Well sold my 31 coupe project to a fellow hamber a few weeks ago. Got in over my head with the budget. Payed of a bunch of small bills and was toatin around looking for a new project and been eyeballin this rpu. Went and checked it out and really digged it. It runs drives. All fresh driveline and motor, and is the period correct era Ive kinda fell in love with. With the Way the economy is right now I think Its my best option not to have a full blown project and be able to get out and have a bit of fun but still make it my own as the years go by. Start from the beginning learn the ins and outs of the bangers and maybe move it up to a flat head one day but for now drive the piss out of it Thanks goes out to my buddy Nathan (suttonofspeed) for following me back the 3 hours it took to take side streets home from north pasadena to costa mesa.
lil specs from the sale add. i'll get a tone of pics as soon as i have time working on gettin insurance for it* -Model A four cylinder motor. Bored .125 over (214 c.i), hi-compression head (6:1) 4 into 2 header, dual 2" straight pipes, mild cam, adjustable valves, leakless water pump, downdraft intake and a single Holley 94 carb with '32 Ford model B spoon pedal.* -'39 Merc (99A) transmission with Cling's kit for the A motor.* -new V8 clutch with lightened Model A flywheel (42lbs) -12 volts with new alternator, electronic ignition system -cloth wiring thru out with 6 fuse panel hidden away. Has horn, turn signals and everything works as it should.* -'39/'40 brakes with all new wheel cylinders, shoes, hoses and hard lines. I used virgin '39 drums that I had freshly cut. -16" '37-39 Ford wheels with '39 Merc hubcaps and custom trim rings.* - brand new black wall Firestones 7.50/16 rear & 6.00/16 up front with new tubes all around. * -custom battery box/master cylinder set up with brand new Odyssey battery.* -fresh Model A rear end with 3.77 gears.* -34 Chevy headlights, '39 Chev front markers for signal lamps and '32 Ford rear tail lights. -Model A steering box & shorter pitman arm with custom column tube and '40 Ford steering wheel -new leather seat -come with custom top frame that folds but I didn't have a top made for it.*
yes one of many thats a 6'6 Gregg Liddle, i have a 5'10 Gregg LIddle velo burrito, a 6'3 Fineline Microdirt, and a 9'2 gregg Liddle L-spoon pardon the photoshop thats just a iphone app thats fun
Nice truck. I followed it through some of the hills on the Pasadena Reliability run a couple of weeks ago. It sure looked good on the road. .
Glad I could help out bud. Super happy for you and a little jealous that you have a running hot rod before I do.
back with a update and some questions for a new banger know nothing Been driving it hard when i can. Drove it to my parents 60 miles round trip 2 sundays ago up beach blvd to brea from costa mesa. Few things ive noticed. the water temp is gauged off the back of the water pump inlet from the top hose of the radiator. It never gets over 145 last owner said that was norm....just seems very cool to me. here are a few things i see that need to be done. so heres my questions questions from a new banger guy that wants to make sure he keeps it period correct -The radiator is beat bad leaks from the fins in probalby 4-5 areas and i figured since over heating and cooling problems seems to be one of the main ways i'll break down what is the best stock replacement radiator our there? Brass works? it will be pressurized cause its what the current radiator is. -at the steering column mount off the bottom of the dash there is a small leak of gas from the right corner. Is this a common place the cowl gas tanks leak from. never pulled one apart but it looks bolt on so hopefully a gasket will fix the problem or a complete drain and tig weld may do the trick. - has a single holly 94 carb with a 45 kicked intake. It has no filter on it. any suggestions. -from the back of the 39 merc v8 tranny there seems to be a decent leak of gear grease comin from the tail where the torque tube enters? this whole car leaks like a siv motor oil tranny oil, stearing box oil. I need to start researching what should leak and whats not normal. -standard timing settings? and valve adjustments? new to all this banger stuff and i want to be able to keep up with the motor and not neglect it. and learn how to adjust the valves when needed - last theres a bunch of zerc fittins on the car. stearing components, suspension, brake components, tranny, water pump. Is there or has anyone ever put up a basic standard maintenance spread sheet to keep up with greasing. also standard open gear grease work for most everything? id hate to pump a standard grease into something i shouldnt im sure more questions will arrize for now new radiator and figuring out the wiring quirks is the first task. just wanna make her a reliable short distance cruiser. so far having a blast
Cool RPU. I will take a stab at a couple things... I had a Brassworks radiator in my RPU and the sheet metal straps & feet on the sides kept breaking and had to be welded up several times in 2,000 miles. I am planning to buy a Walker for my current project. Steering column mount is not bolted to the tank. To fix it right you will need to remove the tank and have a radiator shop boil it, seal that area (braze? solder?) & pressure test it for leaks. Be very careful handling a tank with gasoline - even fumes - inside. My advice would be to then go to a bracket that mounts to the dash rail, like Ford went to in late '31. Might be easier to prep another tank & then swap. It is somewhat normal for all that stuff to leak. A bunch of things converge where the torque tube & tranny meet. There is a seal in the torque tube that is supposed to stop diff oil from leaving the rearend. The tranny lets some gear oil pass through the rear bearing into the area where the U-joint spins. The U-joint gets packed with grease but is difficult to grease from the outside. The clamshell has a goofy cork seal that is marginal at holding all this slime in place. Oh yeah, the tranny will leak around the countershafts and lock pin, and the rear main will dribble into the flywheel housing and drip out the bottom. And it can leak at the front of the engine as well as the banjo part of the rearend, too. Hope this helps a little. Just keep putting oil and water in it and DRIVE MAN, DRIVE! Will Kimble
I think 140 is to low. I run a 160 thermostat in my A's and they seem to like it. I set the timing on mine so it just runs with the lever all the way up. I live in hill country and use the timming to slow down on long down hills.
thanks guys so walker radiators right now....that is exactly what im doin oil water and drive. it has pure water in the radiator right now anyone suggest different for so cal? distilled water cause the minerals and rust? water wetter? no anti freeze?
Any other replacement radiator advice guys? Wanna pick one up soon and switch it out may try to putt it ut to the next el mirage race!
Got a leather tool roll bag and door stops from Hot rod leather in the mail yesterday....great service....GREAT quality. The bag is bitchin. Went and talked to the local small mom and pop upulstry shop today having them make me a Tan BUtton on cover for the bed of the truck. I got all the button hardware today and installed it all...gonna take the truck down there friday or monday to have them make the cover real quick. Looking into a walker radiator for the car. pressurized 29. need to figure out the gauges. I think the Oil pressure gauge isnt the right OME or however you spell it to match up with the sensor cause its got no reading and no flucuation when gas is applied. the tach started bouncing a few days ago it will show a rev then bounce back down to 10. and the water temp gauge is reading 140 when hot. i know the probe being on the back of the water bump elbow with the water goin in is the reason cause its the cooled water. Any reconmendations on where to get a accurate safe reading to make sure i dont over heat this thing. the radiator is pressureized and the cap will release when heated up but would like a good gauge so i never get to that point.
Model A engines have zero to no oil pressure. The oil pump only transfers the oil from the pan to the lifter galley and the rest is left to gravity. With out a thermostat, my banger doesn't get much over 150 degs. That is ok. If you want it to run hotter, install a thermostat. I don't run one. .
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