Happy New year to you all. I'm building a 29 at the moment, build thread will be along soon. Currently I have the chassis being built, as I can't weld for shit. That said I dropped off a dummy FE and trans to my builder for a test fit to see how everything lines up. I'm using flathead biscuit mounts and a stock starter motor. I have tried looking for threads on this, but didn't see anything, apart from FE's into everything else. So, my question is does anyone have pics of FE's into model A's. Especially engine, exhaust etc. I know Bill B had done it, but I think that was a 32 chassis if I'm correct. Also, I'm not making the chassis longer than stock. Apologies in advanced if someone does find a thread. Cheers
Everything will fit in a Model A if you're willing to do the work. I can't give any insight, but I want to see how you end up doing it. I love FE's and I do have a couple Model A's. In fact, I have a nice running 390 with a Top Loader behind it. I'm pretty good at building Headers so for me Exhaust is never an issue.
The problem will be fitting it in. The front of those small blocks is pretty long so the engine will be set back and the firewall has to be modified. Especially if you’re keeping the stock chassis dimensions. The engine will not be centered in the engine compartment, part of it will be in the firewall. I like those small blocks but I chose a SBC for my A project cause they fit in well.
If I can fit a 440 mopar in one I know an FE should fit. You have several choices here, 1- if your having a frame built then it's easy to add a couple inches in length to it, that's what I did. 2- like many old hot rodders did, take the firewall out and turn it around and reinstall. I believe that alone is worth 4 inches. I've also seen the firewall turned around and the radiator shell moved forward an inch or 2. As for other problems figuring them out is part of it. I used fender well exit headers which turn the tubes up away from the motor before turning them back down. This also gives clearance for the starter in a narrow frame. I used a Vega steering box and cross steer which allowed the steering box to be up in front of the starter. I didn't offset the engine either, it's centered in the frame. Also note I DID NOT reverse my firewall. So yeah anything is possible....
awesome thankyou fellas. I have a street rod with an FE in it, but the chassis is a 32 style and has been lengthened a few inches. I was thinking on just running stock exhaust manifolds and was thinking on running one upside down to point the exhaust forward around the engine mount, but that may look dumb. Cheers @Turns Squeak will be home for summer so I will catch up with him when I see him, cheers @lostone nice job on those headers
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/ford-fe-in-a-34.1221594/ https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/fe-ford-in-model-a-or-32-rails-pics-please.291485/ here’s some info for you. You’ll want to stretch the chassis some. Steering will not be a problem if you’re running lake pipes or headers out side the frame rail. Things get difficult when you want everything under the hood.
Cheers for that @IronFord. Yes, I had seen those threads b4, but I'm attempting to squeeze mine into a stock length A Tudor with a hood and fenders. No back seat so I can move the fire wall back if need be. Looking forward to getting at it soon, cheers
An old thread on this specific subject. Most of the images still seem to be active. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/fe-ford-in-model-a-or-32-rails-pics-please.291485/
If it was mine, I would just mount the radiator and the body in the stock position, cut out the entire firewall and position the engine to where the fan and radiator have the right relationship. Build engine mounts and a new firewall as required. I kinda like a flat recessed firewall with a polished aluminum face. Looks like two engines in there when it’s clean. Build a simple set of Tri-Y style headers, common stock Ford exhaust manifolds are ugly and horribly restrictive. The fancy hi-performance ones are pricey and probably won’t fit your chassis.
Well, that's you. It's not the way he wants to do it. Kinda like when I did a Blown 392 with a 3" belt drive in my 40 Coupe. Total stock firewall and stock mounted Rad. I was told it couldn't be done, Wrong! And, it runs a manual fan mounted off the Crankshaft like they were designed to be. This photo was taken in the mock-up stage just to make sure I could do it.
One nice thing (among many!) about an FE is the distributor being at the front of the engine so you don't have that interference at the firewall.
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