I'm thinking of throwing in a more modern drivetrain in my '33. However, I'll plan on keeping the stock rear end. I'm noticing a lot of drivetrain parts for '35 but nothing for '33. I was planning on putting on a rear radius rod mounting kit for a '35 from Hot Rod Works and either have my radius rods lengthened or built to fit. Up front I plan on using split wishbones (unless I can somehow keep my stock wishbone, I'd prefer that), but again, the only kits I see are for '35. I plan on using Chassis Engineering's bolt-in transmission crossmember in between. What is usually done in this situation? The frame is mostly stock with the exception of front boxing plates installed. The stock transmission crossmember looks to have been taken out and bolted back in at one point as well. Thanks.
Confused on "modern drivetrain" but with a stock rear? Are you keeping the stock closed drive torque tube, adapted to a newer trans? Put up more info on engine and trans you will use.
I'm planning on using something like a Pontiac or small block. I was going to bolt the engine to the '39 trans I have but I'm afraid it won't hold up for long. It has a '33 rear end with a closed drive. I plan on using a T5 transmission or equivalent and converting the rear end to open drive using the Hot Rod Works kit they have. However if I went this route I'll need to figure out what to do with the radius rods. Hot Rod Works makes a kit for '35 to bolt the radius rods to a plate with a heim joint that bolts to the chassis, I was planning on recreating that setup but I'm not sure if it will work. I don't want to hack up the frame for dual leaf springs or a 4-bar setup in the rear.
You are going to hack it up plenty with any trans swap. The cross bracing in the middle of the frame must be removed or heavily modified. You loose a whole lot of frame stiffness. I would keep the rear and maybe go to a set of 25 tooth Lincoln gears in the trans. A SBC will fit without cutting it all up. Just get a common adapter and a hurst front mount and you are set. The Pontiac will require a lot of firewall recess and you will loose footroom.
I wouldn't mind keeping the trans and torque tube setup in there, I won't be driving it hard, I just don't want to experience breaking the trans or rear end in the process. If I could somehow strengthen the trans I'd go that route. I may look into the Lincoln gear setup if it is stronger. I planned on upgrading the rear end later on anyhow. Here's the list of parts I would use: - http://www.hotrodworks.com/catalog/...-n-1115-10-spline-open-drive-kit-1932-34.html - http://www.hotrodworks.com/catalog/index.php/chassis.html - http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/center-x-member-modification-and-transmission-mounting-kit/ Is the reason why most of these companies offer these parts for '35 because the x-rails on '33 are narrower than '35? I don't know the differences much. If this is true, then a set of Hurst mounts like was mentioned will work better for me. Thanks.
Call HRW and ask if the '33 wishbone is the sme length as a '35/'36. ( I don't know the '33 length). If you don't care for the flathead for power you could use a SBC with the early trans and rear axle as already stated with no trouble. The trans will be the weak link but it'll work just fine as long as you aren't burnin' rubber and spinnin' donuts. Just my opinion but I'd just rebuild the flathead and enjoy the car. It'll still run right down the road dependably and in fine style. I swapped the 8ba in my '36 for a 283/C-4 with the stock rear end converted to open drive using HRWs split wishbone kit for the rear and my own torque arm. I went this route because I thought I'd never be able to afford to rebuild the flathead.... The reality was that by the time I spent the money and did the work I had more in the conversion than I would've had in a nice rebuilt FH. Not to mention the downtime..... (As it turned out I managed to get the FH put together anyway and now I have spare, fresh 8ba with nothing to put it in!!) My point is this.... Consider all your options carefully before taking it apart.... Pretty hard to go back... No matter which way you decide to go, good luck with the project.
The Lincoln gears are stronger as they are wider and have less mech multiplication. My 32 has run with a 276 flathead for 40 years thru a Lincoln gearset and a 3,54 rear end. It goes down the highway just fine. I think the flathead has more torque than a 283 SBC.
I'll look into putting Lincoln gears into this trans. I already rebuilt it but I can swap it out. The 8BA isn't an option anymore as I rebuilt it and realized in order for it to fit correctly I would need to tear it back down and use 59A internals. The stock front crossmember had been hacked up so I put in a stock crossmember. If I go with a small block I'll probably just swap in the hacked up crossmember again.
another big plus with the SBC or ? OHV swaps done back in the day, that still use the Ford trans, is that it is a simple and fun swap...not to mention the possibility of switching it back to flathead if you ever want to. Some people that have damaged the non syncro 1st gear transmissions, are not stopping completely for 1st or reverse. That chips teeth which add debris to wear things out. Most of us are not beating the heck out of our rides, so the trans should be fine.
I don't understand..... Externally the differences are the thermostat housing location on the heads, the separate bell housing, and the distributor, none of which would keep it from fitting in where a 59a once resided. What am I missing...just curious. Also, by using a front Hurst style mount for a SBC you can mount it directly to the '34 crossmember with flathead biscuits. These mounts were also available for Olds and Pontiac swaps, but I think they may hard to find...(not sure if anyone is repoping them). I'd love to have Lincoln gear set in any one of my '37/'39 boxes. Getting hard to find and a bit spendy, but worth it if you can find 'em.
Early Olds as well as early Caddy Hurst mounts are repro'd and very,very reasonable on ebay; not sure if the same guy does Pontiacs or Buick...maybe. Nice parts, fit good.
I found a set of NOS Hurst mounts, however I read that there are problems with converting a side-mounted engine to front mount because of engine chatter and torque, however I don't think I'd have that problem if I'm just going to cruise with it. I could make some anti-chatter rods, or since I have the front part of the frame boxed I could just make some mounts and weld engine brackets to the frame.
If you keep the original chatter rods on the Ford transmission, you won't have any more chatter than stock. And the torque will go to the same location on the frame and the flathead put it.
Sorry, the chatter rods go into holes on the block, not the trans. He can make some brackets that would mount to the bellhousing bolts.
My 32 5w has a sbc, 39 tranny with Lincoln gears, and stock early rear end. It is doing great. The engine is mounted using the original 32 flathead mounts on the front of block, sitting on stock flathead cushions on the crossmember. Don't worry about chatter rods and all that stuff, You should be just fine... Sam
I agree that with a SBC/early Ford drive train you probably won't have any chatter problems, but, by swapping out the trans rear bearing case/trans mount (or trans as the case may be) to the later style that takes the same mounting biscuits as the front engine mounts you'll have a much more solid mounting arrangement that will go along way toward eliminating chatter. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The Lincoln gears are no stronger than the Ford gears. Henry made them all using the same process. The only difference is that the Lincoln gears are lower in 1st and 2nd due to the heavier car they were pulling...final dive is the same n both Ford and Lincoln sets. The 29 trans will hold up just fine with any gear set as long as you are not using it for drag racing... There's no need to change the trans or rear end unless you are going to drive it HARD.
Yep. Duh. I should have remembered that. I think chatter rods are a great idea on any car with Ford biscuit style motor mounts. Too much rock back and forth otherwise. My brother has chatter in his A pickup with biscuit mounts, and it has a Y block and late 4-speed. Maybe you would not need the chatter rods in a '32 with the stock trans mount that won't wiggle, but everything else has a cushier mount that will wiggle front and back a bit.
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