I'm in the process of pulling the original 4 cylinder out of my daughters Model A. The plan is to rebuild and modify for more power, I've checked out some of the speed parts suppliers, but would still like to talk to someone who's done it before. Anybody out there with some tips and tricks? Thanks
Join Secrets of Speed Society ( www.secretsofspeed.com ) or Ford A Speed Technologies ( www.hotforhotfours.com ) the SOSS is by far better, but FAST is cheaper. I work with speed parts, mostly liberating and restoring them, but I do plan to start racing dirt track with the setups we have. You can do alot to an A motor and not spend alot, But you can get in deep.
Contact 4ever4, and look for all his posts. He's a modest lad, but anyone using a hopped up A coupe as a daily in London must know a thing or two! After all, he's broken enough bits as he's transformed it from a stocker into... well, something that looks like a stocker! http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56050
Try this web site for Ron Kelly in Texas. http://users.aol.com/gmaclaren/dyno.html for some really detailed info on model a engines. also try nwvs.org for the Northwest vintage speedsters web site. Some tech stuff and lots of cool pictures. Rusty.
If you want to really go whole hog, look at the Donovan aluminum 4-banger. How's five mains and a counterbalanced crank? http://www.modelaparts.net/donovan.htm/donovan.html
Can someone tell me if they have run one of Charlie Yapp's heads (pictured above). I am interested in them but want to hear some feedback good or bad? The only advice I can offer is what I have done to mine. Adapt a 5 speed box behind it and fit a Mallory dist (or a mag). Also, visit www.macsspeed.com
Mine's just gone back in after some serious work. You don't have to go big-bucks to have a lot of fun with them, a high comp head, a 94 and a tube header will do wonders. Add a Mallory (or any other decent dizzy) for more fun. Other than that and you're getting into serious machine work and $$$. I've just had counterweights added to my crank, had it crossdrilled and full oil pressure plumbed in, had the flywheel lightened by 25lb, fitted a V8 clutch and installed a Winfield cam. This is to go with the Winfield head and 94 already in use. Should be fun....
Looking good Darren. Is it in the car yet? THe Lion Head above is mine, I like it, which is why I'm running it! I chose it because it was cast iron and because of the ***bustion chamber design. The head is very sensitive to ignition timing. I think the early ones suffered from 'pinging', which was rectified in the later heads (II & III). I think at a later stage I might clean up the head to remove the sharp machined edges in the combustion chamber. I just don't just trust them in regards to pre-ignition. ForeverFour your name looks familar, I just can't place it though....
Darren, your engine shots look good! I am currently putting together another engine for my pick up. The one I had was way to thin in the water jackets etc. For my T project I will probably run similar running gear to my pick up. Has anyone had anything to do with H&H Antique Engines?
Got it in on Monday night, spent last night fitting everything else in, I'm just waiting on the head now. Belcher's (the engineers) said I'd have it for the weekend....I'd like to think that's the case. I bought my inlet from H & H and I was going to get them to build an engine for me at one stage. Cir***stances prevented that from happening but they sent me a load of information and they are very compe***ively priced. I've also spoken to Max Snr on the telephone a couple of times and he's a really cool guy.
So what head are you having Darren? Or just a modded stock one? Are you going to have a long run out to bed it all in before the drags? And to the new foreverfour - what's the 23T look like? Understand it's gonna have that Isky feel. That's a fine look to aim at!
Hi Phil. Belcher's have got my Winfield head for flycutting. They faced the block during the rebuild and the new pistons pop-up almost .060 which is a nuisance. I'm going to try my hardest to get the miles on it before the drags, but if I can't get it run-in in time, it'll be more than ready for the Hayride.
Two good sources: Get the Model A catalog from Sacramento vintage Ford; They have gathered in parts from most of the little ba*****t operations making and reproducing four barrel stuff, and the catalog will fill your dream list right to the top, AND get the catalog from Gene Scott's(d) old shop near LA..damn, cannot think of name or town, someone here has it. They have all sorts of goodies in production, though they are hard to reach and deal with. Rosemead's the town. If you are serious, it's also blowing the wad of money to get all available back issues from Secrets. They have to be read carefully--they have no real tech editing, and it's up to you to separate the goodies from the ****...but there's lots of good stuff in there and lots of good contacts.
