Elrod Model A Coupe Thrash - Flathead V8 time

I have the hood sides, but thinking that I don't want to cover up the engine. I want to be able to have the option though. I'll probably need to put a small blister in the top of the driver's side hood, so chances are I wont be running the louvered hood top either.

 

Looking great man! Seeing your build brings back memories!!

 

Is that a 33-34 wishbone or 32?

 

Hitchhiker - Those are 32 wishbones. I believe the longest. Really put them close to the F1 cross member for an easy bracket build.

Thanks Chris! I felt much more comfortable moving forward with the drive line swap after seeing some of your work. I'm also planning on using the cut off A rear spring perches on my 38 rear end that I saw in your roadster build.

 

That "cut off A rear spring perches" is one of the greatest ideas in Hot Rodding!
Thanks Chris!

 

That was my friend Bob Pike who showed me that, "OldeBob" on here. He did it to his bitchin T roadster like 50 years ago. I saw that was was like DUH!!

 

So when we gonna see the blower? I'm picking it's a McCullogh by the pulleys and the manifold adapter.

 

Great work on the chassis - I was beginning to wonder if there'd be a 'drain hole' to get those pesky dropped body nuts out, but I think I saw it in the upside-down pic?

 

Hahaha. OK OK!!! Since you guys are calling me out!

I found this 1937 blower last year, almost a year to date, and had to have it. Basically it was the catalyst to make this transition happen. And as freak chance would happen, it was the same color as my oil filter and water pump pulleys. I guess it was a sign!







Here are a few preliminary shots...

 

RAD! That will make that car!!!

 

Now thass it............

 

Keep up the cool build! Love the BLOWER

 

Yes! That's going to be so sweet!

 

looking really good. should be a really awesome looking car when put all together.

 

Looks great in the flathead, What is the date of the blower?

 

FINALLY... blower photos!! Great progress, Jason -- keep at it!


Malcolm

 

So awesome.

 

Haha... i figured those were your pics over on FordBarn.... good score.

 

Excellent thread!

 

Very cool build. Diggin the blower. How about putting those dash glove boxes in the doors somewhere?

 

The big reveal! Looks cool. Cant wait to hear it run with the blower. I dont know if i've heard one of these blowers run.

 

Yup.

 

Ayyyyyyye!

 

Awesome. This thing gonna make the roundup?

 

Yeah. The plan is to get the drivetrain installed and running for the roundup. Then after, blow it apart again for body work, paint and interior.

 

The blower is a 1937 McCulloch. Here is some period advertising...

 

A little more progress last night. I wanted to visit the dash again. The top of the dash was still unfinished as seen in some of the earlier photos..



The dash as sold is intended to go behind a stock Model A dash rail. You put this generic dash on, and then bolt your stock dash rail over it. Well, when that happens, the dash rail covers a lot of the top shape of the indent of the dash, which I happen to like looking at.

Anderson told me about another car that cut the top of a Model A dash rail off, that kept the top bead of the stock dash rail like below.



I liked this idea, but for my car, the dash above looked like it was missing the bottom bead, above the impression for the gauges. I like the bottom bead of the stock model a dash rail and how it makes two enclosed recesses.

So, the solution on my dash was to roll a bead into the reproduction dash rail right above the recess.

Step one... Load the dash into the bead roller and hope you don't screw it up. Hey, it's just metal right? Anything can be fixed with time a patience.



Now we have our bead rolled above the gauge area of the dash. This warps the crap out of the dash, so some gnashing of teeth and mumbled curse words are required while trying to flatten it back.



Next step is to find out where you need to cut your stock dash, as well as trim away unnecessary metal from the reproduction dash.



Then grind, cut, trim, test fit, and repeat until you have a pretty close seam. Looking good enough to tack together at this point. Note that I will be doing away with the 2nd and 4th bolt holes, and only keeping the center bolt hole and the two outter bolt holes.



And now tack welded and checked for fit. I love this part of the car. It's taking a lot of time, but it is what I'll be staring at most when enjoying the car, so to me a good looking dash is not a place to cut corners.





Welding and finishing will be happening in the next few days.

 

That's honestly one of the nicest dashes I've seen. Very well executed!

 

A few other things completed last night was heating the clutch linkage lever to line up with the pedal assembly.

Get it glowing



and put some muscle into it.



Next up on the list is to figure out where the steering column needs to go in relation to the new dash and the mounts in the frame. To do that, the body has to go back on. A little tricky to do with just two people, but we did it with no problem.

I was really excited to see my old coupe now proudly displaying a flathead engine. I just kept saying, "Oh, man! Holy Crap!" This is really going to be cool, and I'm really happy that I had a few beers with Anderson and he suggested we start taking my car apart! haha. This is going to be really cool.





Another good feeling is that we NAILED the engine location in the frame. It couldn't have been more perfect. I really didn't want to cut the firewall and it now looks like we wont have to.





I've been through a lot with this little car....



Can't wait to drive the lil' coupe again!!

 

WOW!!!! This is a very cool build. The dash really looks good.