Poboyross's Model A Build: "Faux'dster"

nice build

 

great job!

 

Hopefully some updates coming soon. Been so busy at work, no time for doing anything. I see that this thread has been moved to "traditional discussions and happenings" :/ It's a build, figured it would go in "traditionally styled" forum....isn't this forum where threads go to die?

 

....isn't this forum where threads go to die?

Don't matter if you're subscrbed. Glad to hear more is coming. Let 'er rip!

 

Update:

Got the gas tank and fuel lines installed. I used some 3/4 square tube to frame out the trunk (which I will eventually do to the rest of the car, along with some bead rolled steel floors) so I could mount the tank. I'm also considering using an electric fuel pump I've got to help out the mechanical one ( via a switch perhaps) if hilly driving is an issue...thoughts/overkill? Up next, trunk battery and finishing throttle cable install...





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Updates:

-Exhaust installed
-Fuel tank and fuel lines run
-Brake lines run (not bled or torqued down)
-Headlight stanchions cut/welded on
-Headlights mounted
-Throttle cable installed
-Gas pedal installed





Next up:

-Install door latches/striker plates
-Fab seat mounts
-Install drive shaft
-Install trunk mounted battery/cables
-Basic electrical/ignition

To get it on the road, I figure I need 4 full days work probably, maybe 5. Make that spread out in 1hr increments over the next several months, maybe it'll be drivable by summer!

 

On the steering.. you say the pitman arm and tie rod bind when goin back. Now changing the tie rod end? Any machining needed to the pitman arm?. I ordered this box for my tudor. I've seen others fab a whole new pitman.

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No, no binding that I've noticed as of yet. I had the steering hoop/arm about 1.5" higher before I had to move it down a notch (has multiple bolt holes for height) so I could thread in the brake hose. A number of folks will say the fact that this will cause binding, but I'll drive it and see. I've seen other guys with angles between the pitman and steering arm that were greater than this that reported no binding. the bung on the Pitman arm was slightly too thick for the BMW tie rod end that went with the box, but attached elsewhere in the car. They both had the same degree of chamfer, but apparently one's stud was longer than the other, so I thinned up the bung by about 3/16. This still leaves a bung thicker than any I've seen fabricated, so I'm still fine with it. The lower mounting hole on the box (2 on the top, one on the bottom) had to be trimmed back because the taper of the cowl prevented a nut from fitting on the back side. Other than that, no machining needed.....yet.

 

How can one 1inch bar from the pumpkin to the chassis be stronger that two radius rods with one inch bars in the center. This whole contraption has tobe getting pretty heavy.

 

It relieves the forces being put on the rear castings of these particular radius rods, as they've been known to crack under too much pressure. I know of more than several guys who have had this problem, who have solved it in the same fashion. Too heavy? If a 7lb-ish bar is going to be "too heavy" for that engine, then I've got bigger problems. Thanks for the valuable advice following the constructive criticism though.

 

Soooo, started cutting and putting in the floorboards lately....

 

Updates:

So I got the brakes sorted (I think) and working pretty well. They could do with one more bleed to get any remaining air bubbles out, but they're are definitely stopping the car well from a roll. The thing that got me was not realizing I had to use Teflon tape or PTFE on the NPT fittings/adapters on the residual pressure valves and adjustable proportioning valve. Too much headache, blood, sweat, and cuss words to discuss on getting those things to not leak. I also did some basic wiring on the motor, and have it so I can start it with the key...hooray! Here's some video action:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GiQKRrQR1QY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Apparently I didn't ground the motor well enough, because two wires (one from the starter to the battery and the other from the ford solenoid to the battery) go so hot that the plastic coating almost melted off! From what I've read, this sounds right. No other wires got hot at all.

 

Well, maybe it does! Cool build, and I just read the whole thing... Subscribed.

 

Update in the trunk...




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I believe tie rod ends on all ends would be a better choice as there will be rotational stress on the heims during movement of the rear axle as the bones will act as torsions. Tie rod ends will allow less stress on all control rods.

