i've seen this mentioned on a number of posts,and understand there's kits,but what about the details?is it possible to keep the pedals gennie?who's done it,and what did it cost? do the conversions use the "a" clutch? let's hear some experience....
Check out John Blacks site, he's been working on this project for sometime, 4 banger with a t-5.Good info on his build. Theres also a new pic of the finished chassis setup under the chassis link. http://www.jcblack.com/Speedster/Chassis/5Speed/5Speed.shtml Best, Ralph
There's a few guys on Ahooga.com that have done this and it often comes up for discussion there. Search their archives for previous posts, I've read that there's a commercially available kit that may not be as good as it should be.
I think the problems with the kit center on the open-drive conversion--it used the Model A radius rods as rear axle locaters! I believe that complaints from those customers who survived led to a better design, but don't know details.
[ QUOTE ] what are you running behind that banger,artiki? [/ QUOTE ] Stock A at the moment. My banger pretty mild at present. HAMBer 4ever4 has recently installed some new gears in his A 'box. He got them from here http://www.brmmbrmm.com/belcher Click on the 'Close Ratio Gears' link on the left. Also have a look at www.macsspeed.com for the New Zealand adaptors.
Hey guys, Graeme at Mac's Speed does a great bellhousing for T5 to A or B engines. He is a good friend of mine with a closed cab pick up and he helped me build mine. However, I modified an original bellhousing and flywheel to adapt the T5 to my banger motor. Graemes bell housing has provision for pedals in the stock location and also picks up the front wishbone ball. When I did mine I adapted a plate on to the bellhousing and mounted the T5 on that. I then spaced out the clutch and pressure plate on the flywheel. Mocking the bellousing up with the T5 will show you this.The flywheel was machined and lightened considerably so that we could pin and bolt an adaptor ring approx 2 inches thick to space the clutch and pressure plate out. Of course the spigot was spaced out too. The clutch is operated in the original way. The only reason I havent used the pedals on mine is due to the severe kick up and channel job I did on the pick up. (See a back issue of Car Kulture Deluxe for a feature on my beater fenderless 29 Pick up) I then remounted the rear radius rods and used an open drive rear end. This a relatively stock banger motor it easily does 85mph at minimal revs, however next plan is to fit a Halibrand quickchange to drop the revs even further down. You can email me at hopup32ford@hotmail.com if you like. Best regards, Greg Stokes
Good Post, Nate and I both plan to do this swap in the future. we'll see what happens. for now I just have to get on the road...
4eva4banger I wonder if Graeme is up to this challenge. Instead of adapting a modern trans to a banger how about adapting a "modern" mill like the 151/181 Chevy 4 cyl. to the stock A driveline? What kind of adaptation do you see this kind of setup needing and do you think the A driveline would be up to the torque of say the marine 181 engine? I recall that it has somewhere in the range of 150-160lb.ft of torque.
[ QUOTE ] severe kick up and channel [/ QUOTE ] What did you do with the water neck on the head?? I have a freind that has a tudor That is running a 5 speed and still has his stock pedals, He has a hi com head, B grind cam,lightweight flywheel,balanced rotating assembly, two harley sportster carbs and a header. He drives it everyday it will run 95 with no problem he has Hyd brakes on it. He had to weld the rearend bars to make them stronger but thats all hes done.
Graeme would be up to that kind of adaption but I fail to see why you would like to commit such a crime to install a modern engine into your hot rod????? Basically the pitfalls to an old engine is cooling, fuel, spark and gearing. Why not adopt modern principles to the old engine? Sure look cooler!
Just a thought experiment really. In the "regular" non hot rod Model A world a variety of alternate powerplants are used to make an original more highway capable in lieu of hopping up the gennie engine which can cost a pile of dough. Probably the most popular swapout is for a Pinto engine but hardly improves the situation drastically. In this light a friend and I were wondering that if the Mercruiser 3.0 4banger could be adapted to the gennie drivetrain it would be a more suitable choice due to it's 180cu.in. size and much greater torque than the old Pinto mills. Lots and lots of choices when it comes to four bangers of course but the Merc is the largest by a good margin, only 20 cubes smaller than an A motor, and consequently should be more compatible with a 3 sp. trans. It would have as more punch than any conceivable early motor hop-up without, I think, overmuch stressing the trans and rear axle.
The Jalopy Journal
