Okay, I've been driving my sedan for three weeks now and I love it. Its by no means done but I've got the itch to start this evil process all over again. So far I have a complete 30 roadster, a 1946 p***enger car rear axle, 46 front backing plates, a stock A front axle that I will have dropped 3.5"-4". I have two sets of 37-41 round back spindles, a 47 p***enger car front spring I planned on using on the rear. I have seven 16" 1935 wires as well as one 16" 40 steelie and two 15" Mercury steelies. Not sure which style of wheel I'll go with. I also have a 1946 59AB flattie that Im not sure is any good but its complete and I can use it for mock up. I'm going to follow the basic plans in the Bishop/Tardel book but I don't want to use a32 K member. What are my other options as I plan on using the torque tube and a 3 speed top loader.
Try fitting a F1 crossmember and pedal ***y. Some here have tried it and made it work. I believe a search will turn up something. And NO the crossmsmber in my '48 F1 is NOT available. Now get off the computer and get ready to meet us for lunch.
F1 is the way to go. I have it in my T roadster using a Model A frame. Really EASY, and cheap to find. They are all over. Tim MBL
if you get a transmission mount from anything 34-48 it'll have ears off the sides then all you need to do is find a way to have something for them to sit on get your waterpumps on and make your front mounts....then jack the motor/trans up till you figure where it needs to be and then fill the void with some sort of mount pretty straight forward seems you have almost enough to build the car pretty quick you might want to consider still using the A spring and adding mounts onto the V8 rear also keep in mind that the 46 rear is pretty wide so be careful who drops your axle and make sure they dont thin it down too much to where your front end is ALOT thinner then the back heres my friend Rogers '31 roadster
Thanks Zach, your friend's roadster is pretty close to what I'm looking for. What is the reason for using the A rear spring? I was going to build the car out of the ch***is sitting on the table, then just lift the body off the complete car and set it on the new frame when its done. If I can avoid dismantling the complete ch***is I'd like to do that. Suppose I can always get an A rear spring somewhere.
im going to save this thread as its getting real interesting, keep posting guys, you have my interest sparked
i just think it gives a nice stance with the A spring in its stock location, Zing the frame like in the Tardel book (what roger did) saves having to make a frame longer extending over the rear to match the 46 locations his car is Z'd the thickness of the frame and then has a dropped axle he still has room to have a working rumble seat back there and i think it sits perfect
O.K. guys In 9 days I will be home from a 15 month trip to Iraq and I am going to be building the same car. I want to se pictures and alot of them! I am going to be using a F1 crossmember and pedals "this is the big part I wanna see" Also I beg you to post good pics of how you shorten your torq tube and shaft. You may just be my new best friend. Hell I might just stop looking at **** to follow this thread!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21065&highlight=f1+crossmember In the Tech Archive. For the torque tube, cut the exterior along the non-tapered part and weld. For the shaft, just shorten wherever. Or have a driveline place do it. Tim MBL
What flathead?................. what 3 speed?.................. I don't see any flathead and 3 spd. You must be halucinating........ probably too much CO from that open exhaust on the 2dr. Shame............and I always thought you had your head on straight. flathead.........3spd............these young guys are dreamers. Have any idea how much I could get on Ebay for that stuff. Besides I'm going to fix that 'ol truck up someday. Frank
Ha, just ran in to search for new A front crossmembers, and this thread popped up 1st...I need the one that is lowered 2 inches over stock. Need one if you all know where I can get it quick. Putting it in a 32 frame for a customer, need it fast while we have motor pulled. Thanks... Here is a pic of an F-1 in an A frame....I love em, cheap, and look right at home. I may see if I can squeeze one in a pinched 32 frame for another customer, we'll see. May be a little short, not sure yet. Good luck!
I agree with Zach and keep the original Model A rear cross member. The car will sit pretty close to perfect and you'll have the clearence if you ever want to add a quickchange somewhere down the road.
Scott...better hurry and get buildin....you're gonna need something to drive next time I head that way....I'm takin the c/dan!!
If you can't find an F1 crossmember, you can always make one. I've seen guys use square tubing and some 1/4 plate. Just make sure you have that dual bolt rear trans mount and some bushings. I wish I could find the pic.
Thanks for all the advice guys and the link MBL. I was looking for a crossmember that the end of the torque tube would bolt to like the 32 K member. If you just use a mount like the F1 do you need to sure up the torqu tube in some way or di you have to convert to an open drive?
No problem, just watch it when you take the car for a drive. A really strange thing happens if you turn the wheel and give it some gas; you wind up facing the opposite way you were traveling. Weird, I've never owned a car that will do that
You keep the torque tube. You mount the ****** to the crossmember and the front u-joint fits over the drive shaft. The external tube bell portion fits over the area that the U-joint is housed in. Then a collar is bolted to hold the bell portion up against the ******. Take a close look at the first pic in the link I posted. TIm MBL
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