a full 103.5 WB.




Don

 

The small block chev can be fit in an A without cutting the fire wall, and still use a mechanical fan. You will have 3/8" on each end and will need to eliminate the wire block in the center and stretch the metal a bit to clear a small distributer. I like to use a zipps high rise water pump adapter and cut off the a/c bracket, this will move the fan up in the proper location. Careful placement of the engine fore and aft and a set of small ram horns works very well. What type of steering are you using? As this will need to fit in the mix also. Jim

 

I think that will be the plan, to move the axle back under the spring, looks be pretty easy . Presently there is a vega steering box mounted to the frame and in the load of parts was a GM truck tilt column and wheel. I really hate the look of the (fat) tilt column in an old body I understand the need for it though just wish I could use an old "A" column to keep the look. What is a good book for reference on how to put this together> Thanks

 

Using a "fat GM" steering column in your A will be a mistake. That's what's in my coupster and it's not only out of place visually it takes up a lot of room! There are a lot of other choices for boxes and columns that make a lot more sense. The Vern Tardel book "How To Build A Traditional Hot Rod" (available on eBay and at Amazon for around $25) is probably the best reference book there is.

 

Make your own column.

 

Has any one pulled of a traditional looking tilting steering column yet ?

 

If you'd take some more pictures of what you're starting with it would be a lot easier for those of us who want to help you.

It might also be helpful if you give us some idea of where you are going with this project. Some of the "fixes" suggested might not be in keeping with your overall goal.

One way to do this is to search for and post photos of cars like the one you aspire to build. Sure would save everybody a whole lot of time and effort.

 

I agree that new spring perches and longer rods (and driveshaft, brake lines, etc.) is the way to go if you're set on using the roadster body on this chassis. It is the simplest solution. There are guys that make and sell the perches if you don't want to fab your own.

Also, if you don't want to get into cutting on the frame, a reverse eye spring should get you an inch back down from where the spring-over relocation will put you.

 

Build the car right, and one won't be required.

 

True,
In the build in my signature, there's a 55 Chevy dash involved, and I like it and its really slick. Until you nestle the colum up into the dash bezel - then it gets really stupid. Options would be a custom column drop which the cardboard mock up doesn't look real nice or symmetrical. Another option is to use a gear and chain steering unit which doesn't make me happy either. I do have a 70s tilt column that works but not happy with the bulkiness of it. So what's right?

An idea I haven't explored fully yet is a high angle intermediate shaft from a GM van or W body under the dash.

Ill get it figured out and maybe it will be the first traditional "looking" or hidden column but I gotta think someone has done it already.


also a tilt colum can really help egress and ingress for aged humans with abused, battered and enlarged bodies in those little cars.