The dual Stromberg set-up I think most of you have seen, the one where I was having problems. That turned out to be a high float which was causing the fuel to leak p***ed the power valve and then siphon through the discharge jets. With that behind me I thought I would give myself more headaches by fitting a Vertex mag! I've always had an obsession with mags, so when one came up for sale that fitted the 'A' engine I jumped on it. I collected it yesterday (Friday) from the rebuilders, a fabulous old timer who rewind's both coils by hand and applies the lacquer along the length of wire with his fingers as he goes and there is a hell of alot of winds! Like usual nothing goes to plan. After removing the old dizzy with two crow bars, yes not one but two, the mag dropped right in. Being a mag there was no wiring needed apart from the ground of course. Could I get it to fire? Nop, completely dead. By this time I was fed up and working in the dark is the pits. Next day I pulled it all apart and set it up on the bench, span it over in my fingers with a plug in each lead and it worked great, a nice big fat blue spark at each plug. Put it all back in the car and seeked some advice. It became extremely obvious very quickly why the mag wasn't working in the car. You ground the mag to stop it, NOT to start it. What a school boy error! Dis-connected the ground and Wham, it started on the ****on and just sat there ticking over lovely with a bit of minor timing adjustment. One of the best things I ever done was dump that nasty piece of **** Mallory. All the popping and missing that has consantly plaqued me is gone. It pull's third gear from nothing and just keep's pulling. I think it might need alittle more advance as it seems to running out of puff before the Mallory, but nothing that alittle adjusting won't fix.
Looks good! Have to post an update when all the bugs are worked out and you've driven the car a few miles...Steve
Remember buying a ignition switch for my boat years ago. Thing would crank and crank but wouldn't start till I quit cranking it. Turned out the switch was for a mag.
That's sweet! Did you find the Vertex over there (UK)? I have a Mallory to run, and also a Wico JEM. I'll be very interested in seeing how yours does. hot4hot4's!
The mag itself was found by a dutch guy (32Vertex on here) in funny enough Holland! It had been sitting in a box in the corner of a garage for years and years. He nor the guy he bought it from knew that it was for a model 'A'. With a few measuements and a driveshaft he had it was pretty obvious what it was for, well it was for me! He brung it over to the Uk for one of our swap meets, so yes I did sort of find it in the UK!
4 EVER 4 will you please slow down ive just got my banger running sweet after taking advise from you'rself,artyboy, and the rest of the british real hotrod guys and you go and up the anti ,Whats a guy to do ,ill never catch up nor will my bank balance lol. its lookin good,,,,,,
That's cool! With a mill that looks like that I'd say it qualifies as a hot rod. But I do have a question. What does it really "pull" like? I've never sat behind one to know. I think it's great to see one hopped up. There seems to be growing interest in the old "bangers". It's a nice change.
Last year I ran a 18.7@70 e.t. at the Hot rod drags. Not that fast, but fast enough to beat the odd flatty V8. That was done as you see in the pics, but with a single carb, 3" wide 19's and the stock 3 speed crash box and it crashed a lot that weekend because the week after it went bang in a big way! I now have a hotter engine, better tyres and a close ratio box. We'll see what happens....
4 EVER 4 HAD SOME PROBLEMS AND WAS HIT WITH A MOMENT OF INSANITY BUT MET UP WITH THE DEVIL AND SOLD HIM MY SOUL,{ DID'NT NEED IT ANYWAY CAN'T DANCE} ANY WAY IM BACK ON TRACK AND HOPE TO BE OUT THIS SEASON SOMEWERE ..CAME ON HERE LAST WEEK AND GOT HOOKED?
Thanks for the answer. I got tied up yesterday and didn't manage to get back on the computer until now. It will be interesting to see how much quicker it is with the extra work you've put in to it. I think you've got a great looking car and engine there. Good luck with it.
I run a stock little 21 stud in a feather weight T - and I couldn't get away from 4ever4's A, even on the twisty bits of roads I know. And that was with last years engine trim, which gave a healthy kick in the back. How goes it with the close ratio gears, Clark? Oh, and kudos to a young lad who works on his car on the damp dark roadside in London!
Thanks for all the comments guys. After running the car for a couple of days now all I can say is I'm a mag convert. There has just been a complete transformation in the driveability of the car. Starting has improved, same with slow running and cold running has also greatly improved. All the popping on the over-run has gone, it just hasn't missed a beat.
That's really, really *****en. The motor and the car. I've always thought it would be neat to buy a restored 'A, do what you did w/ the motor, feed it a slightly newer trans., dropped axle, and cut down wheels and have something REALLY period correct Cool as heck.
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