Projects A Michigan Model A build

Keep at it. It only took me 37 years to get mine where it's at. Life kind of got in the way, it sat for 31 years.

 

How can you tell the difference?

 

I can appreciate the tenacity and follow through, but I sure hope it doesn’t take me that long

 

HRA, As I recall, in late '31 Henry changed the firewall to an indented unit where the fuel line came into the engine compartment moving the fuel shut off into the engine bay rather than in the main cab (where they were known to drip fuel). At the same time a change was required to the fuel tank to accommodate this change as well as the fact that the column support was no longer attached to the tank. So, yours is not a late '31 at a minimum. Don't know how to determine it further but others may chime in on that fact.

 

'31 firewalls have a big tear drop shaped indent where the fuel petcock goes.. They did this for safety reasons.. But the more I think of it I'm pretty sure this was a "late" '31 firewall.. So yeah chances are the OP could have a '31

 

Hahah I should have read this before I typed my response.. You bout summed it up bud..

 

Also, It's super hard to tell the differences if you didn't pick it up untouched - meaning having all its original shit on it. Not much changed between 30 and 31 other than the firewall as mentioned and the grill shell as well as the aprons. as we know the most changes in that era were 28/29 - to - 30 and then again in 32. Here is an old post but helps with some identification of the shit I mentioned. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/30-31-model-a-differences.352181/

 

The plethora of knowledge on the HAMB never ceases to amaze me. Now I know. Thank you everyone!

 

I believe the indented firewall started in May of 1931. One of the Model A restoration sites will have much more detail. Coupe bodies were built by Ford, Briggs and Murray, I was able to determine mine was a Briggs body. Another way to tell the year is related to the thickness of the wood around the rear window, 1930’s we’re thinnner, the 31’s had thicker wood to accommodate the roll down window. Changes were running changes not set on specific year model.

 

Finally after several attempts I have made two replacement b-pillars. I made a die to press in the relief on the door jamb, that the rear quarter panel sits into.

 

Sorry you had all that to deal with and still have a positive outlook! There is no better therapy then a project vehicle that you've wanted to build and now can start the process. Looks like you're on your way to a very nice model A.

 

Very nice, I ended up making mine out of 3 pieces.

 

186,000 mps = C
Hah! LOL

subscribed
If for no other reason than the sign.

 

My dad gave me that sign 20 years ago. It’s been in countless apartments until it found a home in the garage.

 

Thank you.

 

Great fab work Hamber and yes it all helps lift the spirit...there's a heck of a lot in that garage of yours...I look forward to your journey in Hotrod...thanks for sharing it...

 

If I’m not with the family, I want to be build’n hot rods. Went out for a couple hours this afternoon. B pillars are tight enough to tig weld… if only I knew how to. I think mig will do.

 

I would just tac that stuff in until you have the rest of the body in place with doors and trunk aligned with your gaps set.
Looking good, keep at it.

 

i like to tack the B pillar and its gusset to a small flat piece of sheetmetal so it slides front to back and slightly left to right if needed, then i can use sheetmetal screws or cleko fasteners to secure it while i move to other work...

 

I plan to do something similar. I love my clecos. At this point I have to make some decisions about the back end of the frame and whether or not it will get a small Z. From there I can decide on sub rails from that point rearward.

 

Right now it’s just temporarily held with ratchet straps, c-clamps, and vice grips. Eventually the welder will come out.

 

Awesome build.

Bunch of Michiganders on this thread, nice. You Lansing folks I just played at horrocks last week, will be back this summer with my group of idiots. Come watch us and a round of beers on me.

Subbed the thread, keep it up, looks great. Congrats on the baby, sorry about the bad parts of your post. No better way to burn that stuff outta your mind than keep the mind occupied building!

 

rock on 210,
we have lost a couple decent local rockers this last year, may they rest in peace..
kick the frame now, way too much work later...

 

My grandkids work there.

 

I haven’t posted in a while. Progress has been slow. I was trying to work progressively backwards on subrails but I wasn’t sure where my kick up would be on the frame and how much I needed to stretch the frame to accommodate the ‘35-36 wishbones. Ambivalence was no longer an option and decisions had to be made.

The frame is being stretched eight inches to move the leaf spring behind the axle and lowered an additional 3 inches. The kick up was positioned to give the most flat floor possible in the trunk. I cut out the kick up plates on the band saw from 1/4” which will be fish plated inside the frame channel then boxed.

My table has been jig’d to secure the frame squarely. But even more so, it makes my slow progress easier to remember where is left off.

Now to pick up the pieces and put humpty dumpty back together again.

 

So I have not posted in quite some time. It’s hard to make the time. A couple weeks ago I slipped on a step going into the basement and broke my foot. Now that I’m laid up I have all the time in the world. I’ve been watching Autorama event coverage on here and Instagram, as well as metal working YouTube videos. Needless to say I’m itching to get back out in the garage.



Since last March I slowed down a bit, between a job, home repairs, and parental guilt; the garage lost some priority. Although I slowed down on progress, progress never never did stop. I finished the Z in the frame (minus the fish plates). I drew them up and called in a favor with a buddy’s plasma table. The Z’s boxing plate seem will be staggered from the outer plate by 2 inches.



Once I had the frame kick up completed I began building the sub rails. I discovered that the HAMB has a lot of opinions on square tubing for sub rails. But seeing how I planned to use the factory front half, I did not want to change to square in the rear.



The longitudinal rails were built in three sections; the front, rear and the kick up. The rear has a kick-down in it to channel the rear. The kick-up has been fish plated and plug and seem welded.

 

Now I just need to get my foot in good enough shape to get back out there.

 

I am an hour north of you near Mt. Pleasant, I spent 7 years building my '29, drove it 18 years as a highboy. Covid 19 had me staying home, so I found and restored front and then rear fenders. It took a while to fit and paint, but the results were worth it. If you need help let me know.

 

Thanks. I appreciate it and will keep that in mind.

 

I'm not far from you, I would love to see your build. I have two model a's in the works right now.