What would you use to put a 350/350 in a Model A frame? I am willing to fab, but if I can save time I will and 1-800 it. I already have a tube X-member for the tranny, but tell me what you did. I will be boxing the frame and Zing it one rail height (I think). I would like to know what you used, pics would be awesome.
I guess I should have asked which pomade works best to grease up an orcabetty for some slip-n'-slide.
Are all the stock A crossmembers welded to the chassis? I would use the "get everywhere" moroso solid mounts and make a small 2x3 riser off the stock mounts put where I needed them (you will have to section them(stock mounts) about 1/2 inch) and weld the riser to the stock mount, then run the singe bolt thru the motor mount and the riser. It isn't a whole lot of strenght but should work with everything solid and boxed. I'm doing it this way.
El Caballo. Did a 350/Saginaw installation on a 31 5 window. Here's the run down. Stock front cross member 3" drop axle reverse eye spring Puts the split wish bones right up against the frame. Box the frame front to back. old style front mount engine mount. Put's the engine pretty low, but it's cool and gives you more room for exhaust and steering(Speedway). Used the P&J type too, they work fine too. I always do the same thing for a tranny mount. Just cut up 2"x2" x .120 wall tubing. Run it from rail to rail with the middle dropping down to what ever it takes to get the tail shaft angle you want. I like to drop it too low and use a spacer, then you can play with the angle when you get all the weight on the car. I run another piece of 2" x 2" across the frame, right where the radius rods are going to tie into normally. On my 33', I even attached the rods to that tube. Z'ed the back the height of the frame. Ran a Model a spring with a stock rear cross member. If you have any questions PM me and I can give you a call.
in a model A frame, i like to copy Pete & jakes front motor mount brackets,easy to do,and i have patterns made from original parts. check them out in their catalog. p & J's trans mount drop tube is ok,but i like to use a copy of TCI's. it's made from 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangler tubing and welds in across the frame rails for strength,and has a saddle that drops down to the transmission.gives more room for exhaust and clearance for the master cylinder. i then build a K-member type support from the cross tube to really beef up the frame to keep it from twisting. i have pictures,but sorry my scanner has crapped out
This is a loaded question, but here is a picture of my chassis that I built for my "A" coupe. I build my frames and componenets, so I'm no help as to "off-the-shelf" parts that may or may-not work.
I position the engine/trans where "I" want it to be for firewall clearnace, ground clearance, etc. and then build the mounts from the chassis to the engine and trans, allowing room for exhaust to pass under the car if so being designed for it.
Crease, did you attach your radius rods to the crossmember you built on the inside of the frme? This is what I was thinking of doing with my boxed A frame and 9".
I've been in that car, probably the most comfortable Model A I have ever been in and the 301 in it is baaaad. Nice pics.
stock front crossmembers are riveted in... We pulled a 350/350 out of a 52 chev and modified the motor mounts that bolted over the rail in the chev to weld to the boxing plate on the side of the rail in the A... Used one of those tubular 4" drop tranny mount/ crossmembers... Ladder bars out back with a 55 chev rear, but thats gonna get swapped out for something stronger... oh yeah 4" dropped axle with hairpins up front, but that set up is under my 34 now. -J.
J-, that sounds alot like what I can do, I have one of those 4" tubular drops. I want to have engine mounts that will be almost invisible. Still looking for good ideas there. That Z is pretty radical, a real tail dragger, that would look nice but I am putting this in a '27 T coupe cum roadster so I am wary of using up trunk space needed for the gas tank.
Levis On my 33' I attached the radius rod to the tube. On the A, we ran the rods parallel to the frame. The A frame is pretty narrow, so the best fit was on the outside. However, you would actually be better off if you ran the radius rods from near the drum toward the drive shaft. That would better approximate the original geometry. Still not as good as Henry designed it, but a step in the right direction.
The Jalopy Journal