If it's in Rosemead, it could be Speciality Ford Parts. I've got a catalogue dated 1991 with this address.... 9101 E. Garvey Ave Rosemead CA 91770 All that could've changed over the last 14 years, but it's worth a try. I got my Winfield head and sideplate from 'em.
YES! Fantastic place, with a LONG history of excellent product lines sold under several tradenames like PSI--their guru is now dead, but current dude knows more than enough. Primitive, obsolete, partial catalog only, no website, taking credit card is a recent innovation with them. I get the idea that they are happy as clams, and don't much care about modern business practice as long as they sell enough to pay for supper. Their once fabulous junkyard is now virtually empty, but I understand there's an incredible warehouse--and the shop is CRAMMED with early speed stuff, 4-8-60, and a mix of available and discontinued neat stuff they make. I went there and missed the Petersen museum on my expedition to Mexico last year, and felt the right choice had been made! Best theme park in Calfornia! They are shifty *******s, though--I went in waving my official catalog I sent away for in 1966, and they IMMEDIATELY refused to honor their stated prices... Rats--I had hoped to ***emble a '40 Coupe from NOS parts for $17 and drive it home... They also make some interesting stuff for A-V8 and general flathead applications, but there's no way to find out about it without going there!
I have a 6:1 Lion (Yapp) head in the "Stupid Car" and like it. It seems calmer than other heads and makes good power. If you get an early one check it out with a gasket, because some of the chambers were off a lot. I am running babbit, and 6:1 is about it unless you want to rebuild it all the time. Got a lightened flywheel, 12 volt system with modern points, good B cam and a 94 down draft on a heated manifold with the stock exhaust. I also run a Volvo overdrive which I really like! The more you hop them up the less reliable they become and the cost starts going through the roof. I was runner-up at the Antique Nats last weekend-Got beat in the final round by a great looking Miller repop single seat race car. Next year...........
Artiki, I've had two Bangers built at H&H, one flathead thats in my Bonaville car and they are just finnishing up my stroked Riley for my 32-5 wender. Max's SR is really good to deal with, you can really talk sheeet with him.--TV
Modeltsteve, my son and were not to far behind ya sat. night on the after dinner run, we were in the red primered 32 roadster with burgandy firewall. It seemed to me your car moved right along fine for crusen, I didn't know you had an o-drive in it. very cool.--TV
I finally got to L.A. for the first time in 1975 after reading about all the shops and people in Hot Rod and Rod & Custom starting in 1961. I thought East Garvey Avenue would take a full day to visit with all the shops that were there, then it hit me. Gene Scott owned them all and ran them out of the same store front. The late great Joe Gemza had a home address and a business address, they were different, but he lived on a corner lot with a mail box on the corner of both streets. He did some great 4 Banger work out of a shop that was in fact two truck trailer boxes with the axles removed. For years I thought he had some super mechineshop with rows of Bridgeports, and lathes of every size known to man. === Never judge a product by the shop it was built or rebuilt in.
max senior is fixing an ancient RAYDAY high-comp head for me...so far he has been a really great guy to deal with.my buddy got the wrong side cover from a DIFFERENT vendor at turlock,and max sr. exchanged it for the right one,straight across..
I must say that there has been some great feedback on H&H which is good as I am really interested in their products and services. Has anyone on here got a hi comp flat head that they want to part with? Just the head only either cast iron or aluminum. I have bought a brand new stock engine that I will put a cam in and my intake and ignition and I would like to put an aftermarket head on it. As for the T, I want to build it very nice with heaps of detail. It will look kinda like Isky's but with more T parts used like a T front end and then Model A wheels. Frame is T and the body will most probably be a combination of what ever I can find and repro. Hopefully the engine will be an H&H deal backed by a 5 speed and a quick change.
Can you post a pic of the RayDay when you get a chance. I have a really ****py picture in my pile o' reference materials but would really like another. What was the CR on that? Compression chambers? Thanks -RNB
i don't have a pic,but i'll take some when i get it back from h+h...compression was like 6-3:1 or some such ...pretty high for them times.
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