Hot Rods bringing my Model A pickup back after the fire

The engine and trans mounts were easy enough- just thru-bolts and rubber biscuits. And the rubber biscuits burned away.

 

The steering box seemed locked up, and the tie rods were all loose.
but the steering box finally came out.

 

The front suspension came out easier than I ever thought it would.

Except for it being heavy and stupid clumsy.

 

and this came out with the clutch linkage. I have some photos of the design of the clutch linkage and some comments on this little jewel that I'll post when I find them.

 

Those guages were designed by a HAMBer, Django

 

I didn't know that! Thats awesome.

Im really happy w/the look and design of those Stewart-Warner gauges.

Ill post more when I get more done on the dash and bezel.
Im just getting back into it right now. I laid out all the parts I got from the farm. I will do the fab and assembly right here.

 

Dang, I gotta get that steering box in place.

 

Keep after it. I like your vision.
I have a buddy that lost his place in the same fire. He is starting over as well.

 

So I haven't posted in awhile.

I really haven't had any cool things to show like fitting an engine or hanging new suspension. not yet anyway. Right now its just a slow grind, trying to salvage stuff that's really messed up.

Heres a good example. The front axle looks to be ok. Its a dropped front axle and there was some time spent in heating and bending the spindle so they worked well and didn't hit the trailing arms. So ill just zip off the front drums and backing plates, and put new bushings and king pins in, right?
Wrong. Everything is stuck together. I couldn't even get this drum off easily.

and yeah, that stud broke when I removed the wheels.

So I cut the hub with my wizzer, and hammered and chiseled on the bearing race until it all came loose.
Except for the inner race. So it got the wizzer treatment as well.


Now, I was a machinist for quite a while, and Ive done this kind of thing before.
Its usually the result of having a bad day.
This cut needs to be made very carefully, and when it gets thin, the bearing race will crack or spread. Ive even had some make a pronounced 'ping' sound as they popped. But not this one. So I ended nicking the spindle. You can see it in the shadow of the bearing race. Not deep at all but still super frustrating.

So I may not be able to salvage the spindles, but at least I can now take the assembly to a shop and not look like the dork that couldn't get the damn drums off.

And - I have an ace in the hole! I was sent a set of spindles from a buddy of mine from Tennessee whom I've never met, a fellow HAMBer. They're F1, I believe, and should work great. Thanks, dude, you dont know how much you raised my spirits.

I have a question here- the F1 spindles should make it easier to put modern brakes on the front axle, yes?
And by modern, I mean disc brakes. The current spindles are 1939 ford passenger car, I believe.

 

lemme try again on the photos

 

Heres the bearing race.

 

They are F1 and I'm glad they will work. Your welcome.

 

I'm just reading this thread for the first time, don't know how I missed it. That was really a cool looking truck before the fire. Really sorry to hear about your losses. Hope you can make something cool from what's left.

 

So Im working on the rear of the Model A, and Im really happy w/ the results. Basically, I bought a bunch parts.

 

I bought an 8 inch ford diff, then bought a Detroit locker-style posi and bearing kit, and a new set of 3.78 gears to replace the 2.80 set that was in it. .




and a small press to put it together.

 

And I decided to put a Z in the back of the frame, to go with a triangulated 4 link rear suspension.

 

Briz, you make me ashamed. You're almost as far along with your project in this short time as I've gotten in the last 6 years I've been working on mine. Keep at it, dude. I know you'll have it the way you want it pretty soon.

 

So I’ve been looking at my bezel for the gauges again.
I kind of set it aside because it just wasn’t doing it for me. One of my buddies, Kyle, cut out some rings out of 1/4 inch plate aluminum, so I decided to try that.

 

I sanded and smoothed the edges, primed and rattle canned them red to match the dash.

 

The rings will help the gauges fit the openings in the dash, and I think the look is better than the stainless. I really like an engine-turned, or jeweled finish, but it just wasn’t working. If I were to do it again, I would experiment with different sizes of swirls. Maybe bigger swirls, maybe a circular pattern instead of rows, maybe a sunburst thing, I don’t know.
But I do like these round bezels.

 

I’ve also made some decisions on powertrain. I came this Borg Warner T-10 with a hurst shifter. It’s been nicely rebuilt, and it has a dual pattern.

 

And I decided to go small block. 1965 289. Big cam, 11:1 compression.

 

And there’s something else I’ve been thinking about, and I’m looking for ideas. I’ve got this great differential cover from the international:

 

I thought I could attach it to the back of the 8 inch ford diff, but it looks dorky and tacked on. Cuz it would be.

 

So I’m thinking I need to do something else. I was sketching a cut- down version, almost like a Nerf bar.

 

Maybe just cut out the Harvester logo and weld it to the 9

 

Anyway, if anyone has any other ideas for that diff cover, please let me know.

The patina on that thing is so cool and perfect, I want to be completely locked in before I cut it up.

Or maybe it just wants to hang on a garage wall.

 

Yes! Very Minimalist, and would look bitchin. With any luck at all , it would look like it belonged there.

 

Looks like the truck cast iron bellhousing, which is, I think, 5/8" deeper than the car unit. So check that the transmission input shaft will be long enough. I think you used to be able to buy a long pilot bushing for this setup.

 

Thank you. Your inspiration, pursuit of the art, and talent will be a thrill to see.

A step at a time your gonna make a miracle. Thanks.