Need some help ID'ing these parts. Its a IRS setup for a Ford Model A banjo rear end. There are magnesium side covers that replace the tubes. Inside this there are bearings that hold yokes. The diff is a locker, and I'm not sure if its a typical locker but the innards are designed like an over-running clutch on an old style overdrive ******. It should only lock when accelerating. The housing these parts are in now is a V8 and doesn't quite bolt up because the bolt circle of the A is about 1/4" less than the 32+ one. I checked up against an A and it fits right. I can find no markings on the castings. There are some brackets off the side plates that may be for inboard brake mounts, or to mount on a DeDion suspension maybe. Any idea who made this? How old? What kind of car might it have typically been for? Any input greatly appreciated. More photos can be seen at http://s446.photobucket.com/albums/q...o/BANJO%20IRS/
A guy in my old car club picked up a magnesium quick change that had been converted to independent. I thought it was a home built, but the casing was a halibrand. He sent the punkin to halibrand to have it rebuilt. They said it was a really early one and they didn't make very many magnesium ones. It lives under a 28 A 2-door now. Kind of unique. Judging from where you live, I wouldn't be surprised if it was an old Indy car setup. Pat.
You may be right about possible Indy car origins but I'm not so sure. I work on the famed Gasoline Alley and have asked many of the old timers on the Alley and they're not sure what it is either. I'd would think one of them would recognize it if it were an from an Indy car. The guy who holds the rights and all the drawings to Kurtis Kraft said since it fit a model A banjo then it could be from a Midget quickchange since many old midget parts were based on A stuff. At the same time there's not much evidence that anyone used IRS on midgets back then or even now. Also with these parts were an Ambler IN/OUT box that also used old Ford splines. That part was sold off to the midget guy. There may be some creedence to them being race car parts since the bolts on it are safety wired, but that doesn't prove anything. How about the locker diff? Ever see a locker for a Banjo before? Is the design a typical locker?
The one my buddy had was a locker as well. He changed it. There was a lot of experimental stuff going on with Indy cars, everyone trying to build the ultimate racer. Lots of one off stuff. Looks like you got a piece of history. Pat.
Check out my rear end Blowin Smoke Sorry, but that thread ***le and your screen name together made the 13 year old in me laugh.
That center section isn't a model a, model a torque tube mounts are round. Looks like a newer style for a V8, alot stronger than the a style. I wish it was sitting in my shop instead of yours. Good Luck Dave
the following info should help you identify the year of manufacter of the banjo housing.<table width="740" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="50%" align="center"></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="50%" align="center"> </td><td valign="top" width="50%" align="center"> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top" align="left"> There are 3 styles of center sections. #1) On the left is the 1928-1931 'A' and 1932 ('A' style). It has no pinion support bearing and the housing flange is 9 3/4" in diameter. The banjo is 3.5" wide. The torque tube flange is round. #2) In the center is the 1932 (V8 style) and 1933-34. The housing flange is 10" in diameter and the banjo is 3.5" wide. The torque tube flange is "scalloped". These used a pinion support bearing. The pinion bearing is smaller and shorter than the later V8 centers. You can see the difference by comparing it to the one on the right. The distance from the housing flange to the torque tube flange is shorter than the one one the right. #3) On the right is the 1935-48 center. It has a pinion support bearing and the housing flange is 10" diameter. The banjo is 3 13/16" wide and the torque tube flange is "scalloped". All of the 1935-1948 axle housings used this center section. The 1933-34 axle housings will bolt up to this center section, but you will need to use special differential races. We have those in stock. One additional difference with the 33-34 housings is how they are "clocked" on the 35-48 center section. The bolt circle is in a slightly different orientation, so the pinion shaft and the spring hangers will be off by about 5 degrees.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Thanks HotCoupe. That confirms what I said in the first post that the housing is wrong. The bolt circle is 1/4" less from the side plates to the housing. Also when I ***emble the diff bearings intot he races on the side plates it measures 3.5" between them. So it definately fits an A rear. The housing is 1935+ by the width. The parts came to me as the diff and side plates and nothing else. Later on I realized it fit a banjo and grabbed a junk V8 one to check. I thought it might be for an Allard rear end. You can see a good pic of it's rear end here. http://www.allardregister.org/AR_History.htm The sides look the same but the flange is scalloped V8. I tried to post a message at their forum but they never approved me. No respect. Now I need to find an A housing and a good use for it, or it needs to find a new home.
Pretty sure it is Allard, De Dion rear with inboard brakes. If we pull ours out this winter I will post pics. tim
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