 

Can you brief us on what was done to modify the cowl to accept roadster windshield stanchion, this is a first time hear this could be done

 

Is this thing on.....? Hello?

Anyway, couple more updates:



Here's the original tank brackets that I modified to be more sturdy and secure. They're in the car now.




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Cool!

 

I'll try and take some pics of the stanchions removed at some point. Basically what was done was fabrication of the mounts that you find on a true roadster. The existing coupe "riser" there that goes around the cowl, at the fronts of the doors, was cut down and then that "inset fitting" that the stock roadster stanchions mount to was fabbed up with the same type of holes drilled and then tapped.

EDIT: Forgot I had this pic (and more) earlier in the thread

 

Got the tail lights tacked in today. I'll finish welding and grinding them later.



They're 40 tail lights. I'm not stuck on them completely, and didn't want to cut holes in the back quite yet, so I gabbed up some brackets to hold them. I liked the idea of turnig them sideways as they will do double duty as turn signals, and the chevrons look more like arrows in this configuration.

I also got the tank mounted in and the spring hump cover in there too. Up next is tweaking the body to frame mounting, Ebrake handle, and seat mounting, among other things.


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i never thought of running them in that direction, i like it.

 

So, I guess this is the "end" of the build...I'm finally driving it around town, to work meetings, etc At some point in the future I'll tear it all down and go back and paint it up right, but for now I'm "cruisin' dirty" I'm definitely going to build a hood for it and might even put some cooling fans under there...that hopped up little 305 has some mild cooling issues, due in no small part to me having to use an electric fan instead of a pump mounted one (no room b/c of long water pump).

 

Clap, clap, clap, well done, I like it, drive it and enjoy it.

 

Your car looks sweet!...very nice proportions, stance is good,.....one question,did you fabricate some structural members to fasten the square tubing steering box bracketry to the frame? In the photo it appears that your box mounting framework is only attached to the cowl and I would think that would not be strong enough......have fun, be safe!

 

Great job! And lots of help for my coupster.

 

How it's structured right now is the top of the box is bolted to an extensive structural framework that was built into the hollowed out tank in the cowl. The bottom of the box is bolted to a K member that is welded to two spots on the subframe. If you look at one of the photos of the interior about 6 posts up, behind the hanging tach wires, you can make out the K member. With everything bolted down tight (box and body-to-frame), there's almost no flex at all. However, I'm planning on extending the K member through the subframe and bolting it to the original spot for the A pillar flange on the frame, that has since been moved.

 

I reckon I'll continue to post updates as I add or change things, for the sake I keeping it all in one place. Today I made some brackets to allow me to use some Jeep hood clasps on my deck lid. I'll probably make some covers for them to cover the bolts. I got the clasps online for $7!




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Great to see it out thx for the updates!!

 

Looking good, keep up the nice work!!

 

Small update....snagged a 32 Chevy hood from a good fellah here on the HAMB who answered the call in my want ad. I just started cleaning up the hood and seeing what's going to have to change on it to make it fit my ride. It obviously has different shaping than an A hood, but not too far off.....it'll need to be bent some for sure. To get the sides to line up, I think I'll cut the hood at the belt line and drop it down to match the line of the bottom of the cowl tank. Once that is run out straight, I'll mod the sides. I'm thinking of leaving the hood sides to drop down over the frame, and then grafting in some 32 rail sections that I might have laser cut (unless I can find some torn up donor ones that have the section I need). These rail sections would make the frame look more like a 32 frame...I've seen a couple cars here on the HAMB that had it done, looks nice IMO. That would line up with the hood sides that extend down and create this nice gestural line across bottom. It looks like it sweeps down a lot lower than it does. The frame still has the mechanical brake brackets on it, which are pushing the hood side outward. In reality it covers about 2"-3" of the frame when it's down flat against the frame. I'm also considering some rear fenders (perhaps partial ones) to make that rear end look mo' beefy.