Projects just dragged home this 30 sport coupe.

A slightly bent Model A axle is probably straightenable. I've seen pics of guys with presses making them like new again. Don't s**** it.

 

And you certainly don't need cross steer, vega box, or an aftermarket axle. This isn't streetrodder.

 

Yes. Dropping the original axle will be the best solution. Real steel, not some Chinese cast iron.

 

I'm trying to keep the car as simple as possible. I really like when they are period correct. I love the 40's cars. I'm not a huge fan of white walls and chrome . I picked up a f1 steering column and box.

 

may not help, my plan is ;
'32 frame...
A crossmember =1" drop...
reversed eye spring = 1" drop ...
de-arched spring = 2" drop...
stock un-dropped A axle … with hairpins....

 

this is the ride hight and general look I'm going for . anyone wanna guess what suspension and tires size this car has .

 

That roadster seems to have 16" wheels with probably 7.00 and 5.50 Firestone tires on it. I'd guess the front axle is stock, with maybe a reversed eye front spring (maybe not). The rear looks stock height.

 

I'd have a grin that big on my face, too, if I was driving that coupe. I love Sports Coupes.

 

back in the garage today. I'm replacing the gaskets on my transmission and changed my rear transmission mount to a 48 style. I'm having a hard time figuring out how to match the rear of my 39 trans to the banjo rear end . it seems as if I need to remove the 39 u-joint cover because at the end of the banjo drive shaft there is already something similar. what am I doing wrong ?

 

well I figured out theres a small gap under the clamshell cover for the bell shaped piece at the end of torque tube . I hope that's how it goes .

 

The trans U joint has a bolt in the center to hold it to the trans. Then the ***embly slides over the driveshaft, and the clamshell holds it together.

VanPelts has great diagrams for ***embling a lot of these old Ford parts.

 

got my tires mounted today. got the motor in and body back on. new brake components. 550 and 700 tires . gonna run the brake lines next

 

I guess it was on sale that week many moons ago......Well the positive side to that is it prevented Surface rust on the extremely dry Southern Body...You fellas have a huge bonus will vintage Cars down there...

 

found this sales receipt dated 63. in the car today . cant make out the purchase .

and in for the night

 

I've still been plugging away at the car. I've ran all new brake lines, installed new wheel cylinders and shoes. I started wiring the car and got the fuse block installed along with a 6v voltage regulator from a 40s chevy truck. I got my ignition and starter switch wired . I went to bump over the engine just to see if my wiring worked and it did, but I also noticed a spark from a cylinder head nut to my steering column. there is about a credit card gap between the two. why would my cylinder head spark like that ? this motor came out of a postive ground 39 merc so I'm trying my best to keep it 6v and positive ground . 39 merc also had a big ground strap that went from the cylinder head to the firewall which I dont have installed . I also noticed one of my spark plug wires was resting against the cylinder head but my plug wires are brand new.

 

Great Stuff......Nice Garage Shot...You just mentioned the spark and it sinks in a little about how important it is to remedy that, whatever the cause...Others here know this stuff. Good luck on the fix...And I could see the "If the Ground Strap Came Off what could happen?" question in Auto Tech 101...Let us know what you find out...

 

"39 merc also had a big ground strap that went from the cylinder head to the firewall which I dont have installed"

You've answered your own question.....

 

lol. I guess sometimes you just gotta write things down and have people tell you your answering your own question . well I went through the car today and cleaned up all the grounds and installed a engine ground strap. cranks so much better and no spark.

 

No spark is a different lesson....Clean the points first and check the dist and coil primary wires for corrosion or breakage.....

 

I'm sorry. when I said no spark. I ment, no spark at the cylinder head to steering column. I have spark where there should be spark

 

grill mocked up. got it running today. I'm picking up a radiator friday.

 

I picked up a champion radiator , I know it's a not a walker , but I have 3 kids and its Christmas time lol. I went to the early ford store and bought the lower hoses, then to napa and bought the upper hoses. the uppers are 27 inches and a smidge longer then I would like . they are 1.75x1.50 flexible lines. I used a rubber bushing napa part number 900 to go from 1.50 to 1.25 to fit the upper radiator. I really wanna run a tempature gauge . I know this may sound silly but can someone tell me how to hook it up ? like explain it like your explaining to a child? I'm young and learning as i go . my friends are not into this stuff and pops ain't around so I need all your help.

 

I also picked up this tail light on Ebay and mocked it up.

 

Buy a simple mechanical temperature gauge with a sender long enough to reach to the boss on the top of the head right next to the base of the upper hose. See those bosses?

You will need to take the electric sender out of the head, and take that to the parts store so you can buy the adapter bushing/nut that will let your new gauge mount into the head. The mechanical gauge sender doesn't screw directly into the head. It has a straight thread nut which holds the bulb into a inverted flare. The special adapter nut/bushing has this inverted flare inside, and a pipe thread on the outside which will fit the head. They make many different sizes of these adapters, so the parts man will need to know the size of the threads in your head, hence taking the old electric sender in to measure.

 

If you used a stock Model A grill shell, you could avoid matching the patina of the body with the new grill shell paint!

The 32 grill might make the hood go up hill and look goofy, compared to the stock Model A set up.

 

thanks alchemy, this may sound silly, but why not run two gauges, one to each cylinder head ?

I'm not going to run a hood. I do have the hood, and am fitting the hood incase I do want to run it down the road . I know the grill is new, I got it on craigslist for 80 bucks so I couldn't p*** it up. once the car is drivable and I'm not spending money on parts I need I'll save for a real old one and switch it out

 

Yes you can run a gauge in each head. It's been done before.

 

I went and picked up a mechanical stewart warner temp gauge from a guy on craigslist and bushing from napa . the bushing in there catalog was listed under a vdo bushing adapater. I installed it and ran the engine for a while .

 

I drove the car around the block tonight for the first time. what a great feeling . I know it doesn't look like much but for a young guy new to this stuff it sure feels great. I still have a long way to go . I want to say thanks to those that have helped so far , especially alchemy. I will continue to update as I go . next up I'm gonna wire the tail light and headlights and mount the grill shell. the shift knob came from the late bob milken in rancho cuca****a CA if anyone knew him. he was a big hot rodder back in the day.