Projects SBF Model A Roadster build

i have been working on this 28 roadster for about 9 months so far . i have gone a few diff directions but now have decided to put a sbf 302 with a 4 speed toploader. i got the pete & jakes 32 ch***is on a trade from a fellow club member. with the ch***is it has set my project forward . while deployed, i read so much info ( such as malcoms roadster build) here on the hamb and its going to save me tons of trial and error. i havent seen to much info on SBF with manual trans in a roadster, but im sure its been done. this first pic is what it looked like when i brought it home.

 

this is the stages it is in now

 

the last couple days,with the help of fellow club member Gator, we began to fit the body to the 32 rails. first i channeled the sub-frame in the rear . next i cut the rear frame horns off. i then followed malcolms build by pie cutting some 1x2 tubing to connect the front sub-frame with the rear. the pie cut pics are before i clamped it to the frame to get the rest of the shape and weld.

 

Cool man and thanks for serving

 

Looks great buddy. The HAMB was a life saver for me, there is no way I could of built my 36 coupe without it from brake set-up to ****** rebuild, rear end rebuild to spindle drop.

I am in Denmark so there is very few people that knows this stuff.

Good luck with the rest of the build.

 

nice project

 

Looks like a great start.

 

looks great cant wait to see more progress

 

this week i got the rear sub rail pieces, i had made, installed. I'm proud of them but they are not too pretty. I'm not the best welder in the world but it will hold and a grinder will take care of the rest. i had to cut the center sub frame member so i could square the body and sub frame to the 32 rails. i pulled it to the frame by using clamps. i had to measure a hundred times to get it as even as possible before i tacked it to the frame to keep square.

i was going to pie cut the cowl to get it to flow with the frame but its really not to far out for me to go through the trouble. looks like i could still pull it out a little more.

i have a small gap in the rear before the rear quarters. i think i will shim it with some wood and paint it with the body.

i got my motor mounts in the mail today. i ordered a set from butches rod shop and they are very good quality. looks like i might have a motor and trans mounted by mid next week.

 

im going to be installing a ford 4 speed top-loader and if anyone has set up the clutch linkage before please chime in. i always hate to re-invent the wheel.

 

got the trans back from the shop had fresh bearings and seals put i it

 

Gator and i installed the motor and trans today. it was a lot harder then i thought. once again we measured a hundred times to make sure every thing was straight. the motor was a tight fit. looks like i will have some oil filter clearance issues and fan . going to go with a remote oil filter.

i dont think i explained to much about the motor. its a 302 with isky roller rockers and a isky 280 roller cam. there has also been some head work , porting and polishing. the valve covers came with it and will soon go, once i get the funds to dress up the motor.

plans for next week when parts come is to install wiring, steering column, radiator and grill.also i will be installing the battery box. going to try to install it inside the frame along with my fuse box. figure i will use some type of outdoor electrical box for the fuse panel. i took measurements and looks like it might work but it always works in theory and is a different story when you apply it .

 

didnt get any pics today. tried to mount the cowl, raidator and grille today. it didnt go as plan.

i bought a re-pop china 32 grille , insert and alum radiator and i got what i paid for. nothing bolted right up, it took some negotiationing but turned out nice when completed.

started to mount the cowl to the sub frame, but had some issues.i mocked up one of my doors to the cowl and body and i was way off somewhere. im not a great body guy so i will be leaving it up to a pro on this one.i know when im defeted and want this car to be right.

after i get the wiring and misc done this week i will take the car to fellow HAMBER and club member mike ( earl schieb) to mount the doors and cowl.

i had a test run date for the road rocket rumble but looks like i wont be making this one .

more to come this week with the wiring

 

A friend of mine used a Jeep top on the Toploader for this shifter. Are you considering this? If not, what shifter are you going to use?

I like this thread, because I plan to put a 302 and 4-speed toploader in my 30 Roadster. Keep up the good work! Looking good!

 

I ran a SBF and Top Loader in my 32 Coupe. I'll see if I can remember to post a pic of the elegantly simple solution I came up with for the clutch when I get home tonight.

 

If you use an early model ford truck hydraulic slave unit it will go much faster and they work well. I had several SBF hotrods with 4 speeds and all used hydraulic systems. My avatar is a BBF with top loader 4 speed with Mc leod clutch ***y with internal hyd to bearing. It works well but if I ever change the clutch out I will go back to the outside mounted slave unit. By the way thanks for your service to our USA. My son spent 12 months in combat and is going back for a second tour. God bless all you fellows for what your doing and what you did.

 

i just heard about using the jeep shifter but havent seen much more info on it. my tag on my trans says its a 69 mustang/cougar wide ratio trans and it has the shifter mounts right at the end of the tail-shaft.

 

that would be great if you could post some pics of it.

 

i was going to go with the mc leod internal hyd but im slowly running out of funds.my steering set up ran a little more then expected. what early model ford slave unit can you use ? and thanks for the compliment for my service and thanks to your son. i have 4.5 years 6 deployments. in the middle east and its not easy no matter what you do in the service. i have volunteered for all of them but i have time share property over there and cant get enough

 

mounted my Chinese grille and radiator this morning (you get what you paid for) . as usual nothing fit right but with some modifications i got it mounted. wiring harness will be in this week so i will be wiring it up as soon and UPS drops it off. i hope to fire the motor up by sunday if everything goes right.

tried to mount the cowl and doors the other day and nothing was going right so i am turning it over to an expert next week ( earl schieb ). I'm a mechanic and not the greatest metal worker and will admit defeat .

 

I will try, but my friend lives on the other side of the state, so it might be a while before I can get a picture.

For now here is a thread:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10237

 

I think there is a shorter oil filter out there that should fit, without having to do a remote filter.

May have to do some searching, but the part number is posted here on the HAMB in multiple threads.

Cool build! You have some great guys helping you, too!




Malcolm

 

thanks Malcolm, your build thread has become my roadster bible thread. anytime i need a reference i check back to yours.

on the oil filter. it would be hard to get one to fit. i only have 2 inches from the steering box.

 

im going to look into this . this would save me a lot of room and fit better with a bench seat.

 

You can see the Ford Racing filter 90 degree adapter I used in my Model A pickup

 

what kind of fuel pump did you run with it? i know it wouldn't clear the eldabrock mechanical pump im using now

 

Electric

 

Here is the way i did the clutch linkage on the 32 coupe with a Top Loader. I extended the Clutch fork (by cutting and welding two together) until it was in line with the pedal and then made an appropriate length Pushrod. It has served be well for the past 9 years with a stout Ford Racing clutch in it and thousands of miles.

 

that is so simple. i tend to over complicate things . think this is the route i will go. that just saved me a few hundred in a hyd throwout bearing . thanks for the pictures.also love the drilled chrome pedals .

 

Check out this Ebay auction. I don't like the price, but hopefully the information will help.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300412213926+&clk_rvr_id=239292983572