i'm planning to order some 32 rails, more than likely from jw garage. i have model A front and rear crossmembers. i want to use a T5 5 speed that has an adapter to a flathead on it with the cross shaft clutch release so i want to be able to run under floor pedals with mechanical clutch linkage. what center X member and pedal assembly should i be looking for? do i go with an aftermarket tubular X member? a 32 style K member? or maybe look for something from a 35-40 or 46-48 ford to cut down to fit my needs? at least with the later, it might come with the pedal assembly. pics would definitely help me make up my mind.
I built this. It is very strong and stiff. I ran a torsion test with it agaist a stock complete 32 frame. It was at least 30 times stiffer. The stock frame twisted about 2". My frame was less than than a sixteeth. It was very cheap. I had a local shop bend up some sheet metal into the channels. I added some plates on the top and bottom in the middle to tranfer the load accross the hole for the driveshaft. The frame was boxed in front and in the back but not on the sidesides. View attachment 5083634
Thunder Rd. Rod and Custom makes a cool under floor pedal set that will push or pull. Not cheap though.
My coupe has a Chassis Engineering center x-member , similar to a 34 Ford. Don’t know if Heidts is still doing that one since they bought out Chassis Engineering.
i was told you really have to butcher the ionia x member to get a pedal with mechanical clutch linkage to work. hell, even their website says to use a firewall mounted master cylinder. i'm thinking my only option may be to look for a ford 35-40 x member and use the factory pedal assembly.
I've posted the photos of this chassis an unknown number of times over the past years. It's 35-40 X in Model A rails. It's kid play in chassis building and works very well. Installing it in 32 rails is no different (yes I've done it). If you want stock under the floor pedals getting the forward leg angle correct is a must do in my book. I haven't seen any of the repro X members hit that mark correctly. You can use 39 or 40 pedals, I prefer the 39's. Another issue for a first timer doing this set up is getting the Pedals inside the Body in the correct place. Nothing there that some well thought out tape work won't get done. If you can get these two things right setting a T-5 in place of the early Ford box won't be a big deal either.
thanks, that's the info i was looking for. guess i have to start looking for the factory pieces. i wasn't looking forward to designing a hydraulic slave for the cross shaft clutch release
P.S. A personal note. I have yet to drive anything with a Flathead in front of a T-5 that I thought worked well. So you know I'm in the over 70 crowd. Flatheads are Torque and Low R.P.M. motors. I do like overdrive though so I tend to be most pleased with the early 3+1 gearbox units. Ford Chrysler and G.M. all has them and you also get to use the Vintage Hurst shifters.
i'm not running a flathead. the T5 in question is an S10 unit so the shifter location is right where i need it but the gears have been swapped for world class camaro gears. it was behind a flathead, hence the adapter but has since been replaced with a lasalle. i plan to piggyback another adapter and run it behind a 283 or 270 red ram hemi.
I forgot who bought out Chassis Engineering, but look at their center crossmembers. I think it is Heidts.
So help me see a better picture of what your wanting in the end. I clearly misunderstood the Flathead part of your first post. Your going to build "something" on 32 rails. Sounds like what ever it will be in floor pedals are a must? You have a 5 speed with the early Ford adapter and want to keep Clutch linckage simple. You may or may not run a S.B.C. or an early Dodge Hemi. With these 2 motor choices I feel your making the adapter on the 5 speed a problem. Reason being you still need another adapter to mount the motor of choice to the existing clutch cross shaft. Were you to go S.B.C you really need nothing as long as you use 39 pedals. The adjuster rod will connect to any G.M. stock clutch fork with little fan fair. Same with any clutch fork as in an adapter for the Hemi to G.M. trans with a standard fork. Now if you go that route you can mount the motor where ever you want to help clear the Firewall and just use a proper length adjuster rod from the 39 pedal unit. An adapter to an adapter will for sure give you some kind of Grief in the way your total clutch package works.
This little package goes into an F-100 with stock in floor pedals. It uses a simple pull adjuster rod just like you would with 39 pedals. 100 % of everything behind the adapter kit is factory MOPAR. It is also a 3+1 or some call it Overdrive 4 speed. At any rate is uses a Hurst shifter and has the correct visual look people expect.
Union Speed & Style in the twin cities makes their own X member channels. They could probably custom bend whatever arch you wanted into some channels for you. https://www.unionspeedandstyle.com/shop/p/hiboy-frame-crossmembers Or, you could use original 35-40 X members. I have a couple junk frames saved for just this purpose. It will probably take some rebuilding of the center box to fit the modern trans through. If you want the idler cross-shaft for the clutch, use some 40 pedals. If you want a lever on the transmission, use some 39 pedals.
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